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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardWood Golem

Wood golems are often given vaguely humanoid shapes, almost as if cobbled together from scraps of firewood and discarded burls. It's less common for wood golems to have artistic embellishments such as engraved patterns, or to be carved in the shapes of different types of creatures to meet the tastes of their owners. While wealthy patrons have been known to commission wood golems to be painstakingly carved to resemble themselves or their ancestors, to serve dual purposes of protection and ego bolstering, most wood golem crafters don't bother. Druids and creatures who protect woodlands, such as arboreals, typically see wood golems as an affront or an abomination, akin to the horror humanoids often feel when facing a carrion or flesh golem. As a result, it is rare to see such creatures serving as guardians for fey or druidic holy sites, despite the thematic match between the wood golem's appearance and such locations.

Recall Knowledge - Construct (Arcana, Crafting): DC 24
Unspecific Lore: DC 22
Specific Lore: DC 19

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Wood GolemCreature 6

Legacy Content

Uncommon N Medium Construct Golem Mindless 
Source Bestiary 2 pg. 130 2.0
Perception +6; darkvision
Skills Athletics +11
Str +5, Dex +4, Con +3, Int -5, Wis +0, Cha -5
AC 17; Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +6
HP 95; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, magic (see Golem Antimagic below), mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Resistances physical 5 (except adamantine)
Golem Antimagic harmed by fire (4d8, 2d6 from areas or persistent damage); healed by plant (area 2d6 HP); slowed by earthVulnerable to Shape Wood A wood golem targeted by shape wood takes 2d8 damage per spell level, with a basic Fortitude save against the caster's spell DC. On a critical failure, the golem is also immobilized for 1d4 rounds.Splinter [reaction] (arcane, transmutation) Trigger The wood golem takes physical damage; Effect A jagged, sizable splinter of wood lances out at the golem's attacker. The golem makes a splinter Strike against an adjacent creature without triggering reactions.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +11 [+6/+1] (magical), Damage 2d8+8 bludgeoningRanged [one-action] splinter +10 [+5/+0] (magical, range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d4+8 piercingSplinter Volley [two-actions] (arcane, evocation) The wood golem makes up to four splinter Strikes, each against a different target. These attacks count toward the wood golem's multiple attack penalty, but the multiple attack penalty doesn't increase until after the wood golem makes all of its attacks.

Sidebar - Treasure and Rewards Wood Golem Components

Unless they are badly damaged by magical fire, the rare woods and exquisitely carved blocks used to craft a wood golem retain much of their value after the golem's destruction. Carpenters, sculptors, and even some merchants will pay a fair price for the remains of a defeated wood golem. However, if the golem belonged to a rich and powerful person and its fragments are thus recognizable, it may be more difficult to find willing buyers

All Monsters in "Golem"

NameLevel
Adamantine Golem18
Alchemical Golem9
Carrion Golem4
Clay Golem10
Crystal Sentinel13
Flesh Golem8
Fossil Golem12
Glass Golem8
Guillotine Golem18
Ice Golem5
Iron Golem13
Mithral Golem16
Obsidian Golem16
Quantium Golem20
Solar Glass Golem11
Stone Golem11
Wood Golem6

Golem

Source Bestiary pg. 184
Crafted of base materials and then magically animated into a powerful guardian, the legendary golem is a living construct that mindlessly obeys its creator's commands— often continuing to do so for years or even centuries after its creator's death. There exist two known methods of animating a golem. The traditional method involves harvesting and implanting an elemental soul or essence within the newly crafted host statue, a procedure seen as vile and blasphemous to those who value the sanctity of the soul; evil or amoral golem crafters tend to prefer this method. The other, less disreputable technique involves siphoning pure positive energy into the statue to artificially imitate the creation of a soul. The result does not give the golem a true soul and is generally a more costly and time-consuming method of creation. Regardless of the method used, the resulting golem functions the same. A golem's unique animating force leaves it susceptible to certain forms of magic, but apart from these few weaknesses, it is impervious to magic and difficult to damage with weapons.

Golems work best in play as foes to vanquish rather than allies to accompany player characters on adventures. The process of creating a golem is time-consuming, expensive, and difficult, and only the most talented spellcasters or artisans can even hope to accomplish such an undertaking. While certain magical texts—so-called “golem manuals”—are said to aid golems crafters, for the most part the creation of a golem should be something left in the hands of the Game Master.

Golems have components that can be harvested as trophies or magical components; the value depends on the golem in question. Examples of components that can be harvested from golems are listed in the sidebars.

Golem Antimagic

A golem is immune to spells and magical abilities other than its own, but each type of golem is affected by a few types of magic in special ways. These exceptions are listed in shortened form in the golem's stat block, with the full rules appearing here. If an entry lists multiple types (such as “cold and water”), either type of spell can affect the golem.
  • Harmed By Any magic of this type that targets the golem causes it to take the listed amount of damage (this damage has no type) instead of the usual effect. If the golem starts its turn in an area of magic of this type or is affected by a persistent effect of the appropriate type, it takes the damage listed in the parenthetical.
  • Healed By Any magic of this type that targets the golem makes the golem lose the slowed condition and gain HP equal to half the damage the spell would have dealt. If the golem starts its turn in an area of this type of magic, it gains the HP listed in the parenthetical.
  • Slowed By Any magic of this type that targets the golem causes it to be slowed 1 for 2d6 rounds instead of the usual effect. If the golem starts its turn in an area of this type of magic, it's slowed 1 for that round.
  • Vulnerable To Each golem is vulnerable to one or more specific spells, with the effects described in its stat block.