Bronze Golem

Garnfellow · May 17, 2004

Has anyone done a conversion of the bronze golem, from the Moldvay Expert Set? For my money, this is one of the best variant golems evah! Sure beats those gelatin, naugahyde, or lint golems . . .

Filby · May 19, 2004

There is a bronze golem in Monster Manual 2, a conversion of the "bronze minotaur golem" from an issue of Dragon Magazine.

Don't know about Moldvay's, though...

Garnfellow · May 19, 2004

Filby said:
There is a bronze golem in Monster Manual 2, a conversion of the "bronze minotaur golem" from an issue of Dragon Magazine.

Don't know about Moldvay's, though...

That's actually a brass golem . . . a different breed of cat altogether.

Cthulhudrew · May 27, 2004

Garnfellow said:
Has anyone done a conversion of the bronze golem, from the Moldvay Expert Set?QUOTE]

I did one for an adventure for the Mystara 1018 almanac. At the time, 3.5 wasn't out yet (or at least not fully, IIRC), so it's in 3.0 format, but if you'd like to take a look at it:

http://dnd.starflung.com/brnzwleg.html

It's way down at the bottom of the page. Or... heck, I'm trying to kill some time here anyway:

Bronze Golem
Large Construct (Fire)
Hit Dice: 20d10 (110 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (can't run)
AC: 20 (-1 size, +11 natural)
Attacks: Fist +23 melee
Damage: Fist 2d10+9 and 1d10 fire
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Heat, fire blood
Special Qualities: Construct, fire subtype, magic immunities, DR 10/magic, darkvision 60 feet
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: None
Feats: None
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 21-30 HD (Large), 31-60 HD (Huge)

A bronze golem stands 16 feet tall and weighs around 3,000 pounds. Its hollow interior is filled with liquid fire. The incredible heat generated by its fiery blood causes it to appear slightly blurry. The golem is often carved in the image of fire giants.

Despite its size, the golem moves surprisingly swiftly, due to its hollow nature and the magical fire running through its "veins."

Combat:

Bronze golems are formidable opponents, using their crushing strength in conjunction with their burning form to deal searing pain to the enemy.

Heat (Ex): The merest touch of a bronze golem is searingly hot, automatically dealing 1d10 points of fire damage on contact.

Fire blood (Ex): If the bronze golem is injured by slashing or piercing weapons, its fiery blood spurts forth, dealing 2d6 points of fire damage to the opponent who wounded it. Characters may make a Reflex save for half damage.

Fire subtype (Ex): A bronze golem is immune to fire damage, and takes a -10 penalty on saves against cold attacks. If a cold attack does not allow a saving throw, the golem takes double damage instead.

Construct traits (Ex): A bronze golem is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic effects. It is not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy drain. It is immune to anything requiring a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects). It is not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed. As it is not alive, a bronze golem cannot be raised or resurrected.

Magic immunity (Ex): Bronze golems are immune to all spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural effects except as follows. Cold-based effects slow them (as the slow spell) for 1d6 rounds, with no saving throw. Fire effects break any slow effects on the golem, and cures 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage it would otherwise deal. Bronze golems roll no saving throws versus fire effects.

Construction:

A bronze golem's body is sculpted from 4,000 pounds of pure bronze.

The golem costs 90,000 gp to create, which includes 1,200 gp for the body. Assembling the body requires a successful Craft (metalworking or armoursmithing) check (DC 18). Additionally, a successful Craft (alchemy) check (DC 18) is needed in order to create the "liquid fire" that fills the golem's interior.

The creator must be 16th level and able to cast arcane spells. Completing the ritual drains 1,800 XP from the creator and requires fire shield, geas/quest, limited wish, and polymorph any object.

(Hmm... I notice that I seem to have incorporated the 3.5 version of Damage Resistance, which implies that it was out, but I didn't use the 3.5 format... weird. Wish I could remember why I did that...)

Anyway, this might give you a start. I'm not entirely happy with it, myself, so maybe we can polish it up working in conjunction.

Krishnath · May 28, 2004

Question: How can a construct bleed?

dren · May 28, 2004

“If you prick us, do we not bleed?/ If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you/ poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”
-Shylock, II.i.58, Merchant of Venice by Billy Shakepaeare

Umm, no, you are right, Krishnath, constructs don't bleed, but they do "leak." Constructs don't do any of those things in the shylock quote very well, except for the revenging part. They do that quite well.

Cthulhudrew · May 28, 2004

Krishnath said:
Question: How can a construct bleed?

A bronze golem is filled with a sort of magical liquid fire. This substance is responsible for generating the tremendous heat it gives off (the heat ability) as well as being the "blood" that squirts out when it is wounded.

Garnfellow · May 28, 2004

Cthuludrew,

Very nice rendition -- much thanks! I knew I should've scoured that Starflung site more thoroughly before going off and making my own conversion. Anyway, here was my take on the bronze golem -- although I will likely incorporate some of your cool ideas into a revised version.

We seem to have come up with pretty similar end products. At 16 ft tall, this golem is right on the border between Large and Huge size. I went with Huge just for a contrast with an iron golem (Although I wanted the bronze golem to be slightly weaker than an iron one. I see we both went for a CR of 12.)

I also used 3.5 rules. Anyway, here's my take:

BRONZE GOLEM

Huge Construct (Fire)

Hit Dice: 20d10+40 (150 hp)
Initiative: –1
Speed: 25 ft. (5 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (–2 size, –1 Dex, +14 natural) touch 7, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+33
Attack: Slam +23 melee (3d10+10 and 1d10 heat)
Full Attack: 2 slams +23 melee (3d10+10 and 1d10 heat)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Heat
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 5/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., fiery blood, immunity to magic, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 8, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 21–60 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This golem, occasionally confused with an iron golem, has a humanoid body made from bronze; its blood is liquid fire. A bronze golem can be fashioned in any manner, but is often formed like a broad-chested, bearded giant with half-plate armor and a horned helmet. A bronze golem is 16 feet tall and weighs about 13,000 pounds. A bronze golem cannot speak or make any vocal noise. Its body shimmers with the great heat inside it and it moves with a slow, deliberate gait. Each step causes the floor to tremble unless it is on a thick, solid foundation.

Combat

Heat (Su): Those hit by a bronze golem’s slam attack take 1d10 points of heat damage. Creatures hitting a bronze golem with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take heat damage as though hit by the golem’s slam attack.

Fiery Blood (Su): Anyone scoring damage on a bronze golem with a piercing or slashing melee weapon must make a DC 20 Reflex save or take 2d6 points of damage from the fiery “blood” spurting out of the wound. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A bronze golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A cold effect that deals more than 30 points of damage slows it (as the slow spell) for 1d6 rounds, with no saving throw.

Construction

A bronze golem’s body is sculpted from 13,000 pounds of pure bronze, smelted with rare tinctures and admixtures costing at least 30,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 20 Craft (bronzeworking) check.

CL 16th; Craft Construct, fire shield, geas/quest, limited wish, polymorph any object, wall of fire, caster must be at least 16th level; Price 120,000 gp; Cost 90,000 gp + 3,600 XP.

Garnfellow · May 28, 2004

There are several things from your version that I really like and would adopt . . . the addition of a Craft (Alchemy) check in the construction process, having fire attacks heal the golem. I also prefer a lot of your flavor text.

Cthulhudrew · May 28, 2004

Garnfellow said:
There are several things from your version that I really like and would adopt . . . the addition of a Craft (Alchemy) check in the construction process, having fire attacks heal the golem. I also prefer a lot of your flavor text.

Right back at you- I like a lot of things better about your version than mine. I wasn't sure about the DR/Magic that I had in mine (it was a holdover from the OD&D rules, but didn't quite fit with most of the current golems, and I wasn't sure whether to give it adamantine or not), and I like your description of the Heat ability better (affecting characters who attack with melee weapons and unarmed strikes). Also, your version's description is more... thorough... than mine.

I didn't even notice how close the large/huge thing was. I could see it going either way. I note that my version (the weird amalgam of 3.0 and 3.5) doesn't have the hp right (forgot to add the new Construct bonus points).

As for finding the Bronze Golem on the Vaults- you would have had to *really* scour the site. It isn't in the "New Monsters" section, but in the adventure in the atlas- so it's not exactly easy to find.

If we get a finalized version here, I'm sure Shawn (the site's webmaster) would love to post it up there for us. Keep the next guy from having to dig around and look like you did!