Half-golem Magic immunity

[Magic Rub]

Hello boys & girls it's stupid/repeating rules question time here at Enworld.

Today's stupid repeating rules question is;

- A (Iron) Half-golem has the same magical immunities as an Iron golem. As follows...

Magic immunity as an Iron golem - an iron golem is immune to all spells, spell like abilities, and supernatural effects, except as follows. An electricity effect slows it (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no save. a fire effect breaks any slow effect on the golem and cures 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage it would otherwise deal. For example a fireball hits ("normally" dealing 18 points of damage) & heals for 6 points

Does a Half-golem (or golems) spell immunity work as per most other spell immunity, as an unbeatable spell resistance, something that can be voluntarily lowered to accept spells, & spell like abilities? I ask because of the fact that the golem immunity also includes supernatural abilities, which SR doesn't normally cover.

From DMG
Only spells and spell-like abilities are subject to spell resistance. Extraordinary and supernatural abilities (including
enhancement bonuses on magic weapons) are not.

A creature can voluntarily lower its spell resistance. Doing so is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Once a creature lowers its resistance, it remains down until the creature's next turn. At the beginning of the creature's next turn, the creature's spell resistance automatically returns unless the creature intentionally keeps it down (also a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity).

A creature's spell resistance never interferes with its own spells, items, or abilities.

I have a player that is looking at becoming a (iron) half-golem as-per the Monster Manuel 2 template. I can't seem to find anything (other then the above DMG quote) that deals with this, is there something in a FAQ's I haven't seen. Any help, rules, opinions or otherwise, on this would be much appreciated.

 

[AuraSeer]

A golem's magic immunity is not switchable. Since the half-golem defines its power to be the same as that of a full golem, your player will also end up with non-switchable immunity.

This could be inconvenient, for instance if he's down 100 hit points and can't be affected by heal.

 

[Magic Rub]

A golem's magic immunity is not switchable. Since the half-golem defines its power to be the same as that of a full golem, your player will also end up with non-switchable immunity.

This could be inconvenient, for instance if he's down 100 hit points and can't be affected by heal.

Is this fact or opinion? I am inclined to agree with you, however I feel a little uneasy about this ruling & I don't want to be screwing over the guy if he takes this.

 

[Hand of Vecna]

I know the Rakshsha can voluntairy lower its Spell Immunity, according to Savage Species. Can't remember about the Flesh Golem. If the Flesh Golem can, I'd say the Iron Golem can, to.

 

[AuraSeer]

IMO this is a fact. That is, I believe I'm stating a by-the-book rule, not just a subjective interpretation.

Magic immunity may work like SR, but it's not the same ability. It doesn't have a numerical rating, it affects supernatural abilities, blah blah blah. The fact that SR is switchable does not imply that magic immunity would also be switchable.

To put it another way: what makes you think the immunity should be switchable? Just the inconvenience to your player? Not to be cruel, but if he doesn't want the downside, he shouldn't take the template. (Vampiric PCs are still vulnerable to sunlight, after all.)

 

[Magic Rub]

IMO this is a fact. That is, I believe I'm stating a by-the-book rule, not just a subjective interpretation.

Magic immunity may work like SR, but it's not the same ability. It doesn't have a numerical rating, it affects supernatural abilities, blah blah blah. The fact that SR is switchable does not imply that magic immunity would also be switchable.

To put it another way: what makes you think the immunity should be switchable? Just the inconvenience to your player? Not to be cruel, but if he doesn't want the downside, he shouldn't take the template. (Vampiric PCs are still vulnerable to sunlight, after all.)

I do agree with you. But like I said, I just want to be sure of what I'm going to tell him... regardless of if he likes it or not. I just looked over the Flesh golem listing in Savage Species. In light of what it says, & what I had already suspected I'm going to rule as follows.

- A half-golem's (golem's) magic immunity is not suppressible at will, like that of a spell resistance, and is a permanent uncontrollable feature of the template. As stated in the monster Manuel the (Iron) Half-golem is immune to all spells, spell like abilities, and supernatural effects, except as noted. Regardless of weather that spell is helpful or not.

- Fire based spells, spell like abilities, and supernatural effects are the only way to cure/heal the (Iron) Half-golem.

- As per the Flesh golem description in Savage Species, the (Iron) Half-golem can be brought back to life (if killed), by a limited wish, wish, or miracle spell (the first spell causes the Half-golem to loose a level; the latter two do not)

- Due to the fact that a Half-golem (if the will saves are successfully made during it's creation) is not a construct, the (Iron) Half-golem can also be brought back to life (if killed), by a Resurrection, or True Resurrection spell.

 

[Norfleet]

What's the other half of the golem made out of? Usually when you only have half of a golem, it just doesn't do anything. Actually, most of the time, even intact golems don't do anything, because they're mindless. A normal golem's magic resistance switches on and off at the will of whoever is controlling the golem, but I'm not sure whether just a half of a golem is controlled by anything, since it's probably broken.

 

[Magic Rub]

What's the other half of the golem made out of? Usually when you only have half of a golem, it just doesn't do anything. Actually, most of the time, even intact golems don't do anything, because they're mindless. A normal golem's magic resistance switches on and off at the will of whoever is controlling the golem, but I'm not sure whether just a half of a golem is controlled by anything, since it's probably broken.

What are you talking about?

I'll attempt to answer the parts of your post I did understand. The half-golem is a template from the MM2. In this case the character in question would be a Ogre-(Iron)Half-golem. That's if he decides to add the template, & makes his saves.

 

[daTim]

Well, considering the Tome and Blood books have spells specificaially designed for repairing constructs, I'd hope that a golem's creater/controler can tell it to lower its spell immunity.

 

[AuraSeer]

A normal golem's magic resistance switches on and off at the will of whoever is controlling the golem[...]

Is this a rule I've overlooked from the books, or are you just assuming it? I can't find a statement anywhere that says magic immunity is switchable. (We know SR is switchable, but that's a different ability.)