8th level PC's + Iron Golem = Need a plan

[Tatsukun]

HI guys / gals,
Our party has a problem that needs a creative solution. We are 8th level, and we need to get into the top level of an abandoned wizard's tower to snoop around and look for clues as to where the wizard is and why he's gone.

But, there is an iron golem in that room. The first time we went in there, we got spanked hard and ran like little gnomes. We charmed a troll / fighter and got him to hold the golem off for a few rounds, which bought us enough time to ascertain that we really need to get in that room and do a good search (take 20 in every square).

The tower is 5 floors, and the golem will chase anyone down the stairs and to the front door before returning to the top room.

The building is 100% stone, so we thought about using 'stone shape' to destroy the stairs after luring the golem to the first floor, but the DM told us the thing would climb Jackie Chan style up the shaft left.

Our only thought now is to attack every day to wear the thing down (none of the PC's know if it can heal).

For reference, the party is…
Human Fighter 8
Dwarf Barbarian 2 / Fighter 4 / Champion of Gwynharwyf 2
Human Cleric (Pelor) 8
Dwarf Fighter 4 / Rogue 3
Human Wizard 9

We are in a fairly large city, but tend to be low on cash. The barbarian has an adamantine weapon, but special materials are very rare and require quests to gain, so no buying more adamantine.

Any ideas? Plans?

Thanks as always for the input!

-Tatsu

 

[Anabstercorian]

Step 1: Use divination to get some hint as to what a good method of getting in there and searching the place without being harrassed by the golem might be.

Once that's out of the way, you'll at least have a second opinion.

If the building is 100% stone, use some method of determining where the golem is standing in the top floor. Then use Stone Shape to put holes beneath it in every floor but it's floor, and put a big ol' pit trap directly beneath it. Then drop the sucker using Stone Shape to punch through the floor it's standing on and seal over the pit trap 50' below with a Wall of Stone from the cleric or wizard, whoever has it. Alternatively, just have the fighters on the side focus themselves exclusively on keeping it in the hole, and let the wizard and rogue pelt it to death with acid flasks and acid arrows.

Buy Melf's Acid Arrow, by the way, it's a handy spell to have around for just this sort of occasion.

 

[Len]

Scarab of Golembane.

We are in a fairly large city, but tend to be low on cash.

It costs 2500 gp. Maybe you could pool your gold to get one for the fighter.

Just after my rogue bought one of these, we found out that one of the villains in our next quest was a mage who specialized in golems.

 

[Someone]

Polymorph into rust monster. I´d never allow it, but your DM maybe will.

 

[AuraSeer]

If you happen to meet somebody with a pet rust monster, or can magically find and capture one in the wilderness, let that sucker loose in the tower and your problems are over.

Failing that, try and get your hands on a couple scrolls of rusting grasp. For a piddling 700 gp, your rogue or bard (or druid if you have one) gets to make 7 touch attacks for 3d6+7 damage each.

 

[Coredump]

lead him down the stairs, go into the room, and stone shape the door closed.

Sure he can batter down the door/wall... but he will be destroying the very tower he is supposed to be protecting.


Also, how does a construct detect people?

.

 

[Tatsukun]

Well, we have a rogue, but I doubt he could last anything near 7 rounds within touch range of the golem. He might, might, live one round.

As for the stone shaping the door closed, this golem has already bashed a hole in a wall to get to us, so I doubt it would avoid smashing the closed-over door.

We are looking to get hours in the room, so just holding it at bay might not work.

I really like the golem bane item, we can definitely get one of those.

Side note, I had it in my mind that a crafter of a magic item can have other people cast the spells. My DM wants a page number, but I can't find where it's explicitly spelled out. Can someone point me to a page in a core book (PHB, DMG, MonMan)?

Thanks for the ideas, keel 'em coming!

-Tatsu

 

[Mephistopheles]

Side note, I had it in my mind that a crafter of a magic item can have other people cast the spells. My DM wants a page number, but I can't find where it's explicitly spelled out. Can someone point me to a page in a core book (PHB, DMG, MonMan)?

From the 3.5 DMG p282, also in the Magic Items I SRD: "Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item's creator (although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed)."

 

[Tatsukun]

Is that it? I remember long paragraphs about who can supply toe feat, who can supply the spells / Exp.

Maybe I was on a little too much caffeine at the time.

-Tatsu

 

[Timely Drought]

Golems sense things through sight and sound, like everyone else. You'll notice it has no spot or listen ranks (in fact no skills at all). An invisible rogue moving silently can sneak around without fear.


From the SRD -- Rust Monster

Rust (Ex): A rust monster that makes a successful touch attack with its antennae causes the target metal to corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a DC 17 Reflex save or be dissolved. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

What the hell does that last phrase mean? A constitution-based reflex save? What racial bonus?

Ignoring that last phrase, the Golem has a good chance of failing the save with a +5 reflex save. If he succeeds, he'll crush the rust monster into a fine paste. Better have a few of them. Or make one invisible and silent...


From the SRD -- Iron Golem

An iron golem is affected normally by rust attacks, such as that of a rust monster or a rusting grasp spell.