Converting Monsters from Dungeon Magazine

[freyar]

If the weight is 500 lb, shouldn't the amount of wood needed to construct it also be about 500 lb, not 60% more? Otherwise, it looks good.

 

[Shade]

Cleon may have been accounting for what is lost in the whittling, much like the stone golem's raw materials weight 1,000 pounds more to account for what's lost in the chiseling.

 

[freyar]

Fine enough then!

 

[Shade]

A pair of andirons support the logs in the fire. These iron dog statuettes are actually miniature iron golems. They can separate from the stands when called upon. They have most of the magical abilities of full-sized iron golems, but are less powerful.

Firedogs (2): INT non-; AL N; AC 3; MV 6; HD 12; hp 20; THACO 10; #AT 1; Dmg 1d10; SA breathe poisonous gas once every 7 rounds in 10’ cube directly in front (gas dissipates in one round first three uses, after that, gas no longer dissipates due to enclosed space); SD immune to all forms of poison and mind-based spells, immunity to any weapon except +3 or greater, magical fire reapirs 1 hp damage for each it would have caused; SZ 2’ tall; ML 19; XP 3,000.

The firedogs lack the exceptional Strength of normal iron golems.

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #64 (1997).

 

[freyar]

Just downsize an iron golem to Small? Not sure what else is different, besides the shape.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, they're rather unexciting.

I suppose if we wanted to jazz 'em up a bit, we could give 'em track as a bonus feat and a racial bonus on Survival checks.

I'm fine with just making 'em Small iron golems and moving on, though.

 

[freyar]

Track and Survival bonus sounds good.

Since they stand in the fire, perhaps they can do some fire damage also for a time afterwards? They should be immune to fire, too, I guess.

 

[Cleon]

Cleon may have been accounting for what is lost in the whittling, much like the stone golem's raw materials weight 1,000 pounds more to account for what's lost in the chiseling.

Yes, that was my reasoning.

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, they're rather unexciting.

I suppose if we wanted to jazz 'em up a bit, we could give 'em track as a bonus feat and a racial bonus on Survival checks.

I'm fine with just making 'em Small iron golems and moving on, though.

How about giving them a single bite attack with the Trip special attack ?

Track and Survival bonus sounds good.

Since they're mindless I'm a bit reluctant to give them this unless there's some evidence they're designed for that task. However, the description makes me suspect they're plain old combat monsters.

Since they stand in the fire, perhaps they can do some fire damage also for a time afterwards? They should be immune to fire, too, I guess.

It's only a regular log fire, so 15 points of fire resistance would be plenty to protect them.

 

[Cleon]

Here's a rough stab at their stats. I decided to make them Medium, since 12 Hit Dice seems too high for a Small Golem. Besides 2' tall is fairly big for a dog. Assuming it's at the shoulder, a sturdy Rotweiler type could easily be that tall and Medium-sized.

Firedog
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 12d10+20 (86 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 30 (+20 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 30
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+10
Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d10+7)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d10+7)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon [10 ft. cube of poison gas, 1d4/3d4 Con, Fort DC 16], trip
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 15/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., fire resistance 15 or immunity to fire, immunity to magic, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 11, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: — [Survival?]
Feats: — [Track?]
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 10?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 13-17 HD (Medium); 18-24 (Large); 25-36 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —