D&D 3E/3.5 Creature Catalog 3.5 Overhaul Project

[BOZ]

as an aside… did some google searching for the heck of it, and found someone else’s version of the smilodon. i might just incorporate some of that into our version.

 

[las]

You see a 6 foot tall thing that has a humanoid shape, it seams to be made out of translucent white fire. You can see two small black spots on the things heads as though they are eyes.

That might do it.

 

[BOZ]

Golem, Lightning

OK…

I know we need to do the construct bonus HP, and the DR needs an adjustment. I’ll figure those out when I’m not so busy and lazy. anything else you can see off the bat that needs to be fixed up? I’ll take a more in-depth look later.

 

[Shade]

...and a continuous St. Elmo's fire dance around it in a rather human-like aura..

Is that for real!

Besides the bonus HP for large constructs (+30) and the DR you decide upon, I'd change the wording to "immunity to magic and psionics", since this seems to be the current way of saying "magic immunity".

The Construction section will need to change to incorporate the Craft Construct feat.

Also, is there a reason it has an Intelligence of 3? It seems to me it should be mindless like most other golems. Otherwise, we're gonna need to give this baby skills and feats.

 

[BOZ]

Also, is there a reason it has an Intelligence of 3? It seems to me it should be mindless like most other golems. Otherwise, we're gonna need to give this baby skills and feats.

unusual for golems even in previous editions, the original stats give it an intelligence of Semi (2-4), of which i chose the average. perhaps this golem would be better suited with a 2?

for DR, the golems in the MM have adamantine as the thing that breaks it. do you think that should work for this one also?

 

[BOZ]

just for reference, let me throw in the original text:

The lightning golem is an artificial being given animation, if not true life, by the infusion of an elemental spirit. It is created and controlled by powerful magics or with the aid of a Manual of Golem Construction (see the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Like other magically animated creations it is often employed as a guard or ward by those powerful enough to fashion them.
Lightning golems are physically fairly simple. Their bodies are nothing more than a gold framework that is roughly humanoid in shape. The limbs of the creature are articulated, giving it the ability to move its arms and legs in much the same way that a man might. In fact, the “skeleton” of the creature has been likened to a mannequin or doll such as might be used by an artist in place of a model. What makes the construction unusual is the aura of electricity that constantly dances around it. Because of the energies used to empower the creature, it is alive with brush discharges, arcs of electricity, and a general haze of St. Elmo’s fire. The shape of this aura is surprisingly man-like.
Lightning golems cannot speak, but obey simple commands given them by their creators. Their understanding is limited, however, making complex tasks beyond them.

Combat: The lightning golem moves much more quickly than one might expect an automaton to move. Because of this, it gains a +2 bonus to all initiative rolls that it is called upon to make.
When in close combat, the lightning golem lashes out with its metallic arms, trying to strike its enemies. Anyone hit by the being suffers 4d8 points of damage from the blow and its associated electrical shock. Anyone making a successful saving throw vs. spells or with some immunity to electrical damage suffers only half damage. Persons who fail their saves may be required (at the DM's option) to make saving throws for some or all of the items they are carrying.
If possible, the golem begins combat by unleashing a powerful stroke of chain lightning at its enemies. This attack is similar to that of the sixth-level wizard spell of the same name and has a range of 50 yards. The stroke inflicts 6d6 points of damage to the first target that it strikes.
Because of the inorganic nature of this being, the lightning golem is immune to all manner of life affecting magic or psionic powers. Thus, attempts to put it to sleep or cause disease fail. Spells and powers that influence the mind are similarly useless against this automaton. Attacks that depend upon heat or fire affect the golem normally, causing its golden skeleton to melt and deform. Those based on cold, ice, lightning, or electricity are ineffective. Spells and abilities that have power over metal, such as crystalbrittle, have their normal effects upon the lightning golem.
Lightning golems are considered greater golems, and are thus always under the control of their creator.

Habitat/Society: Because the lightning golem is an automaton, it has no society to speak of. From time to time, a truly powerful individual may assemble more than one of these beings, but golems do not have any social order or customs.

Ecology: The creation of a lightning golem is a task beyond any but a wizard of 18th level or higher. The labor begins with the manufacture of the construct’s golden body from 2,000 pounds of gold. The gold itself, and the materials needed to fashion it into its new form, cost 150,000 gold pieces. The construction of the body requires 10 weeks. Once the body is completed, the enchanting can begin. This must be attempted in an open area during the height of a tremendous thunderstorm. When the storm reaches its peak, the wizard must cast a wish, permanency, chain lightning, enchant an item, and geas spell. As soon as the final spell is cast, a bolt of lightning is attracted to the body, striking it and infusing it with tremendous power.
Manuals of Lightning Golems construction exist, but such tomes are very rare. There is a 10% chance that any Manual of Iron Golems is actually a Manual of Lightning Golems.

 

[Knight Otu]

...I'd change the wording to "immunity to magic and psionics", since this seems to be the current way of saying "magic immunity".

Yep. And of course use the new default wording (spells and spell-like abilities that allow SR).

Also, is there a reason it has an Intelligence of 3? It seems to me it should be mindless like most other golems. Otherwise, we're gonna need to give this baby skills and feats.

I like that. It's not really common, but a few golems do have an Int score. Besides, we only have to distribute 14 skill points.

For its DR it should be 15/adamantine (or if you want it could be 10/adamantine).

I'd go with 10. 15 seems a bit too high for its CR.

what's the best way to resolve this? Improved Initiative? or should it get something unusual?

Improved Initiative should do it. It might be noted that it can run in it's descriptive text... We might also note which on which ability scores the save DCs are based...

 

[Shade]

Since this was a double post, I thought I'd fill it in with something useful.

Construction
A lightning golem’s body is sculpted from 2,000 pounds of pure gold, smelted with rare tinctures and admixtures costing at least 5,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 18 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 18 Craft (armorsmithing) check.

CL 18th; Craft Construct, chain lightning, geas/quest, permanency, wish, caster must be at least 18th level; Price 150,000 gp; Cost 80,000 gp + 5,600 XP.

I used the iron golem price and cost as placeholders. However, I can't figure out how they did their math for the MM golems--using the formula set out in the Craft Construct feat, it doesn't seem to add up. According to the feat, "To enchant a construct, a spellcaster must spend 1/25 the item’s price in XP and use up raw materials costing half of this price (see individual construct monster entries for details)."

For the iron golem, its cost is 150,000 gp. Multiplying 150,000 x 1/25 = 6,000 XP, which contradicts the 5,600 XP listed in its entry. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Leopold]

Constructs new abilities SRD:

Construct Type: A construct is an animated object or artificially constructed creature.
Features: A construct has the following features.
—10-sided Hit Dice.
—Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as cleric).
—No good saving throws.
—Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the
construct has an Intelligence score. However, most constructs are mindless and gain no skill points or feats.
Traits: A construct possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).
—No Constitution score.
—Low-light vision.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
—Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease , death effects, and necromancy effects.
—Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s
description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still
benefits from that quality.
—Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
—Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
—Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
—Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
—Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as
shown on the following table.
Construct Size Bonus Hit
Points
Construct
Size
Bonus Hit
Points
Fine — Large 30
Diminutive — Huge 40
Tiny — Gargantuan 60
Small 10 Colossal 80
Medium 20
—Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon
mentioned in its entry.
—Proficient with no armor.
—Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.

i see no mention of no running, also since the only high stat it has to base something off of spells would be STR as WIS really cannot apply here, I say just make the DC based off of spell level (DC 10+Spell Lvl) and call it a day. I woulda said Con for this but it has no Con. STR is just too brutal a DC mod for this.

 

[Leopold]

so do you likee? if so, could someone give me a good ol' descriptive paragraph?

Sparks richochet from this man sized creature as it's white and blue lightning riddled body moves toward you. It's eyes glow with strange alien intellegence