How dumb are golems?

[domino]

I'm telling you man, use the magic stone! For 8000gp, your golem need never be directionless again!

Whether or not it's the direction you want the golem going, that's another question.

 

[Nail]

As a DM, I can only see a Big Plot Hook everytime you mention the "magic stone" thing.

The Magic Stone says: "See ya wizard! I'm off to see the world!"

 

[RigaMortus]

So then just cast illusion spells so the whole party looks like the golem's creator. Illusion rock.

How would the party know to do this? Did they get a memo that the golem's instructions were to attack anything that wasn't the creator?

 

[Saeviomagy]

As a DM, I can only see a Big Plot Hook everytime you mention the "magic stone" thing.

The Magic Stone says: "See ya wizard! I'm off to see the world!"

Wizard says "get yer ass back here, we've got important work to do"

Rock says "yessir"

I think the rock has an ego of like 6-10, and an alignment the same as the creator.

 

[coyote6]

Golems are too tough for their CR, if allowed to fight inteligently. Good creator's combine their golems with traps, other opponents etc. If given enough time (and some wits) even a 1st lvl party should be able to defeat/bypass a non-intelligent Golem.

With the right equipment and conditions (namely, a way to stay out of the golem's reach, and a sufficient supply of alchemist's fire and/or oil & torches) and enough time, a couple of 1st level commoners can kill any of the core golems (and most of the non-core golems, including the CR 25 adamantine golem).

 

[Nail]

I think the rock has an ego of like 6-10, and an alignment the same as the creator.

But that applies to when the wizard is in possession of the stone. Which he is most definitely not; it's on its own, implanted in a golem. The wizard's wishes simply don't apply.

Moreover, its most likely the PCs will encounter golems created by evil wizards, no? And an Evil magic stone won’t say “screw you, creator” at some point?

Evil must be awfully nice on your world.....

 

[Saeviomagy]

But that applies to when the wizard is in possession of the stone. Which he is most definitely not; it's on its own, implanted in a golem. The wizard's wishes simply don't apply.

While it's true that a lot of items do need to be on their owner's person to function, that's not universally true. Does a chaos diamond need to be in the characters hand to grant him it's powers? In his pocket? In his extra-dimensional space? His fortress? His vault?

Figurines of wondrous power obey their owner. If they're out on a task, and someone succeeds on a grapple check, do they now obey that person?

Same goes for an instant fortress - the door opens only at the command of it's owner? Who is that? The last person to activate it? The last person to pick it up? The king of the land that it's within?

Do you have to hold a mirror of mental prowess to use it? It only works for a 'possessor' who knows the right words. Can you stand a couple of feet in front of it? You can cause it's portals to close at a word - does this work from the far side of the portal, or only the side nearest the mirror?

Do the elementals summoned by a stone of elemental command obey the person who summoned them, or the current holder of the stone?

All of these questions are very much in the air...

Mind you, I'd probably suggest that the wizard should instead create a simulacrum of himself, flub the disguise roll terribly (so that the form of the creature is actually a 3 inch diameter ball of stone) and then just put that in the golem...

Moreover, its most likely the PCs will encounter golems created by evil wizards, no? And an Evil magic stone won’t say “screw you, creator” at some point?

No, a chaotic magic stone will say that. A lawful stone does what it's supposed to (although may twist orders to it's own commands). Further to that, if your alignment and the alignment of the item coincide, then the only time that it can deny you is if it has a special purpose that it wishes to pursue. Simple solution: Don't give it a special purpose.

Evil must be awfully nice on your world.....

Just organised and with more than 3 intelligence. I suppose that evil organisations in your campaigns are nothing more than large barfights that detect as evil?

 

[Storm Raven]

But that applies to when the wizard is in possession of the stone. Which he is most definitely not; it's on its own, implanted in a golem. The wizard's wishes simply don't apply.

Except that the wizard's orders to the golem were "obey the directions of the stone unless I give you other directions". If the stone decides to galivant about, you can just order the golem to ignore the stone.

 

[Nail]

While it's true that a lot of items do need to be on their owner's person to function, that's not universally true. Does a chaos diamond need to be in the characters hand to grant him it's powers?

Errr....you'd alllow the PC to use the powers of the Chaos Diamond while it's back in his keep? Yoowza.

I suppose that evil organisations in your campaigns are nothing more than large barfights that detect as evil?

Oh absolutely. They even have a 12 step program to get in, and a LE bouncer at the door (Exp 2, of course).

Seriously: this "magic stone" idea is a neat one, even usable, but it's a long way from solving the problem. An intelligent stone has an Ego. That ego could rebel. Considering the situation, I think it quite likely it does.

Plot device!

 

[Nail]

Except that the wizard's orders to the golem were "obey the directions of the stone unless I give you other directions". If the stone decides to galivant about, you can just order the golem to ignore the stone.

And then the stone sneaks off with the golem....and the creator can't find them to give a counter order.......

...and, if the wizard does manage to find them, and tell the golem to ignore the stone --> yer back where you started.

Face it: Golem's are unintelligent, and that can be a problem.