Send In The Clowns… (or, Converting the Oddballs)

[Shade]

DR/adamantine or bludgeoning would work.

I like this.

I'm a bit undecided on whether these should get 1 or 2 slams; the original description makes a point of listing some humanoid shapes for them.

Thinking more about the slams, and rereading the original text, I think we should differentiate between a bipedal and quadrupedal chia golem. The bipedal form should get 2 slams like other golems, while the quadrupedal form could have one slam, or something resembling natural weapons of the form it resembles (see the equine golem, brass steed, and ironwyrm golems for examples). We could just arbitrarily pick one version as the default, and state in the text that other forms may be created, resulting in different attack forms. Thoughts?

 

[Gothenem]

Agreed. For our quad form, we should probably go for the Turtle-ish picture we have in the Dragon Magazine.

 

[Shade]

Agreed. For our quad form, we should probably go for the Turtle-ish picture we have in the Dragon Magazine.

Sounds good.

 

[freyar]

I like this approach for the attacks also.

 

[Shade]

Updating...

Large Construct
Hit Dice: 8d10+30 (54 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
AC: 19 (–1 size, -1 Dex, +11 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+18
Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d6+8)
Full Attack: 2 slams +13 melee (2d6+8)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Component plants
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/adamantine or bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision, plant-reliant
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 9, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9–16 HD (Large); 17–24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

The above stat block assumes a bipedal chia golem. For a quadrupedal golem, make the following changes:

Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d6+12)*
Full Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d6+12)*
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.

*The DM may wish to substitute different natural weapons based on the golem's form, such as 2 claw attacks for a tiger-shaped chia golem.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A chia golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

Spells that deal cold or fire damage function normally against chia golems, and appear to wither the component plants.

Antiplant shell and hold plant affects chia golems as if they were plants.

A transmute rock to mud spell destroys a chia golem unless it succeeds on a saving throw. The component plants may survive (and possibly even thrive) in the resulting mud as long as conditions are right.

A blight spell affects the chia golem as if it were a plant, but deals only half damage (quarter damage on a successful save).

A diminish plants spell deals 3d8 points of damage to a chia golem, while a plant growth spell heals it of 3d8 points of damage.

 

[Gothenem]

Looks good so far.

I'd peg CR around 6

 

[Shade]

Chia golems may be planted with nearly any type of seeds, such as grass, resulting in a thick green coat; a creeping flowering plant such as phlox or alyssum, resulting in a fluffy pastel mat; a poisonous plant such as poison ivy or oxalis; or a vine plant such as morning glory, ivy, or grape (vines may cause damage in melee; see Combat). A combination of plants may be used to achieve a particular aesthetic effect.

A chia golem attacks with both fists for 2d4 hp damage each. If the golem is planted with a vine whose tendrils might slap at an opponent, +1 hp is added to each fist strike. If the creator of the golem chose to plant it with a thorny or otherwise noxious plant, other bonuses may be assessed as well.

Component Plants (Su?): Chia golems may gain additional attacks or abilities depending upon the plants growing within it. A typical chia golem has 1dX of the following abilities:

Tendrils (Ex): The golem gains X tendrils which are treated as secondary natural weapons with X foot reach.

Thorns (Ex):

Venomous Blossoms (Ex):

Particularly powerful chia golems may be created with assassin vines or similar powerful plants growing within.

Other ideas?

Habitat/Society: Chia golems may be planted with perennial plants and kept outdoors year round or, if planted with more tender plants, may be moved indoors with the onset of cold weather. Chia golems may also live indoors year round. The golems, which are hollow, must contain a small amount of soil at all times, and they must be watered according to the
requirements of the particular plant. A quantity of compost must also be added to the golem about once per month.

Plant Dependent (Su?): Although it is a construct, a chia golem is partially composed of living plant matter. As such, it is more vulnerable to environmental conditions and must constantly provide suitable living conditions for its component plants.

The golem's creator or controller must perform periodic maintenance on the chia golem. Its hollow interior is filled with soil which must be replenished periodically (should this be a set amount of time, based on damage sustained, or something else?). Once per month, compost must be added to the golem to fertilize the plants. Finally, the plants must be watered based on their normal schedules.

If the component plants are tender non-perennials, the chia golem must avoid temperatures below X degrees or (take damage/be slowed/something else?).

 

[Gothenem]

Component Plants (Ex): Chia golems may gain additional attacks or abilities depending upon the plants growing within it. A typical chia golem has 1d2 of the following abilities:

Tendrils (Ex): The golem gains 1-4 tendrils which are treated as secondary natural weapons with 10 foot reach. These tendrils deal 1d6+4 points of damage and give the Chia golem a +2 circumstance bonus on grapple checks.

Thorns (Ex): The chia golem is covered in thorns. Anyone in a grapple with the chia golem takes 1d6 points of piercing damage per round. In addition anyone attacking the chia golem with unarmed strikes or natural weapons take 1d6 points of piercing damage.

Venomous Blossoms (Ex): There are many brightly colored flowers on the chia golem. As it strikes the flowers release venomous spores. Anyone struck by the chia golem must make a Fortitude save against the poison. The DC for the save is 14, and the poison deals XdX points of (Stat).

Particularly powerful chia golems may be created with assassin vines or similar powerful plants growing within.


Plant Dependent (Ex): Although it is a construct, a chia golem is partially composed of living plant matter. As such, it is more vulnerable to environmental conditions and must constantly provide suitable living conditions for its component plants.

The golem's creator or controller must perform periodic maintenance on the chia golem. Its hollow interior is filled with soil which must be replenished once every 6 months. Once per month, compost must be added to the golem to fertilize the plants. Finally, the plants must be watered based on their normal schedules. If these are not done, the chia golem takes 1d6 points of damage each day until maintanance is done.

If the component plants are tender non-perennials, the chia golem must avoid temperatures below 40 degrees or is slowed. In areas of Extreme cold (below -40), the chia golem takes 1d6 points of damage every hour.



do these look good?

 

[Shade]

Very nice.

How about the painful part?

The creation of a chia golem begins with a sculpture in the form of the desired creature. The sculpture requires at least 1,000 Ibs. of material. The material must be porous when it is hard to allow for rooting and water seepage; thus, a golem could not be sculpted of granite, but it could be sculpted of limestone or of clay and then baked.

A priest of at least 11th level can create a chia golem through extensive ritual, preparation of the terra cotta figure, and use of the following spells: plant growth, prayer, commune, and animate object.

A wizard of at least 14th level must cast fabricate, geas, charm plants, and limited wish following the construction of the baked clay figure and extensive preparatory rituals.

A druid of at least 14th level may create a chia golem using animate rock and plant growth and a month-long process of fertility and other rituals that must culminate on the eve of the
winter solstice.

Construction
A chia golem’s body must be sculpted from at least 1,000 pounds of porous material (to allow for rooting and water seepage), such as limestone or clay. It is mixed with rare oils and powders worth X gp. Creating the body requires a DC 15 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 15 Craft (pottery) check.

CL 14th?; Craft Construct, animate objects, commune, plant growth, caster must be at least 11th? level; Price X gp; Cost X gp + X XP.

 

[Gothenem]

I would say

CL 11th; Craft Construct, plant growth, geas/quest, animate objects.

The check and DC's are all good.

I think we should add some sort of note for the month-long ritual that ends at the winter solstice, such as:

If the creator performs a 30 day long ritual that ends on the winter solstice, the creator does not need to have the Animate Objects spell prerequisite when creating the chia golem.