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

[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 dependent
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: 6
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.

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.

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.

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.

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 11th; Craft Construct, animate objects, geas/quest, plant growth, caster must be at least 11th level; Price X gp; Cost X gp + X XP.

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

 

[Shade]

I loathe figuring out construction costs for golems, so how about we copy off another CR 6 golem and call it a day?

Fang Golem (MMIV): Price 15,000 gp; Cost 8,000 gp + 580 XP. 500 gp for special oils.

 

[Shroomy]

I loathe figuring out construction costs for golems, so how about we copy off another CR 6 golem and call it a day?

Fang Golem (MMIV): Price 15,000 gp; Cost 8,000 gp + 580 XP. 500 gp for special oils.

Is there a formula for determining construct costs?

 

[Shade]

Is there a formula for determining construct costs?

Yep, but it can be painful...

Construct Creation

Source: Rules of the Game - Constructs (Part Two)

Creating a fairly elaborate construct such as a golem or shield guardian requires the Craft Construct feat (described on page 303 in the Monster Manual). The process of construct creation is just like creating a magic item. The process is described in Chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide and in Rules of the Game: Making Magic Items. Here are the highlights:

Prerequisites: A construct has a list of prerequisites, which is included in the creation section of the construct's description. A list of prerequisites might include one or more feats, spells, and miscellaneous requirements such as level, alignment, skills, and race or kind.

A construct's creator must have a caster level high enough to cast any prerequisite spell the construct has.

In most cases, the construct's creator must provide any required spells personally; you can't have another character cast them for you, but you can use a scroll that you activate yourself.

Cost: A construct's description (usually) includes a market price and a cost to create the construct. To calculate the creation cost for a construct, subtract the cost of any special materials the construct requires from the market price. Divide the remainder in half. The result you get represents the basic materials you must buy to build the construct. This basic cost includes the cost of the construct's body. Most construct descriptions include a separate cost for the body to allow DMs and players to use the Craft skill to create the body.

The total cost to create the construct is the basic cost plus the cost of special materials. For example, a construct with a market price of 100,000 gp and 10,000 gp worth of required special materials has a creation cost of 55,000 gp. (Here's the math: 100,000 - 10,000 = 90,000; then 90,000/2=45,000; then 45,000 + 10,000 = 55,000 gp.)

Making the construct also requires experience points equal to 1/25th the market price minus the cost of special materials. The construct from the previous example has an XP cost of 3,600.

You can make an advanced version of a construct (one that has more Hit Dice than shown in the creature description). Each extra Hit Die adds 5,000 gp to the construct's market price. If you add enough Hit Dice to increase the construct's size, add an extra 50,000 gp to the construct's market price.

Time: For every 1,000 gp in a construct's market price (or fraction of 1,000 gp), the creator must spend one day working on the construct. The construct from the previous example would require 100 days of work.

Environment: Creating a construct requires peace, quiet, and comfort, just as preparing spells does (even when the creator doesn't need to prepare spells). Any location a character uses for construct creation also must have enough space to hold any special equipment and materials the construct requires.

Equipment: Some constructs also require a specially equipped laboratory similar to an alchemist's lab. The cost for setting up such a laboratory (if it is required at all) is given in the construct's description. The cost for a lab is not included in the construct's market price or base price. Once you set up a lab, you can use it over and over again.

 

[Gothenem]

It still doesn't really let us know how much a construct costs if it doesn't have the cost listed in its description (ie. we are creating the monster from scratch).

At least, not really.

How about 500 gp for special soils and seeds for the golem??

And yeah, lets just copy the other golem.

My Wu Jen is already preparing to build his Chia Golem. (A Chia Foo Lion)

 

[Shade]

How about 500 gp for special soils and seeds for the golem?

Sounds good.

My Wu Jen is already preparing to build his Chia Golem. (A Chia Foo Lion)

That is awesome!

 

[Shade]

For the venomous blossoms, how about 1d4 Dex for both primary and secondary damage? I'm thinking along the lines of poison ivy, where the venom causes a painful rash, hindering movement.

 

[Shade]

Taking a stab at flavor text...

This terra cotta sculpture takes the form of an 8-foot-tall human warrior. Green vines grow through holes throughout its surface, giving it an almost shaggy appearance. It smells of wet soil, compost, and vegetation.

Chia golems are bizarre constructs that house a number of living plants, incorporating them into their appearance and function. Most often constructed from terra cotta or baked stone, a chia golem can be created from any porous material. Once sculpted, the body is filled with soil and seeds, and becomes a form of animated flowerpot.

Chia golems can be shaped into a variety of forms, from humanoid warriors to animals, giant vermin, or even dragons. Crafting a chia golem is an art form for many spellcasters. The selection of plants can result in a beautiful, moving piece of topiary, or it can be planted to be a frightening, venomous monstrosity.

Chia golems may be planted with nearly any type of seeds, usually grasses, creeping flowering plants, vines. Different types of plants may be combined for aesthetic reasons. Some of the largest chia golems have been filled with seeds from monstrous plants such as assassin vines.

Although it is possible to create a chia golem for oneself, the traditions of most cultures familiar with their creation manufacture them as gifts for others.

A chia golem golem cannot speak or make any vocal noise. It stands between 8 and 10 feet tall and weighs around 550 pounds.

 

[Gothenem]

Looks good.

 

[Shade]

Updating...

Chia Golem
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 dependent
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: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9–16 HD (Large); 17–24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

This terra cotta sculpture takes the form of an 8-foot-tall human warrior. Green vines grow through holes throughout its surface, giving it an almost shaggy appearance. It smells of wet soil, compost, and vegetation.

Chia golems are bizarre constructs that house a number of living plants, incorporating them into their appearance and function. Most often constructed from terra cotta or baked stone, a chia golem can be created from any porous material. Once sculpted, the body is filled with soil and seeds, and becomes a form of animated flowerpot.

Chia golems can be shaped into a variety of forms, from humanoid warriors to animals, giant vermin, or even dragons. Crafting a chia golem is an art form for many spellcasters. The selection of plants can result in a beautiful, moving piece of topiary, or it can be planted to be a frightening, venomous monstrosity.

Chia golems may be planted with nearly any type of seeds, usually grasses, creeping flowering plants, vines. Different types of plants may be combined for aesthetic reasons. Some of the largest chia golems have been filled with seeds from monstrous plants such as assassin vines.

Although it is possible to create a chia golem for oneself, the traditions of most cultures familiar with their creation manufacture them as gifts for others.

A chia golem golem cannot speak or make any vocal noise. It stands between 8 and 10 feet tall and weighs around 550 pounds.

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.

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 DC 14 Fortitude save against the poison. The initial and secondary damage is the same--1d4 points of Dexterity.

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

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.

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.

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, and requires specially-prepared soils and seeds worth 500 gp. Creating the body requires a DC 15 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 15 Craft (pottery) check.

CL 11th; Craft Construct, animate objects, geas/quest, plant growth, caster must be at least 11th level; Price 15,000 gp; Cost 8,000 gp + 580 XP.

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