Something like a clay golem, but not?

[Wolf72]

2nd the warforged idea ...

 

[Thanael]

Search the World of Sulerin monster index with type = construct and order by CR.

A few caryatid columns might work. Or a wood golem, a flagstone golem , an ice golem (add a simulacrum just for fun!) or a tallow golem all from TOH.

I personally suggest to update the 2E Autognome (here's a pic!).

 

[frankthedm]

I'd say take a huge earth elemental and change its size to large.

 

[frankthedm]

I need a clay golem stand-in. Something constructed, manufactured, or wizard-ized into being.

The clay golem in D&D, is generally created by clerics, a nod back to the rabbi that created the folklore golem.

I just need it to be a tad weaker than a clay golem (I do not wish to throw an unexpectedly weak golem at my players -- they'll think I took pity on them, which will earn me derision).

indeed, a wizard's somewhat failed experiment would explain why the clay golem is not up to snuff (them).

Maybe a CR 7, 8 , or 9. Or a CR 6 that has been advanced?

How about the monster scales up as the fight goes on. Starts out as a hard hitting CR5 with some extra immunities. loses the immunities as grows more dangerous, ending up around CR8

Oh, and just to make life more difficult, the wizard is neutral and "good enough" that he likely wouldn't animate undead.

Cool, there is the hook. The wizard did not want to permanently bind the spirit, nor did he want to experiment with the dead. He tried to adapt the clerics golem method and designed the clay husk to call an elemental spirit when "active" rather than permanently bind a spirit.

The clay golem could one-shot the two spellcasters (whose spells will do nothing to the golem), and will take down each tank with only a little more effort.

Most lone brutes hit like that. Sometimes the cleric is going to feel he might as well weld his hand to the front liner.

Any ideas?

Start with a large fired clay statue;

• large earth elemental stats
• no earth mastery or earth glide
• HP total of 152 hp. [that of a huge earth elemental]
• construct type immunities as well.

As the 'golem' takes damage, the clay husk breaks open with wet clay oozes forth from the wounds, more than could be contained within the husk.

After taking 10 damage it is bleeding clay like a stuck pig.

• Can throw globs of clay [15' increment, to hit and damage of the slam]
• Any space it leaves becomes difficult terrain to other creatures. 5 lightning or fire damage "fires" the clay making the terrain normal.

After taking 50 damage, the broken plates of its fired clay skin are floating over a sea of molten clay and it is noticeably larger than the statue's original size.

• all squares it leaves or touches become difficult terrain to other creatures.
• It can move like an ooze through 1' openings
• gains +4 to hit and +2 to damage. [does not stack with the upcoming growth spurt]

After taking 100 damage, any remaining fired clay glows and shatters. All the clay on the battlefield liquefies & surges back into the creature, clearing the difficult terrain. It is now huge.

To recap

• huge earth elemental stats [called, not summoned]
• no construct immunities.
• no earth mastery or earth glide
• It can move like an ooze through 1' openings
• Can throw globs of clay [15' increment, to hit and damage of the slam]
• the ranged attack now deals nonlethal damage.
• all squares it leaves or touches become difficult terrain to other creatures {maybe, this is the point in the battle the players should have a chance to run if needed.]

After taking 152 damage, it starts to die.

EDIT; Options

• Dispel Magic deals the creature 1d6 damage per caster level, max 10d6. will save for 1/2.
• Blunt or adamant weapons overcome the elemental's DR5/- until the shell shatters
• Every attack on a character warded by Protection from Alignment or Magic Circle Against Alignment costs the creature 1d6 HP.
• Entering or remaining in a Magic Circle Against Alignment also costs the creature 1d6 hp each round.
• Decrease damage output, in exchange for more HP.

 

[carborundum]

Frank - that is sweet!

 

[Thanael]

The mud slingin attack reminds me of the Mudman, which apparetnly were converted to 3E in ToH. Iirc their 2E ecology states that Mudmen are often formed from magical residue in the water near a wizards' dwelling...

Here's a nice pic (Edit: fixed this link)

 

[frankthedm]

Typically I like "wet & drippy clay" golems over "fired clay" golems, so the mudmen flinging globs of themselves at you imagery is intentional.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/78/claytonw.png
img20.imageshack.us/img20/78/claytonw.png

 

[czak808]

Along the lines of the warforged, i.e Eberron...
Use the Iron defender (homonculous). The creator can make whatever shape he wants; spider, snake, etc...
Bump up the HD appropriate to the party's CR, or just use more than one.

With a couple ranks in engineering, add some mundane effects; spit alchemists fire, lift its leg to make a puddle of grease-like substance, drop thunderstones, etc...

The Improved Homonculous feat (Magic of Eberron) opens up many other options; increased stats, fly, evasion, stored spell/ infusion, snaek attack, etc...

Fools are made to suffer, not to be suffered

cZak