D&D 5E Wandering Monsters: Bound Construct

[Plaguescarred]

Wandering Monsters
Bound Construct
By James Wyatt

This week, James provides us with descriptions of helmed horrors, shield guardians, animated objects, and homunculi. Do you think they’re hitting the mark this week? Come share your thoughts.

What do you think of these?

 

[Plaguescarred]

I found the description of the Helmed Horror, Shield Guardia, Animated Objects and Homunculus was good.

I think the Helmed Horror doesn't have to necessarily wield magic weapons.

Finally, I think the animated object spells should contain all the info a players need to know, as complex as it must be. I also think it should be a spell available to the mage.

 

[steeldragons]

I agree that Animate Objects should be available to mages as well...maybe druids too. I see no reason it would be a specifically clerical thing.

The animated armor guys are fine. Maybe a bit too magical, in fact. Wind walking? Featherfalling? How 'bout just an animated suit of armor?

Homonculi are something I've never really used, though always liked their story and historic roots. Nothing new here. Nothing bad. Long as you include time/money/xp/whatever requirements for constructing one in the description we should be ok. Kinda feel like if these things have all the perks (telepathy, seeing through them, some autonomy, etc...) and are easy to "make", then why would anyone bother with an actual animal familiar?

 

[MarkB]

The Helmed Horror sounds mostly fine, except that it seems to lack any actual "horror" aspect. Either these constructs should have some essential viciousness, or their creation should be somehow horrific (maybe that's a trapped soul inside the armour), or the name could do with being toned down.

I've not actually used Helmed Horrors in prior editions except for encountering them in the Baldur's Gate CRPG, but Air Walk seems like a powerful ability for a simple proto-golem, especially one taking the form of a ponderous suit of armour. It seems like the sort of ability that would make encounters with these constructs frustrating rather than tactically interesting.

Shield Guardians sound okay. Are they also autonomous and intelligent rather than literal-minded?

I agree that Animating Objects should be an ability available to arcane as well as divine casters - in fact, it seems archetypically arcane (think Sorcerer's Apprentice). Definitely keep the stats simple and include them in the spell description. I wouldn't mind seeing a simpler, low-level version of the spell that lasts longer and can provide all the 'utility' aspects, but does not allow the objects to fight for the caster.

The Homunculus is okay as described, but needs a bit more 'oomph' in order to bother with making it its own separate thing. As it stands, it could quite easily be simply made another variant familiar.

 

[Kinak]

Echoing [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION] and [MENTION=40176]MarkB[/MENTION], the helmed horrors seem a bit weird. Feather Fall and Air Walk just detract from the concept, unless the concept is an air elemental bound in a suit of armor, I guess.

Shield guardians are simple and well-focused. I feel like this is probably the best of the bunch.

Animated objects, if there's a spell to do it, need to have stats bundled with the spell. "Here, let me see the MM so I can figure out which monster to summon/animate" are words I never want to hear when I'm DMing.

I agree that it should be more widely available than clerics. Really, clerics make the least sense to have it out of the primary casters (unless animated objects are a form of undead, like poltergeists). It seems like it could be a fun spell to actually start pretty low level and scale up from there, as long as the math doesn't get too complicated.

The homunculus is pretty cool in concept, but the implementation is still pretty vague. I'd love to see an alchemist feat that let you brew mixtures, use alchemical items more effectively, and make homunculi.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[TerraDave]

helmed horror and shield guardian come across as a little blah, though I don't know if that is his fault. Agree the homonculus is cool...so much so that I don't know if I would ever let a player have one.

 

[Tovec]

I agree with the inconsistent feel for helmed horror. I think that has to do with them taking a pre-existing creature, stripping away much of the fluff and purpose that relates to it, then repackaging it as something we've already seen. Why aren't helmed horrors just weaker golems or maybe the second facet of shield guardians?

So, to answer the question, yes I think the sword part of the horror is essential.. if they're going to call it a helmed horror. If they want to call it something else then I could care less, though in that case the air walk and stuff seems funny too. So, I think they pretty majorly failed the horror's description based on what it IS. Something completely new that has the same name, yep they did a good job for that one.

 

[MarkB]

One more thing worth mentioning is that, between these constructs and the previous article's Elemental Myrmidons, we now have rather a lot of monsters under the general "animated suit of armour" theme.

Aside from the fact that, with all these to choose from, players will never, ever, believe that a suit of armour the DM takes the time to specifically mention in his descriptions is not a monster, I think it'd definitely be worth either consolidating these various creatures, or else altering some of them to provide more differentiation.

 

[gyor]

I think the reason Clerics get Animate Object is as an extension of the idea that granting life to lifeless things with a simple spell is part of the Gods dominion. Like raise dead, true resurrection, animate undead, stone to flesh, Animate Object its granting life to that which has none. It fits a theme.

Probably draws on various religious myths of gods and prophets granting life to that which has none, such as stories of the first man in many faiths being made out of inanimate material, turning staffs into snakes, Aphrodite granting life to a statue of herself, and so on.

Golems and these other things are more like magical robots instead of living things so more in the sphere of wizards and other mages. And Artificers of course.

 

[gyor]

I think the reason Clerics get Animate Object is as an extension of the idea that granting life to lifeless things with a simple spell is part of the Gods dominion. Like raise dead, true resurrection, animate undead, stone to flesh, Animate Object its granting life to that which has none. It fits a theme.

Probably draws on various religious myths of gods and prophets granting life to that which has none, such as stories of the first man in many faiths being made out of inanimate material, turning staffs into snakes, Aphrodite granting life to a statue of herself, and so on.

Golems and these other things are more like magical robots instead of living things so more in the sphere of wizards and other mages. And Artificers of course.