| Stone | Iron | |
|---|---|---|
| Climate/Terrain: | Any | Any |
| Frequency: | Very rare | Very rare |
| Organization: | Solitary | Solitary |
| Activity Cycle: | Any | Any |
| Diet: | None | None |
| Intelligence: | Non- (0) | Non- (0) |
| Treasure: | Nil | Nil |
| Alignment: | Neutral | Neutral |
| No. Appearing: | 1 | 1 |
| Armor Class: | 5 | 3 |
| Movement: | 6 | 6 |
| Hit Dice: | 14 (60 hp) | 18 (80 hp) |
| THAC0: | 7 | 3 |
| No. of Attacks: | 1 | 1 |
| Damage/Attack: | 3-24 (3d8) | 4-40 (4d10) |
| Special Attacks: | See below | See below |
| Special Defenses: | See below | See below |
| Magic Resistance: | Nil | Nil |
| Size: | L (9½' tall) | L (12' tall) |
| Morale: | Fearless (19-20) | Fearless (19-20) |
| XP Value: | 8,000 | 13,000 |
A greater golem is an artificial humanoid body which has been animated by an elemental spirit but remains under the complete control of its creator.
Stone Golem
A stone golem is 9½ feet tall, and weighs around 2000 pounds. Its body is of roughly chiseled stone, frequently stylized to suit its creator. For example it might be carved to to look like it is wearing armor with a particular symbol on the chest plate. Sometimes designs are worked into the stone of its limbs. The head may be chiseled to resemble a helmet or other head piece. Regardless of these elements, it always has the basic humanoid parts (2 arms, 2 legs, head with 2 eyes, nose, mouth etc.). It is always weaponless and never wears clothing.
Combat: Greater golems are mindless in combat, only following the simple tactics of their masters. They are completely emotionless and cannot be swayed in any way from their instructions. They will not pick up and use weapons in combat, even if ordered to, always preferring their fists. Stone golems have a strength of 22, for purposes of breaking or throwing things.
The stone golem is immune to any weapon, except those of +2 or better enchantment. A rock to mud spell slows a golem for 2-12 (2d6) rounds. Its reverse, mud to rock, acts to heal the golem, restoring all lost hit points. A flesh to stone spell does not actually change the golem's structure, but does make it vulnerable to any normal attack for the following round. This does not include spells, except those that will cause direct damage. All other spells are ignored. Once every other round, the stone golem can cast a slow spell upon any opponent with 10 feet of it.
Habitat/Society: Golems are automatons, artificially created and under the direct control of their creator. They have no society and are not associated with any particular habitat. They are frequently used to guard valuable items or places. Unlike the lesser golems, the greater golems are always under the complete control of their master. A greater golem can obey simple instructions involving direct actions with simple conditional phrases. Although this is better than a lesser golem is capable of following, they still make poor servants. Any given task could take several separate commands to direct the golem to its completion.
Ecology: Golems are not natural creatures, and play no part in the ecology of the world. They neither eat nor sleep, and “live” until they are destroyed, usually in combat. Certain spells (see above) can be used to heal or repair any damage done to them in combat. This is usually done by their creators to insure long and valuable service.
Iron Golem
An iron golem is twice the height of a normal man, and weighs around 5000 pounds. It can be fashioned in any stylized manner, just like the stone golems, although it almost always is built displaying armor of some sort. Its features are much smoother in contrast to the stone golem. Iron golems are sometimes found with a short sword (relative to their size) in one hand. On extremely rare occasions this sword will be magical.
The iron golem cannot speak or make any vocal noise, nor does it have any distinguishable odor. It moves with a ponderously smooth gait at half the speed of a normal man. Each step causes the floor to tremble, unless it is on a thick, solid foundation.
Combat: The iron golem conforms to the strategies listed for the stone golem except as described here. It has a strength of 24 for the purposes of lifting, throwing or breaking objects. The iron golem is immune to any weapon, except those of +3 or better enchantment. Magical electrical attacks will slow it for 3 rounds, and magical fire attacks actually repair 1 hit point of damage for each hit die of damage it would have caused. All other spells are ignored. Iron golems are subject to the damage inflicted by a rust monster. Once every 7 rounds, beginning either the first or second round of combat, the iron golem breathes out a cloud of poisonous gas[1]. It does this automatically, with no regard to the effects it might have. The gas cloud fills a 10 foot cube directly in front of it, which dissipates by the following round, assuming there is somewhere for the gas to go.
Archivist's footnotes
- The original description of the iron golem's poisonous gas attack is unclear, however in TSR 9519 Undermountain The Lost Level the iron golem's ability is described as: a cloud of poisonous gas once every 7 rounds (save vs. poison or die). Another option is per the 5th level wizard spell cloudkill.