Golem

Golem
Height	5'2" - 8'0"
Weight	100 - 600 lbs depending on primary material
Size	Medium
Base Speed	20 ft
Appearance	Features: Humanoid. Some have extra arms and legs. Made out of Plant, Clay, or Bone mixed with stone.
Lifespan	Maturity: One Year Lifespan: Unknown

Formed of clay and stone, formed of sticks and bones, golems are constructed humanoids that have only recently come into existence thanks to the advent of magic. By sculpting a humanoid form and then binding it to a magical source, a golem is born. While animated objects are not very uncommon, true golems — which can act and reason independently of their creators — are exceptionally rare.

Golems are born when powerful magic-users awaken Essence in an inanimate object, or an amalgamation of such objects assembled into roughly humanoid form. The exact process by which individual casters do this depends upon the source of their magic. This, in turn, typically affects the golem’s specific capabilities and personality.

A Golem's Creator

With rare exception, a caster is only ever able to create one golem in their lifetime due to the intense amount of magical energy that goes into creating life from inanimate matter. This often means that a golem and its creator share an intense bond, either as great friends or terrible adversaries (as in the case of poor Viktor Shelley, who created the first golem).

When making a golem character, consider who created you. Typically, a caster will want to keep a golem around for protection or companionship. If this is the case, how do you feel about your creator? Are you friends, or is your relationship more like that of a parent and child or an employer and hired hand? Do you want to remain with your creator or set out to live your own life?

Alternatively, sometimes the creation of a golem is a process that a caster is not yet prepared for, and the process kills the caster, propels them into another plane of existence, or some other dramatic fate.

Perhaps your creator is another member of your party. Remember that the process of creating a golem usually requires a tremendous capacity for magic, but also exacts a high toll, so it is easy to justify your creator being only the same level as you from a mechanical standpoint. Perhaps your creator has lost much of their magical ability and hopes to reclaim it over the coming years, even if they will never again be able to create another golem.

Golem Traits

Height: 5’2” - 8’0”

Weight: 100 - 600 lbs (depending largely upon the physical materials that comprise them)

Size: Medium

Base Speed: 20 ft

Appearance: Typically made of plant matter, clay, or bones, with some stone to offer additional support/protection as needed. Golems usually look humanoid otherwise, though some might have additional arms or legs.

Lifespan: Golems are born with the sentience of a human child and learn rapidly. After they have been sentient for a year, they are capable of reasoning akin to a human adult of the same INT score. Thus far, no golems are known to have died naturally.

Golem Features

Golem Starting Features

At level 1, you get the following features as a golem. You also gain additional features based on your primary material and life source.

Feature

Description

Magically Constructed Nature

You do not need to eat, but must drink, breathe, and sleep like any other creature. You might speak with your MC about what specifically you need to drink: perhaps you survive on olive oil, petroleum, low-viscosity lava, or some other unusual fluid. Additionally, you make two choices that reflect the materials that you are made of and how you were created. Choose your primary material and life source.

Primary Material

Choose whether you are primarily constructed out of plant matter, clay, or bone. Gain the corresponding feature at level 1.

Material	Feature	Description
Bone	Vestigial Life	Your body recalls that it once lived as some kind of mortal. When you receive magical healing from another creature, you regain 2 additional HP.
Clay	Oozing Movement	(1/Rest) You may cause your body to melt into an oozing substance the consistency of putty. This allows you to squeeze through areas as small as 1 ft wide. When you use this feature, it costs 2 AP to activate and lasts for a number of rounds equal to your END+1 (min 1 round). While using this feature, you cannot make attacks or interact with objects. Your health and defenses are unaffected. You may end this form early if you wish, costing no AP. If this ability ends while you are still transformed, you immediately reform in the nearest unoccupied space and take 1d10 blunt damage.
Plant Matter	Minor Photosynthesis	When you Recoup in nonmagical sunlight, you may gain Shield HP equal to your END.

Life Source

Choose whether your creator used the Arcane, Divine, Occult, Primal, or Psionic Source to awaken Essence within you. Gain the corresponding feature at level 1.

Source	Description
Arcane	Fundamental magic courses through you. Learn two cantrips from the Arcane Source of magic. Use your magic attribute. If you do not have one, use END.
Divine	(1/Rest) Your connection to divinity manifests in the ability to heal. By spending 2 AP, you may restore HP equal to 1d6+END to yourself or a creature that you touch.
Occult	You were made through strange and esoteric means. Learn one ritual of your choice from the Occult Source that has no prerequisites. Use your magic attribute. If you do not have one, use END.
Primal	The generative power of the Everwilds swells from within. Learn two chants from the Primal Source of magic. Use your magic attribute. If you do not have one, use END.
Psionic	Choose one manifestation from the Psionic Source. You can cast that manifestation at will. Use your magic attribute. If you do not have one, use END.

All Golem Features

You gain an additional feature at the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, and 29th levels. Choose from the features below.

Feature	PreReq	Description
Arcane Explosion	Life Source - Arcane	Learn one spell of your choice from the Arcane Source that costs 4 or fewer SP. Use your magic attribute. If you do not have one, use END. You may cast this spell (1/Rest).
Bludgeon	Incompatible: Razor	Your dominant hand grows in size and/or strength and can be used as a weapon with the stats of a Club.
Dark Power	Life Source - Occult	Learn one chant or spell of your choice from the Occult Source that costs 5 or fewer SP. This selection must have the Dark Power Tag. Use your magic attribute. If you do not have one, use END. If you choose a spell, you may cast this spell (1/Rest).
Divine Glimmer	Life Source - Divine	Learn one divine spell of your choice that costs 5 or fewer SP. Use your magic attribute. IF you do not have one, use END. You may cast this spell (1/Rest).
Essence Alteration	Life Source - Psionic	You may learn a second spell from the Psionic Source with the manifestation tag. Each time you Take a Rest, you may choose which manifestation you have active for the day (you cannot have both active). END is your magic attribute for these spells.
Frenzy of Life	Vestigial Life	After receiving magical healing from another creature, you also deal +2 damage on your next hit.
Hardened Form		While you are not wearing armor, your AR and physical defenses increase by +2.
Invocation	Life Source - Primal	Learn one invocation of your choice from the Primal Source that has no prerequisites. Use your magic attribute. IF you do not have one, use END. You may cast this spell (1/Rest).
Major Photosynthesis	Minor Photosynthesis	When using your Photosynthesis ability, add 1⁄2 your character level to the amount of HP you regain.
Multimatter		Gain one of the following features that you did not choose at 1st level: Minor Photosynthesis, Oozing Movement, or Vestigial Life.
Razor	Incompatible: Bludgeon	Your dominant hand grows spines or a bladed edge and can be used as a weapon with the stats of a Scimitar.
Iron Lungs		You no longer need to breathe.
Rock-Hard Reinforcement		While you are not wearing armor, gain Resist Physical 3 when attacks target your REF or FORT.
Hygroscopy		You no longer need to drink.
Silent Sentinel		You no longer sleep in the traditional sense, but instead remain completely motionless for 6 hours in order to rejuvenate yourself. During this time, you are Unconscious, but you retain visual and auditory awareness of your surroundings.
Transmutable Clay	Oozing Movement	Regain all expended uses of your Oozing Movement when you Recoup.