Golem, PanthereonThis finely sculpted statue is formed of hardened clay. Its muscular body is topped with the head of a feline predator.Panthereon CR 11Source Pathfinder #82: Secrets of the Sphinx pg. 88
XP 12,800
N Large construct
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +2DefenseAC 24, touch 8, flat-footed 24 (–1 Dex, +16 natural, –1 size)
hp 118 (16d10+30)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +7
DR 10/adamantine and bludgeoning; Immune construct traits, magicOffenseSpeed 30 ft.
Melee bite +22 (4d6+7 plus cursed wound), 2 slams +22 (1d10+7)
Space 10 ft., Reach 10 ft. (5 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks cursed wound, eye beam, haste
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +6)
Constant—true seeingStatisticsStr 24, Dex 9, Con —, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 1
Base Atk +16; CMB +24; CMD 33
Feats Improved InitiativeBEcologyEnvironment any
Organization solitary or pride (2–4)
Treasure noneSpecial AbilitiesCursed Wound (Ex) The damage a panthereon deals doesn’t heal naturally and resists magical healing. A character attempting to use magical healing on a creature damaged by a panthereon must succeed at a DC 26 caster level check, or the healing has no effect on the injured creature.
Eye Beam (Su) Once per round as a standard action, a panthereon can unleash a beam of blinding light at a target within 60 feet as a ranged touch attack. The beam deals 2d8 points of fire damage. Any creature struck by this beam must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or be blinded for 1 hour.
Haste (Su) After it has engaged in at least 1 round of combat, a panthereon can gain the benefits of haste once per day as a free action. The effect lasts 6 rounds and is otherwise the same as the spell.
Immunity to Magic (Ex) A panthereon 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. - A disintegrate spell slows the golem (as the slow spell) for 1d6 rounds and deals 1d12 points of damage (no save).
- A soften earth and stone spell cast directly at a panthereon reduces its damage reduction to DR 2/adamantine and bludgeoning for 1d4 rounds.
- Any magical attack against a panthereon that deals electricity damage heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage it would normally deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. A panthereon gets no saving throw against magical attacks that deal electricity damage.
DescriptionCarefully constructed to serve as tomb guardians and protectors of their creators and their treasure, panthereons are a variant of clay golems. The majority of these golems were created during the First Age in Osirion, though evidence of their existence has turned up beyond the nation’s borders. A panthereon stands over 8 feet tall and weighs 600 pounds. While its sculpted form may vary, it is typically muscular and wears no clothing save for a simple Osirian skirt.EcologyOsirion’s golem makers dispute the notion that the panthereon’s design was simply the work of some arcane crafter. Instead, many of them believe the inspiration for its creation was bestowed by the ancient gods themselves. The design for golems has changed little from their initial creation in the First Age, and most variations only came along during the end of the Second Age.Habitat & SocietyAs mindless constructs, panthereons have no society or culture of their own. Scholars closely associate panthereons with the societal norms of Osirion during the period when the creatures were widely used as tomb guardians. Many panthereons have abilities tied to their creators, but most of these creators have long since perished, leaving the golems to act on their last given orders.ConstructionA panthereon’s body is carved from 1,000 pounds of clay mixed with the powdered bones of a purebred Osiriani cat that was either awakened or served as a bonded familiar. During the sculpting process the creator may only moisten the clay with water sourced from an Osirian desert oasis and must add 1,500 gp worth of rare oils and powders. Panthereon CL 11th; Price 48,500 gp Construction Requirements Craft Construct, animate objects, bless, commune, prayer, resurrection, searing light, true seeing, creator must be caster level 11th; Skill Craft (pottery) or Craft (sculpture) DC 16; Cost 28,500 gp Variant Panthereons While most panthereons possess the statistics presented above, a few of Osirion’s finest golem makers have developed specialized panthereons, each with slightly different enhancements to their abilities. Each one of these variants lists the new abilities, as well as any additional construction requirements and the additional cost in special materials required to create the variant. Esteemed (CR +0) The ultimate palace guard, an esteemed panthereon can take the form of a black house cat (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 131) at will as a standard action. This allows the panthereon to guard a location without being seen as an obvious sentry. Esteemed panthereons can be commanded to change between house cat and guardian forms by their creator, or they can be made to do so under set conditions. Though not widely held, the superstitious belief that any house cat could be a disguised esteemed panthereon has led some to keep cats as a deterrent to thieves and vandals.
Additional Construction Requirements: beast shape II; Additional Cost: 21,000 gp. Slaver (CR +0) The slaver panthereon was initially designed to supervise recalcitrant slaves, but it has since proved equally useful when hunting anyone the golem’s creator wants to have captured alive. Because slaves and prisoners are often a very valuable commodity, the slaver panthereon has the ability to, as a swift action, convert all of its attacks to nonlethal damage. When it does so, its slam attacks also gain the grab special ability. As another swift action, it can change its attacks back to dealing normal lethal damage (losing the grab ability in the process). Since they are nonintelligent, slaver panthereons default to dealing nonlethal damage unless their master orders otherwise.
Additional Construction Requirements: Merciful Spell; Additional Cost: 21,500 gp. Spell Bearer (CR +1) This panthereon serves its master by augmenting and reinforcing the master’s spellcasting. Some sages believe the spell bearer panthereon was a precursor to the presentday shield guardian golem. A spell bearer panthereon can store a single spell of 1st through 6th level, but the golem can’t be commanded to cast the spell as a shield guardian golem would. Instead, should that spell be cast on the golem or its creator (as long as the creator is within 60 feet), the spell is immediately countered, as by counterspell, requiring no action of the panthereon or its creator. Once used, the spell in the panthereon is gone, and a new spell (or the same spell) may be placed into it.
In addition, if a spell bearer panthereon’s creator casts a spell within 60 feet of the panthereon, the golem may mirror its creator, and also cast the same spell the following round. A spell bearer panthereon can use this ability once per day for any spell 3rd-level or lower.
Additional Construction Requirements: Improved Counterspell, mnemonic enhancer; Additional Cost: 30,000 gp. True Hunter (CR +1) During creation, this panthereon is given the name of an individual it is tasked with slaying. The target’s identity must be clear and unambiguous. Once the ritual is complete and the panthereon is activated, the golem receives a +4 bonus on attacks against its named target and deals it an extra 2d6 points of damage. This additional damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. A true hunter can always detect the presence and location of its target so long as the target is within 1 mile.
If the true hunter’s target is killed, it becomes a regular panthereon. If the target is resurrected or reincarnated, the true hunter instinctively becomes aware of this, and regains all of its old abilities. It can’t pinpoint their direction or presence unless the target is within 1 mile.
Additional Construction Requirements: instant enemy; Additional Cost: 26,500 gp.Creatures in "Golem" CategorySource Pathfinder RPG Bestiary pg. 159
Golems are magically created automatons of great power. They stand apart from other constructs in the nature of their animating force—golems are granted their magical life via an elemental spirit, typically that of an earth elemental. The process of creating a golem binds the spirit to the artificial body, merging it with this specially prepared vessel and subjecting it to the will of the golem's creator.
Being mindless, golems do nothing without orders from their creators. They follow instructions explicitly and are incapable of complex strategy or tactics. A golem's creator can command it if the golem is within 60 feet and can see and hear its creator. If uncommanded, a golem usually follows its last instruction to the best of its ability, though if attacked it returns the attack. The creator can give the golem a simple command to govern its actions in his absence, or can order the golem to obey the commands of another, but the golem's creator can always resume control by commanding the golem to obey him alone.
Constructing a Golem The cost to create a golem includes the cost of the physical body and all the materials and spell components used in its creation. Each golem entry gives specific details on the materials required and the total cost for its creation.
Note: The market price of a golem with more Hit Dice than the typical golem described in each entry is increased by 5,000 gp for each additional Hit Die it possesses beyond the standard for its kind, and increases by an additional 50,000 gp if the golem's size increases. Building a golem with the advanced simple template increases its cost by 15,000 gp.
Shield Guardians A spellcaster with enough talent, resources, and inspiration can create a special variant of a golem known as a shield guardian. Any true golem can be created as a shield guardian, but the choice to do so must be made during the golem's construction—a completed golem cannot later be “upgraded” to function as a shield guardian.
Shield guardians are designed to serve as bodyguards. When created, a shield guardian is keyed to a magical amulet that is constructed at the same time as (and as part of the cost of) the guardian. Henceforth, it regards the wearer of that amulet as its master, protecting and following that individual everywhere (unless specifically commanded not to do so). If a shield guardian's amulet is destroyed, the guardian ceases to function until a new one is created. If the wearer dies but the amulet is intact, the shield guardian carries out the last command it was given.
A shield guardian obeys its master's verbal commands to the best of its ability, although it is not good for much beyond combat, protection, and simple manual labor. It can also be keyed to perform specific tasks at specific times or when certain conditions are met. The wearer of the amulet can call the shield guardian from any distance, and it will come as long as it is on the same plane.
Shield guardians have the same statistics as the base golem, but with the following additional special qualities. A shield guardian's CR is equal to the base golem's CR + 2.
Controlled (Ex) A shield guardian that has the berserk special attack cannot go berserk as long as the wearer of its amulet is within 30 feet.
Fast Healing (Ex) A shield guardian has fast healing 5.
Find Master (Su) As long as a shield guardian and its amulet are on the same plane, the shield guardian can locate the amulet's wearer (or just the amulet, if it is removed after the guardian is called).
Guard (Ex) If ordered to do so, a shield guardian moves to defend the wearer of its amulet. All attacks against the amulet wearer take a –2 penalty when the shield guardian is adjacent to its master.
Shield Other (Sp) The wearer of a shield guardian's amulet can activate this defensive ability as a standard action if within 100 feet of the shield guardian. Just as the spell of the same name, this ability transfers to the shield guardian half the damage that would be dealt to the amulet wearer (note that this ability does not provide the spell's AC or save bonuses). Damage transferred in this manner bypasses any defensive abilities (such as immunity or damage reduction) the golem possesses.
Spell Storing (Sp) A shield guardian can store one spell of 4th level or lower that is cast into it by another creature. It “casts” this spell when commanded to do so or when a predefined situation arises. Once this spell is used, the shield guardian can store another spell (or the same spell again).
Construction: A shield guardian's base materials cost an additional 25,000 gp above the base golem's cost. The creature's master may assemble the body or hire someone else to do the job. The Craft check required to make the body is 4 higher than normal for the base golem's kind. The keyed amulet is fashioned at the same time—it costs 20,000 gp above and beyond the shield guardian's total cost. After the body is sculpted, the shield guardian is animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, similar to an alchemist's laboratory and costing 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature's body, the building and the ritual can be performed together. The creator must have a minimum caster level of 2 higher than the base golem's minimum required caster level. In addition, the following spells are added to the base golem's requirements: discern location and either shield or shield other.
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