Fantasy Monster: Nail Golem

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Golem, Nail

A vaguely anthropomorphic silhouette made of fused of nails.

CR 5; XP 1,600
N Medium Construct

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +1

Defense
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 58 (7d10+20)
Fort +2; Ref +5; Will +3

DR 5/adamantine; Immune construct traits, magic

Weakness susceptible to rust

Offense
Speed 20 ft.

Melee 2 slams +10 (2d6+3)

Ranged 2 nails +10 (thrown, 20 ft., 2d6+3)

Special Attacks rain of nails (6d6, 20 ft., Reflex DC 15 for half)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con —, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 1
Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 23

Skills Perception +1

Ecology
Environment urban, ruins
Organization solitary, pair, or group (3–6)
Treasure standard (including leftover high quality nails)

Special Abilities

Immunity To Magic (Ex) A nail golem is immune to spells and spell-like abilities that allow Spell Resistance. Certain spells and effects function differently against it, as not below:

• A nail golem suffers half damage from fire effects. Heat metal can target nail golem, dealing its damage to the golem and adding its current damage to the nail golem's attacks.
• A nail golem heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of cold damage it should suffer.
• An electricity effect deals half damage to a nail golem, and half damage to everyone within the golem's reach.
• A nail golem is affected by rust attacks, such as those of rust monster or rusting grasp spell.

Rain Of Nails (Ex) When a nail golem is dropped to 0 hit points by an attack other than rust, it explodes in a rain of nails, dealing 6d6 points of piercing and slashing damage within 20 feet radius burst. If the nail golem was destroyed with fire damage, the fire damage received by the golem is added to the damage of rain of nails. A successful Reflex saving throw halves the damage (DC 15). The saving throw DC is Constitution-based and includes +2 racial bonus.

Nail golems were devised as a cheaper and more compact alternative to more powerful metal golems. Initially, they were quite problematic to create, until an innovative priest of a god of forging and artifice tried a method of mass stamping the nails with requisite mystical symbols.

Constructing Nail Golem

Requires a large pile of nails, with some of them etched or stamped with mystical sigils costing a total of 500 gp.

CL 12th; Price 13,000 gp.

Requirements Craft Construct, geas/quest, greater magic weapon, make whole; Skill Craft (armor, weapon, or sculpting) DC 25; Cost 6,750 gp.

Pebble Golem (CR 4) is similar golem made of mass of fused small pebbles instead of nails. It has 4 HD, 42 hp, AC 17, has +7 bonus on its attacks and deals 1d8+3 damage with each attack, reverses the effects of fire and cold, has no susceptibility to electricity or rust, but acid deals it half damage and makes it produce a cloud of acrid smoke for 1d4+1 round, similar to the one produced by pyrotechnics spell. It explodes in a rain of pebbles when destroyed dealing 3d6 points of bludgeoning damage or half on a successful Reflex saving throw (DC 14).