Dark Machinations
The Grafted Golem is one such creation that was guided by darker hands and forbidden rites. The making of a golem traditionally is calling a spirit from the elemental planes to fuel a vessel for the creator. This, however is the result of necromantic rituals to bind the spirit of a deceased giant into its own hands - which have become a monstrous arachnid-like creature due to other giant hands being grafted upon it.
Wrathful Protectors. While the spirit of the giant resides in this construct, usually the giant's negative emotions consume it, turning the construct into a vengeful weapon, which the mages of Caria Manor used to their advantage. By delved into such repulsive arts, they have created useful defenders and weapons to protect their home, at the detriment of the giants to the north. One last gift to these creations are enlarged and enchanted rings that reward them a modicum of the arcane arts.
Grafted Golem
Large Construct, Typically Neutral
- Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 123 (13d10 + 52)
- Speed 40 ft., climb 40ft., burrow 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)
- Skills Perception +6, Stealth +8
- Damage Immunities force, lightning, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
- Senses tremorsense 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 16
- Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak
- Proficiency Bonus +3
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Aversion of Fire. If the golem takes fire damage, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.
Berserk. Whenever the golem starts its turn with 60 hit points or fewer, roll a d6. On a 6, the golem goes berserk. On each of its turns while berserk, the golem attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the golem attacks an object, with preference for an object smaller than itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it continues to do so until it is destroyed or regains all its hit points.
Force Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to force damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the force damage dealt.
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The golem's weapon attacks are magical.
Actions
Multiattack. The golem makes two Finger attacks.
Finger. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (Your choice when it attacks).
Crushing Embrace. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 32 (5d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage and the creature must succeed a DC 16 Strength saving throw, or be knocked prone.
Paralyzing Bolt. The golem raises its ring-adorned finger and fires a bolt of crimson energy at a creature within 60 feet of it. The creature must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, or become paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Frenzied Advance (Recharge 5-6). The golem moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks, and it can make one Finger attack against each creature it moves past.
Using These Creatures In Combat!
Grafted golems are seldem seen before they strike, as they use their many-fingered bodies to either climb to high places, or dig themselves a few feet beneath the earth to hide themselves with only their fingernails sticking up through the soil. Using their tremorsense, they can pinpoint their enemies with exceptional ease, and they used this quite well when they're hiding. They typically ambush their enemies by either dropping down onto them, or erupting from the earth, but either way,
they will likely start off combat with their crushing embrace attack. A Grafted Golem is also usually accompanied by a few of its lesser variants, which draw the attention of the players first, while it uses its paralyzing Bolt to lock down an enemy and then quickly rush it down, unleashing all of its attacks on that target on its next turn or using its crushing embrace attack on it for one big critical hit!
The Lesser Grafted Golems however, will swarm a single enemy and try to overwhelm it as quickly as they can, only scattering for other targets when they take too much damage too quickly.
Rewards!
Should the players win the encounter against these horrible abominations, they should be rewarded of course! Firstly, if you do not make the rings magical, then the Grafted Golem rewards the players with two golden rings worth 100gps and one gem-encrusted ring worth 150gps. If you do make the rings magical, be sure to give the golem the benefits of those rings while it wears it! Of course, the reward would then be the magical rings instead of the mundane ones.
The Lesser Grafted Golem don't really give much in comparison, aside from perhaps some enchanted gemstones embedded within its body that would require a successful Survival check to uncover. If successful, 'X' amount of gemstones worth 25gps would be rewarded! These are all suggestions of course; you're free to choose whatever your players would earn, or not earn from these creatures. Do what works for you best!
Credits
- Made using GM Binder.
- Page stains by /u/flamableconcrete
- Created and edited by u/Macekill.
- The Spider Hand picture is from Elden Ring, which is owned by FromSoftware.