Golem, Chain
- Armor Class
- -4 [23]
- Hit Dice
- 20
- Attacks
- Attack (3d6)
- Special
- magic weapons to hit, hold, constriction, hurl, tearing
- Move
- 15
- HDE/XP
- 22/5,000
Description
Chain Golems are constructed as guardians for libraries, palaces, and treasure hoards, often integrated into room decoration or placed inconspicuously as a coil of chain. When disturbed or called to defend their hoards, chain golems rise up into an animated chain that moves like a swift snake, lashing out in all directions up to 15 feet. Size and appearance vary, but the average specimen is made of heavy chain, 300 feet long and weighing 3,000 pounds.
Lash attacks may be distributed between multiple targets or focused on a single target. When three successful attacks are made on a target in a single round, the chain golem has achieved a grappling hold and may apply a special attack to the victim the following round: constriction, tearing, or hurling. A held character may break free at the end of each round with a successful saving throw; a character with Strength 15 or higher gains a +2 bonus, and a helper who spends the round pulling or cutting at the chain grants another +2 bonus.
A constriction attack does 3d6 points of damage, with a saving throw to take half the damage. A tearing attack attempts to rend the victim into pieces. Those with a Strength score of 15 or higher take 3d6 damage instead. Others must make a saving throw or suffer 6d6 damage; a successful saving throw reduces this to 3d6 damage. A hurling attack launches the victim at high speed at a hard surface, doing 3d6 points of damage. A saving throw with the Dexterity bonus or penalty applied reduces damage by half.
Golems
Golems are constructs created from non-living matter and animated by magic. They are mindless and immune to sleep, charm, hold, mind reading, telepathy, and other mind-affecting magic.
Golems cannot be harmed by non-magical weapons unless an individual entry says otherwise. A golem may also have material-specific spell interactions, vulnerabilities, or immunities, as described in its entry.
A golem must be given explicit verbal instructions, and the controller must be within 60 feet to command it. If not actively commanded, it follows the last instructions it was given; if attacked, it defends itself but usually does not pursue fleeing attackers. A controller can delegate command, but the creator's commands take precedence.
Once a golem attacks in combat, there is a cumulative 1% chance each round that it becomes berserk. A berserk golem attacks any creature in range, choosing randomly if there are several, and continues seeking new victims if current targets are killed or driven away. The chance resets to 0% only after the golem spends a full round inactive, neither attacking nor being attacked.
The creator may try to calm a berserk golem by spending one round speaking firmly to it and succeeding on a saving throw. If the attempt fails, the golem turns on its creator. If a berserk golem cannot attack anyone for 5 rounds, it becomes inactive again, unless it is pursuing its creator.
Use each individual entry as the source of truth for weapon requirements, spell interactions, material vulnerabilities, breath weapons, grapples, and other exceptions.
See Also
Other creatures in the Golem category: Golem, Amber, Golem, Bone, Golem, Bronze, Golem, Clay, Golem, Crystal, Golem, Flesh, Golem, Glass, Golem, Gold, Golem, Hay, Golem, Household, Golem, Iron, Golem, Lead, Golem, Purifier, Golem, Rope, Golem, Stone, Golem, Straw, Golem, Tin, Golem, Web, Golem, Wood.
Source note: This creature is converted from The Basic Fantasy Field Guide of Creatures Malevolent and Benign – Omnibus Edition, 1st Edition Release 4, © 2010–2025 Chris Gonnerman, R. Kevin Smoot, James Lemon, Matt Sluis, and Contributors. The Basic Fantasy Field Guide textual material is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International; this page adapts that creature to White Box.