Golem, Web
- Armor Class
- 5 [14] (m)
- Hit Dice
- 3
- Attacks
- Attack (special)
- Special
- magic weapons to hit, cocoon/suffocation, reflected damage, fire vulnerability, venom-laced variant, golem immunities
- Move
- 15
- HDE/XP
- 4/120
Description
Web Golems are creations of great adeptness, able to shift and stretch themselves to fit the environment around them. In resting position, they appear as large, 10-by-10 foot webs that stretch over their immediate surroundings. Once attacking, the creature springs to life, cocooning itself around the target. To avoid the creature's attack, its victim is allowed a saving throw to resist. The target loses all its movement capabilities on a failed saving throw, suffocating in 1d2 (+ Constitution bonus) rounds (minimum of 1). Any damage dealt to the web golem is reflected upon its occupant. Although immune to most non-magical damage, the web golem is susceptible to all fire attacks, taking an additional 6 points of damage when hit by it.
A particular type of web golem exists: Venom-Laced. This being is even more dangerous; when it attacks, the victim must make two saving throws. If the first saving throw fails, the victim is trapped as described above. If the second saving throw against poison fails, the victim is reduced to zero hit points but is not killed. Venom-laced web golems are usually used to capture and immediately deliver a victim, while normal web golems are created to kill an intruder outright.
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 against magic. 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, Chain, 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, 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.