New Monsters: Forbidden Golems
PDF Link | D&D Beyond Links: Bone Golem, Filth Golem, Shadow Golem
We’re getting closer and closer to the release of The Impermissicon, and that means more and more previews! This time we’re looking at the three new kinds of golems introduced in the compendium to go along with fifth edition’s existing clay, flesh, iron, snow, and stone golems: the menacing bone golems, revolting filth golems, and nightmarish shadow golems.
These golems are designed to match the existing golems in style and function, and they fit into different challenge ratings than the official golems, allowing them to fill new niches for DMs and adventures. In the same way that iron golems absorb fire damage, clay golems absorb acid damage, snow golems absorb cold damage, and flesh golems absorb lightning damage, these forbidden golems absorb damage types of their own, related to the materials involved in each of their particular designs. Bone golems absorb necrotic damage, filth golems absorb poison damage, and shadow golems absorb psychic damage (as well as darkness itself). In addition, these golems have special traits and powers similar to those of the official golems. Much like the clay golem’s Haste ability or the stone golem’s Slow ability, the bone golem and shadow golem have magical abilities of their own (Fear and Sleep respectively). And the filth golem can easily go berserk in the same manner as clay golems and flesh golems, with its own way to calm it down that is specific to its construction, much like a flesh golem.
Bone golems make excellent guardians to accompany necromancers, dark cults, death hags, or death giants. Filth golems are commonly created by alchemists, warlocks, yuan-ti, kuo-toa, or any manner of hag. Shadow golems are extremely rare, and usually commanded only by the most powerful of villains, such as liches, demon princes, or evil archpriests, who use shadow golems not only for protection, but also as stand-alone spies, scouts, and assassins.
PDF Link | D&D Beyond Links: Bone Golem, Filth Golem, Shadow Golem
