Intelligent alien creatures such as aboleths, as well as the occasional mad wizard or capricious deity, enjoy tinkering with creatures to make them more suited for their environments or just as a thought exercise. Then the PCs have to go out and fight things like owlbears or chimeras.
Doesn’t it make you want to get in on the action? Monster Mix crosses two monsters from the Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault to create new horrors that combine elements from the original creatures beyond just shuffling their component abilities.
Mix up more monsters in previous installments.
This installment combines two classic constructs, golems and animated objects, in the forms of flesh golems and animated armor.
Squire Golem
The creature inside this armor seems uncomfortable within it, though the armor seems to help guide its movement. The helm’s open visor reveals a face with stitched-together skin.
Armored Flesh Golem. Creators of squire golems combine flesh golems with animated armor. The flesh golem retains its rudimentary intelligence and becomes even more intimidating. Though its armor includes a weapon, such as a longsword or polearm, the golem can’t effectively use it, except to block incoming attacks.
Exploitable Weaknesses. The golem’s armor adds acid to the list of things it fears, since it understands its protection dissolves away. If it loses its armor altogether, it becomes just as prone to frenzying as it would from taking considerable damage.
SQUIRE GOLEMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â CR 7
Large Celestial (Animal)
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 163
Speed 25 ft.
Perception 13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Stealth 9
Immune lightning | Squire Golem Resilience
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| +4 | −1 | +4 | −2 | +0 | −2 |
Antimagic Susceptibility. If the squire golem’s armor hasn’t been destroyed, and it starts its turn in the area of an antimagic field or after being targeted by dispel magic, the golem becomes restrained. It can use its action to make a STR check against the spell save DC, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Aversion to Acid and Fire. If the golem takes acid or fire damage, it loses its immunity to the frightened condition and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its turn.
In addition, If the golem takes acid damage, its AC is reduced by 1. When the golem’s AC reaches 9, it can’t suffer further reductions to AC, but the armor is destroyed, affecting some of its traits and actions. If the golem took fire damage instead, and its armor hasn’t been destroyed, it takes 1d6 fire damage at the start of its next turn as its armor sears its flesh. Afterward, the armor cools and deals no further damage to the golem unless it takes fire damage from another source.
Berserk (65 HP or Fewer, or Destruction of the Golem’s Armor). When the golem starts its turn, 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 HP.
The golem’s creator, if within 60 feet of the berserk golem, can try to calm it by speaking firmly and persuasively. The golem must be able to hear its creator, who must take an action to make a DC 15 CHA (Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the golem ceases being berserk. If the golem takes damage or its armor is destroyed while still at 65 HP or fewer, the golem might go berserk again.
Construct Nature. The golem doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Lightning Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains HP equal to the lightning damage dealt.
Lightning Rod. If a spell or effect deals lightning damage to a single creature (such as shocking grasp) and the target is within 5 feet of the golem, the spell instead targets the golem. If a spell or effect targets an area and the golem is no more than 20 feet away from any part of the area, the golem can make a CON save, using the save DC for the spell or effect. On a success, the area shifts to make the golem the area’s center. The golem no longer benefits from this trait if its armor is destroyed.
Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saves against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The golem’s magic attacks are magical.
Squire Golem Resilience. The golem is immune to poison damage and to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks. In addition, it is immune to exhaustion and to the charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, and poisoned conditions.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The squire golem makes two Slam attacks. If its armor isn’t destroyed, it also makes one Helmeted Head Butt attack.
Helmeted Head Butt. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 STR save or be knocked prone.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Creator’s Anguish. The golem releases a wave of emotional anguish from its core. Each creature within 15 feet of the golem must make a DC 15 WIS save. On a failure, a creature takes 31 (9d6) psychic damage and is incapacitated until the end of its next turn, as its mind fills with memories of its greatest failures. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t incapacitated.
REACTIONS
Parry. The golem can add 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the golem must see the attacker, and its armor must be intact.
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