IRON GOLEM

Iron Golem — 5e stats

Large construct (golem), unaligned

  • Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)
  • Hit Points 210 (20d10+100)
  • Speed 30 ft.
  • Proficiency Bonus +5
  • Proficiency Bonus +8 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
24 (+7)9 (-1)20 (+5)3 (-4)11 (+0)1 (-5)
  • Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
  • Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
  • Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak
  • Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

Fire Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire 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 melee attacks.
  • Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
  • Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (3d10 + 7) slashing damage.
  • Poison Breath (Recharge 6). The golem exhales poisonous gas in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

DESCRIPTION

An iron golem is not merely a statue; it is a smelted juggernaut. Standing 12 feet tall and weighing a massive 5,000 pounds, its presence is signaled by the smell of hot ozone and scorched oil. Unlike the porous, weathered surface of a Stone Golem, an Iron Golem’s chassis is a seamless fusion of high-grade ore and rare alloys, often appearing as a suit of plate armor that has no wearer.

The “eyes” are not optical sensors but furnace vents, glowing with the internal heat of the bound elemental spirit that powers it. Intricate, glowing runes are etched directly into the iron plates—these act as “arcane circuits,” channeling the immense power required to move such a dense mass. When it walks, the sheer weight often cracks stone flooring, and the rhythmic thrum of its internal energy can be felt in the chest of anyone nearby.

COMBAT

In combat, the Iron Golem is a collision-based combatant. It does not use finesse; it uses physics.

  • The Momentum Factor: With a Strength of 24, its attacks don’t just deal damage; they deform armor and shatter shields. A slam from an Iron Golem isn’t a punch—it is the impact of a falling building.
  • Atmospheric Denial: The Poison Breath is a defensive venting mechanism. When the internal furnace reaches a certain pressure, it releases a cloud of weaponized alchemical byproducts. This forces enemies to either retreat or suffocate in a 15-foot kill zone.
  • Elemental Inversion: Its most dangerous trait is Fire Absorption. To a veteran party, fire is a tool; to an Iron Golem, fire is fuel. It is an anti-wizard specialist.
  • The Electrical Flaw: The only mechanical hitch is lightning. Electrical strikes cause the arcane runes to “surge,” momentarily locking the iron joints and slowing the golem’s reaction time as the system reboots.

HABITAT / SOCIETY

Iron Golems exist at the intersection of limitless wealth and high-tier artifice.

  • The Legacy Guard: Because they require a Manual of Iron Golems and 100,000 gp to create, they are never found in casual settings. They are the “End-Game” insurance for archmages, industrial kings, and ancient vaults.
  • The Master-Slave Protocol: An Iron Golem is a literal extension of the master’s will. It can be programmed with complex “If/Then” logic: “If a creature not wearing this signet ring enters the vault, use Poison Breath then initiate Slam attacks until vitals cease.”
  • Eternal Vigilance: They do not have a society because they have no needs. An Iron Golem can stand in a sealed tomb for 1,000 years without maintenance, becoming a silent, dusty part of the architecture until a trigger activates its cold, iron heart.

ECOLOGY

The Iron Golem is a disruption of the natural order.

  • Artificial Longevity: It has no natural life cycle. It does not eat, breathe (it only vents), or reproduce. It is a closed-loop system of metal and magic.
  • Environmental Impact: Wherever an Iron Golem stays for long periods, the “ecology” changes. Metal fatigue in the surrounding structure, the persistent smell of sulfur, and the complete absence of local wildlife (which flee the vibration of its footsteps) mark its territory.
  • The Scavenger’s Prize: Upon “death,” the golem becomes a valuable resource. Five tons of enchanted, high-purity iron is a treasure in itself, often scavenged by other smiths to create magical weapons or even start the process of building a new construct.