Hello and welcome back for another Frightful Fridays! It’s almost officially summertime, so it seemed like a good time to design a farm-based construct. The corn golem/field guardian (as an aside: Paizo’s new Core monster book doesn’t refer to golems, so I’ve tried to follow their guidelines for the PF2 version) usually stands watch over cornfields; otherwise, they’d kind of lose the element of surprise. Those who commission the golems can request they appear as other crops to blend in, though.
I hope you enjoy the corn golem/field guardian. See you next week with another monster.
This cornstalk uproots itself and rustles its husk, part of which appears as vestigial arms.
Corn Golem CR 3
XP 800
N Medium construct
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., greensight 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 42 (4d10+20)
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +3
Defensive Abilities shuck; DR 5/adamantine; Immune construct traits, magic
Weaknesses vulnerability to fire
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +7 (2d8+4)
Special Attacks entangle
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 12, Con —, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 9
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 18
SQ camouflage
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate grassland
Organization solitary or crop (2–12)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Camouflage (Ex) Since a corn golem looks like a normal stalk of corn when at rest, a DC 20 Perception check is required to notice it before it attacks for the first time. Anyone with ranks in Survival or Knowledge (nature) can use either of those skills instead of Perception to notice the golem.
Entangle (Su) A corn golem can, as a free action, cause plants within 30 feet of it to animate and grasp at foes. This ability is otherwise similar to entangle (CL 4th, DC 13). The save DC is Wisdom-based.
Immunity to Magic (Ex) A corn golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance, with the exception of spells and spell-like abilities that have the fire descriptor, which affect it normally. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
Diminish plants decreases the golem’s size, with a similar effect to reduce person for 2d6 rounds (no save).
Plant growth increases the golem’s size, with a similar effect to enlarge person for 2d6 rounds (no save).
A magical attack that deals electricity damage heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. A corn golem gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage.
Shuck (Ex) As an immediate action, the corn golem can shed part of its husk to automatically escape a grapple. When it does so, its natural armor bonus decreases by 1. If its natural armor bonus is +0, it can no longer use this ability.
Cultivated by druids and nature-aligned arcane casters, corn golems stand tall in their fields to protect the crops from destruction, whether by animal or insect pests, or those of the humanoid variety. While these golems primarily take the form of cornstalks, their creators may change their appearance to match the surrounding crops. Such golems look like wheat stalks or tall grasses but have the same capabilities as the typical corn golem.
A corn golem stands 5 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds, but its size may change to better match with surrounding plants.
Construction
The corn golem is assembled from cultivars of corn and sprinkled with rare powders and crushed herbs worth at least 100 gp.
Corn Golem
CL 12th; Price 10,100 gp
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Construct, animate objects, entangle, geas/quest, limited wish, creator must be caster level 12th; Skill Profession (farmer) DC 15; Cost 5,100 gp
FIELD GUARDIAN CREATURE 3
Medium Construct Mindless
Perception +9; darkvision, green vision
Skills Athletics +9, Stealth +7
Str +4, Dex +1, Con +0, Int −5, Wis +3, Cha −1
Camouflage The field guardian can Hide in natural environments even if it doesn’t have cover.
Green Vision Plant matter doesn’t impair a field guardian’s vision; it ignores concealment from leaves, vines, greener, and undergrowth, but solid wood still blocks its line of sight.
AC 20; Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +11
HP 47; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, electricity, fatigued, healing, mental, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, spirit, unconscious, vitality, void; Resistances physical 5 (except adamantine), spells 5 (except fire and spells that affect plants)
Grasping Foliage [reaction] (primal, transmutation) Trigger The field guardian detects a creature within 20 feet of it; Effect The field guardian causes vegetation within a 20-foot emanation to writhe for 1 round, turning this area into difficult terrain. When a creature starts its turn in the area, it must attempt a DC 18 Reflex save. On a failure, the creature takes a −10-foot circumstance penalty to its Speeds until it leaves the area, and on a critical failure it is also immobilized for 1 round. A creature can attempt to Escape to remove these effects. Field guardians are immune to Grasping Foliage.
Shuck [reaction] Trigger The field guardian is grappled; Effect The field guardian removes part of its husk to automatically escape the grapple. This causes the field guardian to reduce its AC by 1. It can’t reduce its AC by more than 2 using Shuck.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] stalk +13, Effect 1d10+8 bludgeoning
Corn Golem CR 3
Medium Construct
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Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 91
Speed 30 ft.
Perception 12 Stealth 11
Vulnerable fire
Immune lightning | Golem Resilience
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak
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STR +3, DEX +1, CON +2, INT −5, WIS +2, CHA −1
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Construct Nature. The corn golem doesn’t require air, food, or sleep.
False Appearance. While the corn golem remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a cornstalk.
Golem Resilience. The golem is immune to poison and psychic 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.
Greensight. The corn golem can see through areas obscured by plants without penalty.
Lightning Absorption. Whenever the corn golem is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains HP equal to the lightning damage dealt.
Magic Resistance. The corn golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are magical.
Plant Vulnerability. Spells and effects that target plants bypass the golem’s Magic Resistance.
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Actions
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Multiattack. The corn golem makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
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Bonus Actions
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Entangle (1/Day). The corn golem can cause plants within 30 feet of it to animate and grasp at foes. This bonus action is otherwise similar to entangle (spell save DC 12).
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Reactions
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Shuck (3/Day). When the corn golem is grappled, it can shed part of its husk to automatically escape the grapple. When it does so, it reduces its AC by 1.
Mythopoeic Rambling 