Wow! Can you believe that @trayedandtested on Instagram got more than 1,000 followers yesterday? And that’s all because of you, the D&D community. So, as promised, I’ll be making a whole slew of new playable races for Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition.
Also, be sure to FOLLOW Felipe 5 Horas who jumped in to offer up artwork, too. His stuff is amazing! Click this link to open your Instagram and follow. You won’t be disappointed.
Here is what is on the slate:
- Half-mindflayers (done)
- Kitsune (done)
- Treants (done)
- Fairies (done)
- Oni (done)
Robotic RaceHalf-Golems (this article)
Playtest Content
The material here is presented for playtesting and to spark your imagination. These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not refined by
final game design and editing. They aren’t officially part of the game and aren’t permitted in D&D Adventurers League events.
Constructive feedback is welcome and appreciated in either comments or social media. If you can give me a valid reason with examples why something is off, 9/10 I’m likely to make changes to the content and credit you for doing so. Otherwise, feedback without anything to back it up gets ignored (or at most a smile emoji like this 🙂 ) Thanks!
What are Half-Golems?
The mad wizards of the multiverse have long dabbled in the art of artificial life. Hence, golems, shield guardians, animate objects, and other powerful constructs. However, a few arcane practitioners long ago realized that combining necromancy with construct creation creates just as powerful servants that are far easier to direct.
Half-golems are part humanoid and part golem. They possess free will, which gives them the ability to think and feel, yet, they can also enjoy the boons offered by their half-golem nature.
Half-Golem Traits
There are many types of half-golems, but all half-golems have certain things in common. You have the following characteristics:
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age. Typically, a half-golem is created when a dead or dying human merges with a golem. Often, only older teens and young adults can survive this process. Your constructed nature keeps you living for slightly longer than humans, 100 to 125 years.
Alignment. Half-golems tend towards both moral and ethical neutrality but can be of any alignment.
Immutable Form. You are immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form.
Hybrid Nature. You have two creature types: humanoid and construct. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on either of your creature types.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Typically the extra language you know is one your creator knew as well.
Subrace. Four subraces exist for half-golems, each based on a classic golem design. Choose one of these subraces.
Clay Golem
Acid Golem Resilience. You have resistance against acid and poison damage. And you have advantage on saving throws against poison.
Disguise. If you spend at least 10 minutes sculpting the clay of your body, you can make yourself look different as per the disguise self spell, however, it does not affect your clothing, weapons, or other belongings. Your spellcasting ability for this trait is Charisma. To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against a DC of 8 + your Charisma bonus + your proficiency modifier.
Quick Move. You can use your reaction to magically gain a +2 bonus to your AC and advantage on all Dexterity saving throws until the start of your next turn. You regain the ability to use this trait after you finish a short or long rest.
Flesh Golem
Immovable. You have advantage on Strength saving throws.
Flesh Golem Resilience. You have resistance to lightning and poison damage. And you have advantage on saving throws against poison.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Iron Golem
Iron Golem Resilience. You have resistance to poison and fire damage. And you have advantage on saving throws against poison.
Natural Armor. Your partial iron skin gives you a tough, natural hide. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 16. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor. Regardless of whether or not you choose to wear armor, you always have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Poison Breath. You can use your action to exhale poison gas in a 15 ft. cone. Each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 1d12 damage on a failed save and is poisoned until the end of their next turn, and half as much damage on a successful one and suffers no additional effects. The damage increases to 2d12 at 9th level, and 3d12 at 17th level. After you use your poison breath, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Stone Golem
Natural Armor. Your partial stone skin gives you tough, natural armor. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your proficiency bonus. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor. Regardless of whether or not you choose to wear armor, you always have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Stone Golem Resilience. You have resistance to poison and psychic damage. And you have advantage on saving throws against poison.
Stone Fists. When you hit with an unarmed strike, you can deal 1d4 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, instead of the normal damage for an unarmed strike.
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Art by Wayne Reynolds.