Golem, Vault Guardian

Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 8d10+20 (64 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 26 (+2 Dex, +14 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+12
Attack: Slam +12 melee (1d10+6)
Full Attack: 2 slams +12 melee (1d10+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Ghost strike, magic metallic strike
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/bludgeoning and magic,
darkvision 60 ft., detect intruders, immunity to cold and fire, low-light vision
, resistance to electricity 10, vulnerability to earth magic
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 15, Con , Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills:
Feats:
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or gang (24)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9-12 HD (Medium); 13-24 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment:
This animated statue appears to be composed of both metal and stone.
Vault guardians are simple but expensive creations of Zhentarim wizards. They ar
e sold to lords of Zhentil Keep and beyond to guard their most precious treasure
s. Vault guardians are constructs of stone and metal that require incredible wea
lth to create, but are constantly alert and very effective at their job.
When it is fashioned, a vault guardian is keyed to a particular magical key word
. A creature that tells the vault guardian the key word becomes that vault guard
ian's master. Typically, the creator of the vault guardian passes the key word t
o the golem's new owner after construction is completed. A vault guardian obeys
its masters verbal commands to the best of its ability. It can also be keyed to p
erform specific tasks at specific times or when certain conditions are met.
A vault guardian stands 5 to 6 feet tall and weighs 400 to 600 pounds. Vault gua
rdians can appear as any type of creature, but they always have two with which t
o make slam attacks.
Vault guardians cannot speak, but understand one language known to their creator
.
COMBAT
Vault guardians simply pummel foes with their slam attacks, unless instructed to
do otherwise by their masters.
Detect Intruders (Su): Vault guardians continuously use detect magic and true se
eing as the spells (caster level 9th).
Ghost Strike (Su): A vault guardian s natural attacks are treated as ghost touch
weapons.
Magic Metallic Strike (Ex): A vault guardian s natural attacks are treated as ma
gic, silver, and cold iron for purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Vulnerability to Earth Magic (Ex): Certain spells and effects function different
ly against a vault guardian, as noted below.
A stone shape spell slows the vault guardian for 1 round (as per the slow spell)
and does 1d10 damage (no save).
A transmute rock to mud spell slows the vault guardian for 2d6 rounds and does 2
d10 damage (no save).
A transmute mud to rock spell heals the vault guardian of all its lost hit point
s.
A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the vault guardian s structure b
ut negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1d4 rounds (no save).
An earthquake spell does 100 hit points of damage to all vault guardians within
its area of effect (no save).
Construction
A vault guardian s body is chiseled from a single block of hard stone, weighing
at least 1,000 pounds, then coated with iron smelted with rare tinctures and adm
ixtures costing at least 500 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 13 Craft (arm
orsmithing) check or a DC 13 Craft (sculpting) check.
CL 7th; Craft Construct, greater magic weapon, lesser geas, true seeing, caster
must be at least 7th level; Price 20,000 gp; Cost 10,500 gp + 780 XP.
Originally appeared in Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995).
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