This creature is made of hundreds of metal masks, welded together to form a roughly humanoid body. The masks are mostly iron, but someâsuch as the hands, knees, and feetâ are made of silver lined with gold. The mask that makes up its head is made of porcelain with gold trim and has a large sapphire set into its brow. At the creature moves, the masks seem to shift and stare.
Mask Golem CR 4
XP 1,200
N Medium construct
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +5
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 42 (4d10+20)
Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +2
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune construct traits, magic
Weaknesses vulnerability to sonic
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 slams +8 (1d8+4)
Special Attacks masks of control, swarm form
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th)
Constantâsee invisibility
During Combat A mask golem attempts to control any powerful melee combatant that moves to threaten it using its mask of obedience ability. Against ranged opponents, it uses its mask of solitude. If these do not work, it relies on its slam attacks instead.
Morale A mask golem fights to defend the area it has been built to protect, even if this results in its destruction.
Str 18, Dex 17, Con â, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +4; CMB +8; CMD 21
Feats Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Perception +5
A mask golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
As a standard action, a mask golem can force one of its masks onto a humanoid opponent’s face. This ability has a range of 30 feet. Attaching a mask in this way requires a successful combat maneuver check and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Once in place, the mask has one of two effects.
Obedience: The target must make a DC 13 Will save each round or fall under the mask golem’s control for 1 round. This functions as dominate person. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Solitude: The target cannot speak, breathe, or hear while the mask is in place.
The mask can be removed with a successful combat maneuver check against the mask golem‘s CMD. The mask can also be destroyed, but half of any damage dealt is made to the target instead of the mask. The mask has Hardness 5 and 5 hit points. A mask golem has a number of masks equal to its Hit Dice (usually 4). If removed from a victim, the mask returns to the golem immediately and can be used again.
Destroyed masks are replenished at the rate of 1 per day.
Once per day as a standard action, a mask golem can assume the form of a swarm of masks. While in this form, it gains the swarm subtype, a fly speed of 60 feet (average), a swarm attack that deals 1d6 points of damage, and the distraction quality (DC 12). Anyone who takes damage from the swarm attack can also be attacked with one of the golem‘s masks of control as a free action (assuming the golem has enough masks available). The swarm is made up of Tiny creatures, but does not gain any additional damage reduction. A mask golem can maintain this form for a number of minutes equal to its Hit Dice. Any damage dealt to the swarm is subtracted from the golem‘s hit points, as normal.
Editor’s Note
Unlike a standard golem, this golem has an Intelligence score, yet retains the standard golem immunity to mind-affecting effects. GM’s may want to consider removing this immunity to better balance the creature to its given Challenge Rating (or, alternatively, increasing the Challenge Rating by +1 or +2.)
GM’s should carefully consider the capabilities of this golem before using it, as its abilities are extremely powerful for its listed Challenge Rating.