Shadow Golem
Construct · Crown of Despair
T3d8Minor
Darkness-forged assassins, shadow golems melt into night, touches extinguishing light.
Tier 3 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 3 (+3 overflow) · AC 12 · ATK +5 · Save DC 15 · Dmg 3 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 16 | - | - |
| Mind | 5 | - | - |
| Sense | 18 | - | - |
| Heart | 8 | - | - |
| Cunning | 18 | - | - |
| Fate | 12 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Mindless Construct
Immune to poison, charm, and fear. It never flees; it fights until destroyed.
Shadow Form
In dim light or darkness it is incorporeal, passing through objects, and nonmagical attacks deal it only Vigor damage. In bright light it solidifies, attacks at disadvantage, and takes 1 Vigor damage at the start of each of its turns.
Maneuvers
Darkness Shroud
Snuffs every nonmagical light within 30 ft for 1 round.
Umbral Grasp
Shadows claw at every creature within 20 ft. Body save (DC 15): on a failure it takes 3 damage and is restrained 1 round; on a success it takes 1 Vigor damage.
Tactics
GM tactics
Fights exclusively in darkness, using Darkness Shroud to snuff whatever light remains. Strikes from ambush while incorporeal, then Umbral Grasp to restrain groups. Avoids daylight and magical light. Most dangerous in underground lairs where there is no natural light.
Running it
Rules
- Vigor equal to Tier, with an overflow of the same size behind it: 3, then 3 more. Neither half regenerates.
- A hit deals a flat 3, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d8 and never lands below 3.
- Crits on a natural 20 only.
- Minor: no stat modifiers or dice in play; its scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
- At 0 Vigor it breaks and flees, out of the fight but alive; Fanatics fight on into the overflow instead.
- Total damage reaching 6 kills it outright, and a single blow of 6 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Two attacks in a normal turn: Tier 3+ Minors get a second.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.