Inventor/Golemsmith

Golemsmith

Golemsmiths are inventors who have committed themselves to creating a true work of artifice, forging a golem. With this painstaking life ambition, they plan and design meticulously, even if, in practice, sometimes compromises on materials must be made.

Why a golemsmith embarks on the quest to forge this artificial construct of life can vary. For many, it is the pure pursuit of forging the perfect creation, while for others, it is simply so they do not have to carry around their loot or to have a loyal companion to count on at all times.

A golemsmith is rarely chaotic, as they are people of great care and discipline—those that are not would not have succeeded where they have. However, some have been set on their path by such events that might drive them to interact chaotically with society as a whole.

Golemsmith's Proficiency

When you choose this specialization at 1st level, you gain proficiency with smith’s tools and tinker’s tools.

Mechanical Golem

Starting at 1st level, you forge a mechanical golem to carry out your orders and protect you. The golem is under your control and understands the languages you speak, but it can’t speak.

The golem obeys your commands as best it can. On your turn, you can verbally command it where to move (no action required by you), and you can use your action to command it to take an action. Additionally, whenever it would be able to take a reaction, you must use your reaction to command it to take that reaction.

The golem acts on your commands during your turn. If you issue no commands to your golem, it takes no actions.

Your golem's proficiency bonus increases when yours does. If the golem is killed, it can be returned to life by normal means, such as the revivify spell, or you can repair it during a long rest if you have access to its body. At the end of the long rest, it returns to life with half its hit points (rounded down).

If the golem is beyond recovery, you can recreate it exactly as it was, with four days of work (8 hours each day) and 100 gp of raw materials.

Over the course of a short rest, you can restore hit points to your golem equal to your Intelligence modifier + your inventor level, or you can fully repair it during a long rest, causing it to regain all its hit points. Any spells you cast that cause the target to regain hit points ignore any restrictions against constructs for your golem.

The base statistics of your golem are as follows:

♦ Golem

Medium construct

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 5 + [(the golem’s Constitution modifier + 5) times your inventor level]
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	12 (+1)	12 (+1)	4 (−3)	5 (−3)	1 (−5)

Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 7
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak

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Bound. The golem is magically bound to its creator. As long as the creator and it are on the same plane of existence, the creator can telepathically call the golem to travel to it, and the golem knows the distance and direction to its creator.

Golem Chassis

When you create your golem, you can choose one of the chassis below, adding the prefix to its type. For example, if you select Ironwrought, your golem becomes an Ironwrought Golem and gains the corresponding modifications to its base statistics.

⬛ Launcher Your golem becomes akin to a mobile turret, taking the frame of a ballista or other launching device. Its Dexterity becomes 16 (+3), its speed becomes 25 feet, and it has the following natural weapon attack, which uses its Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls:

Shoot. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 1d10 + 3 piercing damage.

⬛ Quadrupedal Your golem takes on a quadrupedal design. Larger and sturdier, it is more suitable to launch into the fray or carry its creator. Its size becomes Large, its base AC becomes 16, and its speed becomes 35 feet. In addition, its Strength and Constitution become 16 (+3), and it has the following natural weapon attack, which uses its Strength for the attack and damage rolls:

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d10 + 3 piercing damage.

⬛ Specialized Your golem defies all expectations, its design fueled by your own rampant creativity. A little less robust and stable, it is far more extensible to your visionary plans. Your golem starts with the basic golem statistics, but you can select two free upgrades for it that don’t count against your upgrade total. In addition, it has the following natural weapon attack, which uses its Strength for the attack and damage rolls:

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 2 bludgeoning damage.

⬛ Ironwrought Your golem is roughly humanoid and comes with the robust flexibility and options that this form provides. Its Strength becomes 16 (+3), it gains proficiency with shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons, and it has the following natural weapon attack, which uses its Strength for the attack and damage rolls:

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4 + 3 bludgeoning damage.

⬛ Winged Your golem is modeled off a flying creature. Smaller and more lightweight than most golems, it is kept aloft by intricate wings. Its size becomes Small, it gains a flying speed of 30 feet, and it has the following natural weapon attack, which uses its Strength for the attack and damage rolls:

Talon. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 2 slashing damage.

Intelligent Oversight

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to help your golem more efficiently. You can now take the Help action as a bonus action when you assist your golem. Moreover, when you use the Help action to aid an ally, including your golem, in attacking a creature, the target of that attack can be up to 30 feet away from you, rather than within 5 feet of you, as long as your ally can see or hear you.

Autonomous Action

Starting at 5th level, you have honed your mental connection with your golem. As a result, you no longer need to use your action or reaction to command your golem to use its action or reaction, and you can issue commands to it mentally as long as it is within 60 feet of you. If the golem isn’t commanded to take any action, it will take the Dodge action in combat.

Magical Nature

Also, starting at 5th level, your golem's natural weapons now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Perfected Design

Starting at 14th level, you have reached the pinnacle of your golem crafting. Your golem can now add your Intelligence modifier to all of its attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.

Golemsmith Upgrades

Unrestricted Upgrade

◆ Arcane Barrage Armament
You install a mounted armament on your golem, taking whatever form is most appropriate, which is charged with arcane power. As an action, the golem can cast magic missile through the armament, without expending a spell slot and requiring no components.

Once the golem casts the spell in this way, it can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

When you reach 5th level in this class, the spell is cast as a 2nd-level spell, and it increases again when you reach 11th level (as a 3rd-level spell) and 17th level (as a 4th-level spell).

◆ Arcane Resonance
You craft a magical essence connector and install it into your golem’s core, allowing you and the golem to share certain magical effects. You can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target your golem.

◆ Defender Protocol
You build a protocol into your golem, instructing it to defend its master. The golem gains the Protection Fighting Style.

◆ Ether Heart
You install a magical ether heart into your golem, because that seems like a good idea. Your golem gains 2 charges. It can expend 1 charge to cast any 1st-level spell you know, and it regains all expended charges when you finish a long rest.

◆ Flamethrower Armament
You install an armament to your golem, taking whatever form is most appropriate, which is capable of producing powerful flames. As an action, the golem can cast burning hands through the armament, without expending a spell slot and requiring no components. The spell save DC is equal to your spell save DC. Once the golem casts the spell in this way, it can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

When you reach 5th level in this class, the spell is cast as a 2nd-level spell, and it increases again when you reach 11th level (as a 3rd-level spell) and 17th level (as a 4th-level spell).

◆ Fine-Tuned Dexterity
You craft improved gears and joints for your golem. Your golem’s Dexterity score increases by 2, increasing its ability to perform tasks that require fine motor skills. If this upgrade increases the golem’s Dexterity to 16 or higher, it gains proficiency with thieves’ tools; if this upgrade increases its Dexterity to 18, it gains proficiency in the Stealth skill.

You can select this upgrade multiple times, but you can’t increase the golem’s Dexterity above 18 using this upgrade.

◆ Grappling Appendages
You install an additional pair of grappling appendages to your golem, which take a form of your choice. For the purpose of grappling, these appendages count as two additional free hands for your golem. Additionally, as long as your golem isn’t using these appendages to grapple, it has a climbing speed equal to its walking speed.

◆ Heavy Armor Plating
You can incorporate a suit of heavy armor into your golem, allowing it to calculate its armor class as if it was wearing that armor. Your golem is proficient with the incorporated armor, and it has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks until the armor is removed. You can remove the incorporated armor or incorporate a new suit of armor at any time, but it takes twice as long as it would normally take to don or doff the armor.

◆ Magical Essence
You infuse a fragment of magical essence into your golem, allowing it to attune to one magic item. This follows all normal attunement rules.

◆ Structural Constitution
You have reinforced your golem with layers of protection and redundant systems. Your golem’s Constitution score increases by 2, increasing its stability and durability. If this upgrade increases the golem’s Constitution to 16 or higher, it gains proficiency in Constitution saving throws; if this upgrade increases its Constitution to 18, it has advantage on death saving throws.

You can select this upgrade multiple times, but you can’t increase the golem’s Constitution above 18 using this upgrade.

◆ Systematic Strength
You build an improved frame and power source for your golem. Your golem’s Strength score increases by 2, increasing its ability to perform tasks that require raw strength. If this upgrade increases the golem’s Strength to 16 or higher, it gains proficiency in Strength saving throws; if this upgrade increases its Strength to 18, it gains proficiency in the Athletics skill.

You can select this upgrade multiple times, but you can’t increase the golem’s Strength above 18 using this upgrade.

◆ Warfare Routines
You advance the control routines for your golem, allowing it to fight more effectively. Your golem gains one of the following Fighting Styles of your choice: Archery, Dueling, or Great Weapon Fighting.

5th-Level Upgrade

◆ Cloaking Device
You install an arcane cloaking device on your golem. Your golem can use this device to cast invisibility on itself, without expending a spell slot or requiring components.

Once the golem casts the spell in this way, it can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

◆ Expanded Frame
You enlarge your golem, increasing its size by one category, up to a maximum of Large. If your golem is Large after taking this upgrade, it gains advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and its hit point maximum increases to 5 + [(the golem’s Constitution modifier + 6) times your inventor level].

During the process, you can determine if your golem will have the appropriate anatomy to serve as a mount. You can select this upgrade multiple times, but you can’t increase the golem’s size above Large using this upgrade.

◆ Iron Fortress
(Prerequisite: golem of Medium or larger size with a Constitution of 18 or higher)
You extend your golem’s shielding and stationary stability. Your golem now counts as three-quarters cover for creatures riding it or for creatures within 5 feet of it (as long as it is between the target and the attacker). Additionally, while your golem is on the ground, it can’t be moved against its will.

◆ Reciprocity Programming
If you use your bonus action to take the Help action to grant your golem advantage on an attack against a creature, your golem can take the Help action as a bonus action on its next turn to grant you advantage on an attack against a creature.

◆ Shielding Bond
After studying the arcane fundamentals of Shield Golems, you have gained insight on how they shield their controllers, and can implement it in your own golem. Your golem gains the ability to cast warding bond without expending a spell slot. When cast in this method, it doesn’t require material components.

Once the golem casts warding bond in this way, it can’t use this feature to cast it again until it finishes a short or long rest.

9th-Level Upgrades

◆ Mark of Sapience
(Incompatible: Launcher Golem Chassis)
You have attained the understanding of magic to craft a Mark of Sapience on the forehead of your Mechanical Golem, turning it into a Golem Companion. Its mental ability scores increase, granting it an Intelligence of 10, a Wisdom of 10, and a Charisma of 8. This allows it speak, remember things, and follow more complex commands without direct input.

Additionally, it gains proficiency in Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws.

Roleplaying a Ironwrought Companion

If you choose the Mark of Sapience upgrade, your Ironwrought Golem becomes a sapient companion, capable of learning, thinking, and having opinions. Consider how this may impact your interactions. Fundamentally, a Ironwrought Companion is still entirely loyal to its creator, but it can develop a personality and thoughts of its own.

◆ Overdrive
You build in a special mode that allows your golem to push beyond its limitations. As an action, you can overcharge your golem with energy, granting it the effects of the haste spell for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier. Once you overcharge your golem in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

◆ Powered Charge
You improve your golem’s charging capabilities, increasing its walking speed by 5 feet. If your golem has a walking speed of 40 feet or higher after taking this upgrade, it gains the Forceful Slam trait below. You can select this upgrade up to two times.

Forceful Slam. If the golem moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then immediately hits it with a melee attack, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + the golem’s proficiency bonus + its Strength modifier) or be knocked prone.

11th-Level Upgrade

◆ Airborne Propulsion
You add a new method of propulsion to your golem, such as intricate mechanical wings or propellers. It gains a flying speed of 30 feet.

◆ Multiattack Protocol
Your golem can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn.

◆ Thundering Stomp
(Prerequisite: golem of Large size)
Your golem can leverage its increased size and magical nature, allowing it to replace any attack it makes as part of the Attack action with a crushing stomp of magical energy as it brings down its foot. When it does so, each creature within 5 feet of the golem, other than itself, must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take 1d6 thunder damage.

◆ Transforming Golem
You install clever, multifunctional components into your golem, allowing it to reduce its size. Your golem can collapse itself down, decreasing its size by one category—from Medium to Small, for example. While collapsed in this way, its speed is reduced by 10 feet. It takes 1 minute for your golem to collapse itself or revert to its normal size.

15th-Level Upgrades

◆ Artificial Learning
(Prerequisite: Mark of Sapience upgrade) Your Golem Companion begins to apply its abilities to learn new things, gaining one level in a class of your choice. Your Golem Companion gains all the 1st-level features of the chosen class. This doesn’t include hit points, Hit Dice, or class proficiencies. For example, choosing the Fighter class grants the golem the Fighting Style and Second Wind features, but nothing else.

You can select this upgrade multiple times, granting your golem another level of features from the same class or the 1st-level features from another class each time it is selected.

◆ Brutal Armaments
You increase the effectiveness of your golem’s natural weapons, allowing it to attack with lethal strikes. When your golem makes an attack, you can choose to subtract its proficiency from the attack roll. If you do so, and the attack hits, you can add double its proficiency bonus to the damage roll of the attack.

◆ Shared Power
You bind your golem’s power source to your own soul, allowing you to tap its power and it to tap your power. Your golem can use its action and expend one of your spell slots to cast a spell you know of the slot’s level or lower.

In addition, you can use your action to cause your golem to lose a number of hit points up to twice your inventor level, granting you a number of temporary hit points equal to that amount.

Finally, on your turn, you can forgo your action to grant your golem an additional action, or you can command your golem to forgo its action, granting yourself an additional action. That action can only be used to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.

◆ Titan Slayer
You build into your golem one oversized weapon. This weapon can be a martial melee weapon or an improved version of any natural weapon the golem has. The weapon’s base damage dice are doubled—from 1d8 to 2d8, for example. The golem can only attack with this oversized weapon once per turn (making any additional attacks it can make using other weapons).