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Flesh Golem (Frankenstein’s Monster)

Golem flesh, Flesh Golem
Promotional photo of Boris Karloff from The Bride of Frankenstein as Frankenstein’s
monster. Date (1931) Frankenstein promotional photo

A flesh golem is a ghoulish collection of stolen humanoid body parts, stitched together into a single composite form. No natural animal willingly tracks a flesh golem. The golem wears whatever clothing its creator desires, usually just a ragged pair of trousers. It has no possessions and no weapons. It stands 8 feet tall and weighs almost 500 pounds.

A flesh golem cannot speak, although it can emit a hoarse roar of sorts. It walks and moves with a stiff-jointed gait, as if not in complete control of its body.

Although most flesh golems are mindless, there are persistent rumors of unusual golems who somehow retain the memories of a previous life. The head (and thus brain) of such flesh golems must be just the right combination of fresh and (in its previous life) strong-willed, and even then luck and chance during the golem’s creation seem just as important in retaining the creature’s mind. Certainly most who construct flesh golems prefer mindless slaves over free-willed creations, and as a result intelligent flesh golems are rare indeed.


Golem, Flesh

Flesh Golem1
Flesh Golem – AI Generated Artwork – NightCafe Creator

A hideous monstrosity crafted from body parts stitched together with thick string, wire, and metal staples lurches to horrific life.

Family: Golems

Medium construct, neutral

Armor Class 9
Hit Points 93 (11d8 + 44)
Speed 30 ft.

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
19 (+4)9 (-1)18 (+4)6 (-2)10 (+0)5 (-3)

Damage Immunities lightning, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Special Traits

  • Berserk: On each of its turns while berserk, the golem attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the golem attacks an object, with preference for an object smaller than itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it continues to do so until it is destroyed or regains all its hit points. The golem’s creator, if within 60 feet of the berserk golem, can try to calm it by speaking firmly and persuasively. The golem must be able to hear its creator, who must take an action to make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the golem ceases being berserk. If it takes damage while still at 40 hit points or fewer, the golem might go berserk again.
  • Aversion of Fire: If the golem takes fire damage, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.
  • Immutable Form: The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
  • Lightning Absorption: Whenever the golem is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt.
  • Magic Resistance: The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Magic Weapons: The golem’s weapon attacks are magical.

Actions

  • Multiattack: The golem makes two slam attacks.
  • SlamMelee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

About

Section 15: Copyright Notice

System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Flesh Golem

Flesh Golem
Flesh Golem – AI Generated Artwork – NightCafe Creator

Source(s) 3.5E Monster Manual I, 3E Monster Manual I, Ravenloft: Creatures of Darkness, Monstrous Compendium Volume 1, d20 Modern, 1E Monster Manual 1, Van Richten’s Guide to the Created, Monstrous Manual

RarityVery Rare
Large construct
Hit Dice9d10+30 (79 hp)
Initiative-1
Speed30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class18 (-1 size, -1 Dexterity, +10 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple+6/+15
AttackSlam +10 melee (2d8+5)
Full Attack2 slams +10 melee (2d8+5)
Space/Reach10 ft./10 ft.
Special AttacksBerserk
Special Qualitiesconstruct traits, damage reduction 5/adamantine, Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, Low-Light Vision
SavesFort +3, Ref +2, Will +3
AbilitiesStrength 21, Dexterity 9, Constitution -, Intelligence -, Wisdom 11, Charisma 1
Skills
Feats
Environment:Any
OrganizationSolitary or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating7
TreasureNone
Alignment:Always neutral
Advancement10-18 HD (Large); 19-27 HD (Huge)
Level
Adjustment

Combat

Berserk (Ex): When a flesh golem enters combat, there is a cumulative 1% chance each round that its elemental spirit breaks free and the golem goes berserk. The uncontrolled golem goes on a rampage, attacking the nearest living creature or smashing some object smaller than itself if no creature is within reach, then moving on to spread more destruction. The golem’s creator, if within 60 feet, can try to regain control by speaking firmly and persuasively to the golem, which requires a DC 9 Charisma check. It takes 1 minute of inactivity by the golem to reset the golem’s berserk chance to 0%

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A flesh 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.

A magical attack that deals cold or fire damage slows a flesh golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw. A magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a flesh golem hit by a lightning bolt heals 3 points of damage if the attack would have dealt 11 points of damage. A flesh golem golem gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage.

Construction:The pieces of a flesh golem must come from normal human corpses that have not decayed significantly. Assembly requires a minimum of six different bodies-one for each limb, the torso (including head), and the brain. In some cases, more bodies may be necessary. Special unguents and bindings worth 500 gp are also required.

Note that creating a flesh golem requires casting a spell with the evil descriptor.

Assembling the body requires a DC 13 Craft (leatherworking) check or a DC 13 Heal check.

CL 8th; Craft Construct, animate dead, bull’s strength, geas/quest, limited wish, caster must be at least 8th level; Price 20,000 gp; Cost 10,500 gp + 780 XP.

See Also Doctor Victor Frankenstein

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Frankenstein (1910 film)

Frankenstein is a 1910 film made by Edison Studios that was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley.

It was the first motion picture adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The unbilled cast included Augustus Phillips as Dr. Frankenstein, Charles Ogle as the Monster, and Mary Fuller as the doctor’s fiancée.

Shot in three days, it was filmed at the Edison Studios in the Bronx, New York City. Some sources credit Thomas Edison as the producer.

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