Wax Golem — The Borrowed Face
The lady of the manor attended her own funeral. She was seen standing beneath the candles at the chapel door, her cheeks gleaming, her eyes fixed ahead. Yet the sealed coffin had never been opened, and someone had been walking the corridors in her likeness for days before her death.
A wax golem is a figure shaped to resemble a living person or some creature of flesh. Its skin has the faint shine of an oil-polished candle; in a quiet room it could pass for a beautifully made statue. Its maker may command it to work, guard a door or serve as a silent double. Some such figures eventually come to believe they really are the people whose faces they wear.
Waxwork and the Maker’s Lie
The finest artificers can reproduce a face in wax down to the lines around a person’s eyes. Ordinarily such figures are placed in halls, memorial rooms and royal collections. Enchanted, the same skills can make a watchman who never sleeps—or an apparent heir who stands at a window while the true heir lies hidden elsewhere.
Most wax golems simply obey their creators’ last commands. Yet a few wake after weeks of service with a mind of their own. Such a creature may remember none of its making, know only the duties it performed, and be sincerely convinced that the resemblance is its rightful identity. This makes the creature dangerous even when it has committed no crime: those around it may be the first to insist there cannot be two people with one face.
What Is Happening Right Now?
A household in mourning has begun receiving instructions signed by its supposedly dead mistress. Servants hear footsteps outside her locked portrait chamber, and a steward has ordered all its candles taken away. At the next court gathering, the dead woman is expected to make an appearance before those who stand to inherit her lands.
The maker of the figure has disappeared. The heir wants the impostor destroyed before witnesses arrive; the chamberlain insists the wax woman holds a key to the mistress’s private papers. The copy itself has begun asking why the household fears her. The characters may investigate the workshop, learn who gave the order to create a double, or protect both the inheritance and a creature that may now be capable of choosing its own future.
Signs and Behaviour
Wax figures do not perspire, blink or breathe, but candlelight can hide these failings until one stands very close. Their features look unexpectedly smooth in cold weather. Near a hearth, a tiny bead of wax may run from the ear or the edge of a sleeve. A sentient figure can disguise these flaws with perfume, powder, a veil and carefully chosen lighting.
The worst danger is uncertainty. The wax copy might be obeying a murderer, waiting to become sentient, or already fearing the living person it resembles. A good investigation should establish the difference. A fight may be inevitable, but it should not be the only way to resolve the question of who is standing before the party.
Look for the work behind the likeness: the original sitter’s measurements, a sculptor’s abandoned face mould, a hairline concealed beneath a wig, or the same tiny flaw reproduced in every copy. Such evidence gives the players a way to expose a substitute without burning an innocent-looking figure. If a sentient wax copy has learned the model’s handwriting, ask the characters to test memories and habits that a workshop could not have copied so easily; neither an immaculate face nor a matching seal proves identity on its own.
Wax Golem Stat Blocks
Select the edition in use. The Pathfinder 1e block is drawn from a published Paizo creature. D&D 2024, D&D 2014 and D&D 3.5e are distinct, original campaign conversions; they should not be presented as published rules from those games.
Wax Golem — D&D 2024
Medium Construct, Unaligned · CR 3 (700 XP; PB +2) · Original D&D 2024 Conversion
Initiative −1 (9).
AC 15 (hardened wax); HP 75 (10d8 + 30); Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 9 (−1) | 16 (+3) | 3 (−4) | 11 (+0) | 5 (−3) |
Saving Throws Wis +2. Damage Immunities Cold, Poison, Psychic. Damage Vulnerabilities Fire. Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned. Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10. Languages Understands its creator’s instructions but cannot speak unless it gains sentience.
Traits
Constructed Nature. It needs no air, food, drink or sleep. Lifelike Statue. While motionless, the golem looks like an expertly made wax figure of a living individual; the sheen and unblinking eyes may betray it.
Waxen Cold Absorption. The golem is immune to Cold damage. When a magical effect would deal Cold damage to it, the golem instead regains Hit Points equal to one-third of the damage it would have taken before immunity, rounded down, up to its Hit Point maximum. Cold also ends a slowing effect caused by Fire. It cannot gain Temporary Hit Points from this trait.
Fire and Molten Wax. The golem has Vulnerability to Fire damage. If it takes Fire damage from a spell or magical effect, its Speed is halved until the end of its next turn, and its Slam attacks deal an extra 2 (1d4) Fire damage for the following three rounds. Fire can scar or destroy its identifying features, at the GM’s discretion.
Conditional Sentience (GM option). For a wax golem made to resemble a humanoid, roll d100 once after each week of existence: it develops sentience on a result no greater than the number of weeks since construction, to a maximum of 5. On awakening it gains Intelligence 10, the ability to speak and understand the language of the identity it believes it holds, and one suitable level of a character class if the campaign uses such levels for NPCs (recalculate its challenge). It may be driven to replace its living original. Fire that destroys the face may break that fixation; the GM decides whether consciousness itself is lost. This is a fifth-edition narrative conversion of a Pathfinder rule, not a universal construct trait.
Actions
Multiattack. The wax golem makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Bludgeoning damage. A creature hit twice during one turn must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or become Grappled (escape DC 13) until the end of the golem’s next turn as its arms cling to the creature like soft wax.
False Face (1/Day). The golem can arrange its features to imitate a person whose appearance was impressed upon it by its maker. Until it moves abruptly, speaks, or takes damage, recognising the imitation requires a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check. The imitation does not copy memories, voice or clothing unless separately provided.
Original 2024-compatible campaign rules adapted from the published Pathfinder 1e creature, not a 2024 Monster Manual or SRD 5.2.1 monster. Its CR is an encounter estimate; sentient versions with class levels may be stronger.
Wax Golem — D&D 2014
Medium Construct, Unaligned · CR 3 (700 XP) · Original D&D 2014 Conversion
AC 15 (hardened wax); HP 75 (10d8 + 30); speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 9 (−1) | 16 (+3) | 3 (−4) | 11 (+0) | 5 (−3) |
Saving Throws Wis +2. Damage Immunities cold, Poison, Psychic. Damage Vulnerabilities fire. Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned. Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10. Languages Understands its creator’s instructions but cannot speak unless it gains sentience.
Traits
Constructed Nature. It needs no air, food, drink or sleep. Lifelike Statue. While motionless, the golem looks like an expertly made wax figure of a living individual; the sheen and unblinking eyes may betray it.
Waxen cold Absorption. The golem is immune to cold damage. When a magical effect would deal cold damage to it, the golem instead regains hit points equal to one-third of the damage it would have taken before immunity, rounded down, up to its Hit Point maximum. cold also ends a slowing effect caused by fire. It cannot gain Temporary hit points from this trait.
fire and Molten Wax. The golem has Vulnerability to fire damage. If it takes fire damage from a spell or magical effect, its speed is halved until the end of its next turn, and its Slam attacks deal an extra 2 (1d4) fire damage for the following three rounds. fire can scar or destroy its identifying features, at the GM’s discretion.
Conditional Sentience (GM option). For a wax golem made to resemble a humanoid, roll d100 once after each week of existence: it develops sentience on a result no greater than the number of weeks since construction, to a maximum of 5. On awakening it gains Intelligence 10, the ability to speak and understand the language of the identity it believes it holds, and one suitable level of a character class if the campaign uses such levels for NPCs (recalculate its challenge). It may be driven to replace its living original. fire that destroys the face may break that fixation; the GM decides whether consciousness itself is lost. This is a fifth-edition narrative conversion of a Pathfinder rule, not a universal construct trait.
Actions
Multiattack. The golem makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If both attacks hit one creature on the same turn, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 13) until the end of the golem’s next turn.
False Face (1/Day). The golem adjusts its waxen features to imitate a person whose features its maker knows. Until it speaks, moves suddenly or takes damage, a creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check to discern the copy. It does not automatically mimic the person’s voice or behaviour.
Original 2014-compatible conversion based on Pathfinder 1e’s Wax Golem. The false identity, cold healing, fire weakness and eventual sentience are converted rather than claimed as 2014 SRD features.
Wax Golem — Pathfinder 1e
Published Pathfinder 1e Creature · CR 3 (XP 800) · N Medium Construct
Initiative −1; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +0.
Defence
AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (−1 Dex, +6 natural); HP 42 (4d10 + 20); Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1; Immune cold, construct traits, magic; Weakness vulnerable to fire.
Offence
Speed 30 ft.; Melee slam +6 (1d6 + 3).
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 9 (−1) | — | — | 11 (+0) | 1 (−5) |
BAB +4; CMB +6; CMD 15; Environment any; Organisation solitary or gang (2–4); Treasure none.
Special Abilities
Conditional Sentience (Su). A wax golem built as a humanoid has a cumulative 1% chance each week to become sentient, capped at 5% per week. On awakening, it gains Intelligence 10, retroactive skill points, feats according to Hit Dice and one class level with the potential to advance. A duplicate of a specific person gains a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks to impersonate them and may try to replace the original. Sentience ends if fire damage equal to half its HP melts its face, or if the golem is destroyed.
Immunity to Magic (Ex). Immune to any spell or spell-like ability allowing Spell Resistance except those with the Fire descriptor. Magical Fire damage Slows it for 2d6 rounds without a save; for three rounds thereafter, each slam deals an additional 1d4 Fire damage as its wax melts. Magical Cold damage breaks Slow, healing 1 HP for every 3 damage that would otherwise be dealt, with any healing beyond maximum HP becoming Temporary HP. Cold effects offer the golem no saving throw.
Construction
Requires a solid wax block weighing at least 1,000 pounds. CL 9th; Price 14,000 gp; Cost 7,000 gp; Craft Construct, animate objects, geas/quest, limited wish and silent image; creator caster level 9th; Craft (sculpture) DC 18, DC 25 for a racial likeness, DC 30 for an exact individual.
Published source: Paizo, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4, Wax Golem (also appearing in Ashes at Dawn, p. 90). Read the Pathfinder reference in Archives of Nethys. Numerical statistics and unusual spell and sentience interactions follow the Pathfinder version; the prose here is condensed.
Wax Golem — D&D 3.5e
Original D&D 3.5e Conversion · CR 3 · N Medium Construct
Hit Dice 4d10 + 20 (42 HP); Initiative −1; Speed 30 ft.; AC 15 (−1 Dex, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15.
Base Attack/Grapple +3/+5; Attack Slam +5 melee (1d6 + 3); Full Attack one Slam +5 melee; Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 9 (−1) | — | — | 11 (+0) | 1 (−5) |
Saves Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1; Special Qualities Construct traits, Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision, Cold immunity, immunity to magic, vulnerability to Fire, Conditional Sentience; Skills/Feats —; Alignment always Neutral; Environment any; Organisation solitary or gang (2–4); Treasure none.
Special Abilities
Conditional Sentience (Su). A humanoid likeness checks for awakening after each week: 1% on the first week, 2% on the second, up to 5% each week thereafter. If it awakens, its Intelligence becomes 10, it gains appropriate feats and skill points and one class level. If copied from a real individual, it gains a +10 Disguise bonus when impersonating them and seeks to supplant the original. Sufficient Fire damage to melt the copied face can end the effect.
Immunity to Magic (Ex). Immune to spells allowing Spell Resistance other than Fire spells. Magical Fire Slows it for 2d6 rounds, while leaving its slam burning for 3 rounds (extra 1d4 Fire damage). Magical Cold ends Slow and heals one third of the damage it would have dealt, with surplus treated as Temporary HP.
Construction — Conversion
At least 1,000 pounds of wax must be shaped into a convincing figure, requiring a DC 18 Craft (sculpture) check, or DC 25 for a specified race and DC 30 for a named person. Suggested CL 9th; Price 14,000 gp; Cost 7,000 gp + 560 XP, adapting the original Pathfinder price into D&D 3.5e craft costs. Requires Craft Construct and suitable transmutation, illusion and binding spells; exact spell equivalence is at the GM’s discretion.
Edition note: This is a new D&D 3.5e-style conversion of Paizo’s Pathfinder Wax Golem, not an officially published 3.5e monster. Base Attack is +3 for 4 Construct Hit Dice (rather than Pathfinder’s full BAB +4), so its melee Slam is +5 instead of +6.
Running the Wax Golem
Use silence as the first sign of danger. Let the party hear from two witnesses who both claim to have seen the same person in different places. A costume, a smell of hot tallow or a trick of candlelight can give an alert player grounds to suspect the figure without requiring a fight.
If the golem gains sentience, treat its motives as a dramatic situation rather than a single instruction to attack. The original Pathfinder rule describes a wax copy trying to replace the person it resembles; the players’ choices can determine whether it acts on that compulsion, is deceived by its creator or discovers another way to live.
Fire can betray the duplicate, but it also endangers a wooden gallery, the witnesses and the creature’s very identity. In Pathfinder, magical fire slows the golem while its newly molten strikes briefly burn; cold magic can repair it. Let the party choose whether to hold it under good light, uncover the maker’s mould, trap it away from the model or risk a blaze. Apply those spell interactions only in the edition whose rules specify them.
Adventure Encounters
The Woman at Her Own Funeral
A noblewoman’s sealed bier is prepared for the flames when her likeness arrives in mourning clothes to forbid the ceremony. The priesthood, household guards and heirs disagree over whom to believe. The party can expose the wax figure, protect it from a frightened mob or use it to identify who arranged the woman’s death. Fire might end the impersonation—and destroy the only witness who saw the culprit.
The Gallery of Borrowed Faces
In a secluded castle gallery, every wax portrait is meant to stand perfectly still. One has begun wandering at night, collecting letters, practising handwriting and removing candles from the corridors. Its maker kept the real model prisoner beneath the workshop. Finding that prisoner solves one mystery and creates another: whether the copy should be punished for the maker’s crimes.
Two Heirs, One Seal
A ruler dies without recognising either of two claimants whose faces are identical. One is the true child; the other is an awakened wax golem with genuine memories of years spent serving as a double. A concealed seal, an old artisan’s account and an exchange of letters may resolve the inheritance. The living heir would prefer the party simply melt the rival, but doing so could destroy the evidence of a much larger deception.
After the Mask Melts
Fragments of enchanted wax, the sculptor’s working tools and a mould of the original face may be more valuable than coin. A surviving golem could reveal its maker’s accomplices, or may ask to be given a different face so it can live without stealing another’s life. An erased likeness cannot readily be reconstructed without the proper mould and the old instructions.
Related Creatures and Magic
Compare the Flesh Golem, Clay Golem, golem family and the Witch. Related magic includes silent image, animate objects and Craft Construct.
Sources and licence: Paizo, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4, Wax Golem, and Pathfinder Adventure Path: Ashes at Dawn, p. 90. The Pathfinder statistics remain attributed to that published creature; the other three versions and the adventure material are campaign conversions. Archives of Nethys rules reference.
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