List of constructs
Constructs are monsters which, although technically not alive, are animated through magical means. They all share certain immunities thanks to their absent biologies; poison, asphyxiation, and negative energy attacks are largely useless against them. Although their are some exceptions, they also tend to enjoy a wide variety of elemental resistances, as well as a susceptibility to the deconstructive spells of the Earth Magic school.
Although similar in some ways to statues, constructs are set apart by their ability to move and regenerate lost health.
Golems
Golems are big, hulking, mindless constructs that are generally rather slow but pack quite a punch. Some of the more powerful ones have high AC, and they all come with complete immunity to anything subject to magic resistance and varying levels of resistance to most elemental magic. Fortunately, non-elemental Conjurations can still damage them effectively, their slow speed makes kiting them easy, and since most of them are made of brittle substances, Lee's Rapid Deconstruction and Shatter work well on them. Golems are fairly rare and are generally found only in special vaults.
9 Guardian golem- A construct summoned into existence. It can take the injuries of allies upon itself, though it may explode after taking too much.
9 Toenail golem- Bizarre creations that are rarely seen, even for golems. They're fairly easy to take down.
8 Spellforged servitor - Experienced mages may summon a construct that can cast some of their destructive spells.
9 Iron golem- Made of solid iron, these golems are slow, but very strong and extremely durable.
9 Crystal guardian- Crystal sentinels who pelt intruders with ricocheting bolts of fire and cold.
9 Electric golem- The most powerful golem, these roam the Realm of Zot and annihilate the unprepared with bolts of lightning and electrical attacks. They are also much faster than other golems, immune to Lee's Rapid Deconstruction, and blink constantly.
Unique Golems
{{|}} Vine-covered golem - A golem made from ancient stone covered with vines. A pair of them guard an altar to Fedhas Madash in Eringya's Formal Garden.
8 Flesh golem - An earlier work of the master flesh-mage Cigotuvi that diligently guards his laboratory. Though made of flesh, it is as powerful as an iron golem.
Gargoyles
“Their innumerable sculptures of demons and dragons assumed a lugubrious aspect. The restless light of the flame made them move to the eye. There were griffins which had the air of laughing, gargoyles which one fancied one heard yelping, salamanders which puffed at the fire, tarasques which sneezed in the smoke. And among the monsters thus roused from their sleep of stone by this flame, by this noise, there was one who walked about, and who was seen, from time to time, to pass across the glowing face of the pile, like a bat in front of a candle.” -Victor Hugo, _The Hunchback of Notre-Dame_, 10, ch. IV. 1831. |
Gargoyles are similar to golems in construction, but possess an actual intelligence, allowing them to wield weapons and behave less mechanically, but also rendering them susceptible to Hexes. They are generally fairly harmless, only posing a threat to adventurers weakened by other opponents beforehand.
9 Gargoyle - Predatory statuary, swooping clumsily through the Dungeon in search of victims.
9 Molten gargoyle- A living, shrieking, hateful grotesque composed entirely of lava.
9 War gargoyle- Flying metal warriors which swarm their foes and rain deadly shrapnel.
Retired Constructs
8 Wood golem- The weakest variety of golem. Unlike its stronger brethren, it burned easily.
8 Clay golem- A basic golem. Big, but slow and easy to smash.
8 Stone golem- A significant step up from the clay golem in power and durability.
8 Crystal golem- A durable golem made of solid crystal. Variants that can fire bolts of cold and fire appear in certain vaults.
9 Metal gargoyle- A slower, sturdier gargoyle, most often found roosting in the hellish fortress of Dispater.
History
0.14 removed clay and stone golems and added guardian golems and spellforged servitors. Crystal golems were replaced with crystal guardians, and metal gargoyles were replaced with war gargoyles.
Wood golems were removed in 0.12.