Appendix Z

Golem Construction System for GURPS

by Steven E. Ehrbar

The standard GURPS Fourth Edition golem rules, on page 59 of Magic, leave most options for variant golems entirely up to the GM. While this works fine for many GMs, some could use the support of a little more structure. The Golem Construction Kit provides a system for quickly creating balanced variant golems.

First, select the basic golem material on the Standard Golems table. This table shows the basic game statistics for the golem, its mass, and the energy costs for both the standard humanoid and the quadruped form. Quadruped forms have the disadvantages Horizontal and No Fine Manipulators, and ST and DX above 10 were purchased with the No Fine Manipulators limitation for energy costs. If you want a standard man-sized golem, you can stop here.

If you want a larger or smaller golem than the standard, decide on the size modifier, from -2 to +2, then look up your selected material on either the Smaller or Larger table. The mass, ST, and energy cost on this table is scaled for your new size, and replaces those numbers for that type from the Standard Golems table. Again, you have a selection of a humanoid or quadruped golem.

Finally, you can add some additional form options to golems created under these rules. They go beyond the normal ST, HP, and DR allowed in the standard Golem spell rules. They not only increase the energy cost of the golem normally, but increase the minimum energy cost from 130 as well. The choices are Claws, Constriction Attack, Extra Arm, Extra Legs, Flexibility, Slippery, Spines, Striker, Teeth, and/or Vibration Sense; add twice the character point cost of the advantage (after enhancements and limitations) to the energy cost given on the tables.

Standard Golems

Material		Type		Lbs.		ST		DX		IQ		HT		DR		Skill Points		Energy		Q Energy
Adamant		Metal		500		35		12		9		15		12		14		814		518
Aluminum		Metal		540		20		14		8		13		6		10		510		268
Bakelite		Plastic		300		12		12		9		13		2		10		270		142
Brick		Earth		400		15		10		8		15		2		10		250		130
Bronze		Metal		1800		25		13		9		16		6		10		670		422
Chalk		Earth		500		14		10		8		14		0		10		190		130
Clay		Earth		200		15		11		8		14		0		10		250		130
Concrete		Earth		500		17		11		8		14		1		10		300		148
Copper		Metal		1800		19		12		9		14		5		10		460		276
Cotton		Plant		250		12		11		8		13		0		10		170		130
Diamond		Earth		700		20		16		9		15		2		14		638		382
Flesh		Body		200		18		12		8		14		0		10		350		174
FPS		Plastic		10		10		13		8		10		0		10		150		130
Glass		Earth		500		15		15		9		14		2		10		470		270
Gold		Metal		4000		20		13		9		14		4		10		510		302
Granite		Earth		500		20		11		8		15		4		10		410		234
Iron		Metal		1600		30		12		9		16		6		14		738		466
Ivory		Body		400		14		12		8		13		1		10		260		130
Lead		Metal		2300		20		11		8		14		4		10		390		214
Marble		Earth		500		20		11		8		16		6		10		450		274
MMC		Metal		140		50		12		9		15		20		14		1258		796
Orichalcum		Earth		1700		50		12		9		15		12		14		1178		746
Paper		Plant		250		13		11		8		14		0		10		210		130
Porcelain		Earth		500		9		13		9		10		0		10		170		130
PVC		Plastic		250		10		13		8		11		1		10		180		130
Rubber		Plant		200		15		15		8		16		1		10		460		260
Salt		Earth		420		20		15		9		14		2		10		570		330
Silicone		Plastic		230		14		15		9		15		1		10		460		268
Silver		Metal		2000		20		14		9		14		5		14		568		344
Steel		Metal		1700		45		12		9		15		8		14		1038		646
Titanium		Metal		900		40		12		9		16		12		14		998		646
Uranium		Metal		3800		35		11		8		16		12		10		800		504
Wax		Plant		200		10		11		8		14		0		10		150		130
Wood		Plant		200		20		12		8		14		5		10		440		248
Wool		Body		300		16		11		8		15		0		10		290		146

Smaller Golems
				SM -2								SM -1
		Lbs.		ST		Energy		Q. Energy		Lbs.		ST		Energy		Q. Energy
Adamant		60		18		474		314		210		26		634		410
Aluminum		70		10		310		166		230		15		410		226
Bakelite		40		6		130		130		130		9		210		130
Brick		50		8		130		130		170		11		170		130
Bronze		230		13		430		278		760		19		550		350
Chalk		60		7		130		130		210		11		130		130
Clay		25		8		130		130		85		11		170		130
Concrete		60		9		140		130		210		13		220		130
Copper		230		10		280		168		760		14		360		216
Cotton		30		6		130		130		105		9		130		130
Diamond		90		10		438		262		300		15		538		322
Flesh		25		9		170		130		85		14		270		130
FPS		1		5		130		130		4		8		130		130
Glass		60		8		330		170		210		11		390		222
Gold		500		10		310		182		1700		15		410		242
Granite		60		10		210		130		210		15		310		174
Iron		200		15		438		286		680		23		598		382
Ivory		50		7		130		130		170		11		200		130
Lead		290		10		190		130		970		15		290		154
Marble		60		10		250		154		210		15		350		214
MMC		18		25		758		496		60		38		1018		652
Orichalcum		210		25		678		446		720		38		938		602
Paper		30		7		130		130		105		10		150		130
Porcelain		60		5		130		130		210		7		130		130
PVC		30		5		130		130		105		8		140		130
Rubber		25		8		320		160		85		11		380		212
Salt		50		10		370		210		180		15		470		270
Silicone		30		7		320		160		100		11		400		232
Silver		250		10		368		224		840		15		468		284
Steel		210		23		598		382		720		34		818		514
Titanium		110		20		498		406		380		30		798		526
Uranium		475		18		460		300		1600		26		620		396
Wax		25		5		130		130		85		8		130		130
Wood		25		10		240		130		85		15		340		188
Wool		40		8		130		130		130		12		210		130
Larger Golems
				SM +1								SM +2
		Lbs.		ST		Energy		Q. Energy		Lbs.		ST		Energy		Q. Energy
Adamant		1700		53		1088		648		4000		70		1394		698
Aluminum		1800		30		670		396		4300		40		790		406
Bakelite		1000		18		374		198		2400		24		454		230
Brick		1350		23		384		200		3200		30		470		230
Bronze		6100		38		874		522		14400		50		1010		562
Chalk		1700		21		308		140		4000		28		398		174
Clay		675		23		384		184		1600		30		470		214
Concrete		1700		26		448		224		4000		34		544		256
Copper		6100		29		622		358		14400		38		728		392
Cotton		840		18		274		130		2000		24		354		146
Diamond		2400		30		798		462		5600		40		918		502
Flesh		675		27		496		248		1600		36		606		286
FPS		35		15		240		130		80		20		310		130
Glass		1700		23		604		340		4000		30		690		370
Gold		13500		30		670		382		32000		40		790		422
Granite		1700		30		570		314		4000		40		690		354
Iron		5400		45		968		576		12800		60		1138		626
Ivory		1350		21		378		178		3200		28		468		212
Lead		7800		30		550		294		18400		40		670		254
Marble		1700		30		710		354		4000		40		830		314
MMC		470		75		1628		966		1120		100		1898		1036
Orichalcum		5700		75		1548		916		13600		100		1818		986
Paper		840		20		330		154		2000		26		406		182
Porcelain		1700		14		262		130		4000		18		318		130
PVC		840		15		270		130		2000		20		340		132
Rubber		675		23		594		330		1600		30		680		360
Salt		1400		30		730		410		3400		40		850		450
Silicone		760		21		578		330		1840		28		668		364
Silver		6750		30		728		424		16000		40		848		464
Steel		5700		68		1382		806		13600		90		1618		866
Titanium		3000		60		1298		786		7200		80		1518		846
Uranium		13000		53		1074		634		30400		70		1260		684
Wax		675		15		240		130		1600		20		310		134
Wood		675		30		600		328		1600		40		720		368
Wool		1000		24		422		214		2400		32		522		250

Q Energy is the energy cost to make a quadruped form of the golem.
FPS is foamed polystyrene (as seen in Dow Corning's Styrofoam™ brand foam insulation).
MMC is metal matrix composite.
PVC is polyvinyl chloride.

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Article publication date: August 26, 2005

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