This tome contains information and incantations necessary to make a particular type of golem. To decipher and use the manual, you must be a spellcaster with at least two 5th-level spell slots. A creature that can't use a manual of golems and attempts to read it takes 6d6 psychic damage.
| d20 | Golem | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Manual of Clay Golems | 30 days | 65,000 GP |
| 6-17 | Manual of Flesh Golems | 60 days | 50,000 GP |
| 18 | Manual of Iron Golems | 120 days | 100,000 GP |
| 19-20 | Manual of Stone Golems | 90 days | 80,000 GP |
To create a golem, you must spend the time shown on the table, working without interruption with the manual at hand and resting no more than 8 hours per day. You must also pay the specified cost to purchase supplies.
Once you finish creating the golem, the book is consumed in eldritch flames. The golem becomes animate when the ashes of the manual are sprinkled on it. It is under your control, and it understands and obeys your spoken commands.
Notes: Creation, Consumable







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Posted Dec 30, 2018These are really cool! well, I honestly just like the stone and iron ones, but still!
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Posted Oct 12, 2019Hmm, how come the artificer needs to be level 19 to make like a iron golem, but a wizard need only be level 10?
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Posted Oct 26, 2019Artificers weren't a thing when this was created. I'd come up with some appropriate house rule to allow the artificer to use it at a lower level than any other class.
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Posted Jan 25, 2020To be fair, I think that the Artificers could use the manuals as soon as LVL 14, due to the 14th level feature allowing Artificers to ignore class, race, spell, and level requirements for magic items. The requirement for 5th level spell slots for the tomes could be interpreted as a 'spell requirement', thus you wouldn't need to be 19th level as a Artificer to use the manual.
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Posted Jan 26, 2020Very true!
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Posted Mar 11, 2020The 5th level slots are not a requirement of the item or it would be listed at the top of the item.
You simply need the 5th level slots to create the golem. Without their magical power to fuel the ritual it simply fails.
"To decipher and use the manual, you must be a spellcaster with at least two 5th-level spell slots. A creature that can't use a manual of golems and attempts to read it takes 6d6 psychic damage." Anyone can "use it" but without those spellslots you take damage. An artificer can't circumvent it.
Edit: dwarven thrower as an example shows what item requirements look like that artificers can ignore "requires attunement by a dwarf"
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Posted Mar 17, 2020Deirakos, why do you think so? It makes no thematic sense, and seems like an arbitrary and weird way to read it. It is a requirement to use the item, the requirement is spells, the artificer power specifically says it ignores spell requirements to use magic items. You have to twist pretty hard to say that it isn't a requirement, why do you do so? Do you think it overpowers artificers or something? Since you will never see a manual of golems unless your DM decides you should anyway, whats the harm?
Arguably since Artificers can craft magical items regardless of pre-reqisites, they are one of the only classes that could make a manual of golems... but you think they then could not use it?
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Posted Mar 17, 2020artificer: "You ignore all class, race, spell, and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item." i missed the last bit it seems. so yeah they should be able to use a manual of golems.
interestingly enough thief rogues are a bit more limited "You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items."
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Posted May 27, 2020yea baybay
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Posted May 27, 2020can druids make golems
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Posted Jun 2, 2020Yup! There's nothing stopping Druids from using the manuals, as long as they fulfil the other requirements.
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Posted Oct 12, 2020At lvl 14 artificers ignore all magic item restrictions
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Posted Oct 19, 2020would a buffed flameskull be able to use this? I was thinking of having one create an iron golem and then piloting it via verbal commands while using spells out of specialized ports on the body of the golem.
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Posted Oct 21, 2020If by "buffed" you mean given two 5th-level spell slots. A flameskull is only a level 5 wizard. The other problem to overcome is how it's going to turn the pages. Fortunately, it can cast Mage Hand at will.
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Posted Nov 25, 2020rolling a 1-5 gets you a monster that can defeat a tarrasque
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Posted Mar 7, 2021Another option I’d use for Artificers. Two 5th level spell slots would be 10 levels. Let your Artificer be able to use it with 10 levels worth of spells, which should be about level 7 if they use all their spell slots for the day.
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Posted Mar 15, 2021They ignore some not all, like the 5th level spell slot requirement
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Posted Apr 13, 2021The wording is a bit confusing. Where it says “To create a golem, you must spend the time shown on the table, working without interruption with the manual at hand and resting no more than 8 hours per day,” does it mean working the 30+ days straight without interruption besides resting, or does it mean working a day here and a day there, using an entire day to work on it aside from resting, and after doing that 30+ days cumulatively, the golem will be done?
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Posted Sep 2, 2021The fast thinking, ingenuity, and knowledge people use on this site to make the game better is one of the things I love most about this site! You are so amazing!!!!!! The fact that you used the artificers ability to create new pathway for characters is really great.
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Posted Jan 12, 2022You have to work without interruption. Taking a break to go adventuring would count as interruption. To make the golem, you have to work that time listed in one go, essentially breaking only to long rest.