Casting Stone Shape on a Stone Golem [Archive] - Wizards Community

Casting Stone Shape on a Stone Golem [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Llowyn
02-18-06, 05:20 AM According to the Monster Manual,

Immunity to Magic (EX): A stone golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance.

The spell Stone Shape does not allow spell resistance; that is to say, the spell's description says Spell Resistance: No.

Does this mean that Stone Shape can be cast on a Stone Golem? Nothing in the spell description for Stone Shape implies that the spell applies only to unenchanted stone.

My point here is that a 5th level cleric can, I think, incapacitate a very powerful monster. The caster could, in casting Stone Shape, specify that the golem's arms become fused to it's body, that it's legs be fused together, etc., so that it might as well be hog-tied.

Is there anything in the rules that I'm missing that says that this can't be done?
RisingZan
02-21-06, 03:19 PM It is rather surprising that Stone Shape doesn't get a special mention in the Stone Golem entry. Probably just an oversight by the developers.

A few thoughts on this:
The golem most certainly has a volume of greater than the 15 cubic feet a 5th level cleric can effect (it's 9 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide, and probably 1 foot thick, so about 27-36 cu. ft)
A DM could simply rule you would have to be of high enough level to effect the entire golem at once, which would by 17th-26th level.

Another possibility would be to apply a caster level check vs the creator of the golem, since his magic animates it.

You could also simply add a new rule for Stone shape and give it some alternative effect, much like Transmute Rock to Mud causes slow. Possible effects other than slow would include damage, or some effect like temporary paralysis (even though golems are technically immune to that).

In any case, using it as you descibed would require the caster to create a clay sculpture of the golem with its legs fused or bent in some weird position, for which I could potentially see arguments that he couldn't sculpt that in the 1 standard action casting time, especially not while in touch range, so he'd have to spend a few rounds prepping that.
cwslyclgh
02-21-06, 03:26 PM stone shape doesn't target creatures, there for there is no need to mention it. Made of stone or not a stone golem is a creature.
RisingZan
02-21-06, 08:29 PM I was thinking that too, although the spell just says "stone or stone object touched" and I'm sure someone on these boards would argue that the stone golem qualifies under the first part, especially since Transmute Rock to Mud also technically can't target creatures

I agree that under RAW, it would have no effect, but I could see an argument for house rules that it would have a similar effect to Transmute Rock to Mud, perhaps with a 30% failure chance since it contains "moving parts" in a way, as listed under Stone Shape.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Llowyn 02-18-06, 05:20 AM	According to the Monster Manual, Immunity to Magic (EX): A stone golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. The spell Stone Shape does not allow spell resistance; that is to say, the spell's description says Spell Resistance: No. Does this mean that Stone Shape can be cast on a Stone Golem? Nothing in the spell description for Stone Shape implies that the spell applies only to unenchanted stone. My point here is that a 5th level cleric can, I think, incapacitate a very powerful monster. The caster could, in casting Stone Shape, specify that the golem's arms become fused to it's body, that it's legs be fused together, etc., so that it might as well be hog-tied. Is there anything in the rules that I'm missing that says that this can't be done?
RisingZan 02-21-06, 03:19 PM	It is rather surprising that Stone Shape doesn't get a special mention in the Stone Golem entry. Probably just an oversight by the developers. A few thoughts on this: The golem most certainly has a volume of greater than the 15 cubic feet a 5th level cleric can effect (it's 9 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide, and probably 1 foot thick, so about 27-36 cu. ft) A DM could simply rule you would have to be of high enough level to effect the entire golem at once, which would by 17th-26th level. Another possibility would be to apply a caster level check vs the creator of the golem, since his magic animates it. You could also simply add a new rule for Stone shape and give it some alternative effect, much like Transmute Rock to Mud causes slow. Possible effects other than slow would include damage, or some effect like temporary paralysis (even though golems are technically immune to that). In any case, using it as you descibed would require the caster to create a clay sculpture of the golem with its legs fused or bent in some weird position, for which I could potentially see arguments that he couldn't sculpt that in the 1 standard action casting time, especially not while in touch range, so he'd have to spend a few rounds prepping that.
cwslyclgh 02-21-06, 03:26 PM	stone shape doesn't target creatures, there for there is no need to mention it. Made of stone or not a stone golem is a creature.
RisingZan 02-21-06, 08:29 PM	I was thinking that too, although the spell just says "stone or stone object touched" and I'm sure someone on these boards would argue that the stone golem qualifies under the first part, especially since Transmute Rock to Mud also technically can't target creatures I agree that under RAW, it would have no effect, but I could see an argument for house rules that it would have a similar effect to Transmute Rock to Mud, perhaps with a 30% failure chance since it contains "moving parts" in a way, as listed under Stone Shape.