Salt Golem (3.5e Monster)

''A large white cube of salt stands on a pair of short but powerful legs, and large ape-like arms. You can taste a strong salty flavor just being near it.''

Created by the dry mages of the desert of salt, these golems are composed of pure salt. Their featureless cubic bodies take up most of their form, and they walk with an ape-like gait to account for short legs compared to their long arms. The entire mass shifts like sand when it needs to flex. They were used as temple guards, as well as a useful method of mummifying the dead by draining them of all liquids. Unfortunately for would-be graverobbers, they continue their orders to this day and continue to mummify new and unfortunate fools who continue to pour in seeking riches and fame.

Salt golems stand at 8 feet tall and weighs 2000 lbs. They do not speak or have a scent, but being within 30 ft of one puts the strong taste of salt in one's mouth.

Combat
Salt golems are pretty straightforward, moving in to slam opponents with their fists. If an opponent takes to the air, they become a cloud of salt and give chase. Against opponents which are unaffected by their desiccation damage, they attempt to engulf and destroy through suffocation. They seem to have enough tactical knowledge to go from pursuit, to sentry, to idle, but usually do not follow opponents beyond the area they are told to protect unless specified otherwise.

Many of its attacks deal desiccationSand damage, which is effective against water-bearing creatures. Creatures without liquids in their body (such as many constructs and undead) are immune, while [Water] subtype creatures or unusually moist creatures (like many oozes) take an additional +50% damage.

Breath Weapon :  The salt golem can breath out a cone of abrasive salt, dealing 8d6 slashing damage and 8d6 desiccating damage in a 60 ft cone, DC 18 Reflex save for half damage. It can use its breath once every 1d4 rounds. The saving throw is Constitution based.

Cloud of Salt : As a standard action the salt golem can transform into a swirling cloud of salt (and vice versa). In this form it acts much like a fine swarm, gaining a fly speed (perfect) equal to its land speed, taking additional damage from area of effect attacks, and becoming immune to physical attacks. The exception to this is physical attacks which are damp with water. Water can be applied as if applying poison, and is wiped dry after a successful hit or until it dries (usually within 1 minute). In this state it cannot attack except for using its breath weapon, and when it moves over a creature it deals 4d6 damage, and a DC 18 Fortitude save against nausea for 1 round, as per a swarm's Distraction ability. The saving throw is Constitution based.

It is particularly vulnerable to water in this state, and its vulnerability to water stacks with vulnerability to area effects for +100% additional damage.

Desiccating Body : The salt golem is very dry. It deals an extra 5d6 desiccation damage on all its natural attacks, and creatures with bite attacks (or attacks with other "wet" parts of the body) take 5d6 damage as they get a mouthful of salt.

Engulf : A salt golem can attempt to move into a creature's space, provoking attacks of opportunity as normal. The opponent can choose to make the attack of opportunity, or make a Reflex save (DC 18) to move out of the way to the nearest valid space. If they choose not to move out of the way they are engulfed by a wave of salt and are consumed by its body, effectively grappled. The salt golem does not count itself as grappled. While they are inside, they take 5d6 desiccation damage each round and cannot breathe, so they must hold their breath or suffocate. They can escape by making a successful grapple check, or by them or an ally dealing at least 40 damage in a single blow. This opens a hole for 1 round large enough for them to escape from. A salt golem can hold 1 Large, 4 Medium, 16 Small, 64 Tiny, 256 Diminutive, or 1024 Fine or smaller creatures in its body at once.

Immunity to Magic : A salt golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

Any [Water] subtype spell works as normal.

A stone to flesh spell staggers the golem for 1d6 rounds, losing 5 hp every round it is staggered.

A horrid wilting spell immediately heals it to full hp. Likewise any spell which deals desiccation damage instead heals it for an equal amount of hp.

Vulnerability to Water : Though the salt golem excels at drying out substances, sources of pure water or large amounts of water at once, such as a bucket or more, is caustic to it. It treats it as acid, taking 1d6 for exposure and 10d6 for submersion. [Water] spells that deal damage deal an additional +50% damage. The salt golem seems to have an instinctual fear of water as a result, and a Charisma check DC 15 is needed to order it into a situation with the immediate threat of becoming soaked.

Construction
A salt golem’s body must be sculpted from a single block of salt weighing at least 2,000 pounds, done in a perfectly dry area, and treated with rare powders worth 1,500 gp. Creating the body requires a DC 15 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 15 Craft (pottery) check.

CL 10th; Craft Construct, animate objects, horrid wilting, caster must be at least 10th level; Price 36,000 gp; Cost 18,750 gp + 1,380 XP.