Immunity to Metabolic Hazards - includes Temperature Tolerance?

[kmunoz]

I'm wondering because it never occurred to me to think about it, and then I was reading the Clay Golem template in Magic (p.59) and the Golem in Fantasy (p.53), and neither of them has Temp. Tolerance. But given that they're made out of clay, that would seem to be necessary, unless the Immunity covers temperature-related hazards as well. The advantage entry text doesn't address it.

[Flyndaran]

You've stumbled onto one of the more contentious topics.
As written, fatigue related threats don't apply to those Immune.
BUT many players and some authors say that that was not intended for temperature related threats.
Zombies has a rule, I believe, where Immunity simply confers a massive bonus to temperature related Ht rolls and failure results in lost Ht.

[kmunoz]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

You've stumbled onto one of the more contentious topics.
As written, fatigue related threats don't apply to those Immune.
BUT many players and some authors say that that was not intended for temperature related threats.
Zombies has a rule, I believe, where Immunity simply confers a massive bonus to temperature related Ht rolls and failure results in lost Ht.

Dangit, now I have to get Zombies!

[kmunoz]

Of course the problem with a clay golem and Temperature Tolerance is that it would need a ridiculous number of levels. Some clays can handle over 3000ºF. That's a Temp. Tolerance of at least 200 for a golem with HT 14.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by kmunoz

Of course the problem with a clay golem and Temperature Tolerance is that it would need a ridiculous number of levels. Some clays can handle over 3000ºF. That's a Temp. Tolerance of at least 200 for a golem with HT 14.

Human flesh burns at 160 degrees, but ain't no one living in 140 degree lands.
What causes one's base material to breaks down doesn't mean that's the temperature at which they fail or die.
But if you want the golem to thrive in room temperature to kilns, it's going to be expensive.

[kmunoz]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Human flesh burns at 160 degrees, but ain't no one living in 140 degree lands.
What causes one's base material to breaks down doesn't mean that's the temperature at which they fail or die.
But if you want the golem to thrive in room temperature to kilns, it's going to be expensive.

Right, but that's where the metabolic hazards immunity comes in. Humans suffer from high temperature because their metabolic processes start to go wonky and the organs shut down, not because they're melting like Toht in Indiana Jones. Heat stroke (for example) is by definition a metabolic hazard. But if a golem is already immune to metabolic hazards, it should be able to handle temperatures up to its burning/melting point, which should require the points, unless they're already included in that immunity.

[Flyndaran]

It shouldn't suffer metabolic aka Fatigue damage from temperature. But if it can withstand direct damage from heat or cold, then it has Damage Resistance.
Ask the GM what's needed to handle the temperatures you wish your character to withstand.
Also don't forget that the physics of heat/cold damage is quite complex. Hot water nowhere near 212 degrees can kill, but no one takes damage immediately from opening their 450 degree oven.

[kmunoz]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

It shouldn't suffer metabolic aka Fatigue damage from temperature. But if it can withstand direct damage from heat or cold, then it has Damage Resistance.
Ask the GM what's needed to handle the temperatures you wish your character to withstand.
Also don't forget that the physics of heat/cold damage is quite complex. Hot water nowhere near 212 degrees can kill, but no one takes damage immediately from opening their 450 degree oven.

I'm the GM; I'm building version 2 of my bestiary. I have no one to ask but the forums. :/

But you're right, DR probably is a better way to go since TT is really intended for the fatigue effects. And certainly it's not likely that a golem is going to run into 3000º weather and there aren't any laser beams in fantasyland.

But the DR vs. TT question just kicks the can down the road a bit, because the open question remains: why does the clay golem template not include anything to suggest that it can handle a wider temperature range than the baseline human?

Part of my issue here is that I'm creating a bunch of different golem types. One of them is clay, based on the RAW template. There's also a brass golem in my list and that got me thinking about the issue of temperature. Brass tolerates only half the heat range of clay, and it would be interesting to include some distinction in the creature entry to reflect that. But since the clay golem doesn't have any temp-related attributes to begin with, it makes it a bit hard.

[Culture20]

Originally Posted by kmunoz

it's not likely that a golem is going to run into 3000º weather

Golems in evil wizard lairs in volcanoes, burning buildings/cities, or the elemental plane of fire...

[kmunoz]

Originally Posted by Culture20

Golems in evil wizard lairs in volcanoes, burning buildings/cities, or the elemental plane of fire...

Those guys are going to make stone golems, probably. ;)