A review copy of “The Golemist” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.

Designed by: Eric Baumeister

The Golemist is a single class supplement that introduces the pet-based, half-spellcaster, along with its four subclasses.

The Golemist is an INT-based arcane spellcaster with half-progression, meaning they gain spell slots at the same rate as an Artificer, Paladin, and Ranger, topping out at 5th level spells at level 17. They have their own spell list pulled from Paladin, Druid, and Wizard, and includes lots of buffs and support spells.

They’re pretty squishy with a d6 hit die, though they do have medium armor and shield proficiency.

The Golemist’s main feature comes online at level 1: Animate. Using a Bonus Action, the Golemist can create a construct using whatever materials you wish, summoning a unique golem statblock that scales to your class (similar to the Land of the Beast, etc from Tasha’s).

The golem’s size can range from small to large, and damage type can vary between bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. It’s completely up to the summoner what their golem looks like, or what material it’s made out of — though the material part becomes important with the chosen subclass.

Summoned golems last up to an hour (if they’re not destroyed). You can only have one golem activate at a time, and you can use the Animate feature at number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus.

Everything looks good so far!

At 2nd level you gain the ability to see out of your golem’s senses, or to climb inside of them (gaining total cover!), though you spend your action each turn to remain encased. More of an emergency escape than a Mechwarrior (or Gundam).

The golem never gets multiattack, but it does get a spiffy Death Burst ability at 5th level. Death Burst opens up several options when your golem is reduced to zero hit points, including knocking people back, granting temporary hit points to another creature, or a good ol’ fashioned explosion.

Later abilities aren’t as exciting. Golem attacks become magical, size can be further tweaked to include tiny and huge, and you can twin spells with a range of self to your golem. Useful yes, but no big new features.

For the really interesting stuff, we have the subclasses.

The Field of Elementals is about summoning multiple golems of different types, depending on the materials where the golems are summoned. And it’s not just the usual air, water, earth, etc, but also acid, blood, toxic, and even light, gravity, and emotion! They all still use the same statblock but different elemtns grant different features, such as flight, poison-on-contact, or health drain.

The Field of Robotics specializes in modifying a single golem. Modules can add blindsight, stealth advantages, or turn the golem into a proper Gundam.

But it’s the Field of Cadavers that really stole my heart. This necromancer-themed subclass allows the golem to harvest and gain the abilities of slain creatures. Harvested abilities, whether passive traits or active attacks, are permanently added to your Harvest list, which you can then equip to future summoned golems — awesome!

The class supplement also includes a few tables for determining your Golemist’s origins, favored golem material, and possible spiritual acquaintances, as well as ten thematically appropriate magic items: namely items that animate to do things, such as a pocket gravity well, and instant wall, and a painterly version of the Robe of Useful Items.

I’m usually pretty harsh on new classes. Most new classes are combinations of existing classes, or could better serve as a subclass of an existing class. Thanks to its fun and interesting subclasses, The Golemist feels like a properly dedicated pet class that doesn’t overlap with anyone else.

Pros:

  • Pet-based class based around summoning, enhancing, and modifying one or more animated constructs.
  • Four cool and very different subclasses.
  • Class origin tables and ten Golemist-inspired magic items.

Cons:

  • No artwork!

The Verdict: The Golemist is an effective pet-based class with four mechanically interesting and thematically satisfying subclasses.

A review copy of “The Golemist” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.