Wicker Men

Wicker Man
Climate/Terrain: Any
Frequency: Very Rare
Organization: Band
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: None
Intelligence: Non(0)
Treasure: Special
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1-20
Armor Class: 8
Movement: 6
Hit Dice: 1/2
Thac0: 20
No. Attacks: 2
Damage: 1d4
Special Attacks: None
Special Defenses: Resistance to piercing weapons
Magic Resistance: Special
Size: Medium(5' tall)
Morale: Special
XP Value: 30

Wicker Men are the alternative to animating skeletons. They're slow, do not speak, and considerably weaker than skeletons in terms of combat effectiveness. The trade off is that a well funded lower level mage can make many of these creatures to serve him.
Combat: Wicker men only attack if their orders include combat. Like skeletons they may only understand simple instructions. Wicker men attack by bashing opponents with their wooden arms. On an attack roll of 20, their arm splinters, resulting in 1 less attack for them each round. Piercing weapons only do half damage to them. Electrical attacks have no effect. Fire effects do double damage. Being mindless constructs, Wicker men immune to enchantments, charms, and hold spells. They are also immune to fear and never roll for morale. When a Wicker man is reduced to 0 hp, it falls to splinters on the ground, along with the 3 gems used to animate them.


Create Wicker Man
1st level Wizard 1st level Cleric Spell
School: Enchantment, Necromancy Sphere: Plant
Range: Touch Components: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None

By use of this spell, a wizard may turn 5 cp worth of common sticks, along with 3 gems(two of which must be the same type and each worth at least 10 gp) into a wicker man. The wicker man follows the commands of the Caster until destroyed, or until one of the gems are removed.