How to use Golems?

[Kuritza_Dru]

On several occasions I was reading here about equipping Golems and using them as SC. Having tried it, I've encountered one major problem: they are lifeless, and as such can't regenerate. So even if they manage to kill all the enemies, they get afflictions and end up crippled. Is there some way to avoid or fix that, short of forging a Chalice? (I'm not ever sure Chalice will fix them)

[PDF]

I don't use them much as SC, but with a decent armor, a luck item, a MR item and a lifedrain weapon (you can't be drained but still profit from draining IIRC) they are pretty solid...

[Kuritza_Dru]

Yep, but how to protect them from getting afflictions? Even with luck, etherealness and astral shield they are sure to be hit now and then.

[Alneyan]

You could also go with the Nasty Golem of Doom, a golem equipped with Returning (Armour of Virtue or the ritual doing the same thing), and casting miscellaneous spells at the enemy army. Astral Tempest is fun, and you can probably add something tougher to make things nastier.

Alternatively, the Chalice should heal Golems just fine, unlike the Heal command, so you could aim at snatching that artifact. It is pretty cheap too, and very useful, so it won't be a waste of gems.

[Oversway]

Yep, but how to protect them from getting afflictions? Even with luck, etherealness and astral shield they are sure to be hit now and then.

Build more golems. You can start with them as a regular sc then once they get too many afflictions, transfer their equipment to a fresher golem, and use the afflicted one as Alneyan suggest above -- teleport in and cast spells then retreat (or ritual of returning, or just let them die) - astral tempest, doom, etc. lots of fun ones to pick from.

[FrankTrollman]

Note that Golems are not amphibious, so two of the biggest Golem users (Atlantis and Rlyeh) can't put returning effects on them under any circumstances.

A Golem with a Hellsword, a Ring of the Warrior, a Starshine Skullcap, an Amulet of Antimagic, Winged Sandals, and the biggest armor you can find makes for a mighty nice SC for a long time. Have it begin each battle with Astral Shield, Luck, and Body Ethereal and then have it go kill stuff. It's pretty resistant to just about all forms of death, and its flying status means that it can run around harrying small enemy forces rather than fighting any big armies alone.

-Frank

[Boron]

FrankTrollman said:
Have it begin each battle with Astral Shield, Luck, and Body Ethereal and then have it go kill stuff.

You forgot astral weapon, the most important buff.
AN Lifeleech attack is nasty .

[Zen]

I actually use Golems a little more like SC-Killers, especially lifedraining ones.

Giving a Golem a Herald Lance, Starshine Skullcap, Charcoal Shield, and various other items, along with Astral Weapon they can kill most of those nasty Bane Lords/Tartarians/Vampire/Undeadspammer nations as instareact forces. Allowing you to selectively kill those who rely too heavily on Life Drain or Demon (devil) armies. They are nice for surprise attacks and tide turners.

Considering their teleport ability, there is no reason not to use them with a significant Astral Income. The real downside is the fact there is only one real nation that can reliabily cast them with national mages (Arco) without help from a Pretender for buffing items which is sad.