Iron Golem 5e: Poison Breath, Fire Absorption and AC 20

An iron golem is a CR 16 Large Construct with AC 20, 210 hit points and a 10-foot-reach sword that hits for 23 in the 2014 rules. It's the strongest SRD golem by a wide margin. Two things define it: Fire Absorption, which turns every fire spell into healing, and Poison Breath, a cone of gas for 45 (10d8) poison damage. The 2024 version has 252 hit points, sets its own blade on fire, adds a 120-foot Fiery Bolt, and stretches its breath from a 15-foot cone to a 60-foot one for 55 damage.

Table of Contents

• •Iron Golem Stat Block (2014)
• •Iron Golem in the 2024 Rules
• •How the Iron Golem Fights
• •Running an Iron Golem Encounter
• •How Players Beat an Iron Golem
• •Iron Golem Encounter Ideas
• •Frequently Asked Questions

Iron Golem Stat Block (2014)

The 2014 iron golem (SRD 5.1) is a 210-hit-point vault door with a sword.

The numbers that matter:

• •AC 20. A +9 attack hits on an 11 or higher, 50% of the time.
• •Two melee attacks at +13. Slam (reach 5 ft., 20 bludgeoning) or Sword (reach 10 ft., 23 slashing), in any mix. With 10-foot reach, a Large golem threatens a 30-foot-wide square around itself.
• •Poison Breath (Recharge 6). A 15-foot cone, DC 19 Constitution save, 45 (10d8) poison on a failure, half on a success.
• •Defenses. Immune to fire, poison and psychic damage and to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine. Magic Resistance. Immune to charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified and poisoned. Immutable Form.
• •Fire Absorption. Fire damage heals it by the amount dealt instead of hurting it.

Iron Golem in the 2024 Rules

The 2024 iron golem (SRD 5.2.1) is still CR 16 and 15,000 XP, and hits a lot harder.

What changes in play:

• •It acts early. A 2014 iron golem rolls initiative at −1 and usually goes last. The 2024 golem has +9 and often goes first, which means its breath can land before the party has spread out.
• •The breath covers the room. A 15-foot cone catches two or three characters standing close. A 60-foot cone catches the whole party in most rooms.
• •No more hiding behind range. The 2014 golem has no ranged attack, so a flying or distant character was safe. The 2024 Fiery Bolt reaches 120 feet.
• •Fire is now its weapon too. Its own fire damage doesn't heal it (Fire Absorption only triggers when the golem is subjected to fire), but it's a clear signal to the players about what not to throw back.
• •Ordinary weapons work. None of the 2024 golems keep the old weapon immunity; this one has no weapon defense at all.

How the Iron Golem Fights

Damage per round. Against AC 18:

Those are high numbers for a single creature at level 12. A paladin or fighter with 110 hit points takes about three rounds to drop. A wizard with 70 takes two.

Breath math. Expected damage per creature caught:

Recharge 6 means a one-in-six chance each turn to get it back. Count on it opening the fight and coming back once in a long one. Open with it on the round the party is still grouped up.

Reach is the real control. The 2014 golem's sword threatens every square within 10 feet. Characters who close to melee and then try to pull back provoke from 10 feet away. Plant it in a doorway or a corridor junction and nothing gets past without taking a 23-point hit.

It's a guardian, not a hunter. Intelligence 3, Charisma 1. It follows orders literally, never flees, and can't be reasoned with. The danger comes from what it guards and who commands it. An archmage behind an iron golem is a very different fight from an iron golem alone.

Running an Iron Golem Encounter

An iron golem is CR 16, worth 15,000 XP. Using the 2024 budget for four characters:

The 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide guidelines, which our encounter calculator uses, put one iron golem at Hard for four level 12 characters.

For fire-themed dungeons, be careful with allies. A salamander or fire elemental fighting beside an iron golem heals it every time its fire splashes the golem. That can be a cruel trick if the players work it out, or a puzzle if they're the ones with the fire.

How Players Beat an Iron Golem

• •Never use fire. A Fireball that deals 28 damage heals the golem 28 instead (about 14 when it makes the save, which Magic Resistance makes more likely). Fire Bolt, Scorching Ray, a flame tongue sword's extra damage: all healing.
• •Banish it. Charisma 1 means a −5 save. Against Banishment at DC 17, a typical save DC by level 12, even a roll of 20 totals 15, so Magic Resistance's Advantage doesn't matter: it can't succeed. The spell needs Concentration for up to a minute, which is often enough to deal with its master or retreat.
• •Shatter is fair. Shatter gives metal creatures (2014) and all Constructs (2024) Disadvantage on the save; Magic Resistance cancels it to a straight roll. Thunder damage isn't resisted, so it's honest damage.
• •Pick cold, lightning, force or radiant. Cone of Cold, Lightning Bolt and Disintegrate all work. Disintegrate uses a Dexterity save (−1), which is better than throwing anything at its Constitution (+5).
• •Spread out. Against the 2014 golem, 15 feet of spacing usually keeps its breath to one character. Against 2024, stay out of a 60-foot cone by fighting from multiple directions.
• •Bring adamantine or magic weapons to the 2014 fight. Without them, weapon attacks do nothing.
• •Don't waste spells on its form or mind. It's immune to psychic damage, to paralysis and to charm, and Immutable Form stops Polymorph.

Iron Golem Encounter Ideas

The treasury door. A city's treasury is guarded by an iron golem that obeys whoever wears the Treasurer's chain. The current Treasurer has fled with the chain and the city's tax ledgers. The party is hired to retrieve both and must walk past the golem at least twice, once going in and once coming back.

The forge-temple. A smith-god's temple is built around a working forge. Its iron golem guardian stands in the furnace room, where the priests pour fire on it during their rites, which heals it. The party's fire mage learns the hard way. Players who watch the ritual first will notice.

The siege. An enemy warlord marches an iron golem toward a city's gate. The defenders' plan is boiling oil and fire arrows. The party knows, or learns, that the golem is immune to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks (2014) and heals from fire. They have a day to change the plan. Put the city's defenders and what they owe the party in your campaign notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What CR is an iron golem in 5e?

An iron golem is CR 16 (15,000 XP) in both editions. It has AC 20 and 210 hit points in 2014, and AC 20 and 252 hit points in 2024.

Does fire heal an iron golem?

Yes. Fire Absorption means fire damage restores hit points equal to the damage dealt instead of harming it, in both editions. A Fireball that would deal 28 damage heals it 28.

How does the iron golem's Poison Breath work?

In 2014 it's a 15-foot cone, DC 19 Constitution save, 45 (10d8) poison damage on a failure or half on a success. In 2024 it's a 60-foot cone, DC 18, 55 (10d10). Both recharge only on a 6.

Does Heat Metal work on an iron golem?

Not by the text. Heat Metal targets a manufactured metal object, such as a weapon or a suit of armor, and the golem is a creature, not an object. If a DM ruled otherwise, the spell's fire damage would heal the golem anyway.

What's the strongest golem in 5e?

The iron golem, at CR 16. The stone golem is CR 10, the clay golem CR 9, and the flesh golem CR 5. The shield guardian is CR 7.

How long does it take to make an iron golem?

The SRD's Manual of Golems lists 120 days and 100,000 gp of supplies, the longest and most expensive golem. Only a roll of 18 on the manual's d20 table produces an iron golem manual.

Stat blocks: System Reference Document 5.1 (2014) and 5.2.1 (2024), Wizards of the Coast, CC-BY-4.0. Tactics, encounter math and ideas are Loreify's own.