Steel golem is a variant of the golems that Paragon Caridin used to create. These are made entirely of steel and are presumably stronger than their stone golem counterparts.
Involvement
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Dragon Age: Origins
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As steel golems are all but wiped out, Paragon Caridin is one of the last remaining. Caridin is able to help Shale remember some of her past, as well as being the person to side with if you want the Anvil of the Void to be destroyed.
Inside the South Wing of Bann Franderel's Estate, during the quest The Tears of Andraste, two steel golems in a secret room of the cellar are guarding the Tears of Andraste. They remain inactive unless someone steps over a Pressure Plate which will fill the room with poisonous gas and activate the two golems.
If the Warden chooses to help Branka and saves the Anvil of the Void, four steel golems will be available as allies against the darkspawn in The Final Battle. They are counted as their own army but do not have their own emissary in the party camp, and as such resources cannot be donated to them. They are, however, perhaps the best army in the game in terms of damage and durability, and it is possible to overcome the entire siege of Denerim by only calling them in for aid. As allies, the golems possess the same abilities as their counterparts seen throughout the campaign and Shale.
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
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Strategy
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When encountering the two steel golems in Origins which are part of the Slim Couldry line of quests, it is possible to bypass them without a fight. The golems are triggered by pressure plates within the room, spread out in a checkerboard pattern of five. Disable all five (which requires a rogue with the appropriate skill) and the golems do not activate—allowing the Warden to enter the vault and retrieve the Tears of Andraste untouched.
If you do desire to destroy the golems, note that they behave precisely as stone golems do, just with increased stats. They have greater armor, health, and damage, and triggering the traps will also fill the room with poison gas, dealing damage to all companions.
The most experience is gained from disarming four of the traps, then activating the fifth and killing the two golems. The traps are all deactivated (and cannot be disarmed) if even one is activated.