Gargoyle

Overview

The inanimate gargoyles that perch atop great buildings are inspired by these malevolent creatures of elemental earth that resemble grotesque, fiendish statues. A gargoyle lurks among masonry and ruins, as still as any stone sculpture, and delights in the terror it creates when it breaks from its suspended pose, as well as the pain it inflicts on its victims.

Animate Stone

Gargoyles cling to rocky cliffs and mountains, or roost on ledges in underground caves. They haunt city rooftops, perching vulture-like among the high stone arches and buttresses of castles and cathedrals, and they can hold themselves so still that they appear inanimate. Able to maintain this state for years, a gargoyle makes an ideal sentry.

Deadly Reputation

Gargoyles have a reputation for cruelty. Statues carved into the likenesses of gargoyles appear in the architecture of countless cultures to frighten away trespassers. Although such sculptures are only decorative, real gargoyles can hide among them to ambush unsuspecting victims. A gargoyle might alleviate the tedium of its watch by catching and tormenting birds or rodents, but its long wait only increases its craving for harming sentient creatures.

Cruel Servants

Gargoyles are easily inspired by the cunning of an intelligent master. They enjoy simple tasks such as guarding a master’s home, torturing and killing interlopers, and anything else that involves minimum effort and maximum pain and carnage.
Gargoyles sometimes serve demons for their propensity for wanton chaos and destruction. Powerful spellcasters can also easily enlist gargoyle guardians to keep watch over their gates and walls. Gargoyles have the patience and fortitude of stone, and will serve even the cruelest master for years without complaint.

Elemental Nature

A gargoyle doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Shards of Elemental Evil

As Ogrémoch, the evil Prince of Elemental Earth, treads his stony realm, it leaves shards of broken rock in his wake. Imbued with slivers of sentience, these shards thrum with the essence of the elemental prince, growing over long years into vaguely humanoid rock formations that resolve at last into the hard, cruel shapes of gargoyles.
Ogrémoch doesn’t create gargoyles deliberately, but they are a physical manifestation of his evil. Gargoyles are mockeries of the elemental air that Ogrémoch despises. They are heavy creatures of living stone, yet capable of flight. Like their creator, they possess a fundamental hatred for beings of elemental air, aarakocra in particular, and relish every opportunity to destroy such creatures.
On their home plane, gargoyles carve out earth motes that Ogrémoch hurtles into Aaqa, the domain of the aarakocra and the benevolent Wind Dukes the bird folk serve in the Elemental Plane of Air.

Gargoyle CR: 2 (450 XP)

Medium elemental, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 15

Hit Points: 52 (7d8 + 21)

Speed: 30 ft , fly: 60 ft

STR

15 +2

DEX

11 +0

CON

16 +3

INT

6 -2

WIS

11 +0

CHA

7 -2

Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine

Damage Immunities: Poison

Condition Immunities: Exhausted, Petrified, Poisoned

Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Passive Perception 10

Languages: Terran

Challenge Rating: 2 (450 XP)

False Appearance. While the gargoyle remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate statue.

Actions

Multiattack. The gargoyle makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 1d6 + 2 piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 1d6 + 2 slashing damage.

Giant Four-Armed Gargoyle CR: 10 (5,900 XP)

Large elemental, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 17

Hit Points: 147 (14d10 + 70)

Speed: 30 ft , fly: 60 ft

STR

19 +4

DEX

11 +0

CON

20 +5

INT

6 -2

WIS

11 +0

CHA

9 -1

Saving Throws: Wis +4

Skills: Perception +4

Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine

Damage Immunities: Poison

Condition Immunities: Exhausted, Petrified, Poisoned

Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Passive Perception 14

Languages: Terran

Challenge Rating: 10 (5,900 XP)

False Appearance. While the gargoyle remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate statue.

Actions

Multiattack. The gargoyle makes five attacks: one with its bite and four with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 2d6 + 4 piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 2d4 + 4 slashing damage.

Lifespan

Immortal

Average Height

5 to 6 feet

Average Weight

290 to 370 pounds