Monster Preview: Diamond Gargoyle

Gargoyle, Diamond
Large Construct (Gargoyle)

Hit Dice: 12d10+30 (hp 90)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), burrow 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (+0 Dex, +16 natural, –1 size), touch 9, flat-footed 25
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+15
Attack: Slam +11 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack: 2 slams +11 melee (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Earth’s embrace
Special Qualities: Child of earth, damage resistance (5/metal), earthwalker, spell-like abilities, tremorsense
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +8
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con —, Int 8, Wis 20, Cha 12
Skills: Bluff +4, Intimidate +4, Listen +8, Sense Motive +8, Survival +8
Feats: Favored Enemy (Abyssals), Final Stand, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Track
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Triple standard gems
Alignment: Always chaotic good
Level Adjustment: —

The Diamond Gargoyle is unique, fashioned by Dwarven jewelers over the course of a century as the race’s greatest tribute to Sjonegaard, a warrior whose soul and visage would be as flawless as the very stones that birthed it.

Unfortunately, the other tendencies of diamonds also took effect when the clerics animated the nearly reptilian statue. As the lizard-like creature arose to life, it immediately scuttled off to Rockhome, to do combat with any Abyssal that it laid eyes on. The Diamond Gargoyle refused to pay heed to any of its creators or even Sjonegaard, as its mission came before even his masters’ desires. Though the Dwarves were willing to look upon this as an annoying quirk, Sjonegaard found the creation to be an ungrateful child, and forbade the creation of future diamond gargoyles. To date, the Dwarves have bowed to Sjonegaard’s wisdom in this matter.

The Diamond Gargoyle’s spirit can never break, but neither does it bend. It holds steadfastly to its own beliefs, including the absolute eradication of the Abyssals, but also in the superiority of gargoyles over dwarves. This is not a malicious streak of bigotry, but more of a protective stance, and the Diamond Gargoyle has made a nuisance of itself by "rescuing" key military leaders during battles they might have won. The Diamond Gargoyle also valiantly guards clerics, in the hopes that they might make more of its kind. Other gargoyles strictly ignore it, viewing it as a well-intentioned but backward cousin.

Combat
The Diamond Gargoyle passionately hates Abyssals and any who truck with them, and continues to hunt the Dragonspawn endlessly. Like its forebears, it knows too well that its foes have no sense of honor, and so it does not grant them quarter. It uses its puissant abilities to strike at foes from any angle, and throws itself fully into conflict, even against creatures far weaker than itself. The Diamond Gargoyle is convinced of its own indestructible nature, and fights to the death at all times. It rarely backs down from attacks, even against innocents, and has remorselessly killed many freemen who ventured too deep into the Dwarven lands. Only another gargoyle could convince the Diamond Gargoyle to abandon a fight.

Earth’s Embrace (Su): The Diamond Gargoyle’s favored attack is to grapple opponents, and then to partially move through the surrounding stone caverns or earthen beds. This results in severe injuries and suffocation unless the victim frees himself.

After making a successful check to continue a grapple, the Diamond Gargoyle may make a partial-move action to merge with nearby earth, increasing by 1 the critical threat range of its attacks on its grappled victim. He may continue to perform such maneuvers, increasing its critical threat range each time, every round it succeeds in continuing the grapple. If the critical threat range increases to 15–20 or greater, the victim begins suffocating as well (as if drowning). If the Diamond Gargoyle takes a partial-move action to move out of the earth, its critical threat range resets to 20.

Child of Earth (Su): Though a pariah among other gargoyles, the Diamond Gargoyle is perhaps closest of its kind to their progenitor, Sjonegaard himself. Though it is a construct, it has strong ties to the earth, rendering it almost indistinguishable from a true earth elemental. The Diamond Gargoyle is also considered to be of both the Construct and the Elemental (Earth) types, with all overlapping effects (such as favored enemy)  stacking. The only exception is with effects that hedge out or banish elementals to other planes, as the Diamond Gargoyle is native to the material plane.

Earthwalker (Su): Abandoned by creator and king, the Diamond Gargoyle still enjoys some status as a naturally noble spirit, and commands the loyalty of minor earth spirits. Though it usually orders them about more directly (as per its spell-like abilities, below), the spirits serve subtly as well. To the Diamond Gargoyle, unworked earth, stone, and crystal are almost fluid, and it may interact with such substances as though they were no more solid than the effects of a solid fog spell, affording it limited sight and movement through them.

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): Through its ties to the earthen spirits, the Diamond Gargoyle has several spell-like abilities over earth, and may use any of the following to a total of 8 times per day, as though cast by a 14th level shaman: a line in the sand, passwall, soften earth and stone, stone shape, transmute mud to rock, and transmute rock to mud.

Tremorsense (Ex): The Diamond Gargoyle can sense the precise location of any creature touching the earth within a 100 ft. radius, unless they are remaining absolutely still (not taking any actions which require movement).