I need lots of statue-like creatures, what are they?

[Oryan77]

I'm trying to fill a maze with a mix of normal statues of people with a mix of creature "statues".

I can think of the Gargoyle, Stone Golem, Animated Object, and Caryatid Column, but what other stone-like creatures exist that I could use for CR 6 group?

 

[Ranes]

Well, what a coincidence! There's the nahual in my C1 conversion that you've handily recently downloaded. It's pretty mean, however, as it's designed to run like it did in the original, which translates to a nasty effect with no save on it. Also, check out section 1. The Vault of Chicomoztoc: The Place of Seven Caves, for ideas about statues that come to life under certain conditions. Section 34. Guardians Bar The Way also has an interesting multi-statue trap.

There are more statues that sort-of come to life in Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure (WGR5), which was redone for 3e as Castle Maure in Dungeon 112.

If I remember or find any more, I'll get back to you.

 

[Greenfield]

My own group takes it as an article of faith that there are no such things as statues in a D&D adventure, only creatures in statue form waiting to animate.

We have a habit of standing as far from the statue/creature as possible and still having a shot, then reducing it to rubble with ranged attacks. If it's something programmed to animate if/when someone comes within X distance, we get to destroy it without having to actually fight it. Isn't taht what Adamantine arrows are for? (Ignores hardness on most objects, and can be repaired with a cantrip if/when they break, so you get a high re-use rate on them.)

Want to mess with their heads though? A person who's been turned to stone will radiate magic, if they're in the habit of detecting on every suspect item. The school would be Transmutation, naturally, but no form of Dispel will help. They'd need Break Enchantment or Stone to Flesh to undo it.

Also, consider statues of Bronze with the classic "Horrified look" on their faces. Watch the PCs struggle to figure out what can turn a person to bronze.

 

[Grogg of the North]

Do you have access to Monster Manual 2? Dread Guard and the Nimblewight come to mind.

If you want to screw with the players add either a medusa or a cockatrice to the maze. All those statues you smashed? Yea, helpless victims. Good job, Hero.

 

[Greenfield]

I seem to recall a creature called a Dust Wight. It's essentially an undead Earth Elemental. CR 16

It looks like a badly weathered and worn statue. It tries to tear down any structure of stone.

It has a dust cloud around it with a petrification effect. Once petrified, of course, the victim falls into that category of "structure of stone" and the Dust Wight will attack and destroy it.

 

[Lanefan]

If you're familiar at all with Doctor Who you could design a D&D version of the Weeping Angel (at least I think that's what they're called) - angelic statue-like creatures that cannot move if somebody is looking at them but can move if nobody sees.

Lanefan

 

[Sunseeker]

If you're familiar at all with Doctor Who you could design a D&D version of the Weeping Angel (at least I think that's what they're called) - angelic statue-like creatures that cannot move if somebody is looking at them but can move if nobody sees.

Lanefan

While it wouldn't be necessary to create something that is quite as awesomely deadly as a Weeping Angel, the basic concept is sound.

All you'd really need to do is create a "stage" for the creature where it has low AC, and cannot act, but has a high DR. Then just apply it to whatever creature you want to be the statue.

Players are more than welcome to whack away at the statue with little success, and may just assume it is a normal statue. Then after they are no longer looking at it, the creature can move and act as normal.

This way, you get both of what you want: the creature you want to run, plus the Weeping Angel statue effect.

.....I'm going to hit my players with this in my upcoming game. Thanks!

 

[the Jester]

Dwarf ancestor, from... MM4? MM5? Something like that.

You could reflavor both the stone spike and a lesser earth elemental. And what about animated objects?

 

[GMMichael]

All you'd really need to do is create a "stage" for the creature where it has low AC, and cannot act, but has a high DR. Then just apply it to whatever creature you want to be the statue.

This is the PRO TIP answer. You don't need different stats, just different skins.

 

[Starfox]

This is the PRO TIP answer. You don't need different stats, just different skins.

Either reskin creatures directly or make a stone creature template (extra natural armor, lower speed and dex).

The creatures you mention have vastly different CR, do you intend to handle that somehow? Will some be trivial and some deadly, or will you make groups of them?