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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8802592" data-attributes="member: 6915329">I play Terraria, which for those who don’t know it, is a video game similar to Minecraft in many ways but with 2D graphics, and potentially a lot more things that want to kill you. One of the things about that Terraria (and about many other similar games) is the idea that the more valuable the metal, the better it is for making things. I.e., swords and armor made of gold do more damage and provide more protection than swords and armor made of iron.Which brings us to the following Spelljammer monster: the metagolem—or, I guess, the metaguardian. The more valuable the metal, the better their AC, movement, and damage. There’s a whole table for it as well, which oddly doesn’t include mithral or adamantine. I’ve streamlined it a bit. Also, the better the metal, the higher-level they count as when it comes to piloting a Spelljammer helm. Since that’s not important in 5e’s Spelljammer, just be advised they can attune to a helm.Metaguardians, according to the Habitat/Society section, have a fondness for one another and like to relax together. They also like to join parties of adventurers and are “surprisingly amiable.” As constructs go, they’re pretty chill. Still, they have to follow their creator’s orders and thus may just pretend to be chill in order to follow those orders. They may not have free will, but they can be pretty devious.Hmm. Metaguardians are self-aware. Does that mean that they have meta-awareness of themselves? Is their name a pun?[ATTACH=full]264213[/ATTACH]Art by Tom BaxaGuardian, MetaguardianThe Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine 159Created by Troy DenningMetaguardians are constructs made out of metal (they are hollow, not solid), exquisitely sculpted to look like short, squat humanoids of indeterminate heritage: there’s a bit of dwarf, a bit of halfling, a bit of gnome, and a bit of something else in there. There are four types of metaguardian. The weakest are the bronze metaguardians, where the details of their sculpting are picked out in copper and tin. The next are the steel metaguardians, who have silver and iron details, then the platinum metaguardians, who have gold and electrum details. And finally there are the ultimate metaguardains, who are made of a swirling alloy of mithril, adamantine, and strange extraplanar metals.Willing Minions. Unlike most guardians, metaguardians are actually quite intelligent and can speak, although they are still built to follow their creator’s commands unquestioningly. One of their tasks is to man spelljamming helms, as their innately magical nature allows them to control such a helm. However, spelljamming is not the metaguardians only task (especially for groundling wizards).They are sent to complete any number of tasks for their controllers. However, they never speak of their tasks, unless expressly given permission to do so, and will take any means necessary to accomplish the task. There have been reports of metaguardians committing acts of sabotage, leading rebellions, and hiring assassins and mercenaries in order to help them finish their job.Social Constructs. Metaguardians are surprisingly friendly constructs, although they are often distrusted because it’s nigh impossible to determine the guardian’s true motivations. They are especially friendly with each other. Should two metaguardians meet, they will work together and help each other accomplish their goals. Their proscriptions against talking about their tasks don’t seem to prevent them from telling each other about it. Metaguardians who lose their masters will often join together, creating small and very secretive societies.Walking Treasure. Metaguardians never use weapons and only use magic items if they are useful in fulfilling their goals. Despite being hollow, each one consists of over a quarter of a ton of often highly valuable metal.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana or Engineering check, the characters can learn the following:DC 15. Metaguardians are a rare form of guardian made of valuable metalsDC 20. Although they lack free will and obey their orders without question, metaguardians are quite intelligent and can exercise a lot of ingenuity in how they go about following those orders.Metaguardian EncountersCR 5-10 bronze, steel, or platinum metaguardianCR 11-16 bronze, steel, or platinum metaguardian with mage or priest; ultimate metaguardianTreasure: 400 gp, noble cloak trimmed with owlbear fur-like feathers (500 gp), dust of sneezing and choking, spell scroll of charm personCR 17-22 2 bronze, steel, or platinum metaguardians; 1 ultimate metaguardian and 1 bronze, steel or platinum metaguardian; 1 ultimate metaguardian with archmage or high priestTreasure: 2,000 gp, necklace of fireballs, oil of slipperiness, wings of flying, Behavior1. Relaxing in a storm, hoping to get hit by lightning.2. Approaches the party and offers to hire them for a job.3. Engaging in an act of sabotage for its creator.4. Hunting a target for its creator.5. Trying to steal or purchase an item for its creator.6. Planning out a kidnapping for its creator.7. Acting as an ambassador for its creator.8. Approaches the party in the hopes of learning more about them.Bronze MetaguardianSmall constructChallenge 8 (3,900 XP)AC 30HP 135 (18d6+74; bloodied 68)Speed 20 ft.STR 17 (+3) DEX 9 (-1) CON 19 (+4)INT 10 (+0) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 15 (+3)Proficiency +3Maneuver DC 14Skills Deception +6, Insight +4, Perception +4Damage ResistancesDamage Immunities lightning, poison, psychic; damage from nonmagical bronze weapons.Condition Immunities charmed, fatigue, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisonedSenses darkvision 60 ft., truesight 10 ft., passive Perception 14Languages one language its creator speaksImmutable Form. The metaguardian is immune to any effect that would alter its form.Inscrutable. The metaguardian is immune to divination and to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts. Insight checks made to determine the metaguardian’s intentions are made with disadvantage.Lightning Absorption. When the metaguardian is subjected to lightning damage, it instead regains hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt. Any lightning damage it takes in excess of its hit point maximum becomes temporary hit points.Powerful Build. The metaguardian counts as a Large creature when determining its carrying capacity and the weight it can push, drag, or lift.ActionsMultiattack. The metaguardian makes two slam attackSlam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10+3) bludgeoning damage.Fireball (3rd-Level; V, S). Fire streaks from the metaguardian to a point within 120 feet and explodes in a 20-foot radius, spreading around corners. Each creature in the area makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save or half damage on a success.Fly (3rd-Level; V, S, Concentration). The metaguardian gains a fly speed of 60 feet.Magic Missile (1st-Level; V, S). Three glowing arrows fly from the metaguardian simultaneously, unerringly hitting up to 3 creatures within 120 feet. Each arrow deals 3 (1d4 + 1) force damage.Stinking Cloud (3rd-level; V, S, Concentration). A noxious cloud fills a 20-foot-radius sphere within 120 feet. It’s area is heavily obscured. A creature in the area that needs to breathe and aren’t immune to poison must make a Constitution saving throw or use its action to retch and reel. A moderate wind disperses the cloud after 4 rounds and a strong, after 1 round.Web (2nd-Level; V, S, Concentration). Thick, sticky webs fill a 20-foot cube within 60 feet, lightly obscuring it and making it difficult terrain. The webs must either be anchored between two solid masses (such as walls) or layered 5 feet deep over a flat surface. Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them during its turn makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it is restrained. A creature can escape by making a DC 15 Strength check. Any 5-foot cube of webs exposed to fire burns away in 1 round, dealing 5 (2d4) fire damage to any creature that starts its turn in the fire. The webs remain for 1 hour.ReactionsRecharge (Recharges After A Short or Long Rest). When the metaguardian is hit by an attack that inflicts lightning damage it can choose to regain a spell it has already cast with its Spellblast trait instead of regaining hit points.Spellblast. If the metaguardian is damaged by an attack, it can cast one of the following spells: fireball, fly, magic missile, stinking cloud, web, as a reaction and without the need for material or seen components. Its spellcasting trait is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +5 to hit with spell attacks). Once it casts one of those spells, it can’t cast that spell again until it completes a long rest or it uses Recharge.CombatMetaguardians are clever fighters, using sound tactics wherever possible. They will always flee a losing battle unless their death would bring about the resolution of their orders.Variant: Rarer MetalsMetaguardians made out of rarer and more expensive metals are more powerful than bronze metaguardians.The steel metaguardian is made from steel and iron, with embellishments of tin and silver. It is CR 9. It has 150 (20d6+80; bloodied 75) hit points and its armor class is 16. Its speed is 30 feet and its slam inflicts 19 (3d10+3) bludgeoning damage. They take damage from nonmagical weapons made of cold iron.The platinum metaguardian is made from platinum and gold, with embellishments of electrum. It is CR 10. It has 165 (22d6+88; bloodied 82) hit points and its armor class is 19. Its speed is 40 feet and its slam inflicts 30 (5d10+3) bludgeoning damage. They take damage from nonmagical weapons made of gold.The ultimate metaguardian is made from adamantine and mithril, with embellishments of white gold. It is CR 13. It has 187 (25d6+100; bloodied 93) hit points and its armor class is 23. Its speed is 50 feet and its slam inflicts 47 (8d10+3) bludgeoning damage. They take damage from nonmagical weapons made of adamantine.</blockquote>

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