D&D 5E Shield Guardian

[aco175]

I can see maybe having one in smaller group and around level13 for balance purposes. There are some things that are more end of campaign items to use, like this item, especially since it regenerates. I just gave out a cloak of displacement and the fighter has it. I find it a bit broken, but we are near the end of the campaign and to go super at the end is fun for an adventure or two.

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

To me, it's not really about the Shield Guardian, but generally about having a NPC join the players. You can allow that companion to change the balance entirely... Or you can just adjust the entire game to compensate. As a DM, this really is not much work.

I would ask my players if they want a companion of some sort, but warn them that this would increase the difficulty of the encounters and would not make the players level up any faster because they have to share the XP with another NPC (the companion). With more NPCs in the fights, the encounters get bigger, and therefore slower.

If the companion allows them to pass by traps, then design different traps where the companion is a burden rather than a blessing.

If any companion really becomes an integrated part of any party, I would even consider to level up the companion too, slowly increasing its hitpoints, damage and skills, so it keeps the same balance with the players.