The Tome Show’s long-running deep dive into each monster of the 5.5 Monster Manual has made me realize how much I miss the higher-CR stat variants that are such a big part of the 4e MMs. I’m also aware of a recent release on the DM’s Guild, “More Monsters,” that shares my goal of adding higher-tier stat blocks to a lot of monsters (okay, some of them are lower-tier variants of things that only appear at high tiers). I haven’t read it yet, because I’m not ready to be responding to someone else’s ideas, but I expect to pick it up soon.

Anyway, Gargoyles

You have to understand that I was born in ’81, so I imprinted pretty hard on the Gargoyles TV series that came out in 1994. (To say nothing of its all-time great voice cast.) The gargoyles of the show are protagonists and antagonists, not low-Int and Chaotic Evil creatures of elemental Earth. What I’m saying is, someone at late TSR or early WotC should have said to themselves, “what if we rewrote all of this lore to invite in fans of this TV series?”

But also, these monsters that have been in D&D for ages are just CR 2 in 5e. They have flight, Flyby, and a lot of Hit Points, but their low attack bonus and damage stop them from feeling anything like a threat. High defense and low offense isn’t a great combination for most monsters. (Before anyone jumps in to correct me, yes, there’s a carve-out for things that buff other enemies or provide an environment-wide challenge. Gargoyles aren’t that.)

Those are the thoughts that brought me to these three new monsters. The Obsidian Gargoyle and the Runestone Gargoyle are heavily inspired by the 4e MM; the Hadarite Gargoyle comes from how much I like content about the malevolent stars.

Obsidian Gargoyle

A Guardian Cut from Volcanic Glass

Habitat: Urban, Volcano; Treasure: Relics

While lesser gargoyles are inhabited by minor spirits of Elemental Evil Earth, obsidian gargoyles are powerful guardians made of volcanic glass, still holding some of the fury of fire. Some remain malicious, while others form bonds of duty with spellcasters and keepers of holy sites.

                In combat, obsidian gargoyles exploit their flying ability to lift grappled targets into the air and drop them, then dive back to earth to continue their assault.

Obsidian Gargoyle

Large Elemental, Any Alignment

AC 17    Initiative +3 (13)
HP 114 (13d10 + 52)
Speed 40 ft., Climb 40 ft., Fly 40 ft.

          MOD    SAVE                                        MOD    SAVE                                        MOD    SAVE

Str      18    +4    +4         Dex      11    +0    +0         Con     19    +4    +7

Int       10    +0    +0         Wis      16    +3    +6         Cha      12    +1    +4

Skills Athletics +7, Perception +6, Stealth +6
Resistances Fire, Poison
Immunities Exhaustion, Petrified, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Tremorsense 30 ft.; Passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Primordial (Ignan, Terran)
CR 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)

Traits

Carrier. The gargoyle’s Speed is halved while it is carrying one or more creatures.

Glass Armor (1/Short Rest). When the gargoyle becomes Bloodied, it gains 25 Temporary Hit Points. While these Temporary Hit Points remain, when it takes damage from a melee weapon attack, the attacker takes 11 (2d6 + 4) Piercing damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The gargoyle makes two Obsidian Talon attacks.

Obsidian Talon. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) Slashing damage, and if the target is Medium or smaller, it has the Grappled condition (escape DC 15).

Wing Shards. Ranged Attack Roll: +7, range 30 ft. Hit: 31 (6d8 + 4) Piercing damage, and the gargoyle’s flying speed is reduced by 10 feet until it regains Hit Points or finishes a Long Rest.

Bonus Actions

Dive. The gargoyle uses the Dash action. If it is flying and it ends its movement at a lower altitude than it started, its next attack before the end of this turn has Advantage.

Eruption (Recharge 5-6). Creatures that the gargoyle is grappling take 9 (2d8) Fire damage.

Runestone Gargoyle

Stone-bound Spellcaster

Habitat: Urban, Planar; Treasure: Arcana

A gargoyle that is engraved with additional spells learns to cast those spells itself, and becomes a cunning and deadly threat, or a powerful ally. Many spellcasting councils and academies regard this as too great a danger and ban such creations.

                In combat, runestone gargoyles usually open with a damaging spell, then close to melee and rely on their Circle of Power rune to protect them and their allies from hostile magic.

Runestone Gargoyle

Large Elemental, Any Alignment

AC 17    Initiative +1 (11)
HP 170 (20d10 + 60)
Speed 30 ft., Climb 30 ft., Fly 60 ft.

        MOD    SAVE                                        MOD    SAVE                                        MOD    SAVE

Str      19    +4    +4         Dex      12    +1    +5         Con     16    +3    +3

Int       17    +3    +7         Wis      14    +2    +6         Cha      12    +1    +5

Skills Arcana +7, Perception +6, Stealth +9
Resistances Lightning, Poison
Immunities Exhaustion, Petrified, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Primordial (Terran)
CR 10 (XP 5,900; PB +4)

Traits

Circle of Power Rune. The gargoyle and creatures friendly to it within 30 feet have Advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects. When they make a saving throw against a spell or magical effect that allows a save to take only half damage, they take no damage on a successful save.

Actions

Multiattack. The gargoyle makes three Claw attacks, and can replace up to one of these with one use of Lightning Lash.

Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +8, reach 5 ft. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) Slashing damage.

Lightning Lash. Strength Saving Throw: DC 15, one creature within 30 ft. Failure: 21 (4d8 + 3) Lightning damage and the target is pulled 20 feet toward the gargoyle. Success: Half damage only.

Spellcasting. The gargoyle casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks):

At Will: Comprehend Languages, Dispel Magic

1/Day Each: Dimension Door, Fireball (level 4 version), Glyph of Warding

Bonus Actions

Dive. The gargoyle uses the Dash action. If it is flying and it ends its movement at a lower altitude than it started, its next attack before the end of this turn has Advantage.

Hadarite Gargoyle

Enduring Servant of the Elder Evils

Habitat: Planar (Far Realm); Treasure: Arcana

Some gargoyles are turned into profane idols for the cults of Hadar or other Elder Evils. Spirals and other sigils bearing the power of the Far Realm are engraved into its stony hide, and its perceptions and nature are forever altered.

                Hadarite gargoyles are difficult to visually distinguish from other gargoyles or forms of statuary, unless the viewer is versed in the lore of the Far Realm. They are unpredictable in their attitudes, but once violence starts they can dismantle even an experienced team, using the Word of Unbeing to banish enemies and their tentacles and teleportation to isolate vulnerable spellcasters.

Hadarite Gargoyle

Large Aberration, Chaotic Evil

AC 18    Initiative +7 (17)
HP 204 (24d10 + 72)
Speed 40 ft., Fly 80 ft. (hover)

         MOD    SAVE                                        MOD    SAVE                                        MOD    SAVE

Str      21    +5    +5         Dex      14    +2    +2         Con     16    +3    +8

Int       14    +2    +7         Wis      14    +2    +7         Cha      20    +5    +10

Skills Arcana +7, Perception +7, Stealth +7
Resistances Poison, Psychic
Immunities Exhaustion, Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Blindsight 60 ft.; Passive Perception 17
Languages All, Telepathy 30 ft.
CR 14 (XP 11,500; PB +5)

Traits

Aberrant Mind. A creature that imposes the Charmed or Frightened condition on the gargoyle, or attempts to read its mind, takes 13 (3d8) Psychic damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The gargoyle makes two Claw attacks and two Tentacle Burst attacks.

Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +10, reach 5 ft. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) Slashing damage and 3 (1d6) Psychic damage.

Tentacle Burst. Melee Attack Roll: +10, reach 15 ft. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) Bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). While the target is grappled, it has the Restrained condition.

Spellcasting. The gargoyle casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks):

At Will: Detect Thoughts

1/Day Each: Contact Other Plane, Dimension Door

Word of Unbeing (Recharge 5–6). Charisma Saving Throw: DC 18, creatures of the gargoyle’s choice within 60 ft. Failure: 24 (7d6) Psychic damage, and the target is transported to a demiplane for 1 minute. While there, it has the Incapacitated condition. It can make a new save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This effect requires Concentration. Success: Half damage only.

Bonus Actions

Flicker. The gargoyle teleports to a space it can see within 40 feet. It can bring one creature with it; an unwilling creature that it is grappling can make a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw to avoid being teleported and end the grapple.

Design Notes

I’m reminded that I need to actually write that Monster Building Best Practices blog post. Working on Neon Odyssey gave me a lot of time to think about what works and why, and how important it is to have a memorable trick (but one that can be skipped if the DM needs to use that monster in huge numbers).

I haven’t made an effort here to rebuild the CR 2 Gargoyle stat block from scratch. Were I doing so, I would cut a few Hit Points to find some space for more attack bonus and damage output. All monsters have lost the False Appearance trait, probably for reasons of saving two lines of text in a lot of places, but it feels like a real loss for Gargoyles and Mimics particularly. Reworking False Appearance to emphasize a first-round ambush bonus could be good; the 5.5 entry includes a d8 table of Gargoyle Ambushes that feels under-supported in the mechanics. I really like the implications of a gargoyle being able to conceal itself “amid burls and bark on a giant tree.” Let’s get the rest of the lore on that page.

---

You can now buy Under the Seas of Vodari in PDF!

Under the Seas of Vodari is a 300-page book that provides 5E/Fifth Edition material for both gamemasters and players to dive into a world full of action and adventure set beneath the waves of Vodari or your own campaign world. This book is a follow-up to The Seas of Vodari, a setting book filled with swashbuckling action and magical adventure. Dive into your first adventure today!