Guardian of the Faithful
Level 8Attacks
Abilities
Like normal objects, an giant animated statue has Hardness. This Hardness reduces any damage it takes by an amount equal to the Hardness. Once an giant animated statue is reduced to less than half its Hit Points, or immediately upon being damaged by a critical hit, its construct armor breaks and its Armor Class is reduced to 24.
Each day at dawn, if the guardian has been destroyed, it re-forms in this room. Its maximum Hit Points are permanently reduced by 10, but it is otherwise restored to its full, lower Hit Point total. Once the statue's maximum Hit Points would be 60 or fewer, it can no longer be restored in this manner and is permanently destroyed.
The statue carries a wide brazier full of hot coals. To make flaming coal Strikes or use Burn Alive, the statue must have the brazier held in one hand or otherwise have it within reach. Instead of targeting the statue with an attack, a creature can target the brazier directly. The brazier has the same AC and saves as the statue. Dealing 15 cold damage to the brazier or dousing it with at least 2 gallons of water extinguishes the coals. This prevents the statue from using Burn Alive and causes it
The statue grinds a creature it has Grabbed into the red-hot coals of its brazier. The target takes (3d8+2)[fire,1d8 persistent fire] damage.
As with any humanoid animated statues of Medium size, giant animated statues are used to guard locations of importance, but their increased size and power make them most useful in large vaults, spacious chambers, or outdoor locations. Animated objects of this strength and size are ideal for tasks and responsibilities usually performed by golems, and more powerful animated objects are thus all but unheard of.
Granted a semblance of life through the use of rituals or other strange magic, animated objects take many forms and serve a variety of uses. A few examples of typical animated objects are listed below. Many of these creatures serve as guardians, surprising unsuspecting adventurers when they suddenly attack. Others serve as idle distractions for the exceptionally rich, simple servants created to handle odd jobs, and the like.