Desert Warden
Each natural environment needs a guardian, and the mystic wardens fill this role. Amalgamations of plant and mineral matter in the shape of large beasts native to their environment, wardens would be apex predators if they needed to hunt or eat. Instead, they are stoic guardians of the natural state of things in their respective habitats, protecting the fragile balance of their ecosystem from foreign threats.
When envisioning a warden, think of the flora and fauna natural to a region. A forest warden might look like a grizzly bear made out of oak bark and lichen, while a desert warden could resemble prickly pears joined together into the shape of a giant cobra.
Wardens that dwell in mountains can be represented by any other environment’s warden: a forested mountain might have a forest warden, and a rocky mountain’s warden might have the stats of a cave warden.
Many wardens, especially those in wooded environments, form friendships with small faerie lights called will o’ the wisps. Wardens will quietly assess adventurers to determine whether they pose a threat to their habitat. If the warden believes the heroes not to be a threat, they might send will o’ the wisps to guide the heroes. If the adventurers are deemed threatening, then the wisps might lure them into the warden’s clutches.
Desert Warden | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monster Level: 8 | |||||
| Huge. Plant Monstrosity | |||||
| STR | DEX | END | AWR | INT | CHA |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | -3 | -2 |
| Ref: 14 | Fort: 13 | Ant: 13 | Log: 7 | Will: 8 | |
| Armor Rating 13 | Resist Physical 3, Radiant 5 Immune Psychic | ||||
| Hit Points 75 | DR 2/Cold | ||||
| Speed 40 ft | Senses Tremorsense 90 ft | ||||
| Traits Immutable, Immovable | |||||
| Features | |||||
| Primal Origin. The Desert Warden has TA on attacks against Occult and Psionic creatures, and TD against Arcane and Divine creatures.
Sand Glide. The Desert Warden ignores Difficult Terrain if it is caused by sand or loose gravel. The Desert Warden has a Burrow speed equal to its normal speed when it is moving through sand or loose gravel. It does not leave a hole in its wake. | |||||
| Actions | |||||
The Desert Warden can MOVE and take TWO of the following actions, or take the same action twice. | |||||
| Move. The Desert Warden can move up to its speed.
Fangs. Reach 10 ft Natural Weapon. +4 vs AR. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) sharp. Constrict. Reach 5 ft Natural Weapon. +2 vs REF. Hit: The creature is Restrained (escape DC 12) and takes 4 (1d8) sharp damage at the start of each of its turns. The Desert Warden can only restrain one target at a time in this way, and can use its Constrict action on a restrained creature to automatically inflict the damage again. | |||||
OR the Desert Warden can take ONE of the following actions. | |||||
| Sand Aura. If the Desert Warden is on sandy ground, it can create a cloud of sand in a 15 ft radius from itself. All creatures in this area are Concealed, but the Warden suffers no penalty on attacks against creatures that it can see with its Tremorsense. | |||||
| Reactions | |||||
| Lash (1/Round). When a creature moves into range of the Desert Warden’s Fangs, it can reactively make a Fangs attack. | |||||