AC 15 (natural armor)
HP 45 (6d8 + 18; bloodied 22)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 12
Skills Perception +4
Saving Throws Str +4, Con +5
Damage Resistances piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical, non-adamantine weapons
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities fatigue , petrified , poisoned , unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Terran
False Appearance. While motionless, the gargoyle is indistinguishable from a normal statue.
Elemental Nature. Gargoyles don’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The gargoyle attacks with its bite and its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage, or 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage if the gargoyle started its turn at least 20 feet above the target.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Combat
Gargoyles prefer to attack their opponents from above. If space allows, they dive towards a foe, dealing extra claw damage, and then fly back up on the same turn. They accept opportunity attacks in order to gain height on their opponent, especially when fighting a creature with a nonmagical bladed weapon.
Gargoyle Appearance
1–4 Potbellied, bat-winged fiend
5 Lion-headed, bat-winged humanoid
6 Draconic humanoid
7 Winged angel with serene expression
8 Bat-winged, fanged, muscular humanoid
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or Culture check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Many buildings are carved with gargoyles to scare away intruders. Most of these gargoyles are inanimate, but some are living guardian statues.
DC 15 Blades do little to harm gargoyles, and they are immune to poison. Magic, or a blunt weapon, is required to destroy a gargoyle.
DC 20 Gargoyles value gems and can be bargained with. Though they have no concept of time, they always honor a contract.
Gargoyles are winged beings made of elemental stone. They frequently resemble horned, demonic statues.
Stone Carvings. Many old buildings sport stone sculptures on their roofs, lintels, and walls. Most of these statues are inanimate and carved by mortal hands. A few are living gargoyles guarding their domains. Still others are skillful works of art carved by gargoyle claws.
Although gargoyles are content to spend most of their time motionless and on guard, they sometimes fill empty hours by carving stone. A building protected by gargoyles will often be covered with ornate, skillfully executed frescoes and statues. Very rarely, a gargoyle will breathe life into a favorite creation, bringing another gargoyle into being.
Tireless Watchers. Gargoyles never grow hungry or weary. On their native plane they may spend centuries as immobile as stone, waiting for invaders to repel. Mortal spellcasters often enlist the services of gargoyles, not only because the creatures make excellent guardians, but also for their inability to understand time. A gargoyle’s protection is costly, but one may agree to serve a master for the same price whether its employment lasts a day or 100 years. Gargoyles always fulfill their obligations, even after their employer is long dead.
City Dwellers. Gargoyles native to the mortal realm tend to congregate in cities, peering down at the streets from their high perches. Woe to the burglar who steps uninvited onto a gargoyle’s rooftop; if approached cautiously and given gifts, however, a gargoyle can be a valuable source of information.
Wilderness and Underground Behavior
1 Shadow the party from a distance; become motionless if noticed
2 Attack anyone who enters their territory
3 In lair, gloating over treasure
4 Clinging motionless to the highest point, ignoring anyone who ignores them
5 Squatting over an ancient stone altar or cairn; attack anyone who touches it
6 Flying noisily on patrol
Settlement Behavior
1 Clinging motionless to door frames, attacking if there are no witnesses
2 Attack trespassers on their rooftop
3 Whisper threats to anyone who passes the area they guard
4 Guarding a master’s (or former master’s) home
Wilderness Signs
1 Distant tinny laughter
2 DC 12 Perception check: the faint sound of grinding stone
3 Inanimate statues, some toppled and broken
4 Carvings of leering faces
Underground and Settlement Signs
1 Inanimate imp-like statues
2 Empty stone pedestal
3 Stone walls carved with complex friezes
4 Smashed statue
Summoned gargoyles guard the lairs of spellcasters. Wild gargoyles can be found on any high perch, from a mountain crag to the top of a lonely tower or urban palace.
CR 0–2 gargoyle ; drainpipe gargoyle
Treasure gold and onyx earrings (75 gp), spell scrolls of cure wounds and lesser restoration
CR 3–4 2 gargoyles ; gargoyle with 1d4 dretches or flying swords ; gargoyle with 1 or 2 animated armors , cockatrices , or dust mephits
Treasure 120 gp, 4 packets of dust of disappearance , packet of dust of sneezing and choking
CR 5–10 3 to 5 gargoyles ; 2 to 3 gargoyles with basilisk , drainpipe gargoyle , mimic , ochre jelly , or walking statue ; 1 or 2 gargoyles with earth elemental , flesh guardian , or invisible stalker
Treasure cloth-of-gold robe (250 gp), jeweled staff (250), elemental gem (earth) , spellbook containing conjure minor elementals , find familiar , magic circle , magic weapon , planar binding
Elementals are creatures from one of the Elemental Planes. The most basic of elementals are earth elementals , fire elementals , water elementals , and air elementals , each composed of magically animate earth, fire, and so on. The Elemental Planes are also home to genies, mephits , and other elemental creatures.