Guardian Hand
by Jamie BatyCM8
Diminutive Construct
Hit Dice: 15d10 (92 hp)
Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: fly 20 ft. (perfect) (can't run)
Armout Class: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+12 (treat as medium creature)
Attack: Slam +19 melee (1d6 +1)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +19 melee (1d6 +1)
Space/Reach: 1 ft. / 0 ft.
Special Attacks: Corrosive constrict, improved grab, Finger Rays
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60ft., energy immunity, flight, low-light vision, spell reflection, truesight
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 18
Skills: ---
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Ray)
Environment: Any land
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: None
Alignment: Varies
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
This floating hand has an eye in the centre of the palm. As you examine it closely, you realise it was once attached to a living creature.
This rare construct is of unusual power; it takes the form of a levitating, severed human hand (usually a left hand), long-fingered and of black, gleaming appearance. It has an eye set in the middle of its palm. A guardian hand has as many HD as its creator did at the time of creation, so an encountered Hand may be either considerably less or considerably more powerful than the one presented here.
Guardian hands are created for a specific purpose; as they require one of the creator's own hands, they are rarely prepared until death approaches or death is expected, if their protection is lacking. Thus, they are usually found guarding tombs, treasures, refuges, spell books, and the like. (Note that they are magical constructs, not undead creatures, and cannot be turned, etc.).
A guardian hand is not intelligent, but can sense if a target is alive or not, and will continue to attack until the target ceases to live or passes out of its range of guardianship. The range and specific terms of a hand's guardianship are set by its creator, and by all reports seem to vary widely.
Combat
A Guardian Hand will attack from a distance with its rays for as long as possible. If forced into melee, it will punch targets. It may grab an opponent to automatically cause damage and disrupt spellcasting. Individual fingers are AC 22, and require 12 hp of damage each to be severed. If severed, that fingers ray attack cannot be used. Note that this is a separate hp count from the overall hp of the construct; it may be slain by hp loss before its fingers are severed, and its fingers will not fight on independently). Additionally, the centre eye can be targeted at AC 22. It is destroyed by dealing 3 hp of damage to it (also separate from the main body's hp). Doing this will eliminate the Guardian Hand's truesight (but not it's darkvision).
Corrosive Constrict (Ex): A Guardian Hand can inflict 1d8 acidic damage to the target after making a successful grapple check. If the grappled creature is wearing armour, half of the damage is done to the armour (ignoring hardness) and the other half is hp damage to the target.
Improved Grab (Ex): If a Guardian Hand hits with a slam, it deals normal damage and may attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Finger Rays (Sp): The Guardian Hand may make four ray attacks per round as a full round action, one per finger. The have a range of 40 ft. The ray attacks are as follows:
• Forefinger (Energy Drain): Target must roll percentile dice, and be governed by the result.
o 01-46%: A memorised spell is drained; if none then re-roll. (Spells drained are lost from memory; The hand will always drain the most powerful spell; if two or more of the same level are memorised, determine randomly which is lost).
o 47-69%: A carried magical item, if any, is drained (2-8 charges from a chargeable magical item; minor items drained entirely (01-60%), or nullified in all respects for 10-200 minutes (61-00%); artifacts nullified for 10-20 minutes.
o 70-90%: Loss of 1d12 hp.
o 91-00%: Loss of 1d4 hp, and faint (treat as instant Sleep) for 1-4 rounds.
• Long finger (Fiery Beam): Beam of fire, dealing 4d6 damage, and igniting (DC 21 reflex save (Cha based) to avoid) flammable items.
• Ring finger (Paralysis): This is instant and almost total, permitting breathing but not speech. The first round of paralysis is automatic; thereafter, each round, the victim must a fortitude save vs. DC 23 (Cha based with +2 bonus), paralysis being broken whenever such a save is made. Thereafter the victim is immune to further paralysis from that hand for 1d12 further rounds).
• Baby finger (Gust of Wind): As per spell, caster level is equal to Guardian Hands HD and save DC is 21 (Cha base).
Energy Immunity (Ex): A Guardian Hand has 100% immunity to fire and cold.
Flight (Su): A Guardian Hand can cease or resume flight as a free action. This becomes ineffective in an antimagic field, and the creature loses its ability to fly (although it may still levitate) for as long as the antimagic effect persists. A dispel magic spell will cause the Guardian Hand to lose this ability for 1-2 rounds.
Spell Reflection (Ex): Any spell the Guardian Hand saves against is automatically reflected back at the caster for full effect. If this is not possible due to the nature of the spell or magical protections, it is reflected at the nearest target within 40 ft of the caster. If that is not possible, then the spell is merely negated.
Truesight (Ex): The palm eye of the Guardian Hand has constant truesight, as per the spell. If the eye is destroyed (AC 22, 3 hp), the guardian hand loses this ability (but not its darkvision).
Construct Traits: A construct possesses the following traits: Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects); Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease , death effects, and necromancy effects; Not subject to critical hits, non-lethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain; Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless); Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less; Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected; Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe. Please see the 3.5E Monster Manual for more information.