Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Guardian Daemon and Guardian Familiar

If you want a sense of how cruel a DM I could be in my younger years, imagine that your party learns of a cavern where a white dragon guards a precious hoard. So, the group prepares to withstand cold, and to attack with fire. But, behold! It is not a white dragon; it just looks like one! It is, in fact, a Guardian Daemon from the Fiend Folio, which breathes fire on a party prepared to resist the cold! Truly a nasty encounter with what was, and is, truly a nasty monster!

I hope that my version here does justice to the one my teenaged self used so gleefully!

 

Guardian Daemon

Daemons are Neutral spirits, equivalent in some ways to the demons of Chaos and the angels of Law. There are many types of daemons, but regardless of type, all share the following traits: Immunity to non-magical weapons; immunity to mind-affecting spells and effects; immunity to any spell or effect that would forcibly change the daemon’s shape, form, or substance (including petrifaction); and the ability to speak and understand all languages.

Guardian Daemon: Init +0; Atk Bite +4 melee (1d8) or claw +2 melee (1d12) or breath weapon; AC 20; HD 8d12; MV 30’; Act 3d20; SP Daemon traits, breath weapon, unique invulnerability; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +7; AL N.

Guardian daemons vary in size and form, able to appear as anything from a large bear or demonic figure to as small as a wild cat. However, once summoned, their form does not change, and they are constrained never to pass more than 200 feet from the treasure they guard. The bite and claw damage of a guardian daemon does not depend upon its form; it may seem incongruously small or unusually punishing as a result. The summoner also determines one specific type of attack (a specific spell, or a specific weapon type, for example) to which the daemon is immune.

 Each guardian daemon also has a breath weapon, which it can use 3 times each day. Roll 1d5 to determine what type of breath weapon a particular guardian daemon has: (1) Fire in a 30’ long cone with a 10’ base (5d6 damage, Reflex DC 10 for half), (2) frost in a 20’ long cone with a 20’ base (4d8 damage, Fort DC 10 for half), (3) cloud of sleeping gas 20’ in diameter (Will DC 10 or sleep for 4d6 minutes; can be awakened through vigorous shaking), (4) cloud of poisonous gas 15’ in diameter (2d5 damage plus Fort DC 10 or 2d5 temporary Strength damage), or (5) bolt of electricity in a 60’ line (3d6 damage, Fort DC 10 for half, -1d shift on the dice chain to save if wearing metal armor).

A guardian daemon can take any form the judge desires. To randomly determine the form of a guardian daemon, roll 1d14 and consult the following table. Alternately, roll one time each for head, body, limbs, and tail. Roll 1d14: (1) Demon, (2) bear, (3) wild cat, (4) crackling formless energy, (5) goat, (6) scorpion, (7) humanoid, (8) hawk, (9) vulture, (10) bull, (11) chicken, (12) dragon, (13) serpent, or (14) wolf.

Special immunities are often based on the caster, or the location of the treasure. For example, a summoner concerned about a rival known for the use of a certain spell will choose that spell, or a guardian daemon whose treasure is outdoors may be immune to longbows. To determine special immunities randomly, roll 1d16: (1) Random 1^st level wizard spell, (2) random 2^nd level wizard spell, (3) random 3^rd level wizard spell, (4) random 1^st level cleric spell, (5) random 2^nd level cleric spell, (6) random 3^rd level cleric spell, (7) turn the unholy, (8) longswords, (9) short swords, (10) battle axes, (11) daggers, (12) longbows, (13) short bows, (14) crossbows, (15) slings, or (16) polearms.

Guardian daemons have no treasure of their own in the Lands We Know, although may well keep treasures in their natural home, but are always found guarding the treasure of their summoner. The ritual to summon a guardian daemon is known to few, but can be performed by both clerics and wizards alike. At the end of the ritual, the guardian daemon is hatched in its adult form from an egg.

 

 

Guardian Familiar

Guardian Familiar: Init +2; Atk Bite +0 melee (1d3); AC 12; HD 1d6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP Infravision 60’, nine lives, immune to mind-affecting; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +5; AL Varies.

A little-known variation of the find familiar spell can be used to summon a guardian familiar. This creature takes the form of a small black cat, and must be set to guard a treasure. A guardian familiar is always of the same alignment as its master. It is possible for a wizard or elf to have both a guardian familiar and a normal familiar, but summoning a guardian familiar binds a portion of the caster’s soul to the creature, so that for as long as a wizard maintains a guardian familiar, they lose access to a random spell of the highest level they know; if the guardian familiar is destroyed in their service, this loss is permanent. A guardian familiar trapped in service by its master’s death remains guarding the chest or treasure it was set to watch over, potentially forever.

A guardian familiar never leaves its position on top of the treasure or chest it is guarding, nor does it attack, unless it is itself attacked or an attempt is made to get at its protected treasure. Likewise, it will not pursue those who flee from it, although it is smart enough to try to counter “hit and run” tactics.

The guardian familiar has nine lives, and must be slain nine times before it is finally destroyed. Prior to this, each time it is reduced to 0 hp, or otherwise slain, it is instantaneously reborn, stronger than before. At each rebirth, it gains 1 HD, its damage is increased by +1d on the dice chain, and it gains a +1 bonus to initiative, Armor Class, attack rolls, and all saves. Thus, in its final life, a guardian familiar has a +9 bonus to hit, doing 1d14 damage, with a +11 initiative and an AC of 21.