Spirit Entities, painted for this archive

Guardians

Creature, Spirit Entities

Angelic avatars and servants of good and neutral gods, with the magic of a 20th-level Mystic and an aura that shields the faithful from fear, curses and control. Summoned, they first ask if the caster has been faithful, then perform one service.

Also called Angels, Guardian

From the book

Guardians are the avatars and servants of good and neutral gods. On their exalted home planes they act as loyal, unwavering messengers, guards and advisors to their divine masters. Each wields the spell casting of a 20th-level Mystic (the appendix instead gives spell casting and the turning of undead, demons and devils as a 16th level priest or mystic) and can fly, detect lies within 10 feet and see truly at will. Twice a day each it can teleport and travel between dimensions, and three times a day it can look into any plane with Celestial Vision for a minute per level. A Guardian's touch deals 3-18 energy damage. They radiate spiritual strength for twenty feet around, making every good or neutral creature in that area immune to fear, curses and control spells. Guardians are immune to those spells themselves, take only half damage from elemental attacks such as cold, fire and lightning, and cannot be touched by poison or death magic.

A summoned Guardian must first ask whether the summoner has kept faith with his patron deity. If the honest answer is yes, it will gladly perform any one service within its power. It can be sent against any evil being but will kill only devils, demons and undead. It cannot take captives back to its home plane and will do nothing against its alignment or beliefs. No magical inscription is needed to call one, but the spell requires an offering of prayer, incense or candles.

Those who practice Divine Magic, High Magic or Mysticism can summon a Guardian to avenge a wrong done to them, for no more than an hour. Every Guardian bears a magical sword and shield that no mortal can use without some divine help: the shield wards off ordinary and magical missiles and grants +5 on saves against missile-type spells, and the sword does 1-12 (+5) damage and is +5 to hit.

At a glance

Type: Avatars/servants of good and neutral deities
Also called: Angels (per Deva entry)
Roles: Messengers, guards and advisors to their deities
Magic: Spell casting of a 20th Level Mystic
At-will powers: Flight, detect lies, true seeing
Aura: 'Spiritual strength', 20 ft. radius: good or neutral creatures immune to fear, curses and control spells
Immunities: Fear, curse and control spells; poison and 'death magic'; half damage from elemental attacks (cold, fire, lightning)
Summoning: Asks whether summoner has been faithful to his patron deity; if truthfully yes, performs one service; fights any evil but slays only devils, demons and undead; no magical inscription needed but prayer, incense or candles required
Height/Length: 7-8 ft.
Weight: 300 + lbs. (in corporeal form)
STR: 22
SPD: 22
DEX: 22
CON: 20
INT: 20
WILL: 22
CHA: 22
PER: 22
Level: 16
Alignment: Neutral or as per Patron Deity
Damage: Touch: 3-18 (energy damage), Sword: 1-12 (+5), +5 to hit
Special Attributes: Teleport and Dimensional travel 2x per day each; detects lies within 10 ft.; radiates spiritual strength in a 20 ft. radius; immune to curses, fear and control spells; takes 1/2 damage from cold, fire and lightning; Celestial vision 3x per day into any plane, lasting 1 minute per level; flies; True sight at will; casts spells and turns undead, demons and devils as a 16th level priest or mystic does
Armor: As per plate armor + 2
Hit Points: 80-100 +
Guardian sword: 1-12 (+5) damage, +5 to hit
Guardian shield: protection from normal or magical missiles; +5 saves vs missile type spells
Comments: Can be summoned through Divine Magic, High Magic or Mysticism and asked to avenge a wrong done to the summoner, serving no longer than one hour; no mortal can wield its magical sword or shield without some divine help
Restrictions: Cannot carry captives back to its home plane; will do nothing contrary to its alignment or beliefs

The chapter (p.93) gives Guardians the spell casting of a 20th level Mystic; the appendix (p.118) gives spell casting and turning as a 16th level priest or mystic.