Temple Guardian Template

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Stunspore

The "Temple Guardian" is created when the last serving cleric of a sacred location e.g. a temple, dies without a successor. Essentially, the cleric upon death leaves behind an incorporeal spirit to continually serve his deity. Many Temple Guardians were created during the reign of Istar, with most of them Evil. Often the forces of Light destroyed temples devoted to Darkness and killed all its inhabitants..... though sometimes a lone survivor can occur. Being the last of the clerics to serve at the temple, they become Temple Guardians, to serve their deities eternally. There are some occasions, when a temple is once again used for worship, in which the Temple Guardian may choose decide to continually protect the temple or leave to join its deity in another plane. These Temple Guardians are hard to destroy, and their only link to the mortal plane is by their holy symbol (Medallion of Faith), which is usually hidden somewhere within the ruins of the temple. Destroying the symbol will instantly send the spirit back to its deity.

Creating a Temple Guardian

"Temple Guardian " is an acquired template that can be added to any cleric (hereafter referred to as the base creature) who can cast divine spells of 2nd level or higher. The creature's type changes to undead. The Temple Guardian uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size: The Temple Guardian's size remains the same.

Speed: The Temple Guardian loses all previous modes of movement and gains a fly speed of 40 feet with perfect maneuverability.

AC: If the base creature had natural armor, it loses this armor.

Attacks: A Temple Guardian loses all natural and weapon attacks, but gains an incorporeal melee touch attack. A Temple Guardian also retains its divine-based spellcasting abilities, but it no longer needs material components to cast spells. The Temple Guardian also retains its ability to turn or rebuke powers.

Damage: If the base creature does not have incorporeal melee touch attacks, use the appropriate damage value based on the incorporeal sentinel's size (see the table below). Otherwise, use the value from the table or the base creature's damage, whichever is greater.

Special Attacks: A Temple Guardian retains all the special attacks of the base creature. It gains several abilities noted below.

Spell-Like Abilities: May cast 1st level domain spells at will, 2 x 2nd level domain spells per day. Cast at caster level of original creature.

Special Qualities: The base creature loses any immunities to energy and damage reduction it had. It otherwise has all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the qualities noted below.

Incorporeal Traits: A Temple Guardian is harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons, spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. It has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source, except for force effects or attacks made with ghost touch weapons. It can pass through solid objects, but not force effects, at will. Its attacks ignore natural armor, armor, and shields, but deflection bonuses and force effects work normally against them. An incorporeal creature always moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen checks if it doesn't wish to be.

Piercing Gaze (Su): A Temple Guardian can see invisible and ethereal creatures in all directions within 120 feet. This requires no action or concentration on the part of the incorporeal sentinel.

Sacred Ground (Su): A Temple Guardian maintains the holiness (or unholiness) of the sacred site, keeping it devoted to its deity. This effect is equal to Consecrate (or Desecrate, if Evil). This effect cannot be dispelled or suppressed. The Temple Guardian must channel a great deal of its power to do this, so while Sacred Ground is in use, the Temple Guardian cannot cast spells other than domain spells. The Temple Guardian can raise or lower Sacred Ground as 1 action. For good-aligned Temple Guardians, they gain bonuses from Consecrate rather than Desecrate effects, despite being undead.

Regenerative Energy (Su): While the Temple Guardian is on sacred ground (profane if Evil), it gains Fast Healing 5, otherwise the Temple Guardian loses 5 hp per round. If the Temple Guardian's hit points are reduced to 0 or below, or destroyed, unless its holy symbol (e.g. Medallion of Faith) is found or destroyed, in 1d8 days the Temple Guardian will reform to guard the temple once more.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A Temple Guardian gains a spell resistance equal to the base creature's CR.

Abilities: Same as the base creature except that, as undead creatures, incorporeal sentinels have no Constitution score. Additionally, Temple Guardians have no Strength score.

Feats: The Temple Guardian gains Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch) as a bonus feat.

Climate/Terrain: As a bound creature, the Temple Guardian is restricted to the sacred ground it protects.

Organization: Most Temple Guardian stand watch alone, but rarely a location might serve two or more deities, hence Temple Guardians of different deities may exist together. Where multiple Temple Guardians exist, they can share the same Sacred Ground, due to mutual consent from their deities.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2.

Alignment: Same as base creature.

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