Regenerating gargoyles

[J-H]

A particular 3.5 adventure

Rappan Athuk
Has an early-ish possible encounter where a particular type of animated stone enemy has eyes that are gemstones. The gems are enchanted, hard to destroy, and will (after a period of time) regenerate the gargoyles from scratch.

-When examined with Detect Magic, what auras should they have? Conjuration? Transmutation?
-In 5e, what's the best way mechanically to make them hard (but not impossible) to destroy for a 4th-5th level party.
-I think Remove Curse might cleanse them. Would that be revealed by Detect Magic, or by K:Arcana, or by a combo?

[Unoriginal]

You could say they have AC 19, are immune to everything but bludgeoning damage, have 50 HPs and a damage threshhold of 5?


Detect Magic does not give that kind of info. Identify might, if you wish so.

Intelligence with Arcana proficiency seems appropriate, as is a trip to the library if it fails.

[Spectrulus]

"you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any. ”

Detect magic in 5e totally tells schools of magic.

I like the idea of regenerating gargoyles, maybe the eye gems could be the treasure? Find an NPC later that can craft them into a Ring of Regeneration? Or place them in bottles so they fill with a common 2d4+2 healing potion every day, as long as the bottles are filled with water? Make it something fun for the challenge.

[Unoriginal]

Detect magic in 5e totally tells schools of magic.

So? How would that tell you you need to use Remove Curse on it?

[JNAProductions]

Conjuration if they summon new stone from nothing, Transmutation if they gather stone from around them.

For being hard to kill and regenerate, look at the Flameskull-it's a low CR regenerating from death monster.

[JackPhoenix]

It would have aura of magic. No school, as it's not a spell.

[JNAProductions]

It would have aura of magic. No school, as it's not a spell.

You can have specific schools without specific spells.

After all, presumably some kind of spells went into its creation.

[Unoriginal]

After all, presumably some kind of spells went into its creation.

That's not really how magic item creation work.

You can certainly get a magic item aura to belong to a school, though

[Goldlizard]

I think Abjuration

also, a Identify spell would find it, but unless you have something special, I don't think an arcana check would help.

[Kyutaru]

I think Abjuration

also, a Identify spell would find it, but unless you have something special, I don't think an arcana check would help.

I concur. Abjuration is appropriate as it represents the defenses the gem is enchanted with. It is most likely a perfectly ordinary gem crafted by a master and warded from harm. The gargoyles likewise are warded by an anti-destruction charm that restores them to their original form for destruction is temporary.

[JackPhoenix]

You can have specific schools without specific spells.

After all, presumably some kind of spells went into its creation.

True on the first... there are effects with listed school that don't originate from spell in various adventures, false on the second.

You don't even need to be a spellcaster to create magic items, and no magic item thus far (IIRC) has a school aura.

[J-H]

Ok, here you go.

Detect Magic: Magic, abjuration & conjuration
Identify: These gems are the eyes of the Undying Gargoyles. After a period of time, or if certain conditions are met, each pair is cursed to rebuild a gargoyle, summoning new stone from the remains of the old and bringing the creatures back for another lifetime.

Remove curse spell: Disables one pair each.
Dropping all in potion of Remove curse: Neutralizes all of them as long as they are submerged, but also turns the remove curse potion into a Flesh-to-Stone potion (identifiable on short rest).

Later in the same session the group will encounter some werewolves and a medusa... and they don't get Remove Curse until the cleric hits level 5 after this session. Hard choices may need to be made.

[Unoriginal]

How fast would the gargoyle regrow?

And what would happen if you put the eyes inside molten metal

[J-H]

Respawn will be at the speed of plot.

If immersed in molten metal, I'd call them disabled until chipped free.

[Kyutaru]

I'd call them armored gargoyles.