Crypt Guardian	
Large-Size Undead	
Hit Dice: 6d12 (42 hp)	
Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)	
Speed: 30 ft.	
AC: 16 (-1 Size,+2 Dex, +5 natural)	
Attacks: Claw +6 melee, Great Scythe +6 melee or as weapon	
Damage: Claw 1d6+3, Scythe 2d8+3 or as weapon	
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5ft./10 ft.	
Special Attacks: Faerie Fire, Mask Others, Wall of Force	
Special Qualities: Undead, darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 10/+1, see invisibility, turn resistance +4	
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7	
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 14, Con –, Int   12, Wis 14, Cha 15	
Skills: Bluff +8, Intimidate +8, Listen +4, Move Silently +8, Search +6, Sense Motive +4, Spot +8	
Feats:   Alertness, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Focus – Great Scythe	
Climate/Terrain: Any land or underground	
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5	
Treasure: 2 rubies (worth 500 gp each)	
Alignment: Always neutral	
Advancement: 7-13 HD (Large-size); 14-18 HD (Huge)	
Crypt guardians are undead warriors found guarding tombs, graves, corpses, and crypts.  If left alone and the place they are guarding remains undisturbed, they will take no actions.  However, if any actions are taken to disturb the crypt guardian or its place of protection, the crypt guardian will use all means necessary to remove the offenders.	
	A crypt guardians appears as an imposing 10-foot tall skeleton with thick, sturdy looking bones and red pinpoints of light where its eyes should be.  Crypt guardians are often seen wielding a great scythe,  though may be found wielding any martial weapon.   	
	A crypt guardian, despite its undead status, can speak Common.	
COMBAT	
A crypt guardian will avoid combat if possible by making use of its faerie fire ability and bluff/intimidate skills.  If unsuccessful, the crypt guardian will use its mask other ability followed by a strategically placed wall of force so as to bar entrance to the place the guardian is protecting.  If any creature remains or succeeds at its Will save against the mask other ability, the crypt guardian will proceed to melee combat with its imposing great scythe.
Great Scythe: Huge weapon wielded two-handed, Damage 2d8, Critical 19-20/x4, 22lbs, Piercing and Slashing	
Faerie Fire (Sp.): This functions just like the spell of the same name up to 3 times a day as cast by a 12th level druid.	
Mask Others (Sp.): All creatures within a 50-foot range that fail a Will save (DC 17) are simultaneously blinded and turned invisible.   Those affected will remain so for 1d4 days before the effects wear off.	
A creature that succeeds at its save is nauseated for 1d2 rounds but is otherwise unaffected by the crypt guardian’s mask other ability for 24 hours.	
See invisibility (Su.): This functions similar to the arcane spell of the same name except that the crypt guardian can only use it to see creatures made invisible through use of its own mask others ability.  Treat this effect as always in use.	
Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.	
Wall of Force (Sp.): This functions just like the spell of the same name up to 2 times a day as cast by a 12th level sorcerer.	
	
Creating a Crypt Guardian	
Use the rules for the animate dead spell (Animate Dead, in the Player’s Handbook page 174), with the following additions and changes for the creation of a crypt thing.	
Crypt Guardian: A crypt guardian can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton of a giant.  If a crypt guardian is made from a corpse, the flesh rots from the bones over the next 2d6 weeks.  A crypt guardian remembers nothing from its life including skills and abilities and depends solely on those granted during its creation.  The creator of the crypt guardian must also be able to cast or read from a scroll the spells faerie fire, blind, invisibility, see invisibility, and wall of force at the time the crypt guardian is created 
The great scythe (or other weapon) the crypt guardian wields must be present at the time the guardian is created or it will always prefer to attack with its claws.  A great scythe costs 50gp to have crafted.	
	Material Component (for Crypt Guardian): A black pearl gem worth at least 300gp and 2 rubies worth 500gp each. The gem is placed inside the mouth of the corpse and the rubies in its eye sockets. Once animated into a crypt thing, the pearl is destroyed but the rubies remain in its eye sockets and become the focus of the crypt guardian’s undeath.