Buy me a coffeeTerra-cotta Soldiers: The Eternal Guardians
“Terra-cotta Soldiers: Ancient Warriors That Could Still Be Guarding Secrets Today!”
Terra-cotta Soldiers are life-sized clay warriors, sculpted with intricate armor, fierce expressions, and finely detailed weapons. Though originally painted in vibrant hues of red, blue, and green, centuries of wear have left them in earthy shades of brown and gray, with only faint traces of their original colors. Each soldier is unique, bearing individualized facial features, armor styles, and weaponry ranging from swords and spears to bows. Their stone-cold gazes and rigid stances exude an eerie sense of vigilance, as if they could spring to life at any moment.
Behavior:
Silent and unmoving unless disturbed, Terra-cotta Soldiers remain motionless sentinels for years, even centuries, standing in disciplined formations. When activated—by intruders, a disturbance, or magical command—they instantly adopt battle-ready postures, fighting with tactical precision. They show no fear, fatigue, or hesitation, attacking relentlessly until their foes are vanquished. Unlike mindless golems, they exhibit rudimentary tactical awareness, forming defensive lines and flanking opponents when necessary.
Habitat:
These warriors are most commonly found in ancient tombs, lost temples, and forgotten underground chambers, standing in dimly lit halls lined with stone pillars or buried in dusty catacombs beneath crumbling ruins. Some remain hidden beneath the sands or sealed away in mountain sanctuaries, waiting to be uncovered by archaeologists—or treasure hunters who do not realize the danger they awaken. In rare cases, powerful sorcerers or warlords may reanimate them as an undying army, marching them into battle once more.
Modus Operandi:
Terra-cotta Soldiers do not eat, sleep, or breathe—their sole purpose is to guard their domain. They wait in silence, perfectly still, blending into their surroundings like lifeless statues until triggered. When intruders cross their threshold, they animate with unnerving speed and unity, drawing weapons and striking with precise, methodical efficiency. They move as a unit, using their Rank Fighting ability to bolster their defenses and attacks when standing alongside fellow warriors. Their swords and spears become unnaturally sharp, slicing through armor with supernatural keenness. If outnumbered, they retreat only to regroup and ambush from the shadows.
Motivation:
Terra-cotta Soldiers have no personal desires or emotions; they exist purely to serve their creator’s will—whether that be protecting the remains of an emperor, defending sacred relics, or acting as an undead warlord’s elite force. Bound by ancient magic, they fight with unwavering loyalty, never questioning their purpose. Even after their creator is long gone, they continue their duty, standing watch over crypts and treasures that have long since been forgotten by the living.
Final Warning:
If you ever find yourself in the depths of an ancient tomb, surrounded by rows of unmoving Terra-cotta Soldiers—do not touch anything. You may not leave alive.
Terra-cotta Soldier 5e
Terra-cotta Soldier Pathfinder
Terra-Cotta Soldier
Medium Construct, Unaligned
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed 30 ft.
Abilities
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 3 (-4) | 12 (+1) | 5 (-3) |
Saving Throws STR +7, CON +7
Skills Perception +5
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Fire, Poison, Psychic
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages Understands the language of its creator but cannot speak
Immutable Form.
The Terra-cotta Soldier is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Magic Resistance.
The Terra-cotta Soldier has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Rank Fighting.
Whenever the Terra-cotta Soldier is adjacent to one or more allied Terra-cotta Soldiers, it gains the following benefits:
- +2 bonus to AC.
- +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls.
- Advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone.
Keen Weapons. (Recharge 5-6)
At the start of its turn, if the Terra-cotta Soldier has been engaged in combat for at least one round, its melee weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20 and deal an additional 7 (2d6) slashing damage on a hit. This effect lasts for 1 minute.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Terra-cotta Soldier makes two melee weapon attacks.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 10 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage, or 11 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage if wielded with two hands.
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target.
- Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage if wielded with two hands.
Coordinated Strike. (Recharge 5-6)
The Terra-cotta Soldier targets an enemy within 30 feet and signals an attack. Any other Terra-cotta Soldiers within 10 feet of the target can use their reaction to make a melee weapon attack against it.
Reactions
Shielded Formation.
When an attack would hit an adjacent Terra-cotta Soldier, this Soldier can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.
Tactics
- Phalanx Defense: Terra-cotta Soldiers prefer to fight in tight formations, using their Rank Fighting ability to enhance their defenses and damage output.
- Surround and Overwhelm: They use Coordinated Strike to swarm and focus fire on the most dangerous enemy.
- Adaptive Combatants: The soldiers will shift between spears and swords depending on whether they need reach or higher damage.
- Unyielding Guardians: They do not retreat unless commanded by their creator and will fight to the last warrior.
Legendary Variant: Terra-cotta General (CR 10)
A larger, more ornate soldier, standing at the head of the formation, capable of issuing commands that magically enhance its allies.
Terra-cotta Soldier
[This content was created for the Pathfinder rules by Paizo Publishing LLC and is part of the Pathfinder RPG product line.]
This perfectly sculpted, finely detailed, life-sized clay figure has a look of fierce determination and a sword clenched in each hand.
A terra-cotta soldier is a magically animated warrior, sculpted from clay and infused with the unwavering will to protect. Typically created to guard the tombs of emperors and warlords, these silent sentinels stand in perfectly disciplined ranks, activating only when intruders threaten their sacred charge.
In combat, terra-cotta soldiers fight as a unit, using their rank fighting ability to enhance their defenses and offensive capabilities. They position themselves strategically, ensuring that multiple soldiers engage the same target to maximize their effectiveness. Their keen weapons ability makes them deadly in prolonged battles, as their strikes become more precise and devastating over time.
Though mindless and unfeeling, terra-cotta soldiers possess a primitive battle instinct, allowing them to focus on weaker or lightly armored foes first. They fight until destroyed or commanded to stand down, making them relentless defenders of ancient secrets.
| Terra-cotta Soldier CR 6 |
| XP 2,400 N Medium construct Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +8 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dexterity, +6 natural) hp 64 (8d10+20) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2 DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune construct traits, fire; SR 17 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 ft. Melee longsword +10/+5 (1d8+3/19-20), shortsword +10 (1d6+1/19-20) or 2 slams +11 (1d6+3) Special Attacks keen weapons, rank fighting |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 16, Dexterity 16, Constitution -, Intelligence 1, Wisdom 11, Charisma 1 Base Atk +8; CMB +11; CMD 24 Feats Improved Initiative, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (longsword, shortsword) Skills Perception +8 |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Keen Weapons (Su) After it has engaged in at least 1 round of combat, a terra-cotta soldier’s weapons automatically gain the benefits of keen weapon (CL 6th). This effect persists until the end of the battle. Rank Fighting (Ex) Whenever a terra-cotta soldier is adjacent to another terra-cotta soldier, it gains a +2 Dodge bonus to its AC and a +2 bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any Organization solitary, troop (3-12), or army (13+) Treasure incidental (longsword, shortsword, other treasure) |
Terra-cotta Soldier
A terra-cotta soldier’s body is made from 600 pounds of clay, fired with rare and magical glazes worth 500 gp.
CL 9th; Price 19,000 gp
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Construct, animate objects, cat’s grace, geas/quest, keen edge, creator must be caster level 9th; Skill Craft (pottery) or Craft (sculptures) DC 14; Cost 10,000 gp
A terra-cotta soldier is crafted from clay and fired into ceramic, and is usually sculpted to resemble an armored human soldier, although terra-cotta soldiers resembling other races, such as bajang, tengus, or even demons and oni, are also common. Terra-cotta soldiers are often created to guard the tomb of powerful rulers, standing in silent ranks to guard their liege even after his or her death. These soldiers stand vigil for centuries, animating only to defend the tomb and its riches from tomb robbers. Terra-cotta soldiers are typically painted with colored lacquer, though this decoration is often worn away from use or faded with age. A terra-cotta soldier stands 6 feet tall and weighs 600 pounds.
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.