#pentadrone
Image by Julie Dillon, © Wizards of the Coast
[The last of the drone modrons, and the last modron I’m posting for a while. I’m commissioning original art for the modron hierarchs, and so am going to wait at least that long. In the original version, a pentadrone could either levitate or use its paralysis gas, but not both, because it levitated using the gas jets. Which isn’t… realistic, exactly, but made a certain kind of logical sense, something I think of as “Gygaxian naturalism”. But it’s a decently tough monster, why shouldn’t it be able to fly? I imagine they fly something like how Gamera flies.]
Modron, Pentadrone
CR 7 LN Outsider (extraplanar)
This strange being has five pointed lobes, like a starfish, each with a single eye and frowning mouth. It stands on five clockwork legs below, and a metallic nozzle grows from its upper surface, pivoting as it watches.
The strongest of the modron drones, pentadrones serve as delegates between the will of the hierarchs and the actions of the drones. They also serve as a police force, watching constantly for signs of rogue behavior in modron drones and eliminating the rogues when they appear. Pentadrones keep a close eye on chaotic creatures that interact with modron business or visit Regulus. If any mortal creature violates the laws of the modrons, pentadrones will paralyze them, beat them into submission, and drag them off to face judgment.
A pentadrone typically opens combat with its paralysis gas. As modrons are immune to paralysis, it doesn’t care about aiming it away from its troops. Any creatures not paralyzed are bludgeoned with its five arms, or bombarded with spells if they are chaotic. Pentadrones are skilled tacticians and make good use of their abilities, and the abilities of lesser modrons in battle. A pentadrone often fights from the air, using jets of gasses to spin and levitate. Pentadrones are the most likely of the modron drone ranks to flee from combat, as they need to report the outcome to a hierarch.
Because of their ability to hold five objectives in common at a time, and their skill at planning for future events, pentadrones often appear as introspective to other creatures. They rarely speak, unless it is to give orders or acquire information. Pentadrones are unique among modron varieties in that they have no fine manipulators—no hands, tentacles, etc. They can manage objects using one of their mouths, but doing so is not particularly efficient. Thus, pentadrones often keep a staff of monodrones on hand to serve it as limbs, taking dictation, opening doors and locks, and performing other tasks that require fine motor skills.
Pentadrone CR 7
XP 3,200
LN Medium outsider (extraplanar, lawful, modron)
Init15 (fixed); Sensesall-around vision,darkvision 120 ft., detect chaos, Perception +17
Defense
AC21, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (+3 Dex, +5 natural, +4 armor)
hp72 (5d10+25 plus 20)
Fort+6,Ref+7,Will+7
DR5/chaotic;Resistacid 10, cold 10, fire 10
Defensive Abilities constructed
Offense
Speed30 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor)
Melee5 slams +10 (1d6+5)
Special Attacks paralysis gas
Spell-like Abilities CL 5th, concentration +8
Constant—detect chaos, mage armor
3/day—align weapon, arrow of law (DC 15)
1/day—discern lies (DC 17), order’s wrath (DC 17)
Statistics
Str21,Dex16,Con20,Int17,Wis16,Cha17
Base Atk +5;CMB+10;CMD23 (29 vs. trip)
FeatsAlertness, Bludgeoner, Combat Expertise, Hover (B)
SkillsAcrobatics +8,Diplomacy +11, Fly +7, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (planes) +11, Perception +17, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +8, Stealth +11, Survival +11 (+15 following tracks); Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival when following tracks
LanguagesCelestial,Common, Infernal, Modron
SQcoordinated ally, fixed initiative
Ecology
Environmentany land or underground (Regulus)
Organizationsolitary, pair, squad (1 plus 2-6 quadrones, 2-12 tridrones) or inquisition (3-10)
Treasureincidental
Special Abilities
Paralysis Gas (Su) As a standard action, a pentadrone can emit a 30 foot cone of gas. All creatures in the area must succeed a DC 17 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 2d4 rounds. A creature so paralyzed can attempt an additional save against the effect as a full round action. A pentadrone can use this ability 5 times a day, but must wait 5 rounds between uses. The save DC is Constitution based.
