Moody Pet Rock

Greetings, fellow weekend warriors! Let’s celebrate TGIF by using the buddy system to create a new pet rock magic item from a recent 3D print so you can slip into your next party’s investigation check!

Elementals as a monster class get a lot of love here at 3DRPG Studios here in sunny Chandler, AZ! Air, Water, Earth, or whatever else our brilliant 3D-print creators can come up with always sounds good to us. So much so that we decided to make a new custom magic item for our DnD campaign.

We teased a potential home-brewed magic item in a recent installment of Scatter Chatter when we showcased a rune-scribed rock with a mysterious chain wrapped around it. Sometimes a particular 3D-print is so well done that we print first and design later. That was definitely the case with this bonded boulder by Fantastic Plants & Rocks.

Now, Earth Elementals and Stone Golems are no strangers to WotC’s prepainted miniature booster packs, but we had just come across a great, free STL by the marvelous mz4250! So, why not make a little magic of our own with our mad miracle machines?! This figure is a Galeb Duhr, and it’s simply staggering how many models mz4250 has made from all the DnD Monster Manuals over the years.

Painting stone can be very forgiving, so DM Ben didn’t mind coloring and flocking this mighty mini last weekend. Prime black, apply a few different shades of grey, lightly drybrush white, and then finish with a brown or black wash. He wanted this one to have a more earthy vibe, so he chose a muddier brown wash. He tacked on some random moss and then did a rugged terrain flock to seal the deal.

Our newfound mini is just the right size, too, because DM Ben has some unpredictable magic ideas. Afterall, you don’t just walk up to a chained rock and assume things are as safe as can be. So, if the party is bold enough to pick the lock on the chain (DC 12 Dex+Thieves Tools), they will be faced with a magic item that doesn’t necessarily know its own strength…or temperament.

• Creates an ally: 50% chance.
• Forms an unpredictable combatant: 30% chance.
• Morphs an angry opponent: 20% chance.

We’ve featured a few other Rock Elementals in the past, so our bulky stone shape version will serve as the unpredictable combatant, and Mr. Frown Face will be the angry adversary.

When the players first break the chains on the original chained boulder, there will be a sudden flash of blue light (DC 18 Con save or be blinded for 4 hours), revealing a tiny stone that vibrates like a Mexican Jumping Bean.

Here’s what we spun up for our Friend or Foe Pet Rock:

• Activate once per day.
• Upon summoning, roll a % dice (see above).
• Fine Friend: AC 14, HP 14, +4 att/1d6+2.
• Random Attacks: AC 16, HP 25, +6 att/1d10+3.
• Angry Foe: AC 18, HP 40, +8 att/2d10+4.

Its speed is 30, and it cannot speak but understands common. It only communicates back with gestures and grunts. If acting as a party ally, it won’t intentionally put itself in harm’s way or sacrifice itself. It also cannot be healed.

Unlike other elementals, the original wizard who concocted this Pet Rock gave it a high intelligence (15 INT). However, when the spellcaster’s beloved pet rock turned on him and struck down his beloved wife, he decided to put it in chains in the hopes it would never be found or released. This peculiar Pet Rock also levels up with its bonded owner so that it can stay relevant in future fights.

Until next time!