Medium-Size Elemental (Earth)

Hit Dice: 5d8+5 (27 hp)

Initiative: +2 (Dex)

Speed: Fly 50 ft (good)

AC: 24 (+2 Dex, +12 natural)

Attacks: Slash +6 melee

Damage: Slash 2d4+2

Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft

Special Attacks: Keen, color burst, shatter weapons

Special Qualities: Elemental, burrow, damage reduction 20/+2, SR 14

Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1

Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 10

Skills: Hide +8, Listen +6, Spot +6

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground

Organization: Solitary, swarm (2-20) or fleet (10-100)

Challenge Rating: 7

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium-size); 11-15 HD (Large)

The shard is a crystalline form of minor elemental that travels the planes in swarms. These mineral elementals are sentient, but they are not very bright and don't function well individually.  On their home plane, these crystals skirt near areas that connect with the Positive Energy plane, absorbing the power that gives them life. An elemental shard appears as its names implies, much like a crystalline shard.

   Shards are rarely encountered on the Material plane, but are occasionally summoned to serve as guardians. If they are summoned to guard gems, they obey without hesitation. A swarm of shards will rarely be sent to the Material plane on a special mission, usually to seek out adventurers who have taken large numbers of gems from the elemental planes.

COMBAT

The shard attacks by slashing opponents with its razor-sharp edges.

   Keen (Ex): The edges of a shard are considered keen. Therefore, the shard scores a critical threat on a roll of 19-20.

   Color Burst (Su): Once per day, a shard can spin rapidly and emit a paralyzing burst of multi-colored light in a 30-foot radius, similar to the color spray spell. All creatures within the area of effect that see the shard must succeed at a Will save (DC 16) or become paralyzed for 2d4 rounds.

   Shatter Weapons (Ex): Any weapon that strikes a shard must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15) or shatter into pieces.

   Elemental: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. Not subject to critical hits.

   Burrow (Ex): A mineral elemental can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing mineral elemental flings the elemental back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds at a Fortitude save.