Stone Skin. Being made of rock, boulderkin are very resistant to most forms of attack. They are immune to all non-magical forms of damage. They are immune to slashing damage even from magical weapons, resistant to magical piercing damage, but take full damage from magical bludgeoning damage.
Magic Stone. Boulderkin are very magical elemental beings. All damage caused by them is considered magical. Their bodies are still magical even after death, making them very valuable to those that work with stone.
Hide in Plain Sight. When resting, boulderkin look so much like rocks they are easily overlooked. Even under direct observation with truesight, they are often mistaken as ordinary chunks of rock, which is why they have a +10 bonus on stealth.
Free Surprise Round. If they have been overlooked and feel threatened, the entire pack will roll into action before anyone else knows what is happening.
Pack Tactics. Boulderkin signal one another by subtle impacts received by each other's tremorsense. This information relay is used during combat to allow the creatures to gain advantage on one Punch attack per round as long as at least two other boulderkin are within 60 feet.
Planar Ritual. A group of at least four boulderkin can perform a one hour ritual that opens a portal between the material plane and the elemental plane of earth. If all the pieces of a deceased boulderkin are taken back to the elemental plane of earth, it will reform in 1d4 days, alive and whole. For this reason, boulderkin will always attempt to retrieve their fallen comrades, even offering payment of gems or favors to those willing to help them take their kin home.
Multiattack. Boulderkin can make two punch attacks or one bowl attack.
Punch. Their punches are quite effective against creatures and objects. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 1 target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Bowl. A boulderkin can choose to curl up and bowl itself around the battlefield, causing injuries to and knocking prone all along its chosen path. While performing this attack, the boulderkin cannot be targeted by any reaction or retaliation abilities. It can only move straight or at 45 degree angles while bowling, possibly hitting the same target more than once, but cannot end its turn in an occupied space. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 50/50 ft., all targets. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Struck targets must succeed at a DC 15 Strength check or be knocked prone.
Natural Caltrops. A boulderkin can drop sharp bits of itself it no longer needs or churn up the ground in such a way as to cause a 5 by 5 foot area to be as if affected by Caltrops.
Spikes. When being struck by an enemy's unarmed melee attack, a boulderkin will cause its rocky skin to protrude like spikes, causing the attacker 1d6 piercing damage when it successfully hits the boulderkin.
Description
Boulderkin are one of the smallest of the earth elementals. They look so much like big rocks (about two feet in diameter) it is rumored that giant creatures, looking for something to throw, have grabbed up a boulderkin to use as a weapon and been quickly pummeled into retreat by its would-be projectile and its friends.
Boulderkin tend to roam in groups of six to twelve, but have been found migrating with as many as forty. Rumors say that on the elemental plane of earth they can be found by the hundreds, sounding like thunder and shaking the earth for miles when they move. They keep to themselves, preferring to blend into the background and be ignored; however, they take offense easily, such as when being used as a chair or to wipe the gunk off of one's boots. These inadvertent fights can be halted as quickly as started with but a kind word or peaceful gesture. When treated with respect, boulderkin are generally very friendly. They have even been known to help those offering them crystalline gifts such as quartz or even salt. When amongst a group, they will constantly be tapping their feet or hands on the ground as a means of covert communication. Should this behavior suddenly stop, it is usually a sign of great danger.
For many years, Dwarves and Boulderkin worked together. Many special cavern and mine construction methods still used by dwarves were learned from boulderkin. But the alliance ended badly when a few dwarf clans found out that boulderkin corpses retained many magical properties and could be used to great effect. Thus, boulderkin do not like dwarves, but are not openly hostile toward them unless provoked.
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