Planar Bestiary
These automatons are the accidental fusion of the mind of a skilled mage with the body and armor of a veteran warrior. Although an iron magus appears to be a humanoid wearing a suit of armor, they are an artificial creature that combines a warrior jealous of magic and a mage greedy for the strength and stamina of a brawler. They know their union is flawed, but believe they only need to practice their combined skills (by slaying other warriors and mages) to perfect their transformation.
It's painful to be an iron magus; each consists of two humanoid bodies merged with a suit of armor, with the excess meat stripped away and left behind. Talkative individuals admit they feel like they're itching everywhere and being stabbed by hundreds of needles.
An iron magus has the tactical knowledge of an experienced warrior and uses their spells, their physical prowess, and the local terrain to their best advantage.
Some fiends know the technique of creating an iron magus, but some arise naturally due to the corrupting influence of different Outer Planes.
As a being animated by magic, an iron magus doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
A lone iron magus might be encountered in the Lower Planes or traveling farther afield in service of a fiendish creator.
Motive: Gather personal power
Environment: The Lower Planes, or other dimensions in service to a fiendish creature, usually alone
Health: 15
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (5 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Short; immediate when flying
Modifications: Resists magic and mental influence as level 6
Combat: An iron magus attacks twice each round with their broadsword.
An iron magus can cast long-range spells to manipulate small objects telekinetically, create a shield of force (asset on Speed defense) for one hour, cast fire bolts, and pepper a foe with tiny bolts of pure force. Once per day they can counter an opponent's spell, become invisible, increase their flying movement to long for an hour, restore 4 points of their own health, or rain fire in an area an immediate distance in diameter up to a long distance away that inflicts a moderate wound (6 points), 3 points even if characters succeed on their Speed defense tasks.
Some also preferentially use the magical items they've acquired, as described below under Loot.
Interaction: Iron magus minds are a crushed blend of two psyches, making them paranoid and suspicious of other creatures. They know all the languages both component minds knew in life. Some pursue evil agendas impressed upon them by fiends. Others wander without purpose other than accumulating magical and martial power that they're greedy for.
Use: A secret thought taken to the grave may actually still be known by a mind fused into an iron magus. Finding that iron magus is one thing; convincing them to try to remember the secret is another.
Loot: An iron magus usually accumulates a few cyphers, including a wand of detonation (spawn) and a ring of detonation (matter disruption). A few carry an artifact, such as a magical broadsword that inflicts a moderate wound (5 points) and can reflect a single-target spell cast on the wielder back at the caster (level 5; depletion: 1 in 1d6; check per deflected spell attempt).
GM Intrusion: The iron magus casts a spell that causes them to disappear; they actually teleport a short distance away into hiding, where they seek to regroup before either fleeing or returning to the fight.