Gargoyle

A gargoyle on the party's side is unusual but not impossible. A wizard might bind one to guard a tower. An earth-priest could broker a deal with a Primordial-speaking pack to ward a temple gate. A party that defeated a coven without killing the gargoyles might inherit them as squatters, sullen but bound by old terms. The framing needs to be transactional, because gargoyles are Chaotic Evil and they will not love anyone.

In combat, the gargoyle is a flying skirmisher with Flyby and 60 ft. of fly speed. Tell the player who's running it to dive, swing twice with Claw at +4, and lift back up out of reach the same turn. Two attacks of 7 average is fine chip damage on a CR 2, and the fact that no ground enemy can pin the gargoyle down means it stays alive long past where its 67 HP would suggest. Position it as the party's roof watcher. It can sit on a tower and report movement, then plunge when the fight starts.

The gargoyle wants stone, ideally a perch and a quiet space to be motionless. It does not want company, conversation, or a cut of the loot. If the party tries to bring it indoors or into a city, expect property damage. If they leave it in a ruin and visit when they need it, the relationship works for years. It speaks Primordial (Terran) only, so plan a translator.

Set its perch on the table map. Players treat statues differently when one of them is on their side.

A gargoyle is an ambush sitting on a roofline. AC 15, 67 HP, 60 ft. fly, and it looks exactly like the carved stone the party just walked under. Run it as terrain that wakes up. The first time players pass a cathedral, a noble's gate, or a ruined keep with statues on the eaves, they should not realize until the wings unfold.

Open with a drop attack. The gargoyle has Stealth +4 and a Passive Perception of 10, so a cluster perched ten feet above the path can sit through any non-active search. When the party is bunched, dive on the lightest-armored target. Multiattack is two Claws at +4 (7 average each), which doesn't sound like much, but Flyby means the gargoyle takes its swings and then leaves the enemy's reach without provoking. Hit, drift up to ceiling height, sneer, repeat. Melee characters with no ranged option spend the fight throwing oil flasks and swearing.

Run gargoyles in groups of three or four. Their damage per gargoyle is modest, but four of them rotating Flyby attacks on a single ranger or wizard is a classic action-economy grind. Poison immunity and immunity to Exhaustion, Petrified, and Poisoned mean the standard low-tier debuffs don't stick. The fight ends when the party either takes flight themselves, finds something to bottleneck the gargoyles into reach, or chips through 67 HP per gargoyle while taking the chip damage. They have Int 6 and Chaotic Evil alignment, so they don't surrender, but they will flee if half their group drops, retreating up to high ground to wait for easier prey.

Have one of them hold still on its perch through the first two rounds of the fight. Players should always wonder if the next statue is also moving. The unease compounds across the dungeon.