FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 12" / 24"
HIT DICE: 6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: [SB]
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Impervious to fire
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: Variable - usually L
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: V | 375 + 6

Phantom stalkers are creatures from the Elemental Plane of Fire, and
are usually found on the Prime Material Plane only in the capacity of
servitors to high-level magic-users. They are conjured by the use of a
spell similar to the one for summoning an invisible stalker.

Phantom stalkers serve as body-guards, fighting to protect their
masters. A wizard must exercise great care in instructing one, for it
will follow the orders to the letter, perverting the intent if possible,
anxious for release back to its native plane.

There is one explicit instruction inherent in their conjuration. If the
summoner is killed, his phantom stalker(s) will instantly vanish, reappearing
1-4 hours later, intent on vengeance, having unerringly
tracked the summoner's slayer from the Ethereal Plane. Phantom
stalkers only gain this ethereal tracking ability upon the expiration of
their masters, and it disappears as soon as the summoner's slayer has
been tracked.

Phantom stalkers have the ability to polymorph themselves and have
been known to appear in various forms, but the most common is that
of a reddish, 8' tall humanoid with huge fiery eyes. They can fly, and
this ability is apparently unimpaired by whatever shape they assume
(though their manoeuvrability class will vary according to the shape).

Phantom stalkers normally attack with their sharp claws, each of
which can inflict 1-4 hit points of damage. They are invulnerable to
damage from fire, and magical fire attacks actually heal them 1 hit
point for each attack die. However, they save against cold at -2
and such attacks add 1 hit point of damage for each die. If a melee is
going against a phantom stalker and i t s death is imminent, it can cast
forth its life essence in one 6dice fireball, after which it dematerialises
and dies. They will sometimes simply explode the fireball
on themselves in order to harm as many foes as possible. This is only
done as a last resort and is never done if it would harm the phantom
stalker's summoner, unless the summoner is directly and immediately
responsible for the phantom stalker's demise (for example having
ordered it to engage in a hopelessly futile and suicidal battle).
 

by Ian Livingstone