{{DungeonsDLC|Hidden Depths}}
{{Infobox Dungeons entity
|title=Ancient Guardian
|image=Ancient Guardian.png
|imagesize=280px
|behavior=Hostile
|classification=[[MCD:Aquatic|Aquatic]] [[MCD:Boss|Boss]]|spawn={{MCD|Abyssal Monument}}}}

The '''ancient guardian''' is a [[MCD:Guardian|guardian]] [[MCD:Boss|boss]] found at the end of the {{MCD|Abyssal Monument}} {{MCD|mission}} of ''[[Minecraft Dungeons]]'', serving as the boss of the {{MCD|Hidden Depths}} [[MCD:Downloadable Content|DLC]]. 

== Lore ==
{{SpoilerWarning|section|''[[Minecraft Dungeons]]''}}
The ancient guardian, as its name implies, is the [[MCD:Elder Guardian|oldest guardian]] of the [[MCD:Abyssal Monument|ocean monument]]. After the [[MCD:Obsidian Pinnacle|shattering of the Orb of Dominance]], one of its [[MCD:Orb of Dominance|shards]] landed within the [[MCD:Hidden Depths|hidden depths]], corrupting the ancient guardian.

With its newfound power, the ancient guardian was emboldened and empowered, turning from a brilliant white to a corrosive purple. The shard of the {{MCD|Orb of Dominance}} attempted to use it to spread its corruption, but it was bested by heroes journeying the ocean's depths.

== Spawning ==
* {{DuLevelLink|Abyssal Monument}} ([[MCD:Boss|Boss]])
* {{DuLevelLink|Tower}} ([[MCD:Boss|Boss]])

In the {{MCD|Abyssal Monument}}, the ancient guardian has a unique spawning cinematic where it breaks through a wall in the structure.

== Behavior ==
When the hero reaches the arena, the ancient guardian enters by bursting through a wall. After taking notable damage, it can swim away from the arena to avoid further damage. In addition, it has five attacks:

;'''Spike attack'''
The ancient guardian can attack nearby heroes or summons by piercing them with its spikes, which creates a high-damage shockwave.

;'''Spike protection'''
The ancient guardian sometimes pops out its spikes as a means of defense. Attacking it with a melee weapon results in the attacker taking some damage back in a similar manner to the Thorns enchantment.

;'''Laser attack'''
The ancient guardian is capable of firing a yellow beam at its target, which behaves the same way as its weaker [[MCD:Elder Guardian|counter]] [[MCD:Guardian|parts]] but deals more damage. After doing this attack, the ancient guardian retracts its spikes, and can be attacked without suffering thorns damage.

;'''Summon minions'''
The ancient guardian can summon guardians to assist itself during battle. It usually summons about three guardians near a hero, but this attack sometimes spawns an elder guardian instead. It cannot spawn anymore elder guardians if there is already one alive.

'''Summon biomines'''

The ancient guardian spawns 3-5 biomines that explode shortly afterward, although it cancels this attack after becoming sufficiently damaged. When the biomines explode, they leave behind a temporary poison cloud that deals continuous damage to nearby heroes or summons. See biomine below.

== Biomine ==
{{Infobox Dungeons entity
|title=Biomine
|image=Biomine.png
|imagesize=280px
|behavior=Hostile
}}

A '''biomine''' is a type of guardian-shaped mob that the ancient guardian summons every so often when coming back into the arena.

=== Behavior ===
When summoned, biomines explode shortly afterward, though it cancels this attack after becoming sufficiently damaged. When the biomines explode, they leave behind a temporary poison cloud that deals continuous damage to nearby heroes or summons.
{{clear}}
== Fake ancient guardian ==
{{Infobox Dungeons entity
|title=Fake Ancient Guardian
|image=Fake Ancient Guardian.png
|imagesize=280px
|health=1|spawn=Summoned by the Ancient Guardian|classification=Aquatic}}

A '''fake ancient guardian''' is the version of the [[MCD:Boss|boss]] that is seen before the boss fight.

=== Spawning ===
* {{DuLevelLink|Abyssal Monument}}

=== Behavior ===
Attacking the fake ancient guardian eventually results in it disappearing and dropping an item from the Abyssal Monument loot table.
{{clear}}

== Drops ==
{{Main|MCD:Drops#Abyssal Monument}}
; [[MCD:Armor|Armor]]
* {{DuItemLink|Battle Robe}}
** {{DuItemLink|Splendid Robe}}
* {{DuItemLink|Squid Armor}}
** {{DuItemLink|Glow Squid Armor}}

; [[MCD:Artifact|Artifacts]]
* {{DuItemLink|Eye of the Guardian}}
* {{DuItemLink|Gong of Weakening}}
* {{DuItemLink|Harpoon Quiver}}
* {{DuItemLink|Satchel of Snacks}}

; [[MCD:Weapon#Melee weapons|Melee weapons]]
* {{DuItemLink|Anchor}}
** {{DuItemLink|Encrusted Anchor}}
* {{DuItemLink|Great Hammer}}
** {{DuItemLink|Hammer of Gravity}}
** {{DuItemLink|Stormlander}}
* {{DuItemLink|Soul Scythe}}
** {{DuItemLink|Frost Scythe}}
** {{DuItemLink|Jailor's Scythe}}

; [[MCD:Weapon#Ranged weapons|Ranged weapons]]
* {{DuItemLink|Bubble Bow}}
** {{DuItemLink|Bubble Burster}}
* {{DuItemLink|Dual Crossbows}}
** {{DuItemLink|Baby Crossbows}}
** {{DuItemLink|Spellbound Crossbows}}
* {{DuItemLink|Harpoon Crossbow}}
** {{DuItemLink|Nautical Crossbow}}

== Sounds ==
=== Music ===
{{SoundTable
| type = dungeons
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_bgm_mob_abmoBossLoop-001.ogg
|id=D5_bgm_mob_abmoBossLoop-001
|description=Ancient Guardian theme loop
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_bgm_mob_abmoBossEnd-001.ogg
|id=D5_bgm_mob_abmoBossEnd-001
|description=Ancient Guardian theme end
}}
}}

=== Ancient guardian ===
{{SoundTable
| type = dungeons
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianWallIntro.ogg
|description=Wall intro
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianShadow.ogg
|description=Shadow
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianDeath.ogg
|description=Death
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianHurt-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianHurt-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianHurt-003.ogg
|sound4=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianHurt-004.ogg
|description=Hurt
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianIdle-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianIdle-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianIdle-003.ogg
|sound4=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianIdle-004.ogg
|description=Idle
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianLaserActivate-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianLaserActivate-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianLaserActivate-003.ogg
|description=Laser activate
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianLaserCharge-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianLaserCharge-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianLaserCharge-003.ogg
|description=Laser charge
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianLaserLoop.ogg
|description=Laser loop
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianShowSpikes-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianShowSpikes-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianShowSpikes-003.ogg
|description=Show spikes
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpikeAttack-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpikeAttack-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpikeAttack-003.ogg
|description=Spike attack
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpawnMines-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpawnMines-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpawnMines-003.ogg
|description=Spawn mines
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpawnMinesAnim-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpawnMinesAnim-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSpawnMinesAnim-003.ogg
|description=Spawn mines (animation)
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianMineTrigger-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianMineTrigger-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianMineTrigger-003.ogg
|description=Mine trigger
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianMineDisarm-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianMineDisarm-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianMineDisarm-003.ogg
|description=Mine disarm
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianStun-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianStun-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianStun-003.ogg
|description=Stun
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSummonMinions-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSummonMinions-002.ogg
|description=Summon guardians
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_OceansArenaBossSound.ogg
|description=Oceans Arena boss sound
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_OceansArenaSplash-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_OceansArenaSplash-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_OceansArenaSplash-003.ogg
|sound4=D5_sfx_mob_OceansArenaSplash-004.ogg
|description=Oceans Arena splash
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_OceansArenaLaserBubbles.ogg
|description=Oceans Arena laser bubbles
|type=dungeons}}
| {{SoundLine
|sound=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSwim-001.ogg
|sound2=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSwim-002.ogg
|sound3=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSwim-003.ogg
|sound4=D5_sfx_mob_theAncientGuardianSwim-004.ogg
|description=Swim
}}
}}

== History ==
{{HistoryTable
|{{HistoryLine|dungeons}}
|{{HistoryLine||May 12, 2021|link={{Tweet|dungeonsgame|1392494783113871366}}|In a Twitter post, the developers referred to the ancient guardian as being the “corrupted master” of the other guardians and elder guardians...<ref>{{Tweet|dungeonsgame|1392494783113871366|Cycloptic beauties, laser-wielding menaces and fierce protectors of their corrupted master: guardians and elder guardians don’t take kindly to land-dwelling intruders… That means you!}}</ref>}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.9.1.0|Added the ancient guardian, the fake ancient guardian, and biomines.}}
}}

== Issues ==
{{Issue list}}

== Gallery ==
=== Textures ===
<gallery class="pixel-image">
T AncientGuardian.png|The ancient guardian's in-game texture file.
File:T AncientGuardian-S.png|The ancient guardian's in-game shadow texture file.
</gallery>
<gallery>
File:T Biomine.png|The texture file of the biomine.
File:T Biomine E.png|The shadow texture file of the biomine.
</gallery>

=== Screenshots ===
<gallery>
Ancient Guardian Intro Cutscene.gif|The ancient guardian's boss fight intro cutscene.
Ben-exell-boss.jpg|The ancient guardian seen in it's arena in the [[MCD:Abyssal Monument|Abyssal Monument]].
</gallery>

=== Development images ===
<gallery>
Ben-exell-ancient-guardien.jpg|A render of the ancient guardian.
</gallery>

=== Concept artwork ===
<gallery>
Ancient Guardian sketch 4.png|4th sketch of the ancient guardian.
Ancient Guardian concept art.png|Concept art of the ancient guardian.
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Navigation ==
{{Navbox Dungeons entities}}

[[Category:Minecraft Dungeons boss mobs]]
[[Category:Minecraft Dungeons aquatic mobs]]

[[zh:MCD:上古守卫者]]
[[Category:Monster characters]]
[[Category:Villains]]
