Dwarf, Pike Guard

Medium humanoid (dwarf), lawful neutral

Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
Hit Points 30 (4d8 + 12)
Speed 25 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 9 (–1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 9 (–1)

Skills Intimidation +1, Perception +3
Damage Resistances poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Dwarvish
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Forest of Pikes. If a pike guard is within 5 feet of at least one pike guard or pike guard captain, it has half cover against ranged attacks.

ACTIONS

  • Pike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage.

REACTIONS

  • Brace Pike. When a creature enters the pike guard’s reach, the pike guard can brace its pike. If it does so, it has advantage on its next attack roll against that creature.

ABOUT

A heavily armored dwarf braces himself on one knee. A massive pike juts out ahead of him, warding off any who dare approach.

Anchoring the dwarven battle line, protecting besieged tunnels, and guarding its largest garrisons are the pike guards. Pike guards are dwarves armed with pikes, swathed in chain, and trained extensively in formation fighting. While not veterans, a mass of pike guards is a threat far greater than the sum of its parts. Massed pikes turn away arrows and spells as effectively as any shield, while their officers can inspire a unit to hold against even the most horrific adversary.

Stationary Guardians. A pike guard is trained to fight a defensive engagement, one where its slow speed and lack of ranged weapons doesn’t work against it. When in battle, units of pike guards require support against ranged attackers or risk being picked apart by distant foes.

Veteran Officers. A pike guard formation is held together by a pike guard captain, a veteran dwarf who’s survived untold battles over its long life. Such captains are key to their units, as they can ensure their subordinates focus their blows and don’t rout. However, this can make a unit of pike guards fragile if its captain is killed.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts 3 © 2022 Open Design LLC; Authors: Eytan Bernstein, Celeste Conowitch, Benjamin L. Eastman, Robert Fairbanks, Scott Gable, Basheer Ghouse, Richard Green, Jeremy Hochhalter, Jeff Lee, Christopher Lockey, Sarah Madsen, Ben Mcfarland, Jonathan Miley, Kelly Pawlik, Sebastian Rombach, Chelsea Steverson, Brian Suskind, Mike Welham

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