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Blackguard

Challenge
Tags
str
16
dex
12
con
16
int
12
wis
14
cha
14

AC 18 (full plate)

HP 82 (11d8 + 33; bloodied 41)

Speed 30 ft.


Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 14

Saving Throws Str +6, Con +6, Wis +5

Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +5, Perception +5

Senses passive Perception 15

Languages any two


Aura of Anger. While the knight is conscious, allies within 10 feet gain a +2 bonus to melee weapon damage. A creature can benefit from only one Aura of Anger at a time.


ACTIONS

Multiattack. The knight attacks three times with their greatsword.

Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.

Lance (Mounted Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) piercing damage. If the knight moves at least 20 feet straight towards the target before the attack, they deal an extra 13 (2d12) piercing damage, and the target makes a DC 14 Strength saving throw , falling prone on a failure. This attack is made at disadvantage against targets within 5 feet.

Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage.

Vile Curse (1/Day). The knight utters hellish words that scald the soul. Living creatures of the knight’s choice within 30 feet that can hear and understand them are magically cursed for 1 minute. A d4 is subtracted from attack rolls and saving throws made by a cursed creature. A creature immune to the frightened condition is immune to this curse.

Description

Blackguards rule baronies and command undead and other sinister forces. Some are forsworn holy knights, while others are armored brutes who serve supernatural villains.

Encounters

CR 3–4 knight ; knight with 1d4 guards ; knight mounted on riding horse or warhorse

Treasure 200 gp

CR 5–10 2 or 3 knights ; knight with 1d10 + 10 guards ; knight with 1d4 soldiers , all on riding horses ; blackguard ; blackguard riding griffon , nightmare , warhorse , or winter wolf ; blackguard with 1d5 + 5 gnolls , soldiers , skeletons , or zombies ; holy knight ; holy knight mounted on warhorse

Treasure star ruby (1,000 gp), half of a broken gold locket (37 gp), adamantine plate armor (knight or holy knight) or sword of life stealing (blackguard)

CR 11–16 knight captain ; mountain dwarf lord ; 2 blackguards riding griffons , nightmares , or skeletal warhorses ; blackguard with 1d4 + 1 berserkers , gargoyles , ghasts , or ogres ; 2 holy knights mounted on hippogriffs or warhorses

Treasure 200 pp, local map with several village names circled, potion of greater healing , javelin of lightning , sun blade (knight captain or holy knight) or sword of wounding (blackguard)

CR 17–23 knight captain with 1 to 3 knights , mounted on warhorses ; knight captain with 1 or 2 holy knights ; 3 holy knights mounted on griffons or pegasi ; mountain dwarf lord with 2 mountain dwarf defenders and 1d5 + 5 mountain dwarf soldiers

Treasure 500 pp, 1,200 gp, gold and ruby necklace (7,500 gp), 2 potions of greater healing , 1 full plate armor , holy avenger (greatsword)

Monster Type Description

Humanoids include a number of different intelligent, language-using bipeds of Small or Medium size. Humans and elves are humanoids, and so are orcs and goblins. Humanoids may employ magic but are not fundamentally magical—a characteristic that distinguishes them from bipedal, language-using fey, fiends, and other monsters. Humanoids have no inherent alignment, meaning that no humanoid ancestry is naturally good or evil, lawful or chaotic.