Knight Captain¶
Medium humanoid, any lawful alignment
Armor Class 20 (plate armor, shield) Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48) Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 11 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws Str +7, Con +6, Wis +5 Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +6, Perception +5, Persuasion +6 Senses passive Perception 15 Languages Common plus one Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Brave. The Knight Captain has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Command Presence. Allied creatures within 30 feet of the Knight Captain that can see or hear him have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Sworn Cause (3/Day). When the Knight Captain hits a creature with a melee weapon attack, he may add 10 radiant damage to the hit.
Actions¶
Multiattack. The Knight Captain makes three attacks with his longsword.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) if used with two hands.
Command (Recharge 5-6). The Knight Captain picks up to three allied creatures he can see within 30 feet who can hear him. Each may immediately use its reaction to make one melee weapon attack.
Reactions¶
Parry. When the Knight Captain is hit by a melee attack he can see the attacker, he adds 2 to his AC against that attack.
Description¶
The Knight Captain leads an elite order of knights — a royal guard, a knightly household, or a chartered chivalric order. He is the veteran warrior plus leader: cold in battle, warm at the table with his men, merciless to those who threaten his charge.
Design notes¶
Fills the CR 6 slot in the Military axis above Knight (SRD, CR 3) and below Marshal (new, CR 10). Sits outside the main four-tier axis ladder as a City Guard thematic variant per Faction Generation/Stat Blocks Needed.md, but useful anywhere an elite knight order leader is needed (household guard captain, chapter master of a knightly order, king's champion).
Design targets: leadership plus combat. Command Presence widens the fear-save aura from Sergeant's 10 feet to 30 feet — the Knight Captain's presence steadies a whole line, not a single squad. Sworn Cause is the oath-style smite for burst damage: three uses per day, 10 radiant per hit, aligns with a paladin-flavored knight's ability to end a fight decisively without spellcasting. Command as an action lets him activate three knights mid-fight, doubling the squad's damage on his turn.
Parry preserved from SRD Knight, tuned slightly weaker than Veteran's +3. At AC 20 plus Parry, the Knight Captain is durable against single attackers, which fits the "hold the line" role.
Damage per round: three longsword attacks (~25 average) plus Sworn Cause on one or more hits (~10 tacked on). With Command adjacent to allies, the round's damage compounds through the squad. CR 6 range.