Steel Knight (5e Creature)
Steel Knight[edit]
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Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 19 (half plate, shield)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +7, Int +8 Adaptive Fighting. When a creature hits the knight with a weapon attack, it has disadvantage on further weapon attacks against the knight using the same weapon until the end of the current turn. Battle Instinct. The knight adds its Intelligence modifier to its initiative rolls. In addition, on initiative count 20 on the first round of combat, the knight and any number of friendly creatures within 30 feet of it can move up to half their speed (no action required). Commander of Constructs. Friendly constructs within 30 feet of the knight can use a +8 in place of their attack bonus. ACTIONSMultiattack. The knight makes three attacks with its warhammer. Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack, plus 7 (2d6) force damage. Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage. Repair. The knight touches a friendly construct it can see within 5 feet of it. The target regains 13 (2d8 + 4) hit points. Gadget (Recharge 5-6). The knight uses one of the below magical gadgets. Once a gadget is used, the knight can't use it again until it finishes a long rest. Arcane Surge. The knight throws a grenade at a point it can see within 150 feet of it, releasing a burst of pure energy in a 20-foot radius sphere centered on that point. Each construct in the area regains 35 (10d6) hit points. Each other creature in the area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) force damage on a failure and half as much damage on a success. Faerie Flares. The knight calls down a pillar of light in a 10-foot radius, 40-foot tall cylinder centered on a point it can see within 120 feet of it. Each creature in that pillar must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 31 (7d8) radiant damage and is outlined in light for 1 minute; while outlined in light, it sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius, attack rolls against it have advantage, and it can't benefit from being invisible. On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't outlined in light. Terror Gas. The knight sprays frightening gas in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, a creature is frightened and takes 14 (4d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. REACTIONSDeflect. The knight adds 4 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the knight must be able to see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon. If the attack misses, the attacker takes 6 (1d4 + 2) force damage. |
When inventors enter military service, they may emerge as steel knights. A knight is tactician, soldier, and leader. They lead legions of constructs into battle, turning even the weakest suits of animated armor into metal terrors. Much like any other artificer, they bring technological marvels into battle, but a steel knight tends toward weapons that allow it to fire indiscriminately into the fray. For example, traditional toxins have no effect on constructs, so a weapon that sprays poison into a field is an obvious pick. Steel knights are most common in militaries, where their minds and skills gain them easy rank and prestige. The nations and individuals who employ them often find their spending turned to mechanical production, creating more constructs for the knight's forces. A steel knight might also claim dominion over an ancient and devastating construct, granting them disproportionate power -- whether for good or for ill. Tactics. Where other inventors and artificers avoid combat, steel knights relish in it. As a rule, a steel knight is encountered alongside several constructs, commanding them to fight as appropriate. The knight itself opens with Terror Gas. It then joins the fray, using its Adaptive Fighting to tie up melee combatants. Since the knight is intelligent, it will use terrain and direct its constructs to focus on foes as necessary. And like other artificers, it will flee if most of its constructs are slain, using the last few to cover its escape. Variant: Alternate GadgetsFor more variety, consider switching out some of the knight's gadgets for the below options. These alternate gadgets have no effect on the knight's challenge rating. Mobile Minefield. The knight tosses up to four mines into unoccupied spaces on the ground it can see within 60 feet of it. Whenever a creature enters a space where a mine is hidden, it triggers the mine. Each creature in a 10-foot radius sphere centered on the mine must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a failed save and half as much damage on a success. At the start of each of the knight's turns, it can move each mine up to 5 feet to another unoccupied space. Protective Projector. The knight deploys a mechanical force projector in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it. While the projector is active, on initiative count 20 every round, each construct of the knight's choice within 15 feet of the projector gains 17 (5d6) temporary hit points. The projector can be attacked. It is an object with 15 AC, 30 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. When the projector is reduced to 0 hit points, any temporary hit points it granted are lost. Static Screech. The knight emits a high-pitched frequency. Each creature within 30 feet of the knight with an Intelligence score of 2 or greater that can hear it must make a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) psychic damage on a failure and half as much damage on a success. For 1 minute after a failed save, whenever a target makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration, it rolls a d6 and subtracts the number rolled from the result. A creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. |
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