Phalanx

[jackhaydock]

Swarm like creature made up of hoplites

Ideas:

• Starts as gargantuan, becomes Huge if below 50% HP
• Phalanxes and Hoplites can merge into Phalanxes to heal them
• When reduced to 0, 1d4 hoplites spawn
• Resistances against ranged attacks/weapons and str/dex saves
• Can't be flanked
• Bonuses to perception
• Multiple tiers (maybe CR 5, 10, 15 or 6,10,14)
• High AC

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Phalanx (Tier II)

Gargantuan swarm of Medium Humanoids, Unaligned

Armor Class 20 (natural armour) Hit Points 198 (36d10) Speed 20ft

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	18 (+4)	TBD	TBD	18 (+4)	TBD

Saving Throws Str +10, Dex +8, Wis +8, Cha TBD Skills Athletics +10, Perception +8 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from ranged weapon attacks Condition Immunities charmed, flanked, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, prone, restrained Senses passive Perception 18 Languages any three languages (typically including common) Challenge 10

Traits

Strength in Numbers. While the phalanx has more than half its maximum hit points, it has advantage on all saving throws.

Swarm. The phalanx can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the phalanx can move through an opening as narrow as 2 feet wide.

TBD. The phalanx is immune to spells and magic effects that alter its size. While the phalanx has half its hit points or fewer, it becomes Huge. If it restores enough hit points to have more than half its maximum hit points, it becomes Gargantuan again.

Lines and Squares. The phalanx can use half its movement to alter the space it occupies. It can occupy a 20-foot square (or a 15-foot square if Huge) or it can occupy a 40-foot line that is 10 feet wide (or a 25-foot line if Huge). If the phalanx is in a line, it can rotate as part of its movement, or expend half its movement to rotate on the spot.

Merge. If the phalanx is missing hit points, a friendly creature within 5 feet that has the hoplite or phalanx tag can use an action to merge with the phalanx, destroying itself and restoring hit points to the phalanx. If the creature is another phalanx it restores a number of hit points equal to its current hit points. If the creature is a hoplite, it restores a number of d4s to the phalanx equal to the hoplite's CR.

Scatter. When the phalanx is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and up to 1d4+1 creatures with the hoplite tag appear with half their maximum hit points. The DM decides the creatures but their combined CR cannot be greater than CR of the phalanx that spawned them. The creatures act on the same initiative as the original phalanx.

Actions

Multiattack. The phalanx makes three Pike attacks.

Pike. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) piercing damage or 17 (2d10 +6) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

Reactions

Pike Wall. When a creature moves into the reach of the phalax's Pike attack, the phalanx can use a reaction to make a Pike attack against that creature. If the creature is Large or larger, the phalanx has advantage on this attack.

Phalanxes of Cyranos

If a phalanx belongs to a particular faction within The Sea of Cyranos, it may gain an additional trait as described below:

• Amazons. TBD
• City of Vrakos. TBD (better squeezing?)
• Empire of Arkys. Provided it is not surprised, the phalanx gains 20 temporary hit points when it rolls initiative. In addition, the phalanx deals an additional 1d10 damage with its Pike attack.
• Kingdom of Emeris. TBD (swamp bonuses, swim speed, poison?)
• Republic of Nyria. The phalanx knows a cantrip from the wizard spell list that has a casting time of 1 action. When the phalanx uses its Multiattack, it can replace one attack with the cantrip. Wisdom is the phalanx's spellcasting ability for this cantrip.
• Sons of Ares. TBD
• Queendom of Rubin. TBD (higher quality armour?, swim speed?)
• Greycapes of Trenin. tbd (some cunning action style trait)
• Bluecapes of Trenin. Familiar with raiding homes, the phalanx has advantage on ability checks and attack rolls made to break trhough doors, damage wooden objects or to grapple humanoid creatures.
• Ormux. When the phanlanx uses its Multiattack, it can replace one of the attacks with a breath weapon attack in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC x Dexterity saving throw or take 2d10 damage of one of the following types; acid, cold, fire, lightning or poison. A creature takes half as much damage on a successful save.

Other faction Ideas:

• Bluecapes/Greycapes of Trenin
• Clan Dakestus
• Oceanid
• No Faction (generic bonus trait)
• Celestials/Undead
• Gailum Tribes
• Ormux (breath weapon)

[jackhaydock]

Maybe make a few statblocks with a hoplite tag, any friendly creature with the tag can merge with the phalanx to heal it