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PFS StandardCaligni Vanguard

Caligni children born without eyes—an extremely rare occurrence—are considered sacred to their communities. From a young age, they're set aside and groomed to become caligni vanguards, dedicated to rigorous martial training and mental strictures. Other calignis revere vanguards' discipline and combat skill, but wary caution always tinges such respect, as they often have inscrutable motives. Vanguards almost never rebel against their duties or their established role in the community; some claim that those who do are taken by the owbs.

A vanguard's armor is fused to their body in pieces, and they rarely remove those elements that aren't. This armor plating and vanguards' keen sense of hearing render them particularly sensitive to sonic vibrations, which serves as both an asset and a vulnerability.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 25
Unspecific Lore: DC 23
Specific Lore: DC 20

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.
NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Elite Caligni VanguardCreature 6

Legacy Content

Rare LE Medium Caligni Humanoid 
Source Bestiary 3 pg. 40
Perception +15; echolocation 60 feet, no vision
Languages Caligni, Undercommon
Skills Athletics +16, Stealth +10
Str +5, Dex -1, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +4, Cha +1
Echolocation A caligni vanguard can use their hearing as a precise sense at the listed range.
Items composite longbow (40 arrows), full plate (see death blaze), greatsword
AC 26; Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +13
HP 70; Immunities visual; Resistances slashing 5; Weaknesses sonic 5
Attack of Opportunity [reaction] Death Blaze When the vanguard dies, their body combusts in a blaze of fire and armor shrapnel. All creatures within a 10-foot emanation take 3d6 fire damage and 3d6 piercing damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save). The vanguard's armor is destroyed in the blaze, but their other gear is unaffected and left in a pile where they died.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] greatsword +18 [+13/+8] (versatile P), Damage 1d12+2+8 slashingRanged [one-action] composite longbow +12 [+7/+2] (deadly d10, range increment 100 feet, volley), Damage 1d8+2+5 piercingCall to Arms [one-action] (auditory, mental) Each caligni within 30 feet of the vanguard gains the Attack of Opportunity reaction until the end of the vanguard's next turn. Once a caligni has used this Attack of Opportunity, that caligni is temporarily immune to the same vanguard's Call to Arms for 10 minutes.Shadowed Blade [two-actions] (darkness) The vanguard makes a melee Strike, channeling shadowy essence into their weapon or unarmed attack to envelop the target. If the Strike hits, the target must succeed at a DC 21 Fortitude save or become blinded until the end of its next turn.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Vanguard Training

As soon as a caligni vanguard is old enough to hold a weapon, they're immersed in an intensive training regimen that emphasizes austerity, asceticism, and heavy armor prowess. Though initially painful, the fusion of their armor to their bodies serves as a reminder of their responsibilities, and they eventually grow accustomed to the sensation.

All Monsters in "Caligni"

NameLevel
Caligni Assassin8
Caligni Caller6
Caligni Creeper2
Caligni Dancer1
Caligni Slayer3
Caligni Stalker4
Caligni Vanguard5

Caligni

Source Bestiary pg. 50
Calignis lurk in subterranean cities, creeping to the surface to steal, stalk, or make mischief. Each caligni serves in a specific role and grows into a specific form as determined by supernatural traditions and influences in caligni society. Regardless of their size or role, all calignis are gaunt, with pale flesh and white eyes. Some surface dwellers call the caligni “dark folk,” a term they dislike because it doesn’t reflect either their appearance or character, only their environment.

Each individual in caligni society serves a specific role. At times, certain roles so rarely find suitable candidates that a community might only see a few individuals fill them in an entire generation.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Caligni Faiths

Some calignis have abandoned their traditional faith in favor of more active deities; evil individuals favor Norgorber or Zon-Kuthon, while the less malevolent might follow Nocticula or Pharasma. Perhaps unexpectedly, Desna also has a small caligni following, particularly among those who frequently travel.

Sidebar - Treasure and Rewards Caligni Treasure

Many calignis hide shiny baubles and trinkets beneath their dark rags, keeping them out of sight of their greedy kin. They also keep several doses of black smear poison on hand to incapacitate foes.

Sidebar - Additional Lore The Caligni Legacy

The calignis are descendants of humans who, millennia ago, fled underground to escape a devastating cataclysm and begged malevolent, shadowy demigods known only as the Forsaken for salvation. The Forsaken warped the refugees into tough survivors, but at a price: every caligni that dies combusts in a burst of energy that provides a scrap of soul energy to the Forsaken. The greatest irony of the caligni's bargain is that the Forsaken themselves mysteriously vanished long ago and no longer answer pleas or prayers. Today, caligni still burst into light upon death, but their soul energy no longer feeds a mysterious pantheon of shadowy divinities.