These guys are sick.

Quote from Ac3d >>

I've always made my guards low CR but what really sets them apart is the ability to call more!

I usually add: 

Raise the Alarm! - If he/she is not in a secluded location a guard may use an action to raise the alarm. By shouting or ringing a bell the alarm brings an additional guard every 3 rounds, this effect stacks for every guard who raises the alarm.

I didn't see one in the homebrew, so I went ahead and made one with this addition -- the numbers are changed a bit (bonus action every 4 turns, 1d4-1 turns to show up), but the idea remains the same. This was a great idea and I'll definitely be using it! (It's called "towns guard" if anyone cares to use it)

My level one player character thought it was a good idea to take on 10 at once. I think you can guess the outcome.

"Bodyguards of merchants and nobles"
Remember this statblock is for basic, bottom-tier watchmen. A noble's bodyguards are going to be much more capable than these guys, something like a scout thug or veteran. Unless you're doing low level stuff.

thanks ima be using this

Quote from Ac3d >>

I've always made my guards low CR but what really sets them apart is the ability to call more!

I usually add: 

Raise the Alarm! - If he/she is not in a secluded location a guard may use an action to raise the alarm. By shouting or ringing a bell the alarm brings an additional guard every 3 rounds, this effect stacks for every guard who raises the alarm.

This makes them much more deadly as an organisation. As guards should be.

 Very interesting concept! Wizards of the coast should incorporate that.

I"m running a war campaign and I need large amounts of soldiers. So how would I decrease the stats En Masse? Like 1 guard=11hp but 100 guards=1100hp<-- TOO MUCH (my characters are young red dragons)

Thanks this will help w/ my side quest jail break      :)

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) 

If you want to be realistic the city/town would send as many guards as they can spare and lots of them should be on the scene ready for a fight to start. They’ve learnt that PC’s mean trouble 

Quote from STUV101 >>

Quote from masterwitchpoly >>

I don't see why you would need to do all this work. The basic evolution of the common man soldier.

Commoner --> Guard --> Veteran --> Champion ---> Warlord 

Then we have nobles.

Noble --> Knights

And of course the church.  

Acolyte --> Priest --> War Priest

 

1.) Because the vast gaps in challenge between statblocks like guards and a veterans is way to much. To put it in perspective: a party of 4 - 1st level PCs can handle a group of 4 guards at about a medium challenge; A party of 4 - 5th level PCs might actually lose a member or two against veterans with it being considered a deadly encounter (believe me, I've done this twice).

And on the flip side with hirelings: sometimes you don't want your party to have access to veterans and want a statblock somewhere between a guard and veteran (maybe like the soldier from GGTR) or healers that are more useful than acolyte, but not as combat heavy as a priest or war priest.

2.) Nobles are nothing like knights. Nobles are upper class elite, politicians, senators, etc. Their power comes from their coin and connections rather than their training, oaths, and loyalty.

 Knights are of noble heritage no soldier or veteran can become a knight.

Quote from RowanDm >>

love the Raise the alarm my players attacked a king and KAPOWIE 20 guards. (They were level 3's so it was SO EASY) 

 I’d say that veterans would be in between the king and the players and the players wouldn’t be allowed to see (unless the king is making a speech (from their balcony)) let alone get close to him.

Massing armies is extremely powerful that’s why dragons stay out of melee range, and use they’re breath weapon(s)

Quote from Barreina >>

I"m running a war campaign and I need large amounts of soldiers. So how would I decrease the stats En Masse? Like 1 guard=11hp but 100 guards=1100hp<-- TOO MUCH (my characters are young red dragons)

Quote from Barreina >>

I"m running a war campaign and I need large amounts of soldiers. So how would I decrease the stats En Masse? Like 1 guard=11hp but 100 guards=1100hp<-- TOO MUCH (my characters are young red dragons)

 Massing armies is extremely powerful that’s why dragons stay out of melee range, and use they’re breath weapon(s)

Thank you. so much!

This NPC stat block has always puzzled me. It's a really basic stat block and by all accounts to DnD's own metrics in the 2014 DMG, it should be 1/4 CR as written, not 1/8. I can maybe see the arguments on tweaking/sliding CRs on a lot of NPCs, but not this one, just because it's so simple/basic. CR Defense 1/4, Offense 1/4 = overall CR 1/4.

On another note, how I see guards realistically (yeah I know it's fantasy)... An average lower-rung, run of the mill guard in a city/town probably wouldn't have a shield or chain shirt. I look at these as more elite features, especially because that equipment is expensive (let's say VERY conservatively a gp=$25 to put it in modern day perspective. [Usually I consider closer to $50/gp]).  Based on that, a shield would cost $250 and a chain shirt would cost $1250. I'm ok with those prices (or even higher, considering $50/gp if you want.) With that being said, I see a low-level guard having leather and a javelin (cheaper) making him squarely a CR 1/8. The Guard stat block, as is, I would consider to be semi-elite.

Perhaps call the CR 1/8 version a Watchman or a Soldier or something and save the Guard NPC for a more limited use, like guarding, because having a chain shirt and shield definitely makes them elite compared to the masses of pleebs in even a small army which could never afford (even a ridiculously rich small army--unless it was all self-funded mercs maybe) to equip that well. Too many DMs are too ready to make everything in the society deluxe and expensive and everyone rich (even the "poor" lol!) Remember just having a good shield or a chain shirt would already make one fairly elite.

Perhaps add the spear and a shield for a group leader (CR 1/4), maybe even a few more HP or whatever. Those 2 types (the CR 1/8 and the CR 1/4) whatever you want to call them, would take up an overwhelming majority of an army or a city's larger group of guards. Bump it to chain shirt for the next tier after that or something, but I would consider this NPC type somewhat well-to-do by their society's standards (with most people in the poor category.)

PLiz reply how to be a good dm plz

Quote from stello12stello >>

PLiz reply how to be a good dm plz

 no

Don't be afraid to kill off characters but don't try to either. Keep it together and don't break down tears(Like I almost did) If they take on a challenge that is way above their level warn them that it is a high level encounter. Also look on youtube. TheDMlair is a really good one. Work with the players to help them have fun but make sure you are having fun too. Also I find it helpful to as a player in another group. I am a player in two groups and seeing how the dm responds is helpful and helps me see how I can improve. Like for instance one dm I know is absolutely paranoid of players metagaming and has banned several races to the point that I can't play the races I enjoy most(like 2014 dragonborn which aren't that powerful to begin with. And keep some spare character sheets so that if a pc dies they can pick one quick or just make their own later. That way if they want to join back in quickly they can, or they want to be done for the sess they can.

Don't be afraid to kill off characters but don't try to either. Keep it together and don't break down tears(Like I almost did) If they take on a challenge that is way above their level warn them that it is a high level encounter. Also look on youtube. TheDMlair is a really good one. Work with the players to help them have fun but make sure you are having fun too. Also I find it helpful to as a player in another group. I am a player in two groups and seeing how the dm responds is helpful and helps me see how I can improve. Like for instance one dm I know is absolutely paranoid of players metagaming and has banned several races to the point that I can't play the races I enjoy most(like 2014 dragonborn which aren't that powerful to begin with. And keep some spare character sheets so that if a pc dies they can pick one quick or just make their own later. That way if they want to join back in quickly they can, or they want to be done for the sess they can.