With spear and shield, long hafted axe, or even just a single sword, lancers rush across the field of battle, striking down foes with nearby allies in eager formation. When away from other lancers, they’re often seen as loners on the battlefield as they rush and strike and feint and retreat. So renowned are they, that their name describes a role in tales of the protagonist who seeks to lead and bucks authority.
Lancer characters are more than just running around a battlefield with a polearm, even if that’s viewed as their primary mechanical distinction. They’re also focused, devoted, and curious. The reason they often buck against authority in literature and media is definitely something to explore.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Maneuvers Known |
Maneuver Degree |
Technical Knacks |
Haft Strike |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Haft Strike, One With the Spear, Sanguine Knot | 2 | 1st | — | 1d4 |
| 2nd | +2 | Martial Traditions, Technical Knacks | 2 | 1st | 1 | 1d4 |
| 3rd | +2 | Fighting Style, Freelancer | 3 | 2nd | 1 | 1d4 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Increase, Field Studies | 3 | 2nd | 2 | 1d6 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 4 | 2nd | 2 | 1d6 |
| 6th | +3 | Flashing Steel, Lancer’s Leap | 4 | 2nd | 3 | 1d6 |
| 7th | +3 | Wind’s Ally | 5 | 3rd | 3 | 1d6 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Increase, Legendary Lancer | 5 | 3rd | 4 | 1d8 |
As a Lancer you gain the following class features.
Hit Dice: 1d8 per lancer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per lancer level after 1st
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, Lance, Net
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Perception, and Stealth
You begin the game with 140 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose an equipment package from the adept or rogue class. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
You are at one with spears, polearms, axes, and versatile weapons of all kinds. You may treat any glaive, halberd, pike, scythe, spear, trident, or weapon with the Versatile property as though it also has the Parrying property in addition to any other property it possesses.
In addition, your movement rate increases by 10ft so long as you are not wearing heavy armor, encumbered by weight, or carrying a bulky item other than a polearm.
While wielding a weapon which benefits from one with the spear and using no other weapons you may make off-hand attacks with the haft or pommel of your weapon. Doing so follows all the normal rules of dualwielding, but allows you to apply any magical bonuses from the weapon to your haft strike.
This damage begins at 1d4, but increases as you gain levels in the Lancer motif, growing to 1d6 at level 4 and 1d8 at level 8.
The damage of your haft strike is bludgeoning.
Also at level 1, you gain access to a pool of exertion equal to twice your proficiency bonus and the Sanguine Knot combat tradition. You gain two maneuvers at level 1 and additional maneuvers at levels 3, 5, and 7. Whenever you gain a level you may choose to replace a maneuver you know with a maneuver of a degree equal to or lower than the degree you are replacing.
At 2nd level, and again at 4th and 8th level, you learn a martial tradition of your choice.
Also at 2nd level you gain access to your first Technical Knack. This feature allows you to take Techniques from the Adept class or Soldiering Knacks from the Fighter Class. You gain additional technical knacks at 4th, 6th, and 8th level.
At 3rd level you gain access to a fighting style chosen from the following list:
Also at 3rd level you begin tapping into the reputations that lancers have in a given region. As a result, choose one of the following options to represent your social impact.
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
At 4th level your knowledge increases based on topics you’ve learned in your adventures. Choose from the following options:
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Flashing Steel
At 6th level your reputation has begun to flourish for its own sake, and you may choose one of the following options to represent how it has grown. In addition, your maneuver DC increases by 1.
Also at 6th level you may perform the Lancer’s Leap, a special combat maneuver that only lancers gain. This maneuver does not count against your maneuvers known, and can be used with any other maneuver. Once you have used the Lancer’s Leap you must complete a short or long rest before using it again. If you spend 3 exertion points before a short or long rest, the use of this ability recharges.
Lancer action
With the force of a thunderbolt you strike your target from above. When you glide, ride, leap, fall, or fly during your turn, you deal additional damage to the target of this attack equal to one haft die per 10ft of movement you take before making the attack.
At 7th level your movement when leaping is no longer limited by your movement rate.
At 8th level your reputation as a lancer has reached its pinnacle but your reputation can only grow from here. You gain a +1 bonus to your renown, 2 additional exertion, and you may choose one of the following options.
Multiclassing into lancer grants the following proficiencies: medium armor, shields, and lances.
If you multiclass into adept, you may add together your lancer and adept levels for the purposes of determining how much extra exertion you gain as an adept.
If you multiclass into fighter you may add your lancer and fighter levels together to determine how many combat traditions and maneuvers you gain.