AC 15 (chain shirt)
HP 22 (5d8; bloodied 11)
Speed 30 ft., 50 ft. when mounted.
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 14
Skills Animal Handling +3, Acrobatics+4
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Elven plus any one
Armored Warhorse. The pistoleer’s mount has AC 14 (chain armor), but otherwise uses the statistics of standard warhorse (see Appendix A: Beasts and Creatures of Monstrous Menagerie).
Combat Maneuvers (4 exertion/Rest). The pistoleer can spend exertion to activate the following combat maneuvers:
Cavalier stance (1st), riding leap (1st)
Loading Weapon. A pistol must be loaded before it can be used. The pistoleer can only make one attack with a single pistol when they use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, even if they can normally make more attacks, unless they have another loaded pistol. A pistoleer can’t load their pistols while mounted in combat.
ACTIONS
Pistol (4/Rest). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage.
Saber. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage (mounted) or 6 (d8 + 2) slashing damage (unmounted).
BONUS ACTIONS
Cavalier Stance (1 exertion). Once activated, this combat stance remains active until the pistoleer is knocked unconscious , stunned , begins a long rest , or chooses to end it on their turn. While they are mounted, the pistoleer’s mount’s Armor Class increases by +1.
Riding Leap (1 exertion). The squad’s movement this turn does not provoke opportunity attacks. In addition, as long as they are mounted and move at least 30 feet in a straight line first, the squad’s mounts can jump further and higher than usual. The height of the jump increases by a number of feet equal to their proficiency bonus (+3) and the distance of the jump increases by a number of feet equal to twice their proficiency bonus (+6).
Skilled in the Saddle. Mounted pistoleers are an obvious evolution of what happens when tacticians counter the short range and slow loading speed of pistols with the speed and maneuverability of horses and other mounts. Even so, such positions are highly dangerous even to trained combatants, and only those with above-average dexterity, riding skill, and bravery are chosen for their ranks.
Combat
The pistoleer carries four loaded pistols. They use their mount to Dash to within close pistol range (20 feet) of their target, fire at unarmoured or lightly armored targets and, then move as far away as possible whilst maintaining line of sight. When they have used all their shots, they will either retreat from the battlefield or if they notice a bloodied target they will have their mount disengage and move to attack the target and then move away. If reduced to 5 hit points they will have their mount Dash away. If unseated, the pistoleer prioritizes remounting and escaping.
CR 0–2 1 or 2 mounted pistoleers ; mounted pistoleer with 1d4 guards ; mounted pistoleer with soldier
Treasure 70 gp, 400 sp, gold ring (25 gp)
CR 3–4 3 or 4 mounted pistoleers ; 2 mounted pistoleers with 1d4 + 4 guards ; 2 mounted pistoleers with apprentice mage , scout , or soldier
Treasure 200 gp, 50 ep, 300 sp, glass eye (25 gp), letter of commendation, masterwork pistol
CR 5–10 5 mounted pistoleers , mounted pistoleer squad ; 3 or 4 mounted pistoleers with 2d4 soldiers , mounted pistoleer squad with 2d4 guards ; mounted pistoleer squad with 3-4 mounted pistoleers , mounted pistoleer squad with 4 + d4 soldiers
Treasure 800 gp, 5 amulets (75 gp each), squad banner
CR 11–16 mounted pistoleer squad with 3-4 mounted pistoleers and 3 + d4 soldiers , 2 mounted pistoleer squads , mounted pistoleer squad with 2d4 veterans , 2–3 mounted pistoleer squads
Treasure 500 pp, 290 pp, gold-hilted sword worth 250 gp, silver jeweled torc worth 250 gp, emerald necklace worth 250 gp, small ivory statuette worth 250 gp
Humanoids include a number of different intelligent, language-using bipeds of Small or Medium size. Humans and elves are humanoids, and so are orcs and goblins. Humanoids may employ magic but are not fundamentally magical—a characteristic that distinguishes them from bipedal, language-using fey, fiends, and other monsters. Humanoids have no inherent alignment, meaning that no humanoid ancestry is naturally good or evil, lawful or chaotic.