Armanite (3.5e Monster)

''As the line of raised spears draws closer, your heart sinks with the realization that these new arrivals are not your allies. At first sight, they appear to be heavily armored centaurs, but as they lower the heads of their spears--each tipped with a ferocious, bloodstained point--and charge at you, you can see the malicious intent in their eyes, each ready to impale you without hesitation.''

"There’s only one rule of demonic strategy: If at first you don’t succeed, send in the armanites."

Armanites are demonic cavalry, the shock troops of their armies; when the hordes of manes, dretches, and rutterkin fail to take overtake the enemy (which occurs often, since they are sent in only to be slaughtered and whittle down the enemy numbers), the armanites finish off the opposition. Few things are more impressive (or, depending on who you are, frightening) than the charge of a brigade of steel-clad armanites.

An armanite resembles a centaur, with a heavily muscled humanoid torso topping the lower body and cloven hooves of a full-grown horse. This combination of traits makes them difficult to deal with in combat, since their expertise with mounted weapons surpasses that of most warriors trained in that arena. They are also deadly archers, allowing them to dominate every battlefield they come across.

Combat
Armanites rely heavily on their lances to win battles, but are highly adaptable and able to use their shortbows to great effect against enemies. Particularly large and vicious specimens are adapted by certain higher-level demons as mounts; the armanites highly disapprove of this treatment, which they see correctly as a means of humiliation and a reminder of their low status as mere combatants.

This DC is Strength-based.

 : An armanite radiates an aura of awe that curiously only affects the target of its charge. When an armanite charges, a creature must succeed at a Will save (DC 14) or be unable to take any reactionary actions against that particular charge attack. Any readied actions against that particular armanite’s charge are negated.

An armanite gains a +4 bonus to attack rolls when charging instead of the normal +2, while incurring only a -1 penalty to AC instead of -2. It also adds an additional 2d6 damage per Challenge Rating of the armanite (normally 8d6) to the attack; if the armanite is capable of making multiple attacks on a charge, this bonus damage is only applied to the first attack. This damage also cannot be multiplied by any means.

The target of the armanite’s charge attack is automatically affected by a greater dispel magic spell, with the armanite’s attack roll taking the place of the caster level check. Lastly, the armanite is able to move before and after an attack on a charge as though it possessed the Ride-By Attack feat.

Caster level 4th.

 : An armanite never has to make Constitution checks when making a forced march and may run endlessly without tiring. It also cannot be rendered fatigued or exhausted by any means.

 : Instead of charging with its lance, an armanite may also move through foes that are its size or smaller, forcing them to make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or be knocked prone and automatically take 1d8 damage per CR of the armanite (4d8 by default) as it is crushed by its hooves. This save DC is Strength-based.