Cetshwayo
axe-and-gauntlet veteran of the rhino-brute Battle Borta
Cetshwayo — The Encounter
axe-and-gauntlet veteran of the rhino-brute Battle Borta · a boss your table can run with almost no prep. SRD 5.1-compatible.
Who Is Cetshwayo
Cetshwayo is the backbone of the Battle Borta, the seasoned brute every other member measures himself against. He has marched in more of the warband's contracts than any save Mwanga, and his scarred plate has turned aside blows that felled younger rhinokin. He fights without flourish—axe high, gauntlet low—and absorbs punishment that would break the line elsewhere, freeing brutes like Tutu and Samori to swing without watching their flanks. The warband forms up around Cetshwayo as much as around the banner; where he holds, the others believe they can hold too. He asks for no glory, only a place in the wall.
Run Cetshwayo in Sixty Seconds
- He's the wall then plant Cetshwayo in the front rank so the warband forms up behind him.
- First hit is softened then trust Battle-Hardened to shave 5 off the opening blow each turn.
- Charge to shove then open with Goring Charge to push a foe out of formation.
- Outlast, don't out-hit then keep him trading steadily while Tutu and Samori do the reaping.
Cetshwayo
Medium humanoid (rhinokin), neutral
CR 6 · 2,300 XP · GUIDELINEBattle-Hardened. Cetshwayo has advantage on saving throws against being poisoned and frightened, and the first time each turn he takes damage, it is reduced by 5.
Goring Charge. If Cetshwayo moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and hits it with a Horn attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage and is pushed 5 feet back.
Actions
Multiattack. Cetshwayo makes one War Axe attack and one Gauntlet attack.
War Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+4) slashing damage.
Gauntlet. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage.
A solidly armored rhino-brute shouldering a broad war-axe, an armored fist held ready at his side.
Guideline numbers — formula-tuned and read from the miniature's design, not yet table-proven. Tell us how it ran in the comments.
How It Fights — by Tier
Same creature, scaled threat. The traits never change; only the numbers move.
Put Cetshwayo in the front rank to soak hits; Battle-Hardened blunts the first blow each turn. Open with Goring Charge to push a foe back and let the warband form a wall behind him.
Anchor the front and let the damage reduction keep him standing while Tutu and Samori swing freely behind him. Use Goring Charge to shove a key foe out of position, then settle in and trade blows steadily—Cetshwayo wins by outlasting, not out-hitting.
Run Cetshwayo as the warband's steadfast wall, never solo. Hold the center beside Mwanga, blunt incoming damage each turn, and let the heavier hitters reap while he refuses to fall.
Put Cetshwayo on the table
Download the presupported STL and run the fight tonight — the model, and the encounter that comes with it.
Get the STL on MyMiniFactory →Clay Cyanide Companion Rules v1
How a bound creature acts
- A companion acts on its owner's initiative, immediately after the owner.
- It uses the Companion block above — roughly ×0.6 HP and damage, no recharge abilities, and at most one reaction trait.
- It moves freely; it takes its Action only while its owner is conscious.
- At 0 HP a companion is broken, not dead — restored on a long rest unless your table rules otherwise.
Original Clay Cyanide material © Clay Cyanide LLC — explicitly not the non-SRD official sidekick rules.
Questions, Asked at the Table
What CR is Cetshwayo?
Cetshwayo is CR 6 (2,300 XP) at his native Tier 2. Rescale AC, HP, to-hit, and DC from the tier table for Tier 1 or Tier 3.
How does Cetshwayo fight alongside the rest of the Battle Borta?
He is the warband's backbone—a durable front-ranker who soaks damage and holds the center so brutes like Tutu and Samori can swing freely. The pack forms up around his steadiness.
Is Cetshwayo a solo boss?
No. He is a sturdy rank-and-file veteran with no legendary kit; his role is anchoring the line for others. Always field him within the warband.
Tell Us How It Ran
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 ("SRD 5.1") by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
Clay Cyanide Miniatures is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC. This content is compatible with the fifth edition of the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game. Companion rules, lore, names, and original mechanics © Clay Cyanide LLC.
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