Elite Guard

Elite Guards are King Meinolf's personal bodyguards, encountered in the second part of The Banner Saga. Just as their name implies, Elite Guard are highly trained melee fighters and their mission is to protect the King and defeat his enemies.

Passive Ability: Elite Guard
The Elite Guards are sworn to defend the King and defeat his enemies:
 * Any Strength damage targeted to the King is Absorbed (similarly to Thick Hide or Shield Mastery) by all his still living Elite Guards, and split between their Armor and Strength stats (similarly to Maul damage).
 * Whenever the King is harmed, Elite Guards immediately retaliate by attacking the offending unit if it is within their melee attack range.
 * Each Elite Guard replenishes +2 Armor to the King, when adjacent to him, apart from any Shield Wall bonus.

Passive Ability: Shield Wall
Elite Guard have the same Passive as the Raider class: By standing next to an ally, he creates a Shield Wall, raising the armor of both himself and his ally by 1. This bonus remains until he is no longer adjacent to the ally.

Active Ability: Stone Wall
Elite Guard have the same Active as Raidmasters of Rank 1 (only): The Raidmaster braces for impact with his heavy shield, resisting 3 damage from each strike for the next Round. Each hit the Raidmaster takes to either Strength or Armor is reduced, preventing him from taking permanent damage to either.

The Raidmaster can use Stone Wall to rush into a group of enemies and gain a forward advantage, or step in the way of a powerful enemy to block his movement.

Strategies

 * Fighting against the King: Elite Guards always fall before their King. If you first destroy the King's Armor and then deal massive damage to him (e.g. with Puncture or Artery Strike), the Elite Guards will drop like flies, wherever they are on the board.
 * Fighting with the King: Elite Guards should be Stonewalled in tiles adjacent to enemies, blocking their way and assuring a hit when King's Will ability is used.