About Lydia RhindManeuvers: A good-aligned ordained defender adds Silver Crane to her list of available disciplines, an evilaligned ordained defender adds Black Seraph to her list of available disciplines, and an ordained defender who is neither good nor evil adds Eternal Guardian to her list of available disciplines. If the ordained defender does not have this discipline’s associated skill as a class skill, she gains it as a class skill. Her initiation modifier is Wisdom, and any warder class features that previously used her Intelligence modifier now use her Wisdom modifier. She otherwise learns, readies, and initiates maneuvers as a standard warder. This ability alters maneuvers. Aura (Ex): An ordained defender who worships a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura (as a cleric) corresponding to the deity’s alignment (see the detect evil spell for details). Divine Gift (Su): At 3rd level, an ordained defender receives supernatural empowerment from her deity in the form of a divine gift. She receives her choice of one inquisitor inquisition or warpriest blessing. She must be of the correct alignment to choose an alignment-based blessing. For determining the abilities gained from an inquisition, the ordained defender’s effective inqusitor level is equal to her ordained defender level –2. If the ordained defender chooses a blessing, the blessing grants a minor power at 3rd level and a major power at 13th level. An ordained defender can call upon the power of her blessings a number of times per day, in any combination, equal to 3 + 1/2 her ordained defender level (rounded down). Each time she uses a blessing, it counts against her daily limit. The save DC (if any) for these blessings is 10 + 1/2 the ordained defender’s class level + the ordained defender’s initiation modifier. If an ordained defender also has levels in a class that grants cleric domains, the blessings chosen must match the domains selected by that class. With the GM’s permission, an ordained defender can change her former blessings or domains to make them conform. This ability replaces the bonus feats gained at 3rd and 13th levels. Brutal Slayer (Archetype) Where other stalkers use grace and finesse, the brutal slayer relies on strength and fury. Wielding heavy, two handed weapons with blinding speed, the brutal slayer is a terrifying predator of the night. Maneuvers: A brutal slayer loses access to the Thrashing Dragon discipline and adds Black Seraph and Primal Fury to his list of available disciplines. He gains Survival as a class skill, and otherwise learns, readies, and initiates maneuvers as a standard stalker. This ability alters maneuvers. Maneuvers Readied: Instead of recovering maneuvers like a standard stalker a brutal slayer uses his ki to reinforce his body as a full-round action. When he does so, he recovers a number of expended maneuvers equal to his brutal slayer initiation modifier (minimum 2) and gains temporary hit points equal to twice his initiator level and damage reduction/– equal to his brutal slayer initiation modifier (minimum 0). These temporary hit points and damage reduction last for one round, and stack with any other sources of temporary hit points or damage reduction he may have. In addition, the next strike he initiates this encounter deals additional bleed damage equal to his brutal stalker initiation modifier. The target continues to bleed until the bleeding is stopped via magical healing or a successful DC 15 Heal check. Alternately, the brutal slayer can take a moment to realign himself and recover a single maneuver as a standard action. This ability alters maneuvers readied. Brutal Strikes (Ex): Starting at 1st level, whenever a brutal slayer confirms a critical hit against a creature, he gains a +4 profane bonus to Strength for a number of rounds equal to his brutal slayer initiation modifier. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and to +8 at 16th level. This ability replaces deadly strikes. Brutal Assault (Ex): As a swift action, the brutal slayer can spend a point of ki and target a single creature he can see. He gains the benefit of his brutal strikes ability when making attacks against that creature for a number of rounds equal to his initiation modifier. Armor of Scars (Ex): The brutal slayer takes as well as he gives, becoming protected by the scars of wounds he has already survived. At 1st level, a brutal slayer gains a +1 bonus to his natural armor bonus to AC. (this stacks with his existing natural armor bonus, if any) At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1. In addition, the brutal slayer’s instincts enable him to better dodge incoming blows; whenever he spends a fullround action to recover maneuvers, he gains a dodge bonus to AC equal to his brutal slayer initiation modifier. This ability replaces dodge bonus. Muscle Memory (Ex): The muscles of a brutal slayer are honed to deadly efficiency, just like his blades. Starting at 2nd level, a brutal slayer may add 1/2 his Strength modifier to his AC and to Reflex saves instead of his Dexterity modifier. At 6th level, the brutal slayer may add his full Strength modifier instead of his Dexterity modifier, rather than 1/2. The brutal slayer’s Strength bonus to his AC is still limited by his armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus. Ki Pool (Su) At 1st level, a stalker gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in the stalker's ki pool is equal to 1/2 her stalker level + his Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). At 1st level, the stalker may spend 1 point of ki to grant himself a +4 insight bonus to a single Perception or Sense Motive check as an immediate action, as he uses his ki to feel out the vibrations of others and their hidden motives. Combat Insight (Su) At 2nd level, the keen senses and awareness of the stalker delivers him a sort of sixth sense. This insight performs as an intuitive alarm, alerting him of danger. Through his rigorous practice and learning to trust his instincts and intuition to an unearthly level, the senses of the stalker are unusually sharp. At 2nd level, the stalker's combat sense opens his third eye, granting him defensive reflexes that protect him in combat. The stalker may add his Wisdom modifier to his initiative score and to Reflex saving throws as an insight bonus. Defensive Focus (Ex) At 1st level, the defensive prowess of the warder is second to none, allowing her to focus her actions purely on defending himself and her allies in ways that cannot be replicated. The warder gains the Combat Reflexes feat as a bonus feat, using her Intelligence modifier in place of her Dexterity modifier to determine the number of additional attacks of opportunity she may make each round. When recovering maneuvers as a full round action, the warder sets up a defensive perimeter around himself to defend her allies, increasing her threatened area by 5 ft. for every 5 initiator levels she possesses. Until the beginning of her next turn, she may make attacks of opportunity against any opponent in this threatened area that provokes attacks of opportunity. She may move as part of these attacks of opportunity, provided her total movement before her next turn does not exceed her speed (his movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal). Additionally, while using defensive focus, the warder adds her Intelligence modifier plus her class level to her CMD for the purposes of defending against enemies trying to use the Acrobatics skill to prevent her from getting attacks of opportunity against them. At 10th level, her defensive focus improves further, causing the ground within her melee reach to be treated as if it were difficult terrain, hampering her foes' movement around him. If a foe tries to move through a space within her reach, the movement through those squares costs double (x2). Additionally, while using her defensive focus to make an attack of opportunity, her movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Aegis (Ex) At 1st level, the warder's defensive prowess extends to those who choose to stay near to him. Allies who are within 10 ft. of the warder's position gain a +1 morale bonus to Armor Class and to Will saves under the warder's defensive aegis, her presence bolstering and shepherding the defenses of her allies. This bonus improves to +2 at 5th level (+3 at 9th level, +4 at 13th level, and +5 at 17th level). The warder does not receive this bonus, but may receive the benefits of this ability from another warder. If the ally cannot see or hear the warder, then the ally does not gain the benefits of this ability (such as if the warder is concealed or invisible). At 6th level, her aegis' range increases its effective area, growing to a 20 ft. radius. At 12th level, this increases again to 30 ft.. Weapon and Armor Proficiency Dervish defender are proficient in all simple weapons and martial melee weapons, double weapons, and with light armor. They are not proficient with shields. Disciplines The dervish defender gains access to Thrashing Dragon and loses access to Iron Tortoise. Bluff is no longer a class skill; Acrobatics is now a class skill. Bonus Feat The dervish defender gains Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat at 1st level. Two-Weapon Defense (Ex) While not all dervish defenders fight in the same manner, most do and all are extensively trained in these fighting philosophies. While wearing light armor or no armor, wielding a weapon in each hand (or using a double weapon), and not using a shield heavier than a buckler, the warder may add her Intelligence bonus (if any) to her Armor Class. She retains this bonus even against touch attacks or when flat-footed, but loses this bonus should she be rendered helpless by any means. THIRSTING AXE STRIKE
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