| ObeseBoyWonder |
I've always really enjoyed the idea behind the Dwarven Defender and was trying to make a viable version. The class right now is a mix of the Stalwart Defender, a few of my own ideas and the ideas of random people on the internet I can't remember the names of and cannot source (woops). Just let me know what you think.
Dwarven Defender
Hit Die: d12
Role: Dwarven Defenders are masters of melee combat, striving to prove that the best offense is a good defense. They are normally found on the front lines of battle, holding a position to cover their allies, leaping into breaches of opposing formations and holding them open for others, and guarding more vulnerable allies by acting as mobile fortifications, stable points in the ever-changing chaos of battle.
Requirements
Race: Dwarf
Alignment: Any Lawful
Base Attack Bonus: +7
Feats: Dodge, Combat Reflexes, Toughness
Special: Proficiency with light and medium armors
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Dwarven Defender prestige class:
Class Skills
Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Engineering) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility) (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier
Level_BAB___Fort _Ref _Will _______Special_______________________________AC Bonus
1st __ +1 ___ +1 _ +0 _ +1 _ Defensive Stance, Endurance_____________________1
2nd __ +2 ___ +1 _ +1 _ +1 _ Stance Ability, Uncanny Dodge, Bonus Feat__________1
3rd __ +3 ___ +2 _ +1 _ +2 _ DR 1/-, Trap Sense +1___________________________1
4th __ +4 ___ +2 _ +1 _ +2 _ Stance Ability,Mobile Defense, Strict Discipline________2
5th __ +5 ___ +3 _ +2 _ +3 _ Improved Uncanny Dodge, Bonus Feat______________2
6th __ +6 ___ +3 _ +2 _ +3 _ Stance Ability, DR 3/-, Trap Sense +2_______________2
7th __ +7 ___ +4 _ +2 _ +4 _ Endurance of the Earth__________________________3
8th __ +8 ___ +4 _ +3 _ +4 _ Stance Ability, On the Move, Bonus Feat_____________3
9th __ +9 ___ +5 _ +3 _ +5 _ DR 5/-, Trap Sense +3 __________________________3
10th _ +10 __ +5 _ +3 _ +5 _ Stance Ability, Shall not Pass_____________________4
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The Dwarven Defender is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Dwarven Defenders are also proficient with all types of armor, as well as shields.
Endurance (Ex): The Dwarven Defender gains the Endurance feat as an extraordinary ability.
AC Bonus (Ex): A Dwarven Defender receives a dodge bonus to AC that starts at +1 and improves as the defender gains levels, until it reaches +4 at 10th level.
Defensive Stance (Ex): When required Dwarven Defenders can become stalwart champions of defense, immovable warriors defending their homes and people to the last. Starting at first level of Dwarven Defender, a defender can enter her defensive stance for a number of rounds each day equal to 4 + her Constitution modifier. At each level after the 1st, she gains an additional 2 rounds. While in her stance, a defender gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength, a +4 morale bonus to Constitution, and a +2 bonus on Will saving throws, as well as a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution gives the defender an additional 2 hit points per Hit Dice, but these disappear when the stance ends and are not lost first like temporary hit points. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from the defender’s stance and spells like Bear's Endurance, do not increase the total number of rounds that a defender can stay in her stance per day.
A defender can enter her stance as a free action. The total number of rounds of stance per day is renewed after resting 8 hours, although these hours need not be consecutive. While in her stance, a defender cannot move except as a 5-ft step and cannot use any skills or abilities requiring the defender to shift her position, unless otherwise stated. All squares threatened by the defender while in her defensive stance are considered difficult terrain for opponents. A defender can leave her stance as a free action and is fatigued after her stance for a number of rounds equal to 2 times the number of rounds spent in the stance. When fatigued there is a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. The defender cannot enter into a stance while fatigued or exhausted, but can otherwise enter the stance multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a defender falls unconscious, her stance immediately ends, placing her in peril of death.
A defensive stance requires a level of emotional calm, and it may not be maintained by a character in a rage (such as from the rage class feature or the rage spell).
Bonus Feats
At 2nd level and every 3 levels after (5th, 8th) the Dwarven Defender gains a bonus feat which may be chosen from the list below:
Alertness, Improved Bull Rush, Greater Bull Rush, Combat Expertise, Diehard, Disruptive, Double Slice, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Focus, Greater Shield Focus, Shield Slam, Shield Master, Spellbreaker, Stand Still, Step Up, Self-Sufficient, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, a defender cannot be caught flat footed, even if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A defender with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her. If a defender already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
Stance Ability (Ex): As a defender gains levels, she learns to use her stance in new ways. Starting at 2nd level she gains a stance ability and an additional one for every two levels attained after 2nd level. A defender gains the benefits of stance abilities only while in her stance, and some abilities require the defender to take an action first.
Battle Hymn (Ex): By hitting her shield while in her stance, a defender gives all allies within 30 feet a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels of Dwarven Defender. A defender may use this ability as a full round action and can be maintained as a free action. A shield must be equipped to use this ability.
Dauntless Defender (Ex): While in a defensive stance, the defender is immune to the shaken and frightened conditions and provides all allies within 10 feet a +2 morale bonus to their Will saves versus fear effects.
Steadfast Vigor (Ex): As a standard action, the defender heals 2d8 points of damage + her Constitution modifier. For every two levels of Dwarven Defender attained above 2nd, this healing increases by 1d8, to a maximum of 6d8 at 10th level. This power can be used only once per day and only while in a defensive stance.
Dedicated Zeal (Ex): While in her stance, the defender gains a +4 morale bonus against all Enchantment spells and effects.
Courageous Attack (Ex): The defender gains a +3 morale bonus to attack and damage for a single attack. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels of Dwarven Defender attained. This power is used as a swift action before the roll to hit is made.
Deft Strike (Ex): The defender can make an attack of opportunity against a foe that moves into any square threatened by the defender, regardless of whether or not that movement would normally provoke an attack of opportunity.
Internal Fortitude (Ex): While in a defensive stance, the defender is immune to the sickened and nauseated conditions.
Mighty Resilience (Ex): The Dwarven Defender automatically negates the additional damage of one successful critical hit or sneak attack, as well as other abilities or effects that rely on a successful critical hit or sneak attack (such as blinding from Blinding Critical or bleed from sneak attack). The defender takes only normal damage from the attack. This power may only be used once per defensive stance.
Guardsman's Riposte (Ex): While in her stance, the defender may make an attack of opportunity against an opponent whose attack misses the defender.
Smash (Ex): While in a defensive stance, the Dwarven Defender may make an extra attack per round that is either a shield bash or a slam (even if she doesn't normally have a slam attack). If the extra attack is made as part of a full attack action use the defender's full base attack bonus –5. The smash deals 1d4 points of damage (if the stalwart defender is Medium, or 1d3 if she is Small) plus half the character's Strength modifier. The character can make this attack as part of the action to maintain or break free from a grapple; this attack is resolved before the grapple check is made. If the attack hits, any grapple checks made by the defender against the target this round are at a +2 bonus.
Defender's Strike (Ex): A Dwarven Defender may make an attack of opportunity against any opponent within her reach that attacks or casts a spell on any ally while she is in her stance.
Parry (Ex): If an opponent attacks the defender or an adjacent ally she may roll an attack of opportunity. If the attack roll surpasses the opponent's attack roll their attack is negated.
Spell-Parry (Ex): As Parry, except the defender parries single target-spells. The attack roll must surpass DC 10 + 2 x spell level + caster's ability score.
Roused Defense (Ex): The Dwarven Defender may enter a defensive stance even if fatigued. While maintaining a defensive stance after using this ability, she is immune to the fatigued condition. Once this stance ends, she is exhausted for 10 minutes per round spent in a defensive stance.
Call For Aid (Ex): If an ally is damaged or has an enemy spell cast upon them the defender may make an immediate action to move to an open square adjacent to that ally, so long as her total movement does not exceed her move speed. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.
Interceptor (Ex): Prerequisite: Call For Aid. When using the Call For Aid stance ability you may choose to intercept the attack or spell taking all damage or negative effects in place of the targeted ally. She cannot use the Parry or Spell-Parry abilities to prevent this damage or effects.
Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a defender gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 insight bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the defender reaches 6th level and to +3 when she reaches 9th level. Trap Sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
Mobile Defense (Ex): At 3rd level, the defender is able to use move actions every round at half her normal speed while in her stance and can now use any skills or abilities requiring the defender to shift her position when in a defensive stance.
Damage Reduction (Ex): At 3rd level the defender gains 1/- damage reduction. DR is 3/- at 6th level, and 5/- at 9th level. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0, but never below. Damage reduction from different sources do not stack; however, a Dwarven Defender of 3rd or higher level that gains DR from armor (but not from any other source) increases her class-based DR by the value of the armor's DR.
Strict Discipline (Ex): A defender of 4th level or higher has 1/2 her Dwarven Defender levels count as Fighter levels, which stack with previously taken levels in Fighter, for the purpose of qualifying for feats.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A defender of 5th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the defender by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the defender has class levels.
If a character already has uncanny dodge from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.
Endurance of the Earth (Ex): At 7th level the defender is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases. The defender also gains a +4 resilience bonus to save against all poisons and all "save or die" effects (from attacks and spells, including Flesh to Stone effects.)
On the Move (Ex): At 8th level the defender is now able to move at her normal speed while in her stance.
Shall not Pass (Ex): At 10th level, when the defender enters her stance, the morale bonus to her Strength increases to +4 and the morale bonus to her Constitution increases to +6. The dodge bonus to her AC increases to +4 and the defender is able to make a number of attacks of opportunity in a round equal to her Wisdom modifier (this ability stacks with Combat Reflexes).