Remember in the Guardian playtest how the class felt a bit off for not having full martial accuracy?
What if the class had full martial scaling accuracy but had to go into a stance to use their guardian reactions and while in that stance they suffer a new trait that would be the opposite of agile to their strikes.
Meaning the first strike is at full martial accuracy but they are not great at getting in more than that while in the stance they use to defend allies?
First attack is full accuracy
Second attack is -6
Third attack is -12
A number of other smoothing of edged would be welcome for the class but this seemed like a simple way still allow a single attack per turn to be full accuracy while making the class less great at subsequent ones. Putting it on a stance means its only one mode of play for the class rather than the only mode of play.
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Depends on the Stance's benefits, doesn't it? (Or Stances'?)
Spitballin'
Firstly, I agree that they should at least meet "generic martial" standards, esp. given that Inventors (et al) do! Likely they don't get a damage bonus (except as reprisal?), but dang if it wasn't easy to build a better guard with other classes who get to keep their attack Proficiency.
It would shift dynamics more toward the first Strike (which is already a popular tactics and already a majority of one's offense). So look to them to filch feats like Power Attack, urr...Vicious Swing. Or it might lend to more of a skirmishing style, which seems antithetical. And then there's the Cantrip + Strike style (which with Bulwark they should have the mental stat for, though not the later Proficiency).
In a similar vein, I'd think having better alternative actions would dissuade second+ Strikes; namely actions tied to rebuttals and temp defenses (like a Vicious Strike counterpart for Raise a Shield). And much like equipping a shield lowers to one-handed die types thus lowering damage, maybe they could kick that vibe up (down?) a notch. Lower their die type to be even better defended. I could see swapping for DR "because they're so committed to minding their enemies" or something.
Such an anti-Agile penalty would deter Athletics attacks for most, I'd think. That was their strength, though that being their strength is IMO indicative of a poor chassis since even casters can excel at Athletics.
Lost steam...
Cheers.