[3.x] Protective Class Features

[rogueboy]

I'm looking at trying to put together a homebrewed class focused on protecting others, but am having trouble coming up with ideas for reasonable features to grant the class. I am looking primarily for conceptual ideas or examples from other classes (PrC or base) at the moment.

What I have come up with so far is a couple of the features from each of Tactical Soldier [MH] (Interpose, Defensive Shield, and Reciprocal Strike) and Knight Protector [CW] (Defensive Stance, Retributive Attack), along with some possible ideas from Marshal auras, such as DR or bonuses to AC, and the Knight class [PH2], such as Knight's Challenge and Shield Ally.

Does anyone know of other classes/features I may have missed that provide an ability for a character to protect their allies or have ideas for homebrewed features?

 

[ValhallaGH]

I'm a fan of the Interpose used by M&M. Basically:
As a free action, once per round, you may declare that you are interposing for an adjacent character. You become the target of the attack in all respects. The attack roll now targets you and the attack's effects affect you.

This version actually encourages characters to interpose, by allowing their defense (AC, saves, etc.) to actually matter.


Other features could include automatically stopping opponents hit with AoO (similar to the 4e Fighter), and giving an adjacent character the benefits of Improved Evasion when struck by area effects (possibly with a down-side). Allowing the use of Deflect Arrows to benefit adjacent characters. Possibly transferring your own dodge bonuses to an adjacent character(s). And so forth.


Emphasize getting other characters out of harm / preventing harm from reaching them. De-emphasize suck-up-all-the-damage, which was the Knight's major flaw. And give it enough stuff that it's still a viable character, unlike that lousy Devoted Defender PrC in the 3.0 fighter splat-book (Sword & Fist).

Remember, you are the Game Master. You can make any danged thing you want to. Once you've got it, you may have to pare it down a bit to keep it from making you cry later (I'm looking at you, Druid / Cleric) but you'll at least not be kicking yourself for making it too cruddy to play.

Good luck.

 

[Aus_Snow]

If you're fine with the whole 'Hit Points as a pool of abstract stuff' idea, you could allow members of this class to provide temporary HP to allies, just for example. I mean, even without going for a custom supernatural guy / spellslinger (the easy way.)

It might sound a bit 4e-Warlord-ish or something (I can't quite remember what they do) and, like I said, it's kind of dependent on where you stand on HP, etc.

The more I think about it, the harder it seems, to accomplish without *any* supernatural goings on. Oh, and I just saw you mentioned the Marshal. Well then, that's probably not a terrible base to work from (with a bit of a powerup, apart from anything else.) Also, Pathfinder's Paladin has some really neat things you could pinch, starting with Aura of Courage, et al.

Please excuse the rambliness. But, while I'm at it, I wonder if this wouldn't be better placed in the 3e House Rules forum.