Sammael
Adventurer
This is an attempt at revising the devoted defender prestige class from Sword and Fist. While the original class still works in 3.5, I felt that its abilities could use a little clarification, and that the class was a bit too bland. Also, looking at the other specialist classes from the Complete series of books, it seemed that 10 levels were really a stretch for a class that offers only three class features.
In this revision, I attempted to fix that by reducing the class to five levels. Additionally, the class didn't really provide any major benefits to the character who took it; most of its benefits applied to the devoted defender's charge, which seemed a bit unfair from a balance standpoint. I alleviated this by adding bonus feats at 2nd and 4th level, drawn from a limited list themed around defense and quickness.
One additional thing I did was change the term for the creature under devoted defender's protection. "Charge" is already a game term. "Ward" was an option, but it can also be easily misinterpreted. So I settled for protégé. I won't mind seeing a few other suggestions.
Finally, here it is:
THE DEVOTED DEFENDER
Hit Die: d12
Requirements
To qualify to become a devoted defender, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Any lawful
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Search 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks.
Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes.
Special: Must have successfully protected another creature against assault by placing himself in front of the assailants.
Class Skills
The devoted defender’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Devoted defenders do not gain any weapon proficiencies. They are proficient with all types of armor, and with all shields (including tower shields).
Defender’s Protégé: A devoted defender focuses on protecting a single creature, referred to as his protégé. The protégé must be a creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or greater, capable of communicating with the devoted defender.
Outside of combat, a devoted defender can designate a new protégé at any time. If he does not have a designated protégé at the beginning of a combat, he can designate one as a free action on his first turn. The devoted defender cannot change his protégé while engaged in combat, even if his current protégé dies.
Devoted Defense (Ex): When in sight of his protégé, the devoted defender gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 3rd level, and +3 at 5th level. The devoted defender retains this bonus to Armor Class even when flat-footed, or against touch attacks (including incorporeal touch attacks).
Harm’s Way (Ex): At any time when the devoted defender is within 5 feet of his protégé, and his protégé suffers an attack, the devoted defender can immediately switch places with his protégé and receive the attack in his place. The devoted defender must declare this action before the attack roll is made.
Because the devoted defender is intentionally placing himself in danger to protect his protégé, he does not apply his Dexterity and dodge bonuses (if any) to Armor Class against this attack.
The devoted defender must be aware of the attack being made to use this ability.
Bonus Feat: At 2nd and 4th level, a devoted defender gains a bonus feat, which must be selected from the following list:
Allied Defense*, Armed Deflect Arrows*, Bastion of Defense*, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Reflexes*, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Extend Reach*, Great Fortitude, Heavy Armor Optimization, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Light Armor Expertise*, Medium Armor Mobility*, Mobility, Shield Cover*, Quick Draw, Shield Deflection*, Spring Attack, Stalwart*, Toughness.
Feats marked with an asterisk (*) are published in the House Rules document.
The devoted defender must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat.
Crowded Fighting (Ex): The devoted defender can end movement in a space occupied by a friendly character. If the friendly character does not make any attacks until the devoted defender’s next turn, the devoted defender can attack from the occupied square at no penalty.
The devoted defender provides cover to the friendly character whose square he is occupying. Any attack that misses the friendly character because of cover hits the devoted defender instead, provided the attack roll is good enough to his the devoted defender’s flat-footed Armor Class.
Deflect Attack (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the devoted defender can attempt to parry a melee attack against his protégé once per round. To do so, he must be within 5 feet of his protégé, and wielding a melee weapon or shield. To parry the attack, the devoted defender makes an attack roll with the readied weapon or shield, and receives a competence bonus on this roll equal to his class level. The hit is negated if the devoted defender’s attack roll is greater than the opponent’s attack roll.
The devoted defender must be aware of the attack being made, and must not be flat-footed.
Living Shield (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the devoted defender can attempt to protect his protégé from an area effect by using his body as a shield. At any time when the devoted defender is within 5 feet of his protégé, and they are both caught in an area effect that allows a Reflex save, the devoted defender can intentionally fail his save and grant his protégé the benefits of improved cover (a +4 bonus on the Reflex save and improved evasion ability). The devoted defender must declare this action before the Reflex save is made.
After the maneuver, both the defender and his protégé fall prone in the protégé’s square. The protégé retains improved cover benefits until devoted defender’s next turn.
Defensive Strike (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, any opponent who attempts to attack the devoted defender’s protégé provokes an attack of opportunity from the devoted defender. This attack of opportunity is resolved before any other actions the devoted defender chooses to take.
The devoted defender must be aware of the attack being made.
In this revision, I attempted to fix that by reducing the class to five levels. Additionally, the class didn't really provide any major benefits to the character who took it; most of its benefits applied to the devoted defender's charge, which seemed a bit unfair from a balance standpoint. I alleviated this by adding bonus feats at 2nd and 4th level, drawn from a limited list themed around defense and quickness.
One additional thing I did was change the term for the creature under devoted defender's protection. "Charge" is already a game term. "Ward" was an option, but it can also be easily misinterpreted. So I settled for protégé. I won't mind seeing a few other suggestions.
Finally, here it is:
THE DEVOTED DEFENDER
Code:
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +1 +2 +2 +0 Defender’s protégé, devoted defense +1, harm’s way
2 +2 +3 +3 +0 Bonus feat, crowded fighting
3 +3 +3 +3 +1 Deflect attack, devoted defense +2
4 +4 +4 +4 +1 Bonus feat, living shield
5 +5 +4 +4 +1 Defensive strike, devoted defense +3Hit Die: d12
Requirements
To qualify to become a devoted defender, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Any lawful
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Search 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks.
Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes.
Special: Must have successfully protected another creature against assault by placing himself in front of the assailants.
Class Skills
The devoted defender’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Devoted defenders do not gain any weapon proficiencies. They are proficient with all types of armor, and with all shields (including tower shields).
Defender’s Protégé: A devoted defender focuses on protecting a single creature, referred to as his protégé. The protégé must be a creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or greater, capable of communicating with the devoted defender.
Outside of combat, a devoted defender can designate a new protégé at any time. If he does not have a designated protégé at the beginning of a combat, he can designate one as a free action on his first turn. The devoted defender cannot change his protégé while engaged in combat, even if his current protégé dies.
Devoted Defense (Ex): When in sight of his protégé, the devoted defender gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 3rd level, and +3 at 5th level. The devoted defender retains this bonus to Armor Class even when flat-footed, or against touch attacks (including incorporeal touch attacks).
Harm’s Way (Ex): At any time when the devoted defender is within 5 feet of his protégé, and his protégé suffers an attack, the devoted defender can immediately switch places with his protégé and receive the attack in his place. The devoted defender must declare this action before the attack roll is made.
Because the devoted defender is intentionally placing himself in danger to protect his protégé, he does not apply his Dexterity and dodge bonuses (if any) to Armor Class against this attack.
The devoted defender must be aware of the attack being made to use this ability.
Bonus Feat: At 2nd and 4th level, a devoted defender gains a bonus feat, which must be selected from the following list:
Allied Defense*, Armed Deflect Arrows*, Bastion of Defense*, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Reflexes*, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Extend Reach*, Great Fortitude, Heavy Armor Optimization, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Light Armor Expertise*, Medium Armor Mobility*, Mobility, Shield Cover*, Quick Draw, Shield Deflection*, Spring Attack, Stalwart*, Toughness.
Feats marked with an asterisk (*) are published in the House Rules document.
The devoted defender must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat.
Crowded Fighting (Ex): The devoted defender can end movement in a space occupied by a friendly character. If the friendly character does not make any attacks until the devoted defender’s next turn, the devoted defender can attack from the occupied square at no penalty.
The devoted defender provides cover to the friendly character whose square he is occupying. Any attack that misses the friendly character because of cover hits the devoted defender instead, provided the attack roll is good enough to his the devoted defender’s flat-footed Armor Class.
Deflect Attack (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the devoted defender can attempt to parry a melee attack against his protégé once per round. To do so, he must be within 5 feet of his protégé, and wielding a melee weapon or shield. To parry the attack, the devoted defender makes an attack roll with the readied weapon or shield, and receives a competence bonus on this roll equal to his class level. The hit is negated if the devoted defender’s attack roll is greater than the opponent’s attack roll.
The devoted defender must be aware of the attack being made, and must not be flat-footed.
Living Shield (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the devoted defender can attempt to protect his protégé from an area effect by using his body as a shield. At any time when the devoted defender is within 5 feet of his protégé, and they are both caught in an area effect that allows a Reflex save, the devoted defender can intentionally fail his save and grant his protégé the benefits of improved cover (a +4 bonus on the Reflex save and improved evasion ability). The devoted defender must declare this action before the Reflex save is made.
After the maneuver, both the defender and his protégé fall prone in the protégé’s square. The protégé retains improved cover benefits until devoted defender’s next turn.
Defensive Strike (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, any opponent who attempts to attack the devoted defender’s protégé provokes an attack of opportunity from the devoted defender. This attack of opportunity is resolved before any other actions the devoted defender chooses to take.
The devoted defender must be aware of the attack being made.
Last edited:
) and work on it some. Thanks
