Stalwart Defender

Drawn from the ranks of guards, knights, mercenaries, and thugs alike, stalwart defenders are masters of claiming an area and refusing to relinquish it. This behavior is more than a tactical decision for stalwart defenders; it's an obsessive, stubborn expression of the need to be undefeated. When stalwart defenders set themselves in a defensive stance, they place their whole effort into weathering whatever foe, conflict, or threat comes their way. Most stalwart defenders come from the ranks of fighters, often those desiring to be better guards for friends and allies. Dwarves are particularly suited to the role, though stalwart defenders of all races exist. More rarely, barbarians take the path of the stalwart defender as a matter of pride, to overcome some perceived shortcoming. Such characters often seem to suffer from dual personalities, flinging themselves recklessly into combat one moment, then calmly fending off all attackers the next. Stalwart defenders are masters of melee combat, striving to prove that the best offense is a good defense. Stalwart defenders 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. Class Details Alignment: Anyone can be as stubborn as a rock and dedicated to holding one point no matter the cost, so stalwart defenders can be of any alignment. The dedication and practice required to learn the talents of a stalwart defender come more easily to characters with a strong respect for order and organization, however, so lawful stalwart defenders are much more common than chaotic ones. Hit Die: d12. Requirements To qualify to become a stalwart defender, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Base Attack Bonus: +7 Feats: Dodge, Endurance, Toughness Special: Proficiency with light and medium armor Class Skills The stalwart defender's class skills are Athletics, Mobility, Persuasion and Perception. Base Features Defensive Stance At 1st level, a stalwart defender can enter a defensive stance, a position of readiness and trance-like determination. A stalwart defender can maintain this stance for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, he can maintain the stance for 2 additional rounds per day. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from the defensive stance and spells like bear's endurance, do not increase the total number of rounds that the stalwart defender can maintain a defensive stance per day. The stalwart defender can enter a defensive stance as a free action. The total number of rounds of defensive stance per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive. While in a defensive stance, a stalwart defender gains a +2 bonus on melee attack rolls, melee damage rolls, thrown weapon damage rolls, and Will saving throws. In addition, she gains a 2 dodge bonus to Armor Class and 2 temporary hit points per Hit Die. While in a defensive stance, a stalwart defender cannot willingly move from his current position through any means (including normal movement, riding a mount, teleportation, or willingly allowing allies to carry him). If he enters a defensive stance while on a moving vehicle he does not control (such as a wagon or ship), he can maintain the stance even if the vehicle moves. If the stalwart defender moves under his own power as a result of an enchantment spell, his stance ends. The stalwart defender can end his defensive stance as a free action; after ending the stance, he is fatigued for a number of rounds equal to 2 times the number of rounds spent in the stance. A stalwart defender cannot enter a new defensive stance while fatigued or exhausted but can otherwise enter a stance multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a stalwart defender falls unconscious, his defensive stance immediately ends, placing him 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). Uncanny Dodge The character can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does he lose his Dexterity bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A character with this ability can still lose his Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against him. Improved Uncanny Dodge A character can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does. Defensive power As a stalwart defender gains levels, he augments his defensive stance. Starting at 2nd level, the stalwart defender gains a defensive power. He gains another defensive power for every two levels of stalwart defender attained after 2nd level. The stalwart defender gains the benefits of defensive powers only while in a defensive stance, and some of these powers require him to take an action first. Unless otherwise noted, he cannot select an individual power more than once. Selectable Features Defensive powers: Fearless Defense While in a defensive stance, the stalwart defender is immune to the shaken and frightened conditions. He must be at least 4th level before selecting this power. Increased Damage Reduction The stalwart defender's damage reduction from this class increases by 1/—. This increase is always active while the stalwart defender is in a defensive stance. He can select this power up to two times. Its effects stack. The stalwart defender must be at least 6th level before selecting this defensive power. Renewed Defense As a standard action, the stalwart defender heals 1d8 points of damage + his Constitution modifier. For every two levels the stalwart defender has attained above 2nd, this healing increases by 1d8, to a maximum of 5d8 at 10th level. This power can be used only once per day and only while in a defensive stance. Roused defense The stalwart defender may enter a defensive stance even if fatigued. While maintaining a defensive stance after using this ability, he is immune to the fatigued condition. Once this stance ends, he is exhausted for 10 minutes per round spent in a defensive stance. Smash While in a defensive stance, the stalwart defender may make an extra attack per round that is either a slam (even if he doesn't normally have a slam attack). If used as part of a full attack action, the extra attack is made at the stalwart defender's full base attack bonus –5. The smash deals 1d4 points of damage (if the stalwart defender is Medium, or 1d3 if he is Small) plus half the character's Strength modifier.