Dwarven Defender

Stalwart Defender

PRESTIGE CLASS: This class is not available at character creation and must be unlocked by meeting special requirements, listed below.

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.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Stalwart Defender, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

• Alignment: Any Lawful
• Base Attack Bonus: +7
• Feats: Dodge, Toughness

Class Skills

The class skills of the Stalwart Defender are:

• Craft Alchemy
• Craft Armor
• Craft Weapon
• Listen
• Parry
• Sense Motive
• Spot

Class Features

Base Attack Bonus Progression: High

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Hit Dice: D12

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The stalwart defender is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons, light, medium, and heavy armors, and shields (except for tower shields).

Defensive Stance: The stalwart defender can become a bastion of defense. They cannot move from the spot they're defending, but they gain +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and +4 to Constitution, a +4 Dodge bonus to AC, and a +2 bonus to all saves. A 1st-level stalwart defender can use this ability once per day. They gain an additional use every two levels beyond 1st.

Improved Defense: The stalwart defender receives a +1 dodge bonus to AC at 1st level. This bonus improves by an additional +1 at 4th, 7th, and 10th level.

Uncanny Dodge: At 2nd level the stalwart defender retains their Dexterity bonus even when caught flat-footed.

Trap Sense: At 4th level the stalwart defender gets a +1 reflex bonus against all traps. At 9th level this bonus increases by an additional +1.

Damage Reduction: At 6th level, the stalwart defender gains DR 3/-. This increases to DR 6/- at 10th level.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: At 6th level, the stalwart defender can no longer be sneak attacked except by a character with 4 or more total levels in classes that grant sneak attack than the character levels of the stalwart defender.