Mere flesh could only withstand steel for so long before it began to fail, a truth brought painfully home to Eckhard by the wounds he'd sustained blocking that last slash.

What, did you think Adamat would turn your skin to stone? It is not the World's Skeleton demonstrating Its power on the foredeck.

Wounded and scared, Eckhard stumbled backwards, hunching to hide his face behind his arms.

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If I'm reading the SRD right, I think I can take a 5 foot step to C5 and then enact Total Defence? That's the plan.

AC 19 with Total Defence
HP 1