Guardian [3.5 Base Class, PEACH]

[Admiral Squish]

GUARDIAN

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I’ve lost too much already. I’ll never let it happen again. -Bastion, warforged guardian
Come for me, if you dare! Break your swords upon my armor! It will be the last thing you do! -Garrosh Ironhide, orc guardian
It is the duty of the strong to oppose those who threaten the weak. -Gelun Oathkeeper, dwarven guardian

Class Skills:
Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str).

Skill Points:
4+ Int modifier (x4 at First Level).

Hit Die:
d12

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|AC Bonus
1|+1|+2|+0|+2|Guardian Stance (Oak), Armored Offense|+1
2|+2|+3|+0|+3|Focused Defense +1, Uncanny Dodge|+1
3|+3|+3|+1|+3|Mettle, Fast Healing 1|+1
4|+4|+4|+1|+4|Bonus Feat, Impassable|+2
5|+5|+4|+1|+4|Guardian Stance (Stone), Fast Healing 2|+2
6|+6|+5|+2|+5|Improved Uncanny Dodge, Dazing Strike (1/encounter)|+2
7|+7|+5|+2|+5|Intercede, Fast Healing 3|+3
8|+8|+6|+2|+6|Bonus Feat, Focused Defense +2|+3
9|+9|+6|+3|+6|Armor Mastery, Fast Healing 4|+3
10|+10|+7|+3|+7|Guardian Stance (Iron), Improved Combat Reflexes|+4
11|+11|+7|+3|+7|Call to Battle, Fast Healing 5|+4
12|+12|+8|+4|+8|Bonus Feat, Dazing Strike (2/encounter)|+4
13|+13|+8|+4|+8|Fast Healing 6|+5
14|+14|+9|+4|+9|Focused Defense +3|+5
15|+15|+9|+5|+9|Guardian Stance (Adamant), Fast Healing 7|+5
16|+16|+10|+5|+10|Bonus Feat|+6
17|+17|+10|+5|+10|Fast Healing 8|+6
18|+18|+11|+6|+11|Impenetrable Guard, Dazing Strike (3/encounter)|+7
19|+19|+11|+6|+11|Fast Healing 9, Focused Defense +4|+7
20|+20|+12|+6|+12|Bonus Feat, Guardian Stance (Diamond), Fast Healing 10|+8
[/Table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A guardian is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all types of armor, and shields (including tower shields).

Guardian Stance (Ex): A guardian’s most well-known ability is the use of the guardian stance, a technique drilled into every guardian. As a swift action, the guardian may plant themselves in place, becoming an immovable bastion of defense. At it’s most basic level, this stance grants you a bonus equal to your class level against any attempt to Bull rush, overrun, trip, lift, push, or in any way move you against your will by either magical or physical means, as well as to grapple checks. This effect lasts as long as you remain in place, but ends immediately if you are moved or choose to move.
As you grow in power, however, the stance grants you and nearby allies additional effects.
Oak: While in the oak stance, you take on the resilience of a mighty tree, rooted deep in the earth. You grant all allies adjacent to you a +2 bonus to AC, and all enemies within your threatened area take a -2 penalty to attack rolls against your allies. This penalty does not apply to attacks against you. Finally, you gain DR 3/ magic.
Stone: While in the stone stance, you become as the earth, an immovable boulder. You grant all allies adjacent to you a +4 bonus to AC, and all enemies within your threatened area take a -4 penalty to attack rolls against your allies. This penalty does not apply to attacks against you. Finally, you gain DR 5/adamantine and a +2 bonus to all saves.
Iron: While in iron stance, you become an unbreakable figure, as tough as iron. You grant all allies adjacent to you a +6 bonus to AC, and all enemies within your threatened area take a -6 penalty to attack rolls against your allies. This penalty does not apply to attacks against you. Finally, you gain DR 10/adamantine and a +4 bonus to all saves.
Adamant: While in adamant stance you become tougher than tough, an unbreakable shield to all those you call allies. You grant all allies adjacent to you a +8 bonus to AC, and all enemies within your threatened area take a -8 penalty to attack rolls against your allies. This penalty does not apply to attacks against you. Finally, you gain DR 15/adamantine and a +6 bonus to all saves.
Diamond: While in diamond stance, you become the pinnacle of defense, an unassailable fortress. You grant all allies adjacent to you a +10 bonus to AC, and all enemies within your threatened area take a -10 penalty to attack rolls against your allies. This penalty does not apply to attacks against you. Finally, you gain DR 20/- and a +8 bonus to all saves.

Armored Offense (Ex): A guardian is fully accustomed to fighting in armor, and can turn the heavy bulk of his armor into a deadly offensive weapon. While wearing heavy armor, you may add a bonus equal to your armor’s base armor bonus plus your shield’s base shield bonus to attack and damage rolls on a charge and strength checks made to bull rush an opponent. This bonus cannot exceed ½ your class level (minimum 1)

AC Bonus (Ex): A guardian can maximize the protection provided by his armor. A guardian increases his armor bonus by an amount shown on the table as long as he is wearing armor. Force effects, such as inertial armor, mage armor, or bracers of armor, do not count for this purpose.

Focused Defense (Ex): A guardian has been trained to maximize their defenses in combat. At 2nd level and above, as a free action once per round, you may designate a single opponent you can see. Against this opponent, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus lasts until you choose a new opponent. At 8th, 14th, and 19th level, this bonus increases by 1.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, a guardian retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a guardian already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a guardian can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping guardian does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Fast Healing (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, the guardian is able to push themselves to keep fighting, even in the face of grievous injury. You gain fast healing 1. At 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, and 20th level, the fast healing increases by one point.

Bonus Feat: At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level, you gain a bonus feat from the following list: Active Shield Defense, Agile Shield Fighter, Armor Specialization, Blood-Spiked Charger, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Cometary Collision, Defensive Sweep, Defensive Throw, Great Fortitude, Greater Powerful Charge, Hold the Line, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Combat Expertise, Improved Grapple, Improved Overrun, Improved Shield Bash, Improved Sunder, Improved Toughness, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Phalanx Fighting, Power Attack, Powerful Charge, Shield Charge, Shield Slam, Shield Sling, Shield Specialization, Shield Ward, Stand Still, Steadfast Determination.

Impassible: The guardian’s trained to prevent the movement of others. At 4th level and above, while you are in your guardian stance, all enemies treat squares you threaten are as difficult terrain.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 6th level, a guardian can no longer be flanked. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the guardian.
The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the guardian can flank him (and thus sneak attack him).
If a character gains uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels from those classes stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Dazing Strike (Ex): At 6th level, a guardian can make a special dazing attack once per encounter. The guardian must declare an attack to be a dazing attack before making the attack. If the attack misses, the use is wasted. If the attack hits, the target must make a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 guardian level+str mod) or be dazed for one round. At 12th and 18th level, you gain an additional use of this ability per encounter.

Intercede (Ex): At 7th level and higher, a guardian can step in to defend an ally at a moment’s notice. As an immediate action, the guardian can switch places with an adjacent ally. If the ally was the target of an attack, spell, or other effect when you used this ability, it is instead considered to be targeted at you.

Armor Mastery (Ex): At 9th level and above, you have learned to wear your armor as a second skin. You can ignore the standard speed penalty for medium or heavy armor.

Improved Combat Reflexes (Ex): The guardian gains combat reflexes as a bonus feat, if he does not already possess the feat. He may use his constitution modifier in place of his dexterity modifier for determining how many attacks of opportunity he may make in a round.

Call to Battle (Ex): At 11th level and higher, the guardian has learned one of the greatest secrets of defense. The best way to protect your allies is to make sure the enemies focus on you. As a standard action, the guardian can let out a fearsome challenge. All enemies within 60 feet that can see and hear you must make a will save (DC 10+½ class level+ cha mod) or be forced to attack you for the next minute. They must choose you as the target of their melee or ranged attacks in preference to any other targets, and if they use a spell or supernatural ability, they must include you in the area of effect. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your charisma modifier.

Impenetrable Guard (Ex): At 18th level and above, a guardian’s armor, shield, natural, dexterity, dodge, deflection, and size modifiers to AC apply at all times, even when they would normally be ignored. Effectively, a guardian's touch and flat-footed ACs are identical to his normal AC.

[mootoall]

While this fills half of the tank role, making enemies hit it, it doesn't fill the other half of the tank role, which is proceeding to murder those people. Its first level ability makes it a decent charger and battlefield controller (as far as melee goes), but that's ... pretty much its only active ability. Maybe put in one or two more combat options in?

[Admiral Squish]

While this fills half of the tank role, making enemies hit it, it doesn't fill the other half of the tank role, which is proceeding to murder those people. Its first level ability makes it a decent charger and battlefield controller (as far as melee goes), but that's ... pretty much its only active ability. Maybe put in one or two more combat options in?

Which is exactly why I posted this! I need help.

What would you suggest in the way of combat options? I mean, I want this class to be rather general, allowing the player to decide exactly how they want to do things. I can come up with plenty of offensive moves involving shields, armor spikes, and other such things, but I really don't want to pidgeonhole the PCs into a specific fighting style any more than a defensively-focused class already does.

[Maraxus1]

You say that

... this stance grants you a bonus (...) against any attempt to (...) grapple, or in any way move you against your will ...

Does this mean "grapples checks and anything that moves you", or does it mean "grapple checks to oppose the 'move with enemy' option in a grapple"


As for offensive options, I'd add Improved Trip, Improved Grapple (and thus Imp. Unarmed Strike) and Stand Still to the feat-list. Plus maybe improved versions of those.
I think the image of combat-control fighting fit well with the Tank image. He will be bad at murdering people but he will still be useful.

[mootoall]

Perhaps give it some AoO and/or battlefield control options? You have a difficult terrain thing in there, I think, which is nice. How about giving it the option to deny actions to people?

[Welknair]

Perhaps give it some AoO and/or battlefield control options? You have a difficult terrain thing in there, I think, which is nice. How about giving it the option to deny actions to people?

Right, IIRC that was one of the nice points of the Knight (Or maybe it was a PrC for it? AFB.) - they had abilities to hinder enemies moving around them. A Tank isn't very useful if enemies can just walk past them.

[Admiral Squish]

You say that

... this stance grants you a bonus (...) against any attempt to (...) grapple, or in any way move you against your will ...

Does this mean "grapples checks and anything that moves you", or does it mean "grapple checks to oppose the 'move with enemy' option in a grapple"

I'm not really sure. I based the bonus off the spell 'Mountain Stance'. From the SpC. Would it be broken to make it resist all grapple checks, or should I limit it to the 'move grapple' option?

As for offensive options, I'd add Improved Trip, Improved Grapple (and thus Imp. Unarmed Strike) and Stand Still to the feat-list. Plus maybe improved versions of those.
I think the image of combat-control fighting fit well with the Tank image. He will be bad at murdering people but he will still be useful.

I was looking for stand still! ...I have no idea why that's in the XPH.

I'm glad you like the class's abilities.

Perhaps give it some AoO and/or battlefield control options? You have a difficult terrain thing in there, I think, which is nice. How about giving it the option to deny actions to people?

Hmm. Well, they can pick up combat reflexes as a bonus feat. Maybe I could simply MAKE it a bonus feat, and maybe let them use con or str instead of dex for the number of AoOs you can make?
I could put in some kind of dazing attack. Maybe something like a smite progression?

Right, IIRC that was one of the nice points of the Knight (Or maybe it was a PrC for it? AFB.) - they had abilities to hinder enemies moving around them. A Tank isn't very useful if enemies can just walk past them.

Check the impassable ability. Threatened area is treated as difficult terrain by your enemies while you're in guardian stance.

[mootoall]

I'm not really sure. I based the bonus off the spell 'Mountain Stance'. From the SpC. Would it be broken to make it resist all grapple checks, or should I limit it to the 'move grapple' option?

I would have it just as a bonus to grapple checks, not just to resist. Give it grappling as an option for the big guys.

Maybe let them use con or str instead of dex for the number of AoOs you can make?
I could put in some kind of dazing attack. Maybe something like a smite progression?

Both really good ideas.

[Kelvin360]

The Powerbuilder in me just had an evilgasm. I love it! :D

[Admiral Squish]

I would have it just as a bonus to grapple checks, not just to resist. Give it grappling as an option for the big guys.


Both really good ideas.

Right, I can do that.

Now I just have to figure out where to put them in without overloading any levels...

The Powerbuilder in me just had an evilgasm. I love it! :D

I.... I'm glad you approve... I think...

[Admiral Squish]

Suggested changes made. How's it look?

[mootoall]

Looks good to me! I'd play it.

[Admiral Squish]

Looks good to me! I'd play it.

Huzzah! Victory!

[Kelvin360]

I.... I'm glad you approve... I think...

I think you might identify with this.

[Admiral Squish]

I think you might identify with this.

Indeed I do, my friend. Indeed...

Still, I'm forced to wonder, does your evilgasm say good things about my class, or bad ones?

[Admiral Squish]

Just occurred to me: perhaps this class needs a way to mitigate the armor check penalty of that heavy armor/shield?