Defender
Drawn from the ranks of guards, knights, mercenaries, and even thugs, defenders are masters of claiming an area and refusing to relinquish it. This behavior is more than a tactical decision for these heroes; it's an obsessive, stubborn expression of the need to defend yourself, your allies, and the ground on which you all stand. In addition, defenders know that a strong defense is paramount both out of combat and in.
Anyone can be as stubborn as a rock and dedicated to holding one point no matter the cost, so defenders can be of any alignment. That said, dedication and practice push a defender toward law, and the desire to protect others certainly reflects a bent toward good. Paladins are natural defenders, but stalwart people of all classes have become defenders.
Role: Defenders are masters of combat, where they are towers of support in the pandemonium of battle. They are normally found on the front lines of a fight, holding a position to cover their allies, leaping into breaches of opposing formations and holding them open for others. They may have a secondary ranged weapon to use when foes try to avoid them. Beyond a fight, defenders often act as bodyguards, enforcers, champions, and leaders.
Requirements: The Universal System tends to offer the Defender prestige class to characters who have had remarkable experiences ...
- You have made it your business, defiantly and often, to protect people and places.
- You are trained in the arts of war, sword and shield, bow and fist.
- You have demonstrated stubbornness, perseverance, and an indomitable nature.
- You have chosen feats and traits that focus on defending yourself and others.
- By standing firm and sheltering others, you have saved lives at great risk to yourself.
- You honor gods whose spheres touch on protection, war, law, community, or some other aspect of the defender's mission.
- You see it as your holy mission to be a champion of the weak and protector of the innocent.
Base Attack Bonus: +0.75 / level.
Caster Level: Similar to +0.25 / level, see below.
Will Save: +0.50 / level.
Fort Save: +0.75 / level.
Reflex Save: +0.50 / level.
Hit Die: d12.
Table: Defender Advancement Level Base Attack Bonus Caster Level Will Save Fort Save Refx Save Special 1st +0.75 +0.0 +0.50 +0.75 +0.50 Prestige Signature: Defender's Stand 2nd +1.50 +1.0 +1.00 +1.50 +1.00 Intimidating Posture or Tenacious 3rd +2.25 +1.0 +1.50 +2.25 +1.50 Lock Down or Lunge 4th +3.00 +1.0 +2.00 +3.00 +2.00 Spot Malefactor or Eternal Watch 5th +3.75 +1.0 +2.50 +3.75 +2.50 Prestige Tier Choice 6th +4.50 +2.0 +3.00 +4.50 +3.00 Master Signature: Defense Master 7th +5.25 +2.0 +3.50 +5.25 +3.50 Leader or Inspire Trust 8th +6.00 +2.0 +4.00 +6.00 +4.00 Last Word or Shield Allies 9th +6.75 +2.0 +4.50 +6.75 +4.50 Xyzzy or Bust Out 10th +7.50 +2.5 +5.00 +7.50 +5.00 Master Tier Choice
Skill Proficiencies
The defender's proficient skills (and the ability scores used to boost each skill) are Break (Str), Climb (Str), Intimidate (Chr), Jump (Str), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tactics (Int).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
You are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. You are proficient with all armor and shields, including tower shields.
Spells and Spell Casting
Prestige classes do not add the usual fractional increase to caster level each time you advance. Instead, at some levels you add a full caster level, and at other levels you add none. The spell level of defender spells varies from defender to defender -- see these rules on prestige class spell aquisition. When you cast spells gained through this prestige class, those spells are divine in nature, and they follow the rules for divine spells. The casting ability score for this prestige class is constitution, which is used to set defender spell DCs, and, if it is your highest casting ability score, to set concentration checks and bonus spells per day.
KNOWN SPELLS LIST: When you add a caster level, the spells you add to your known spells list are pre-selected:
- At level 2, add Cure Critical Wounds and Wall of Ice.
- At level 6, add Heal and Wall of Stone.
- At level 10, add 0.5 to your caster level, and if that results in a whole number caster level increase, choose two spells known from your other class(es).
Class Abilities
PRESTIGE TIER
Level 1 Defender Prestige Tier Signature Ability: Defender's Stand (Su) Once you have rolled initiative and entered combat, you can take a stand in defense of a position. You gain combat bonuses the longer you stand in one place without moving. Standing in place for the first round offers no bonus. On the second round, you gain a +1 sacred bonus to attack, to armor class (but not CMD), to damage reduction, and to Will saving throws. On the third round, the bonuses rise to +2; on the fourth round, to +3, and finally, on the fifth round, to +4, that is, +4 to attacks, +4 AC, +4 Will saves, and 4/- damage reduction. If you voluntarily move, even a five-foot step, your bonus resets to +0.
Level 2 Defender Prestige Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):
- Intimidating Posture (Ex): Without saying a word, your presence can be intimidating when you want it to be. You gain a +4 competence bonus on Intimidate skill checks, which you can make through body language, without speaking.
- Tenacious (Ex): It is hard to change your mind. You gain a +4 competence bonus on saving throws against charm as well as against being shaken, frightened, and panicked. The DC to demoralize you rises by 4; you are not affected by other intimidate checks nor by diplomacy checks to change your attitude (for NPC defenders).
Level 3 Defender Prestige Tier Combat Ability (pick one):
- Lock Down (Su): Every time a foe not more than one size bigger than you tries to leave a square you threaten, you can make a melee attack with whatever weapon you have at hand (even an unarmed attack will do). If you hit, you inflict no damage, but the foe cannot move for the rest of the round. If you would prefer to use an attack of opportunity instead, you may.
- Lunge (Ex): You gain the Lunge feat, even if you would not otherwise qualify to take it.
Level 4 Defender Prestige Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):
- Spot Malefactor (Su): You gain the Spot Malefactor I ability of the Warrior secondary class. However, the scope of the ability expands -- in addition to spotting those who who intend to harm just you, the ability also covers those who intend to harm you and your allies. This ability stacks if you already have a warrior's Spot Malefactor I, II, or III ability.
- Eternal Watch (Su): You do not need natural sleep if you stand watch during the time you would have slept. You gain the same restful benefits you would have gained if you had slept instead. Nonetheless, you must get at least one good night's sleep (of at least eight hours) once each fortnight.
Level 5 Defender Prestige Tier Choice: Select a Defender Prestige Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a feat from the Defender or Hard-Ass Feat Trees for which you qualify, treating your own tier as if it were one step higher.
MASTER TIER
Level 6 Defender Master Tier Signature Ability: Defense Master (Su) You gain a +1 competence bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defefense (CMD); in addition, when you are using your defender's stand, that bonus to CMD increases to +2 on the second round, then +4, then +6, then +8. In addition, you may take a five foot step once per round while maintaining your defender's stand.
Level 7 Defender Master Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):
- Leader (Ex): You gain a +4 competence bonus on tactics skill checks to secure camp, organize withdrawal, and extend aid. You gain the same bonus on survival skill checks to get along in the wild, gain a bonus on fortitude saves against severe weather, and to hide a campsite; when helping others with your survival skill, you can assist ten times the normal number.
- Inspire Trust (Su): After you have defended creatures from a significant danger, you gain a +10 bonus on diplomacy and bluff skill checks with those creatures. This bonus decreases by 1 per day, but never drops below +2.
Level 8 Defender Master Tier Combat Ability (pick one):
- Last Word (Ex): Once per day as a free action, you can make one melee attack at +5 to hit against an opponent within reach in response to an attack by that foe that reduces you to negative hit points, knocks you unconscious, or kills you. You automatically confirm critical hits when you make a last word attack. Once your last word attack is resolved, you suffer the normal effect of the attack that provoked this ability.
- Shield Allies (Ex): Allies within your threatened area gain a +2 circumstance bonus to AC and CMD.
Level 9 Defender Master Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):
- Xyzzy (Sp): Once per day as a standard action, you can teleport with up to five medium creatures as a Teleport spell, with no chance of error. back to the last location in which you used your defender's stand ability..
- Bust Out (Ex): You gain a +4 competence bonus making break skill attempts to break through doors and walls. If you have a running start of at least 20 feet, this bonus rises to +8 -- but if you fail to break through with a running start, you take 1d6 nonlethal damage.
Level 10 Defender Master Tier Choice: Select a defender Master or Prestige Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a feat from the Defender or Hard-Ass Feat Trees for which you qualify, treating your own tier as if it were one step higher.