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View Full Version : [Pathfinder/3.5] Meat Shield Prestige Class (PEACH)



Chainsaw Hobbit
2012-05-12, 08:35 PM
Meat Sheild


https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTqsvVNA2ljRPUkWcsNh1tq1e4Q3OtgU HjSZ60agiUoaRYzHP3V

The dwarf shieldmaiden grits her bloody teeth and hefts her axe. She is riddled with with wounds, her armour is torn, and all around her is fire and carnage, but she stands proud. Through the haze of smoke she sees the silhouette of some fell monster, its head thrown back in a savage howl.

"Come on, beastie," she mutters. She is a shieldmaiden of the Ironblade clan. She will not back down.

Meat Shields are stalwart warriors devoted to protecting their kin at all costs. They might be noble knights, tight-lipped mercenaries, unflinching bodyguards, or raving fanatics - but their top priority is always the safety of their allies. A meat shield is like a wall of iron in battle, taking the brunt of the punishment and dishing out destruction.

Role: Meat Shields make great "tank" characters because of their heaps of Hit Points, great Armour Class, and phenomenal Saving Throws. Their full attack bonus also means they can cause almost as much pain as they can endure.

Alignment: Meat shields tend towards lawful alignments, and are more often good than evil. There are, of course, exceptions.

Hit Die: d12.

Class Skills: Climb (Strength), Heal (Wisdom), Intimidate (Charisma), Swim (Strength).

Skill Points Per Level: (2 + Int modifier)

Requirements

Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Great Fortitude
Armor Proficiency: Proficiency with at least one kind of heavy armour, and one kind of shield.

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Reflex Save|Will Save|Special
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Body Guard
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Speed Bump 1/day, Hardiness
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Shield Barer, Make it Last
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Speed Bump 2/day, Draw Attention
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Heavy Armour Damage Reduction
6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Speed Bump 3/day, Shrug It Off
7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Hinder Movement
8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Speed Bump 4/day, Fierce Defence
9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Epic Recovery
10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|Speed Bump 5/day, To My Last Breath[/table]

Body Guard (EX): Starting at level 1, the Meat Shield gains the Body Guard power, which they can use as often as they like. Whenever an ally is hit by an attack, the meat shield can make a Reflex save with a DC equal to the result of the attack roll. if they succeed, they are hit by the attack instead. To do this, they must be adjacent to the ally or the attacker.

Speed Bump (EX): Starting at level 2, the Meat Shield gains the Speed Bump power, which they can use once per day, and an additional time per day at every even-numbered level above 2. After taking damage for any reason, the Meat Shield can reduce this damage by half (rounding down).

Hardiness (SU): Starting at level 2, the Meat Shield becomes immune to all poisons and diseases.

Shield Barer (EX): Starting at level 3, allies adjacent to the Meat Shield gain a +1 bonus to Armour Class and Saving Throws. This bonus increases to +2 is the Meat Shield is using a shield.

Make it Last (EX): Starting at level 3, whenever the Meat Shield is magically healed, they regain extra hit points equal to double their Meat Shield level.

Draw Attention (EX): Starting at level 4, all enemies within ten feet of the Meat Shield deal half damage with attacks that do not include the Meat Shield as a target.

Heavy Armour Damage Reduction (EX): Starting at level 5, the Meat Shield gains DR/- equal to their Meat Shield level while wearing heavy armour.

Shrug it Off (EX): Starting at level 6, the Meat Shield becomes immune to ability damage and negative levels.

Hinder Movement (SP): Starting at level 7, all space within ten feet of the Meat Shield is considered to be difficult terrain for enemies.

Fierce Defence (EX): Starting at level 8, the Meat Shield gains a bonus equal to attack rolls and damage rolls equal to their Constitution modafier while adjacent to an ally who is at fewer than half hit points. This effect does not stack.

Epic Recovery (EX): Starting at level 9, once per day as a full-round action, the Meat Shield can recover from all conditions and regain 75 hit points.

To My Last Breath (EX): Starting at level 10, the Meat Shield gains the To My Last Breath Power, which they can only use once. When they are killed, they return to life with maximum hit points. Afterwards, they lose 10 hit points at the start of their turn for the remainder of their life, cannot be healed by any means, and gain a +5 bonus to attack rolls and a +10 bonus to damage rolls until they die for a second time. This power recharges if they are resurrected.


* * * * *

For those of you who like to skim, I have included a short list of the main assets available to the Meat Shield.

d12 hit dice.
Full BAB.
Amazing saving throws.
Multiple abilities that allow them to soak up damage.
Multiple abilities that allow them to take attacks for their friends.
Respectable damage reduction starting at level 5.
The ability to hamper the movement of their foes starting at level 7.
Decent once-per-day self healing starting at level 9.
An epic last stand ability as a capstone.

Lemmy
2012-05-13, 12:45 AM
Hmmm... It sure can shrug off most attacks.

However, it doesn't give the enemy any reason to target her. Why would they attack the guy with great saves, lots of hit points and insane AC when they can hit the squishy wizard in the back?

It needs some crowd control abilities. Like making all squares threatened by it be treated as difficult terrain by the enemies, or causing opponents a penalty when attacking the meat shield's allies.

It's a good class for a character who is only interested in her own survival, but if she probably won't be able to draw enemy fire to her (instead of the weakling with the dusty book) when fighting enemies with a even the smallest notion of strategy.

Jane_Smith
2012-05-13, 02:35 AM
Id say toss the shield-other ability and give it the knights thing, all spaces it threatens are difficult terrain. Maybe also have goad as a feat requirement? I believe that is from complete adventurer... maybe give the character a bonus on the check based on meat shield levels?

Or perhaps give it an aura simular to the stance "Iron Guardians Glare" from tome of battle. All enemys within 30 feet take a -4 penalty to attack rolls to hit anyone besides you. Maybe buff it to give -4 to dc's on effects that dont include you (aoe/multi target stuff) or that dont target you?

Steward
2012-05-13, 09:45 AM
I think they need more speed and battlefield control. At low levels, what stops enemies from running around or past them? At mid- and high-level, how do they handle characters with blink, dimension door, and teleport?

Chainsaw Hobbit
2012-05-13, 10:15 AM
I made Body Guard a bit better, replaced Enthusiasm with Draw Attention, and replaced Shield Other with Hinder Movement.