Hunting a class

[Dorni]

I'm working on a character and I've run into a a roadblock. I'm looking for a class/feat/ability/etc that allows the character to transfer some of his AC to another character. My books have come up short and I'd like to ask if anyone knows a way to do this.

[Hypothetical]

Ummm, caught me on that one. I can't think of any non-Home-Brewed Feat/skill/ability that would let you do that.

Now, a Home-Brewed "Defender" Feat, or a Home-Brewed "Block" Skill, could do the trick. But I would have to assume a major Dex Penelty either way.

[ishi]

The Knight Protector PrC, Complete Warrior, comes to mind. I can't say I know too much about the class, but I know it's designed to bodyguard.

[BardicDuelist]

In Shining South (a FR book) there is a feat "allied defense." It allows you to apply your combat expertise AC bonus to any adjacent ally(s), and the only pre-preq is combat expertise. You even retain the bonus yourself.

Also, Shieldmate from the Minitures Handbook gives +1 to adjacent ally's AC when you use a shield, or +2 using a tower shield.

[OzymandiasVolt]

Sword and Fist has the Devoted Defender class. It's all about being a bodyguard.

[Variable Arcana]

You can always use the Aid Another action -- lets you give a +2 bonus to one ally's AC vs one attack from a specific enemy...

Dragon Shaman and Marshall both have abilities that can provide some defense to all their allies in a certain radius.

[Goff]

Phalanx Fighting in CW does give a bonus to an adjacent ally's AC, but they have to have the feat and right equipment. Other than that, all i can think of is the Knight's (PBII) shield other ability, but that only absorbs damage that your ally would have taken.

[Annarrkkii]

Knights can absorb allies' hp damage at close range, and the Devoted Spirit maneuver Shield Block lets you use a counter to grant 4 + your shield bonus to an adjacent ally. Extra useful when combined with things like Shield Wall with an ally. A pair of Crusaders, of similar design, standing side-by-side is just deadly. Combine Shield Wall with Shield Block, have them slamming away with Mountain Hammers and advancing slowly with disjointed use of White Raven Tactics and Tactical Strike.

[The_Snark]

The PHBII has a chain of feats that will let you replace attacks of opportunity with aid another attempts, and eventually attacks against your allies provoke aid another attempts, which helps out their AC. The Knight class is good for this.

Crusader can work too. There's a White Raven feat that gives adjacent allies bonuses to AC, and the Iron Guard Glare stance gives enemies a hefty penalty when they try to attack someone other than you.

[JaronK]

Crusaders can do it with one of their manuevers.

JaronK

[Lolzords]

Make a homebrew bonus fighter feat called protect. The big gragh i have a big weapon type person can lose his dexterity bonus to his AC, to transfer it to another person. Instead of using dex bonus to help dodge blows, you use it to get in the way of the blows directed at the guy behind you.

[Talya]

"allied defense."

This is exactly the one I was thinking of. Being able to use your own combat expertise on others is perfect.

[BardicDuelist]

It is also a dodge bonus, so if both characters have it, it stacks. :smallbiggrin: Fighting back to back with annother character with it means you can't be flanked and get 2 points to AC per -1 to attack. If you use tumble, deadly defense, defensive strike, or quickstaff it can be more.

[Seffbasilisk]

Bullrush your allies around constantly. If anyone attacks them, there's a 25% chance it goes at you instead.

[BardicDuelist]

Bullrush your allies around constantly. If anyone attacks them, there's a 25% chance it goes at you instead.

Interesting...tactics...

[Seffbasilisk]

In all seriousness, there's Devoted Defender, Phanlax Fighting, White Raven, Knights, Shield Guardians, heck you can even pick up a tower shield (30gp) and stand in front of someone giving them cover with it (total cover if you take no actions and your DM is nice).

[Dorni]

Thanks for the advice everyone. After looking it over I think I'm going to go with devoted defender and see if I can get my hands on Shining South.