Defending others

[xkroku]

I've been making a Dwarven tank PC with one of my players, and he asked me if it's possible if he wanted to defend his low-AC Psion friend. Like, add something to his AC, or block an attack. I only know the Aid Another option, but the +2 AC thing I think just isn't enough for this heavy tank character (with 30-ish AC right now).
Do you know of any feats or perhaps maneuvers that cand do such things?
Thanks!

[flappeercraft]

Well, he could get a Tower Shield and go full Reinhardt

[xkroku]

Well, he could get a Tower Shield and go full Reinhardt

I can't believe I forgot about this...
Thank you! :smallbiggrin:

[OldTrees1]

The Devoted Defender prestige class in Sword and Fist is designed specifically for this case.

[Draconi Redfir]

It's a teamwork feat, so both you and the psion would be required to take it and meet the prerequisates, but the Extend the Bulwark (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/extend-the-bulwark-combat-teamwork/) feat would allow you to give 1/2 your armor bonus to your ally as a circumstance bonus. Though this does cause you to loose your armor AC as a result.


Or maybe the Psion could take Ally Sheild (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/betrayal-feats/ally-shield-betrayal-teamwork/) and stand next to you all the time, forcing you to take the blow instead:smalltongue:

[Karl Aegis]

Dead enemies don't make attacks.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Devoted Spirit has a maneuver for that, Shield Block. It grants your ally your shields AC +4 as an immediate action. It has no prerequisites, so you can learn it with Martial Study.
There's also Shield Counter which lets you interrupt an attack with a shield bash, but it's a 7th level maneuver so you need to be an initiator to learn it.

There's also a bunch of teamwork benefits for that.
Keep in mind that teamwork benefits don't actually cost you anything but training time if you fulfill the requirements. Lots of people forget all about them even if some of them are really useful.

Spellcaster Guardian (HoB) lets anyone in the team intercept AoO's that an adjacent caster (that's also in the team) triggers for casting.
It requires one character in the team to have Combat Reflexes and 4 ranks in spellcraft, the others only need 1 rank of spellcraft.
This one is probably one of the best. The requirements are easy to fill and the benefit is well worth it.

Team Shield Maneuver (PHB2) lets a team member push another 10ft out of the way if he drops to -1hp or lower, as an immediate action. Needs Shield Specialization on one and Shield Profiency on the others.

Wall of Steel (PHB2) lets any member give his shield bonus to any other adjacent member (stacks with receivers shield, if any). Needs Tower Shield Prof + BAB 8 on one and Shield Prof + BAB 2 on the others.

There's more of them in PHB2, DMG2, DS and HoB, and some of them are pretty good. It's definitely worth a look.
Resource - Class Boosters (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=477) has a list at the bottom.

If PF is allowed PoW has a bunch of options that let you apply your counters to your allies (one of the Warder archetypes iirc), and some counters can apply to allies automatically.
I'm still playing around with PoW though so someone else probably has a better idea, or you could have a look for yourself.

[Das_Tabby]

If this Psion is (for whatever reason) usually next to the defender, said defender could use combat expertise and allied defense (from Shining South)

If he takes 1 lvl Crusader there's also the "Iron Guard's Glare" stance, granting allies a +4 to AC if they are threatend by the same enemy

[Twurps]

for completeness sake: the Knight class gets an ability at lvl 6 that lets it absorb half of any physical attack damage an ally receives. not worth 6 levels in that class by any means though. I like the crusader options metioned above better.

[Vizzerdrix]

Dead enemies don't make attacks.

Zombies beg to differ.

[Karl Aegis]

Zombies beg to differ.

Dead zombies don't make attacks either.

[Deadline]

There are two feats in Drow of the Underdark that help with this.

Constant Guardian lets you take a penalty to attack to grant a boost to the AC of an ally within 10 feet.

Dutiful Guardian has Constant Guardian as a pre-req, and lets you use an immediate action to switch places with your Constant Guardian target and receive an attack in their stead.

Also potentially relevant, getting the ability to cast Shield Other so you can absorb half the damage that your ally would take.

It's already been mentioned but the Devoted Spirit line of maneuvers from the Tome of Battle have the Shield Block maneuver and the Iron Guard's Glare stance that help protect allies.

[Diarmuid]

Ardents get a couple of abilities along the lines you're looking for.

Guardian Mantle lets you expend your psionic focus to take a melee hit for an adjacent ally.

Similarly, Justice Mantle lets you expend your psionic focus to make an AoO against someone you threaten who makes a melee attack against an adjacent ally.

Both are activated as immediate actions.

[OldTrees1]

Which choice to take kinda boils down to 4 questions:

1) How often do you want to be able to do it per day?
2) How often do you want to be able to do it per round?
3) How many people do you want to be protecting?
4) How comprehensive do you want the protection?


Devoted Defender
1) Unlimited
2) Unlimited
3) 1
4) You intercept the attack(damage & riders)