Thrantar
2008-11-20, 02:20 PM
Stalwart
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d12
Class Skills:
The Stalwart’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+0|+2|+0|+0|Preternaturally Tough
2nd|+1|+3|+0|+0|Bonus Feat
3rd|+2|+3|+1|+1|Shield and Armor Skill +1
4th|+3|+4|+1|+1|Iron Shell, Pincushion
5th|+3|+4|+1|+1|Shield and Armor Mastery +1
6th|+4|+5|+2|+2|Tougher than Nails, Bonus Feat
7th|+5|+5|+2|+2|Shield and Armor Skill +2
8th|+6/+1|+6|+2|+2|Fast Healing 1, Shield Mate
9th|+6/+1|+6|+3|+3|Preternaturally Tough 2
10th|+7/+2|+7|+3|+3|Shield and Armor Mastery +2, Bonus Feat
11th|+8/+3|+7|+3|+3|Shield and Armor Skill +3
12th|+9/+4|+8|+4|+4|Bodily Volition 1/day
13th|+9/+4|+8|+4|+4|Fast Healing 2
14th|+10/+5|+9|+4|+4|Life in Armor, Bonus Feat
15th|+11/+6/+1|+9|+5|+5|Shield and Armor Mastery +3, Shield and Armor Skill +4
16th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5|Iron Skin, Improved Pincushion
17th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5|Preternaturally Tough 3
18th|+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Bodily Volition 2/day, Fast Healing 3, Bonus Feat
19th|+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6|Shield and Armor Skill +5
20th|+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Stoicism 1/day, Shield and Armor Mastery +4
[/table]
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Stalwart.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Stalwart is proficient with all simple weapons, one martial weapon of their choice, the shield martial weapons, both spiked and unspiked, and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).
All abilities of the stalwart are extraordinary unless otherwise noted.
Preternaturally Tough: Stalwarts are tougher than other individuals, and receive an additional hit point per class level.
Bonus Feat: At second level, and every four levels thereafter, the stalwart selects a bonus feat from the following list: Great Fortitude, Improved Shield Bash,
Shield and Armor Skill: Starting at third level, extensive experience using shields and armor have taught Stalwarts how to move more fluidly in armor than others. The armor check penalties of armor or shield they wear are reduced by an additional 1, to a minimum of zero. The reduction increases by a point every 4 levels thereafter. This applies only to heavy armor and large or tower shields.
Iron Shell: Starting at 4th level, stalwarts ignore the weight of armor and shields they wear or carry for the purpose of calculating encumbrance. This does not change the weight category of armor they wear.
Pincushion (Su): Starting at 4th level, shields the stalwart uses are treated as having the Arrow Catching ability. Ignore this ability for the purpose of calculating the cost to upgrade the stalwart's shield.
Shield and Armor Mastery: Stalwarts have learned how to use armor and shields with greater proficiency than others. The armor and shield bonuses of armor and shields they use increase by a point at 5th level, and an additional point every 5 levels thereafter. This applies only to heavy armor and large or tower shields. Additionally, the maximum dex bonus of armor and shields they use increases by one.
Tougher than Nails: Starting at 6th level, Stalwarts receive DR 3/-. This stacks with other sources of damage reduction, and increases by one point at every even level.
Preternaturally Tough 2: Stalwarts are tougher than other individuals, and receive another additional hit point per class level. This is not applied retroactively.
Fast Healing: At 8th level, a stalwart gains fast healing 1. This increases by a point every 5 levels.
Shield Mate: As an immediate action, a stalwart wielding a tower shield can grant full cover to an adjacent ally. The stalwart does not lose the benefit of the shield if he or she does so.
Bodily Volition: 1/day, the stalwart can make a fortitude save instead of a will save for spells that normally allow a will save. The stalwart can do this an additional time per day every 6 levels.
Life in Armor: Stalwarts ignore movement penalties caused by armor, as per the dwarven racial ability. Additionally, stalwarts can sleep in armor without fatigue.
Iron Skin: When wearing heavy or heavier armor, the stalwart may add their con bonus as a miscellaneous bonus to AC.
Improved Pincushion (Su): While wearing at least medium armor and using at least a heavy shield, all ranged attacks targeted against an ally of the stalwart within five feet of the stalwart instead hit the stalwart.
Preternaturally Tough 3: Stalwarts are tougher than other individuals, and receive another additional hit point per class level. This is not applied retroactively.
Stoicism: When using the full defense action, the stalwart's Fast Healing, DR, Life in Armor, and Shield and Armor Mastery bonuses are all doubled. Additionally, the stalwart my use their Bodily Volition ability without expending uses. The stalwart can do this 1/day for a number of rounds equal to their Con mod. Once activated, rounds not spent in full defense are still counted against the duration. The stalwart can do this an additional time per day every 10 levels.
Comments:
Many claim that at high levels, D&D degenerates into a game of rocket tag. I aimed to create a non-magical class that stood a chance of surviving the flying rockets while lacking in almost all forms of damage. In a party setting, a stalwart could very easily prove to be useless as monsters ignore the relatively hard to kill stalwart in favor of everything else. Still, a stalwart should do a good job of preventing TPKs, although not by stopping anyone else from dying. Decent trapfinder starting at eighth level, although not a stealthy one.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d12
Class Skills:
The Stalwart’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+0|+2|+0|+0|Preternaturally Tough
2nd|+1|+3|+0|+0|Bonus Feat
3rd|+2|+3|+1|+1|Shield and Armor Skill +1
4th|+3|+4|+1|+1|Iron Shell, Pincushion
5th|+3|+4|+1|+1|Shield and Armor Mastery +1
6th|+4|+5|+2|+2|Tougher than Nails, Bonus Feat
7th|+5|+5|+2|+2|Shield and Armor Skill +2
8th|+6/+1|+6|+2|+2|Fast Healing 1, Shield Mate
9th|+6/+1|+6|+3|+3|Preternaturally Tough 2
10th|+7/+2|+7|+3|+3|Shield and Armor Mastery +2, Bonus Feat
11th|+8/+3|+7|+3|+3|Shield and Armor Skill +3
12th|+9/+4|+8|+4|+4|Bodily Volition 1/day
13th|+9/+4|+8|+4|+4|Fast Healing 2
14th|+10/+5|+9|+4|+4|Life in Armor, Bonus Feat
15th|+11/+6/+1|+9|+5|+5|Shield and Armor Mastery +3, Shield and Armor Skill +4
16th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5|Iron Skin, Improved Pincushion
17th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5|Preternaturally Tough 3
18th|+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Bodily Volition 2/day, Fast Healing 3, Bonus Feat
19th|+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6|Shield and Armor Skill +5
20th|+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Stoicism 1/day, Shield and Armor Mastery +4
[/table]
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Stalwart.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Stalwart is proficient with all simple weapons, one martial weapon of their choice, the shield martial weapons, both spiked and unspiked, and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).
All abilities of the stalwart are extraordinary unless otherwise noted.
Preternaturally Tough: Stalwarts are tougher than other individuals, and receive an additional hit point per class level.
Bonus Feat: At second level, and every four levels thereafter, the stalwart selects a bonus feat from the following list: Great Fortitude, Improved Shield Bash,
Shield and Armor Skill: Starting at third level, extensive experience using shields and armor have taught Stalwarts how to move more fluidly in armor than others. The armor check penalties of armor or shield they wear are reduced by an additional 1, to a minimum of zero. The reduction increases by a point every 4 levels thereafter. This applies only to heavy armor and large or tower shields.
Iron Shell: Starting at 4th level, stalwarts ignore the weight of armor and shields they wear or carry for the purpose of calculating encumbrance. This does not change the weight category of armor they wear.
Pincushion (Su): Starting at 4th level, shields the stalwart uses are treated as having the Arrow Catching ability. Ignore this ability for the purpose of calculating the cost to upgrade the stalwart's shield.
Shield and Armor Mastery: Stalwarts have learned how to use armor and shields with greater proficiency than others. The armor and shield bonuses of armor and shields they use increase by a point at 5th level, and an additional point every 5 levels thereafter. This applies only to heavy armor and large or tower shields. Additionally, the maximum dex bonus of armor and shields they use increases by one.
Tougher than Nails: Starting at 6th level, Stalwarts receive DR 3/-. This stacks with other sources of damage reduction, and increases by one point at every even level.
Preternaturally Tough 2: Stalwarts are tougher than other individuals, and receive another additional hit point per class level. This is not applied retroactively.
Fast Healing: At 8th level, a stalwart gains fast healing 1. This increases by a point every 5 levels.
Shield Mate: As an immediate action, a stalwart wielding a tower shield can grant full cover to an adjacent ally. The stalwart does not lose the benefit of the shield if he or she does so.
Bodily Volition: 1/day, the stalwart can make a fortitude save instead of a will save for spells that normally allow a will save. The stalwart can do this an additional time per day every 6 levels.
Life in Armor: Stalwarts ignore movement penalties caused by armor, as per the dwarven racial ability. Additionally, stalwarts can sleep in armor without fatigue.
Iron Skin: When wearing heavy or heavier armor, the stalwart may add their con bonus as a miscellaneous bonus to AC.
Improved Pincushion (Su): While wearing at least medium armor and using at least a heavy shield, all ranged attacks targeted against an ally of the stalwart within five feet of the stalwart instead hit the stalwart.
Preternaturally Tough 3: Stalwarts are tougher than other individuals, and receive another additional hit point per class level. This is not applied retroactively.
Stoicism: When using the full defense action, the stalwart's Fast Healing, DR, Life in Armor, and Shield and Armor Mastery bonuses are all doubled. Additionally, the stalwart my use their Bodily Volition ability without expending uses. The stalwart can do this 1/day for a number of rounds equal to their Con mod. Once activated, rounds not spent in full defense are still counted against the duration. The stalwart can do this an additional time per day every 10 levels.
Comments:
Many claim that at high levels, D&D degenerates into a game of rocket tag. I aimed to create a non-magical class that stood a chance of surviving the flying rockets while lacking in almost all forms of damage. In a party setting, a stalwart could very easily prove to be useless as monsters ignore the relatively hard to kill stalwart in favor of everything else. Still, a stalwart should do a good job of preventing TPKs, although not by stopping anyone else from dying. Decent trapfinder starting at eighth level, although not a stealthy one.