Armiger

Armiger

Armigers are masters of defense, able to shrug off attacks that would destroy lesser combatants, and even increase the survivability of those around them. The armiger is built around maximizing the benefit of armor and shields. With large hit point totals, special defense-related talents, and an aptitude for shields, armigers can carry the fight forward under the most difficult circumstances. The best armigers often find themselves the main thing standing between victory and a total party kill.

While armigers can fight with most martial weapons, typically they focus on pole arms with reach or crossbows, giving them the ability to strike at foes without having to be on the front line of a battle. This allows armigers to play strong supporting roles and still manage to inflict damage on the enemy. An armiger certainly can fight with other weapons, but just as monks are generally at their best using unarmed attacks, most armigers function better when using reach or simple ranged weapons. Of course they also wear the best armor they can afford, regularly spending much more on shields and plate mail than weapons or comfort items. Armor is the core of an armiger’s identity—an armiger treats his protective gear the way a cleric treats his holy symbol, or a samurai treats his katana.

Alignment: Any.

Class Features

HD: d12
BAB: High (1-10), Medium (11-30)
High Saves: Fort, Will
Weapon proficiency: Simple and Martial.
Armor proficiency: All armor and shields (including tower shields).

Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Diplomacy, Heal, Intimidate, Listen, Lore, Parry, Spot, Survival, Taunt, and Tumble
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier

Class Abilities

Level 1: Bulwark, Demoralize Opponent
Level 2: Evasion, Armiger Talent
Level 3: Heavy Armor Optimization, Medium Armor Optimization
Level 4: Deflect Arrows, Armored DR 1/-
Level 5: Armiger Talent
Level 6: Safeguard 1/day
Level 7: Armored DR 2/-
Level 8: Armiger Talent
Level 9: Greater Heavy Armor Optimization, Greater Medium Armor Optimization, Safeguard 2/day
Level 10: Armored DR 3/-
Level 11: Advanced Armiger Talent
Level 12: Safeguard 3/day
Level 13: Armored DR 4/-
Level 14: Advanced Armiger Talent
Level 15: Epic Heavy Armor Optimization, Epic Medium Armor Optimization, Safeguard 4/day
Level 16: Armored DR 5/-
Level 17: Advanced Armiger Talent
Level 18: Improved Evasion, Safeguard 5/day
Level 19: Armored DR 6/-
Level 20: Advanced Armiger Talent, Shield Saint
Level 21: Safeguard 6/day
Level 22: Armored DR 7/-
Level 23: Advanced Armiger Talent, Epic Bonus Feat
Level 24: Safeguard 7/day
Level 25: Armored DR 8/-
Level 26: Advanced Armiger Talent, Epic Bonus Feat
Level 27: Safeguard 8/day
Level 28: Armored DR 9/-
Level 29: Advanced Armiger Talent, Epic Bonus Feat
Level 30: Safeguard 9/day

An armiger gains a bonus epic feat at levels 23, 26, and 29.

Bulwark: The armiger knows how to protect not just himself, but also how to help protect his allies. An armiger grants a +4 Dodge AC bonus to any ally within a 10' radius.

Armored DR: At 4th level an armiger can use his armor to absorb some of the damage he suffers from physical attacks, and can prevent attacks from striking weak points in his armor. The armiger gains DR 1/— when wearing medium or heavy armor. This DR increases to 2/— at 7th level, 3/— at 10th level, 4/— at 13th level, 5/— at 16th level, 6/— at 19th level, 7/— at 22nd level, 8/— at 25th level, and 9/— at 28th level. An armiger in medium or heavy adamantine armor adds the value of his armored DR to the value of the armored DR total. For example, a 10th-level armiger (with armored DR 3/—) wearing an adamantine breastplate (with DR 2/—) combines the two values and has DR 5/—.

Safeguard: At 6th level, an armiger’s defensive instincts become so great that he can intercept attacks aimed at his allies. He may provide an ally with DR/- equal to his Armored DR ability for 1 minute. The armiger gains an addition use of this ability per day at 9th level, and again every 3 levels (to a maximum of 9/day at 30th level).

Shield Saint: At 20th level, the armiger becomes a perfect paragon of defensive skill. The armiger is immune to all critical hits and sneak attacks.

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Armiger Talent: As an armiger gains experience, he learns a number of talents that aid him in defending himself and his allies. He can take any feat he qualifies for or one of the following special feats.

Armor Training I - III: Armigers often learn to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. An armiger with this talent improves the armor check penalty (to a maximum of 0) and maximum Dexterity bonus to AC by +1 for any armor he is wearing. This talent may be taken more than once. Its effects stack.

Crossbow Brace: This talent allows an armiger to brace a crossbow on an equipped shield. Even when the armiger is using a shield that prevents his hand from being free, that stability of his bracing allows him to use his shield-arm to hold, fire, and reload a crossbow with which he is proficient. It also gives the armiger a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with a crossbow with which he is proficient. This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level, +3 at 12th level, and +4 at 18th level. The Armiger gains a shield enhance bonus equal to the total shield AC (base + enhance) of his last equipped shield while using a Light or Heavy Crossbow.

Resist: An armiger can learn to maximize his armor’s effectiveness against unusual attack types. The armiger gains resist 5 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage types. If the armiger is 10th level or higher, this resistance increases to 10.

Slam: An armiger with this talent throws himself bodily into foes, trusting his armor to protect him. The armiger gains a bonus to all knockdown checks This bonus is equal to his total armor bonus plus shield bonus, to a maximum of his class level. The Armiger is granted a special Armiger's Knockdown and Armiger's Improved Knockdown feat to replace the standard Knockdown and Improved Knockdown feats after level up that use these special rules.

Spear Brace: This armiger talent allows an armiger to brace a halberd or spear on an equipped shield, to aid in handling and fighting with it. His increased stability gives the armiger a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with a halberd or spear with which he is proficient. He gains this bonus only while he has a shield equipped. This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level, +3 at 12th level, and +4 at 18th level. Additionally, even when the armiger is using a shield that prevents his hand from being free, he can use his shield-arm to hold (and fight with) a halberd or spear with which he is proficient. The Armiger also gains Monkey Grip as a free bonus feat after choosing Spear Brace at level up.

Uncanny Block: With uncanny block, an armiger can interpose a shield between himself and danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He becomes Immune to Sneak Attacks.

Advanced Armiger Talents: Beginning at 11th level, an armiger’s selection of talents increases. Whenever an armiger gains an advanced armiger talent he may choose one of the following abilities, choose one of the armiger talents described earlier, or choose any normal feat he qualifies for. He gains additional advanced armiger talents every three levels.

Elemental Shield: Some armigers access mystic powers of protection as they become paragons of defensive techniques. With this talent, as a swift action an armiger with a shield equipped gains resistance 10 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage. This resistance lasts for one round per class level. This ability has a 3 minute cooldown. If the armiger also has the resist talent, that resistance stacks with the elemental shield.

Spellguard (Arcane): A few armigers seek to master all arts of protection, including spells normally reserved for wizards. With this talent, the armiger selects three 1st-level spells and one 2nd-level spell. These must be abjuration spells from the cleric or sorcerer/wizard spell lists. The armiger can cast each of these spells once per day, using his armiger level as his caster level. The armiger focuses these spells through his armor. Thus they ignore any somatic requirements, but the armiger can only cast them when wearing medium or heavy armor. The spells gained are Nightshield, Protection from Alignment, Shield, and Protection from Arrows.

Spellguard (Divine): A few armigers seek to master all arts of protection, including spells normally reserved for clerics. With this talent, the armiger selects two 1st-level spells and one 3rd-level spell. These must be abjuration spells from the cleric or sorcerer/wizard spell lists. The armiger can cast each of these spells once per day, using his armiger level as his caster level. The armiger focuses these spells through his armor. Thus they ignore any somatic requirements, but the armiger can only cast them when wearing medium or heavy armor. The spells gained are Entropic Shield, Shield of Faith, and Shield of Warding.

Spellguard (Epic): A few armigers seek to master all arts of protection, including spells normally reserved for clerics and wizards. With this talent, the armiger selects one fourth level spell and one fifth level spell. These must be abjuration spells from the cleric or sorcerer/wizard spell lists. The armiger can cast each of these spells once per day, using his armiger level as his caster level. The armiger focuses these spells through his armor. Thus they ignore any somatic requirements, but the armiger can only cast them when wearing medium or heavy armor. The spells gained are Freedom of Movement and Spell Resistance. The Armiger must have at least 20 levels to take this ability.

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[color=#ff0000]The Armiger has access to many of the new defensive feats for Knights. Knight should probably have the shield block ability changed back to AC instead of DR like pnp and that way the Armiger covers DR and the Knight covers AC. Need to assess both classes against each other (the Armiger's medium BAB is a serious flaw that may not be made up for with the defensive focus).[/color]