Shield Warrior (3.5e Class)
Shield Fighter
The shield fighter is an unique individual that firmly believes in the maxim "The best offense is a good defense". Gripping shields in both hands they advance rapidly on enemies and prevent their movement towards other characters, providing ranged and magical classes the ability to perform their own tricks. At the highest levels of power these individuals become virtual bastions of defense, capable of holding off vast swarms of enemies with the right terrain and equipment.
Making a Shield Fighter
A shield fighter focuses foremost on survival. Their abilities and stacking bonuses make these individuals great at defense, and over time their shields can be used offensively as well. Most shield fighters spend the majority of their time as either a front line combatant or as a body guard for especially vulnerable party members.
Abilities: Constitution is the most sought after attribute as it translates fully into raw staying power for the shield fighter. Strength and Dexterity are also very important additions and play into both class features and the ability for a shield warrior to provide sustained damage on top of his defensive abilities.
Races: Any race may become a shield warrior, though most shield warriors tend to come from cultures that value defense over offensive actions such as dwarves.
Alignment: A shield fighter may possess any alignment.
Starting Gold: Same as a standard fighter.
Starting Age: As fighter.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Improved Shield Bash, Dual Shields | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Weapon Focus shields | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Weapon Specialization shields | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Shield Improvisation, Damage Reduction 1/— | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +6/1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +7/2 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Shield Specialist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +8/3 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Greater Weapon Focus shields | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +9/4 | +6 | +3 | +3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +10/5 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Interlocking shields, Damage Reduction 2/— | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +11/6/1 | +7 | +3 | +3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +12/7/2 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Shield Other | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +13/8/3 | +8 | +4 | +4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +14/9/4 | +9 | +4 | +4 | Dual Shield Specialist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +15/10/5 | +9 | +5 | +5 | Damage Reduction 3/— | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +16/11/6/1 | +10 | +5 | +5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +17/12/7/2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +18/13/8/3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Shield Ward, Greater Shield Bash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +19/14/9/4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +20/15/10/5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Mobile Fortress, Damage Reduction 4/- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
The following class features are available to the Shield Fighter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The shield fighter is proficient with shields, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light) but is not proficient with any weapons simple or otherwise.
Shield bash: At first level the shield fighter gains Improved Shield Bash as a bonus feat. This feat is awarded without any prerequisites.
Dual Shields: At first level the shield fighter gains the abilities to wield a shield in both hands and use them together as if they were part of his body. A shield fighter is a master of movement as much as a master of shield usage. Whenever he is attacked he gains the shield bonus regardless of direction. While using two shields he gains the AC bonus of both.
Weapon Focus shields: At second level the shield fighter becomes expertly aware of his shield positions and how to best strike with rim and face of each shield. Whenever the shield warrior makes an attack he gains +1 on the attack roll. This bonus increases to +2 at level eight when the shield fighter gains greater weapon focus.
Weapon Specialization shields: At 4th level the shield fighter gains the weapon specialization feat. This feat applies to every type of shield that the shield fighter uses in combat.
Shield improvisation: At fifth level the shield fighter is able to use most things as at least a rudimentary defensive option. When using this ability the shield fighter is able to use any flat device as a shield, as long as it is a minimum of a foot and a half round or two feet by one foot in size. While the object will act as a shield items used in this fashion Will last a number of blows equal to the characters Dexterity score bonus before disintegrating.
Damage Reduction: At fifth level, the shield fighter gains Damage Reduction. Subtract 1 from the damage the shield fighter takes each time he is dealt damage from a weapon or a natural attack. At tenth level, and every five shield fighter levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), this damage reduction rises by 1 point. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0. This represents the shield fighters enhanced ability to deflect damage away and to slow attacks with his shields.
Shield Specialist: At seventh level the shield fighter has advanced his own knowledge to a point that shields in his hands now grant slightly more robust protection. When wielding two shields the shield fighter adds an additional +1 to his Armor Class.
Interlocking Shields: At tenth level the shield fighters expertise increases to grant him additional defensive mastery. First the shield fighter may lock his shields together to give him full cover as a standard action. This effect inhibits the ability to attack with either shield while active. Alternatively the shield warrior may elect a full action option that provides full cover, +3 mastery bonus to armor class, and the ability to make a single attack per round. Interlocking shields can only affect a single direction at a time, and the shield fighter sacrifices his shield bonus to armor class from any other direction.
Shield Other: At twelfth level the shield fighter can extend his prowess to aid nearby characters. Any character within 10 feet may be granted a shield bonus of +5 to their armor class, equal to a number of rounds equal to the shield fighters Constitution score bonus. This effect immediately ends if the individual moves outside of the 10 foot radius. In addition any successful attacks to the shielded individual divide damage evenly between the shield fighter and target.
Dual Shield Specialist: The shield fighter at 14th level applies his specialist training to both shields he uses increasing his overall shield AC by 1 (this is a total of +2, +1 for each shield.)
Mobile Fortress: The shield fighter at 20th level can now apply all of his bonuses to tower shields but may only wield one tower shield even with the Dual Shield ability the other shield must be smaller than a tower shield.
Epic Shield Fighters
| Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 21st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22nd | bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24th | bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th | bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28th | bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30th | bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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4 + Int modifier skill points per level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bonus Feats: The epic Shield Fighter gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Fighter bonus feats) every even numbered levels after 20th.
Playing a Shield Fighter
Religion: The shield fighter is like any normal person in regards to religion, no special gods or such.
Other Classes: Generally they get along well with Fighters because they both do alot of fighting, and they get along well with spell casters because they tend to protect them. They don't get along too well with Monks, because they just don't understand why they go un armored all the time.
Combat: Tank or defense.
Advancement: Generally go for AC over attack. Also shields with the returning special ability work great
Shield Fighters in the World
| “ | I've never seen anything take that much of a beating and walk away unharmed. | ” |
| —Narek, the evil Human Wizard | ||
They fit as tanks, and or ultimate defense
Daily Life: searching for battle.
Notables: IronShield The orgg Shield Fighter, he took out an evil wizard's great wyrm shadow dragon single-handedly
Organizations: They have no real organization, they are just fighters who decided defense was better then attack.
NPC Reactions: Usually people will complain they are too slow moving, and or they will be awe inspired on how hard they are to hit..
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