Protector

PROTECTOR

Protectors stand up for the weak and the oppressed. They serve the cause of goodness and seek to defy those who would dominate others. To those who claim "Might makes Right," a protector replies, "Right beats Might -- with a little help from me!"

Protectors always take Domi as a patron god, whose devotion to others is an inspiration and model. Some also honor Alemi, and a few look to still other gods. Protectors must be sturdy fighters who can take a blow meant for another and stand up to evil. Clerics, paladins, and rangers make good protectors, while monks, druids, bards, and fighters sometimes also take to the protector prestige class.

As NPCs, protectors are always on watch, whether as part of an army, as a member of an adventuring team, or as a solitary bodyguard or sentinel. Some are loyal to a community, a family, a cause, or a place. Some are devoted to a single person, the way Domi devoted himself to Alemi. Some go wherever they feel they are most needed. Wherever they go, they lift the hearts of the downtrodden and inspire fear and anger in tyrants.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a protector, a character must fulfill the following criteria.

• Base Attack Bonus: +4

• Base Fortitude Save: +4

• Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude

• Special: Must have protected someone who was very weak or helpless.

Class Skills

The protector's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points per level: 2 + Int modifier

Table: The Protector

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+1	+0	+0	Greater Turning, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd	+2	+1	+1	+0	Take Under Wing, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd	+3	+2	+1	+1	Interpose, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th	+4	+2	+1	+1	Toughness, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th	+5	+3	+2	+1	Offer Sanctuary, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th	+6	+3	+2	+2	Stand Ground, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th	+7	+4	+2	+2	Toughness, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th	+8	+4	+3	+2	Diehard, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th	+9	+5	+3	+3	Draw Fire, +1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th	+10	+5	+3	+3	Create Wall, +1 level of existing spellcasting class

Class Features

Ethos of Protection: Protectors do not abandon a friend or ally, and they intercede to protect others from evil, so long as there is a fair chance of success in doing so. They retreat only reluctantly, and they prefer to fight in order to let others escape. They are not suicidal, but some of the most famous protectors are those who sacrificed themselves to save many lives.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Protectors are proficient in all armor and shields. They are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Druid protectors, however, remain bound by their oaths to use only certain weapons and armor.

Spells Per Day: When a new protector level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (better wildshape, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of protector to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became a protector, she must decide to which class she adds her protector levels for purposes of determining spells per day when she first adopts the PrC.

Sect: Protectors form a close and well-coordinated community of people working together to protect those in need. They do not construct temples as such, but they will organize militias, building barracks and forts in dangerous areas -- these forts are religious places devoted to Domi, as well as places of refuge in war or catastrophe.

Greater Turning (Su): You may Turn Undead, Outsiders, Fey and Elementals as a Cleric with the Turn Undead feat turns Undead. Your levels in any class that improves Turn Undead stack with your Protector Levels to determine your turning level for all foes, but does not stack for Channeling Positive or Negative Energy. If you have Turn Undead from another class, you may use Greater Turning in place of a usual Turn Undead attempt. If you do not, you can use Greater Turning 1 + CHA mod times per day.

Take Under Wing (Ex): When the protector takes an attack action or full attack action in melee, she can take a penalty of up to -5 on her attack(s) and add the same number (up to +5) to the armor class of all allies within five feet. The protector herself gains no AC bonus. At sixth level, all allies within 10 feet gain the bonus.

Interpose: Once per round, the protector can take upon himself any one visible attack that would have affected an ally or object within five feet. The protector can interpose himself in front of a sword blow, an arrow, and even a magic missile, but not in front of an invisible attacker or a mage casting a hold or charm spell -- the attack must be obvious. The power is ineffective against area attacks, like fireballs. The protector must declare who he is protecting when it is his turn. The attack (or save) is not rerolled, but the protector may avoid the attack if he has a better AC or saving throw than the target who would have otherwise been affected.

Toughness: A protector gains the Toughness feat at levels four and seven.

Offer Sanctuary (Sp): The protector can spontaneously cast Sanctuary in place of any spell, using the sacrificed spell's level and DC. However, the protector can only cast this on another, not herself. If the protector cannot cast spells, she can cast Sanctuary once per day per level above 4th.

Stand Ground (Ex): When standing on a level surface, the protector is immovable, just like an immovable rod (DMG). He defends against bull rush, overrun, trip, and grapple attacks with a +10 sacred bonus. He can hold his position against a load of up to three tons (6,000 pounds).

Diehard: A protector gains the Diehard feat.

Draw Fire: If the protector calls out or issues a challenge, an enemy or enemies (depending on the circumstances as judged by the DM) must make a Will save vs. DC 20 or attack the protector instead of some other target. The protector usually uses this in combat to draw fire away from a weak ally and upon herself.

Create Wall (Sp): The protector can spontaneously cast Wind Wall, Thorn, Ice, Stone, Iron, Force, and Prismatic Wall in place of any 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th level spell, respectively. For rangers, paladins and bards, treat Wind as 1st level; Thorn and Ice as 2nd; Stone and Iron as 3rd, Force as 4th, and Prismatic as 5th. If the protector cannot cast spells, he can create eight levels of walls per day, for example, eight Wind walls, or four Thorn walls, or two Iron walls and an Ice wall, or a Prismatic wall and three Wind walls, etc.