Man-at-Arms

Description
A Man-at-Arms is a skilled melee combatant who fights in the name of his Lord, Cause, Honor, Chivalry or even Himself. A man-at-arms relies on more than a sharp sword and a stout suit of armor to defeat his foes. His drive, determination, and fighting spirit allow him to control the battlefield in ways that others cannot match.

A man-at-arms can challenge an opponent to a duel, calling upon the foe's pride and ego to force his hand. The man-at-arms's talent with heavy armor, shields, and defensive tactics grant him the ability to disrupt his foe's plans.

Only the most talented rogues and monks can slip past a man-at-arms's defenses to strike at his allies. An adventuring group with wizards, sorcerers, and other lightly armored members thrives with the assistance of a man-at-arms. While the man-at-arms keeps enemies occupied, his allies can use their talents and abilities without fear of attack or harassment.

Requirements
Race: Any

Alignment: Any Lawful

Class Features
- Hit Die: d12

- Base Attack Bonus: High

- High Saves: Will

- Weapon Proficiencies: Simple and Martial

- Armor Proficiencies: All armor and shields (excluding tower shields)

- Skill Points: 2 + Int Modifier.

- Class Skills: Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate, Lore: History, Lore: Local, Lore: Nobility and Royalty, Parry,Taunt, and Tumble

- Spells per Day/Spells Known: The man-at-arms does not have spell progresision and does not have a spell book.

- Class Feats

Level 1: Challenge +1, Demoralize Opponent

Level 2: Shield Block +1

Level 3: -

Level 4: Heavy Armor Optimization, Mocking Challenge

Level 5: Bonus Feat

Level 6: Guarding the Lord

Level 7: Challenge +2

Level 8: Call to Battle, Armored Efficiency

Level 9: Greater Heavy Armor Optimization

Level 10: Bonus Feat

Level 11: Shield Block +2

Level 12: Daunting Challenge

Level 13: Challenge +3

Level 14: Rescue

Level 15: Bonus Feat

Level 16: Indomitable Soul

Level 17: Uncanny Dodge

Level 18: -

Level 19: Challenge +4

Level 20: Bonus Feat

Level 21: Shield Block +3

Level 22: -

Level 23: Epic Bonus Feat

Level 24: -

Level 25: Challenge +5

Level 26: Epic Bonus Feat

Level 27: -

Level 28: -

Level 29: Epic Bonus Feat

Level 30: Challenge +6, Shield Block +4, Epic Bonus Feat

Bonus Feat: The Man at Arms gains an additional bonus feat at levels 5, 10, 15, 20, 23, 26, 29, and 30. A Man At Arms must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums. The bonus feats are drawn from the fighter feat list and include the following feats: Armor Skin, Deflect Arrows, Cleave, Great Cleave, Blind Fight, Improved Charge, Furious Charge, Shield Bash, Shield Charge, Shield Slam, Disarm, Improved Disarm, Dodge, Knockdown, Improved Knockdown, Improved Parry, Mobility, Power Attack, Improved Power Attack, Combat Expertise, Improved Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Improved Critical, Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Specialization, Devastating Critical, Epic Weapon Focus, Epic Weapon Specialization, and Overwhelming Critical, Melee Weapon Mastery: Crushing, Melee Weapon Mastery: Slashing, Melee Weapon Mastery: Piercing, Weapon Supremacy, Powerful Charge, Dire Charge, Brutal Throw, Weapon Finesse, Epic DR series, Epic Toughness series.

Note: Weapon oriented feats can only be taken for the following weapons; bastard sword, battleaxe, dwarven waraxe, flail, greatsword, greataxe, halberd, handaxe, katana, light hammer, light mace, longsword, morningstar, quarterstaff, rapier, shortspear, shortsword, scimitar, scythe, throwing axe, falchion and warhammer.

Abilities
Challenge

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 1st level

Specifics: "Your dauntless fighting spirit plays a major role in your fighting style, as important as the strength of your arm or the sharpness of your blade. In battle, you use the force of your personality to challenge your enemies. You can call out a foe, shouting a challenge that boosts his confidence or issueing a general challenge that strikes fear into weak opponents and compels strong opponents to seek you out for personal combat. By playing on your enemies' ego, you can manipulate your foes."You can issue a challenge to an enemy, gaining a +1 bonus on Will saves, attack rolls, and damage rolls. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + your Charisma modifier (if any). At 7th level, the bonus you gain from this ability increases to +2. At 13th level, it rises to +3. At 19th level, it increases to +4. At 25th level, it increases to +5. At 30th level, it increases to +6. You can reissue the challenge if your current target dies, or after 120 seconds - your man-at-arms level have passed. (affecting this ability only)

Use: Selected

Special: You can enter your own text for taunts and challenges.

Demoralize Opponent

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 1st level,

Specifics: You bellow a striking taunt that demoralizes the target. The target must succeed a will saving throw or become demoralized. (DC is: 16 + half man-at-arms levels + Charisma modifier) Already shaken creatures can also become demoralized, suffering both effects induces panic.

Use: Selected

Special: You can enter your own text for taunts and challenges.

Guarding the Lord

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 2nd level Beginning at 2nd level, the Man At Arms can protect one selected ally within 30 feet. This protection acts as the shield other spell cast at the Man At Arms' character level. The only difference with the spell is that the target only takes 30% damage (instead of 50%), and the Man At Arms takes half the initial damage rounded down (instead of the remaining). This ability can be used three times per day as per the body guard class ability.

Shield Block

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 2nd level

Specifics: Your expertise with shields allows you to position it in such a way that a normally dangerous blow is deflected harmlessly. As you gain experience your competence with shield blocking increases and you gain additional shield AC while a shield is equipped. +1 at second level, +2 at 11th level, +3 at 21st level and +4 at 30th Man-at-Arms level. This bonus AC stacks with any permanent enchantment present on your shield or other forms of shield AC.

Use: Automatic

Mocking Challenge

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 4th level

Range: 100 feet

Specifics: Starting at 4th level, you can shout a challenge to all enemies, calling out for them to face you in combat. As a swift action, you can expend one use of your Man-at-Arms Challenge ability to cause all your enemies within 100' to make Will saves (DC 15 + 1/2 your Man-at-Arms level + your Cha modifier). Creatures that fail this save are goaded to attack you.

Use: Selected

Special: You can enter your own text for taunts and challenges. This ability works on mobs with greater than 5 intelligence. It cannot be negated with mind-spell immunity. This ability will only cause an enemy to attack you if he has an attack action queued. It interrupts spellcasting.

Heavy Armor Optimization

Type of Feat: Class Ability You have trained extensively in heavy armor, and you have learned to take advantage of the protection it offers.

Prerequisite: Man at Arms 4th level

Benefit: When you are wearing heavy armor, lessen the armor check penalty by 1 and increase the armor bonus by 1. This is done as a +skill bonus to (Hide, Move Silently, and Tumble) and a +1 Dodge AC bonus.

Use: Automatic.

Note: This will not work with mithral full plate. It applies itself automatically to full plate.

Call to Battle

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 8th level

Specifics: Starting at 8th level, you become an inspiring figure on the battlefield. When all seems lost, you are a beacon of hope who continues to fight on despite the odds. No cause is yet lost when a man-at-arms still battles on in its name. You become immune to fear. As a swift action, you can expend one use of your Challenge ability to grant an ally a bonus against fear effects equal to your Charisma modifier as well as a number of temporary hit points equal to your man-at-arms level. If the ally's current hit point total is less than half his normal hit points, the number of temporary hit points granted to that character is doubled. The temporary hit points last for up to 1 minute per man-at-arms level.

Use: Selected

Special: You can enter your own text for taunts and challenges.

Greater Heavy Armor Optimization

Type of Feat: Class Ability You have mastered the use of heavy armor, maximizing its protective qualities while moving more easily in it.

Prerequisite: Man At Arms Level 9 Benefit: When you are wearing heavy armor, lessen the armor check penalty by 2 and increase the armor bonus by 2. This is done as a +skill bonus to (Hide, Move Silently, and Tumble) and a +2 Dodge AC bonus. This bonus replaces the one from Heavy Armor Optimization.

Use: Automatic.

Note: This will not work with mithral full plate. It applies itself automatically to full plate.

Daunting Challenge

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 12th level

Specifics: Starting at 12th level, a Man-at-Arms can issue a daunting challenge as a free action. Like a test of mettle, this is a general challenge to all foes within 100 feet. Affected creatures must make Will saves (DC 15 + 1/2 man-at-arms level + Cha modifier). Creatures that fail this save are shaken. Already demoralized creatures can also become shaken, suffering both effects causes panic.

Use: Selected

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Special: You can enter your own text for taunts and challenges.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 128, 0);">Rescue

Type of Feat: Class Ability

Prerequisites: Man-at-Arms 14th level

Specifics: When rescue is activated allies within 10 feet take half damage; the amount of damage not taken by your allies is taken by you. You also gain Damage reduction 2/- while activated.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 128, 0);">Indomitable Soul

Type of feat: Class Ability

Prerequisite: Man At Arms 16th level

Specifics: Your physical toughness translates into greater mental resiliency. Where others cave in to magical effects that alter their minds, you stand resolute. Whenever you make a Will save against a mind-affecting or fear ability, you can roll 2d20 and use the higher of the two die rolls.

Use: Automatic

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Note: Does not stack with Slippery Mind

<span style="color: rgb(255, 128, 0);">Epic Resilience

Type of feat: Class Ability

Prerequisite: Man At Arms 19th level.

Specifics: You no longer automatically fail saving throws on a roll of 1. Of course, you will still fail the save if your result fails to equal or beat the DC.

Use: Automatic

''Class courtesy of Rasael and thorough testing by the Quality Control Team. Implementation on the server by Luna. Inspired partly by a Kaedrin design.''