Ironclad Knight (3.5e Prestige Class)

Ironclad Knight
"Best offense is a good defense, am I right?"

Heavy armor is difficult to work in, but protects the body from the slings and arrows of others. You've optimized working within your armor, letting it be a second skin to you, and now you can move in your armor in ways that would make unarmored monks and rogues envious. You are the ironclad knight, master of defense.

Becoming a Ironclad Knight
Ironclad knights need strength to carry the bulk of their armor. Though this restriction eventually lifts, strength remains important for melee reasons regardless.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ironclad knight.

 : Weapons which are part of armor (gauntlets and armor spikes) leave much to be desired, but in the hands of an ironclad knight they are effective. At 1st level, the damage of any armor-based weaponry rises by one size category (1d4 for gauntlets, 1d6 for spiked gauntlets, and 1d8 for armor spikes).

At 3rd level, the armor-based weaponry gets another size increase to weapon damage, and its critical multiplier rises by 1 (such as 20/x2 to 20/x3).

At 5th level, it gets one final size increase to weapon damage, and you add your base armor bonus to weapon damage to armor-based weaponry.

 : By virtue of simply understanding how to work with armor, the ironclad knight obtains the ultimate fit and thus the ultimate protection. He gains a +1 bonus to any physical armor he wears at 1st level and every odd level beyond (immaterial effects such as mage armor and bracers of armor do not benefit).

  and  : The ironclad knight lives in his armor, sometimes literally. As the ironclad must wear his armor often to grow accustomed to it, he obtains certain benefits. At 1st level, the ironclad knight can sleep in any armor and not take any penalties. In addition, the armor is always immaculately clean as if under the effects of prestidigitation, the latter being a supernatural effect.

At 3rd level, the armor becomes airtight while worn, seeming to project an invisible field covering any exposed joints or lack of helmet. The ironclad knight can now breath in any atmosphere (or lack of one) and underwater. Gaseous effects do not affect him (such as cloudkill) but his vision is still obscured by fogs and other obstructions. This is a supernatural effect.

Finally at 5th level, the ironclad knight bonds with his armor on a metaphysical level. He can don or remove his armor into a pocket dimension at will as a move action. While wearing armor he is effected as if by a ring of sustenance. As such, most choose to never to remove their armor in order to keep the sustenance benefits flowing. This is a supernatural effect.

Choose one class you have had previously. Levels in ironclad knight count as effective levels in that class for any level dependent benefits. That is, things like effective fighter level for the purposes of feats, initiator level, caster level, and a paladin's smite damage all continue to rise. However they do not gain any of the other benefits of leveling including bonus feats, maneuvers, spells, smites per day, or other features.

 : Heavy armor is no excuse to ignore maneuverability. Every level, an ironclad knight raises the maximum dexterity of any armor he wears by +1 and decreases the armor check penalty by -2 (minimum 0).

 : At 2nd level, an ironclad knight learns the secrets of armor and can move around more freely. All armor he wears is reduced by one category for the purposes of movement and class features. Heavy armor counts as medium armor. Medium armor counts as light armor (and no longer has a speed penalty). Light armor counts as no armor (and thus can be worn by monks. They may still count the armor as its actual category if beneficial.

At 4th level, the categories are reduced again. Heavy armor counts as light armor (and no longer has a speed penalty). Medium armor counts as no armor (and thus can be worn by monks). Light armor remains non-armor.

 : At 4th level, an ironclad knight has lived in his armor so long he doesn't even notice its weight. The armor's weight is cut in half for determining encumbrance. The weight hasn't actually changed, but the armor is as easy as moving one's body for an ironclad knight.

 : At 5th level, the armor may as well be the ironclad knight itself. Add your armor bonus to your touch AC.

 : At 5th level, an ironclad knight feels like he's wearing nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all... an ironclad knight ignores the weight of his armor completely.

Playing an Ironclad Knight
Combat: You wear armor because you expect to be in the front lines, not hiding in the back! What are you doing, get out there and show them how invincible you are!

Advancement: You're a fighter! Well maybe not literally, but you should be taking fighting'in classes.

Resources: Ironclad knights are mixed in with other martial warriors, particularly those trained in the use of heavy armors. They quickly become known as juggernauts.

Ironclad Knights in the World
"I like my armor how I like my music. HEAVY and METAL!"

NPC Reactions: Commoners probably can't appreciate your armor unless you cover it in ornate designs and pauldrons. HUGE PAULDRONS!!!

Ironclad Knight Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Nobility can research ironclad knights to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Ironclad Knights in the Game
Adaptation: Perhaps the ironclad knight isn't just good with armor, but its actually fusing with him on a biological level.

Sample Encounter: An ironclad knight is the champion of the gladiator pit which the PCs have been thrown into. How will they break past his mighty AC before the spiked destroyer kills them?

EL 8: PENDING