User:ThunderGod Cid/Meat Shield

Meat Shield
"Get behind me."

Most warriors, such as the dwarven defender, concentrate on protecting themselves first and foremost. While the meat shield is also more than adept at doing so, he focuses his efforts of defending someone with significantly less survivability than himself. To this end, he trains extensively in heavy armor and weapons, becoming an expert in their use as well as an incredibly strong and tough bastard.

Making a Meat Shield
A meat shield is exactly what his title suggests: a shield made of meat. The more meat he has, the better a meat shield he is.

Abilities: Strength and Constitution are the most important abilities for a meat shield. They increase his prowess in melee (and make up for his principal's possible lack thereof) and his ability to absorb damage (since he may be taking hits for at least two people).

Races: Most meat shields are made of hardier stuff than their principals. Among the typical races, many meat shields are burly humans, dwarves, or half-orcs. But it is not uncommon for a meat shield to be a totally different race than his principal, who understands the value of having a sturdy companion.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 8d6&times;10 gp (280 gp).

Starting Age: Simple.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the meat shield.

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: A meat shield is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as all forms of armor and shields.

 (Ex): A meat shield can move at the same time as his principal can regardless of any differences in their initiative. If the meat shield's principle was adjacent to him and moves away, the meat shield may make an immediate action to move up to his base speed towards the principle, and may not end farther away from the principle than when he began the immediate action. The meat shield provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement.

This ability also allows the meat shield to be transported with his principal even if they travel through supernatural means. So long as the meat shield is adjacent to his principal, any teleportation effect that targets his principal also affects the meat shield, who appears next to his principal in the closest available space. If a space is occupied by another being, that creature and the meat shield make opposing Strength checks. If the meat shield wins, he appears in the space and the opponent is pushed back 5 feet. If he loses, he is not transported by the effect but suffers no ill effects.

 (Ex): So long as he is standing next to his principal, a meat shield may step in to intercept an attack directed at them regardless of where it comes from. This also includes any spell or supernatural effect that targets the principal. When he blocks an attack, the meat shield can simply step into the space in front of his principal or, if the space is not available, he may switch places with his principal (essentially shoving them out of harm's way) or place them anywhere inside his natural reach. In order to do this, he still must move into the space that was occupied by his principal. When he blocks an attack, the meat shield is able to treat the attack as if he were its intended target, using his own Armor Class against the attack roll and allowing any abilities he may have to come into effect. A meat shield operates on training and sheer instinct, and thus can make an intercession even while blinded or unable to determine the source of the attack.

A meat shield may protect his principal from burst effects (such as fireball) and any line or cone effect. If he makes an intercession against such an attack, his principle is treated as being in total cover. In return, the meat shield gains no Reflex save against an intercepted effect that offers one. Cloud effects that envelop an area cannot be blocked.

The meat shield may make a number of intercessions per encounter equal to his meat shield level plus his Consitution modifier. Making an intercession is a immediate action despite the amount of movement required, but unlike a regular immediate action an intercession does not take away the meat shield's next swift action.

 (Ex): A meat shield may create a contract with another willing individual (hereby referred to as his principal) in a ritual that simply requires him to swear his allegiance. Many of the meat shield's class abilities will only function for someone designated as a principal. He may designate one additional principal per five meat shield levels after first. Creating an oath is a standard action at first level, but improves to a move-equivalent at sixth level, a swift action at 11th level, and an immediate action at 16th level.

This oath of service remains until it is rescinded by either party, which requires a full-round action. The oath also automatically ends if the meat shield or the principal dies, although it may later be renewed should they return to life.

An effective bodyguard cannot falter in the face of danger and never risks harming someone in his charge. So long as he has a principal who is alive, the meat shield is immune to fear effects. He also cannot be forced to attack anyone designated as his principal by any means, such as magical compulsion or coercion.

 (Ex): A meat shield gains maximum hit points for every level of meat shield that he takes. This only applies to levels of meat shield, unless the other class the meat shield possesses levels in also has this class feature.

If your campaign is using house rules that already allow for maximum hit points every level, the meat shield gains no additional effect from this ability.



 (Ex): The meat shield is able to withstand grave wounds without a second thought, and in the process becomes not so detrimental to his fellows. He gains fast healing equal to his meat shield level starting at second level. No class levels from any other class contribute to this fast healing, but the meat shield retains whatever fast healing he already may have had if he chooses to multiclass and this value stacks with any other fast healing he receives.

 (Su): A meat shield can force an attacker to partake in his agony when he is struck. Whenever the meat shield takes damage and the attacker is within close range, the attacker must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 meat shield level + Constitution modifier) or receive half the damage that the meat shield took. This damage is untyped and not subject to any form of resistance or damage reduction. This ability does not function against effects that do not specifically deal damage.

 (Su) : Starting at 3rd level, a meat shield gains a mental connection to his principal, allowing him to sense their condition from almost any location as if the status spell had been cast on them. This effect cannot be dispelled or suppressed, functions over any distance (but not across planes) and is only broken when the meat shield's oath is rescinded (usually by the meat shield's death or that of his principal). This ability does not work the other way (the principal cannot discern the status of the meat shield). As the meat shield gains the ability to have multiple principals, this ability extends to all of them.

 (Ex): A meat shield always thinks of defense and knows to cover all his vital points, and as a result has very few moments of weakness. At 4th level, enemies no longer have a bonus to hit when flanking him, and the meat shield cannot be successfully sneak attacked unless the attacker is at least four levels higher than himself.

 (Ex): A meat shield of fourth level or higher can make attacks of opportunity against a foe for any movement within the area he threatens.

 (Ex): A 5th level meat shield's oath makes him stay up when others would fall. So long as he has an active oath of service, the meat shield is immune to all poisons, diseases, and fatigue (but not exhaustion) as well as spells that would induce such conditions.

 (Ex): A meat shield can goad his enemies into focusing their attention on him. As an swift action, the meat shield can issue a verbal challenge (usually one questioning the opponent's manliness or their significant other's performance in the sack) that forces all enemies within 10 feet to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 meat shield level + his Charisma modifier). Success indicates that the target resists the taunt and may act normally. Failure forces the opponent to attack the meat shield on their next turn with whatever means they can for 1 round. If a charge is necessary for the foe to close to melee combat, they charge. If they have other attack forms available to them, they may be used provided the meat shield is a target of that attack.

 (Ex): When a meat shield successfully hits an opponent with a melee attack, that opponent must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ meat shield level + Strength modifier) or be pushed back 5 feet. If the meat shield makes a full attack, he can delay this effect until his last attack.

If the meat shield desires, he may instead imbue his attacks with extra force when he would otherwise knock them back, each dealing an extra 1d6 points of damage. There is no save to negate this extra damage, but it cannot be used in conjunction with the knockback effect.

 (Ex): A 7th level meat shield is capable of bracing himself, increasing his stability and widening his base to take up more space than normal. The Tumble checks for anyone attempting to tumble through any space within the meat shield's threat range are now increased by the meat shield's class level. He is also treated as if he is one size larger for the purpose of opposed rolls on bull rush, grapple, overrun, and trip checks and for qualifying against special attacks that can only be used against opponents of a certain size category (such as improved grab or trample). In addition, the meat shield's stability and strength allow him to wield weapons one size larger than normal without penalty.

Every six levels thereafter, the meat shield and his weapons gain another size category for all the aforementioned circumstances.

 (Ex): At 8th level, a meat shield is able to sustitute his Reflex save with his Fortitude save. In addition, he can now make a Fortitude save when making an intercession when he would normally be denied his Reflex save. If the Fortitude save beats the save DC of the effect, the meat shield takes half damage as if he had made a successful Reflex save, shrugging off the effect through brute strength.

 (Ex): By 9th level, the meat shield is capable of punishing foes for attempting to attack his principal. When he uses his intercession ability, the meat shield may make a free attack against the opponent whose attack he intercepted, provided they are in his threat range.

 (Su): At 10th level, the bond between a meat shield and his principal strengthens. The meat shield now shares telepathic bonds with all of his designated principals. This ability otherwise functions in the same manner as his previous connection did.

 (Ex): One of the best methods of defense is to not let an enemy get close. A meat shield gains 5 additional feet of reach at 11th level.

 (Ex): A meat shield's provocations are partciularly maddening at 12th level, causing enemies to not think rationally and lose any tactical advantage they might have. Instead of his normal provocation, the meat shield can designate a single opponent within 30 feet and force them make a Will save (using his regular provoke DC). An opponent that fails the save against this provocation now must move in for a melee attack (charging if necessary) even if doing so is disadvantageous to them. This ability has the same duration as a regular provocation

 (Ex): Once per round as an immediate action at 13th level and higher, the meat shield may move up to his base speed. This does not take away from any normal movement he may make in a turn and does not expend his immediate action for that round.

 (Ex): A meat shield strikes foes with tremendous force by 14th level. When a target fails a Reflex save against the meat shield’s repelling attacks, they are thrown back 5 feet per four class levels the meat shield possesses and knocked prone. If they strike a solid surface before the end of their flight, they take 1d6 damage per 5 feet they had left to move.

If the meat shield wishes to deal extra damage when using this ability, he may now intentionally reduce the amount of feet he moves another character when he makes a forceful strike and deal 1d6 extra damage per 5 feet lost (all the way down to 0 feet traveled) to each attack he makes. If the target is not sent flying at least 10 feet, they are not knocked prone. There is no save against any extra damage dealt by this ability.

 (Ex): A meat shield will resist even death to fulfill his vow. So long as he has a binding oath of service, a meat shield no longer ages, is immune to death effects, and no longer passes out when reduced to negative hit points (he still dies upon reaching -10 hit points).

 (Ex): At 16th level, a meat shield who makes a successful intercession is able to render his opponent completely defenseless. He may now make a full attack when he makes a retributive intercession.

 (Ex): After saving his principal's life a couple hundred times, the meat shield has become an expert at it. The meat shield now has no limit on the number of intercessions he can make in an encounter.

 (Ex): By 18th level, a meat shield's provocation sends opponents fleeing for the hills. Anyone who fails a Will save against the meat shield's greater provocation is now panicked for the normal duration. If he so chooses, the meat shield may use the normal effect of his provocation, but any opponent that attacks him is treated as shaken.

 (Su): A meat may make the ultimate sacrifice for his principal again and again, returning so long as those under his protection don’t bite it. If he dies but all those designated as his principals survive the encounter, the meat shield is revived (as a true resurrection spell with no XP cost) at the end of the current combat. If any items or gear were lost upon his death, these do not reappear with the meat shield upon his return.

Epic Meat Shield
Oath of Service: A meat shield gains the capacity for another principal for every five levels of meat shield he possesses.

Power of the Body: An epic meat shield continues to gain maximum hit points for every meat shield level that he takes.

Unbreakable: A meat shield's fast healing continues to increase in epic levels.

Wide Load: A 25th level meat shield is treated as four size categories larger than normal for all of the bonuses mentioned in Wide Load.



Epic Meat Shield Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Damage Reduction, Energy Resistance, Epic Endurance, Epic Prowess, Epic Toughness, Fast Healing, Great Constitution, Great Strength, Perfect Health, Superior Initiative.

Mongrelfolk Meat Shield Starting Package
Weapons: Spiked chain, heavy crossbow.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Feat: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain).

Gear: Banded mail, mundane equipment.

Gold: 0 gp.

Playing a Meat Shield
Religion: Meat shields tend to favor gods of protection, to whom they pray for the strength to defend their comrades. The level of worship can range from casual to extreme. Depending on their relationship with their principal, some meat shields may worship the same deity the principal does (or none at all).

Other Classes: The meat shield is always focused on his principal, regardless of what class they are. He could be the companion of a less heavily armored warrior, a magic user, or a sneaky thief; in all of these situations, he serves essentially the same purpose.

Combat: A meat shield is the consumate defender, taking hits for the team while still shelling out some damage. He is good at handling long, drawn out melee battles, and as such his abilties are geared towards turning combat into a long, drawn out melee battle.

Advancement: Meat shields excel in the role of the tank, and any class that aids him in this role is a viable option for multiclassing. Classes that improve the meat shield's already formidable defensive abilities are ideal for increasing his survivability.

Meat Shields in the World
"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will."

The meat shield is a meticulous bodyguard, the raw power and muscle behind his principal's every act.

Daily Life: Depending on the nature of their principal, a meat shield may be anything from a trusted comrade to a worthless pawn. No matter what his status in the eyes of his charge, the meat shield is unwavering in his duty, treating his principal in a respectful, if not servile, manner.

Notables: None.

Organizations: Many meat shields are not part of an organization, but are rather attached to a particular family or group as a manservant and bodyguard. Some partiularly ambitious meat shields will form companies that hire themselves out to paying customers, but even most of these are quite selective in their clientele.

NPC Reactions: Despite his imposing bulk, a meat shield is usually good at making himself scarce when necessary, allowing his principal to do the talking without interference. In such situations, people will react to the meat shield as they would his principal. Other times, the meat shield will step in and be the voice for the duo, and his intimidating stature may keep others from voicing any opposition to his actions.

Meat Shield Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (local) can research meat shields to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.