Guardian

Guardians are usually ordinary citizens whom take it upon themselves to defend and protect. They derive a great sense of satisfaction and Honor from standing in harms’ way for others. They are firm believers in the old adage that ‘we are our brother’s keeper’. For some this is simply a lifestyle choice while for others it’s an occupation. Regardless of the motivation, Guardians make stalwart allies and implacable foes. Typically wearing heavy armor, they also specialize in using shields both offensively and defensively, making them difficult to overcome in conventional melee combat.

While they may come from all walks of life, Guardians are some of the most highly prized personal guards and are often found in the employ of lords and wealthy merchants. When they feel their charge is threatened they are relentless in their duty, sometimes even willing to ignore the laws of the land if necessary to defend those in their care. This does not make them reckless—they are highly tactical thinkers and when formed up together on the battlefield are neigh unbreakable.

Class Overview

Typical Roles: Tank, Support/Utility, Melee Damage, Ranged Damage
Damage Types: Physical
Class Mechanic: Honor and Vigor

Default Stats: During Character Creation you may choose to use the default stat line shown below, before racial modifiers. This can be instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results.

During Character Creation you may choose to use the Default Stat Line, before racial modifiers, instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results

Natural Armor Proficiency: Cloth, Leather, Mail
Trainable Armor Proficiency: Plate
Natural Weapon Proficiency: Knives, Swords, Bludgeons, Axes, Polearms, Bows, Shields
Trainable Weapon Proficiency: Crossbows, Firearms

See Equipment section for details. When using weapons or armor that your class is not proficient with, see Combat Penalties. There is no level or title prerequisite to train in a new proficiency, however you must receive the appropriate Training.

Class Skills

Class Passive Skill: The Best Defence
Class Secondary Skill: (choose one) Bodyguard, First Aid, or Craftsman/Tradesman

Primary Skills

Honor

Codes

A Guardian has a natural instinct and drive to protect others, knowing that their is no greater honor than to stand in harms way for another. Guardian’s have a code all their own, that defines their life of service. However, as they navigate their world with all its nuance and contradiction, their drive to serve will see guardians pledge themselves to additional Codes and the causes they represent, not all of them always righteous or just.

Skills

Guardians use Honor as both sword and shield, with primary skills taking the form of Oaths, Virtues, and Code skills.

No training is required for Oaths and Virtues, as these are a function of the Guardians personal and imposed sense of honor. This does not mean that guardians take oaths lightly, nor do they profess virtue without reputation to back it up. Training in Code Skills is required and is typically facilitated by other like minded individuals, with veteran guardians acting as Mentor and trainer to younger, less experienced guardians.

Guardians cannot learn a previously unknown Code or Code Skill (i.e. putting the first code point into Feudal Strike) unless they are taught/instructed by a Mentor (aka Code Trainer) that knows the corresponding skill. If assigning additional code points to an already known code skill, then no trainer is required and the point can be assigned immediately (i.e. increasing the number of code points in Guardian’s Roar from 1 to 2). This represents an Guardian honing their skills rather than actually learning a new skill.

See Learning New Honor Codes and Skills for details.

Vigor

A Guardians training includes battlefield experience and the hardships of life on the open road, teaching them to rely on a variety of weapons, tactics, and battle stances. However, as with any Vigor class, prolonged combat can tire a Guardian out, and they must use their skills wisely.

Learning new Vigor Skills is relatively simple, and follows the standard methods of training. Typically Guardians wander in search of those who need their particular skill set or at times they find employment as a bodyguard, household guard, or mercenary. In these cases training is may be facilitated through their associated employment. However, they could just as easily pick up new skills from an experienced guardian, warrior, soldier, marksman, or other vigor class. At times they may even just pay a Combat Trainer to learn a new skill. Once a skill is learned though, it can be improved simply though repeated use.

New vigor skills require training unless they are upgrades (i.e. Offensive Stance -> Improved Offensive Stance), see Learning New Vigor Skills for details.

Level Ups

Guardians use the following chart for leveling up:

HP Dice (Hearty): Small Race (1d10), Medium Race (1d12), Large Race (1d12)