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  • Bulwark
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This class is converted from D&D 3.5; the original is open game content.

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

• Race: Dwarf
• Alignment: Any Lawful
• Base Attack Bonus: +7
• Feats: Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Stand Still, Toughness.

Hit Die: d12.

Class Skills
The bulwark's class skills are Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Perception (Wis), Profession (Int), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

The following are class features of the bulwark.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A bulwark is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all types of armor, and shields (including tower shields).

Insight (Ex): A bulwark's gains an insight bonus equal to his bulwark level (minimum 1). This bonus applies to the bulwark's Armor Class and opportunity attacks made in conjunction with the Stand Still feat.

Defensive Stance (Ex): A bulwark can adopt a defensive fighting stance, boosting his ability to avoid attacks and resist harmful effects. Starting at 1st level, a bulwark can enter a defensive stance for a number of rounds per day equal to 6 + his Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, he can use defensive stance for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Constintution do not increast the total number of rounds that a bulwark can use defensive stance.

When he enters a defensive stance, a bulwark gains phenomenal strength and durability, but he cannot move from the spot he is defending. He gains +2 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, a +2 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +4 competence bonus to AC. The increase in Constitution increases the bulwarks hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the defensive stance when the Constitution score drops back 4 points. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.

While in a defensive stance, a bulwark cannot use skills or abilities that would require him to shift his position. It is a free action to enter or drop a defensive stance, but the bulwark can only do so on his turn, and he cannot enter and end a defensive stance on the same turn.

At the end of a defensive stance, the bulwark is fatiged for twice the number of rounds he maintained a defensive stance. A bulwark cannot enter a new defensive stance while fatigued or exhausted but can otherwise enter a defensive stance multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a bulwark falls unconscious, his stance immediately ends, placing his in peril of death.

Defensive Talent: As a bulwark gains experience, he learns defensive talents that increase his defensive capability. Beginning at 2nd level, and at each level thereafter, a bulwark selects one defensive talent from the following list. Unless otherwise noted, no talent can be selected more than once.

Combat Training: The bulwark may select a bonus feat from the following list of bonus feats: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Combat Training, Greater Bull Rush, Greater Disarm, Greater Feint, Greater Overrun, Greater Sunder, Greater Trip, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, and Improved Trip.

Damage Reduction (Ex): A bulwark gains damage reduction equal to ½ his bulwark level. Subtract this number from the damage the bulwark takes each time he is dealt damage. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0.

Knockback (Ex): Once per round while in a defensive stance, the bulwark can make a bull rush attempt against one target in place of a melee attack. If successful, the target takes damage equal to the bulwark's Strength modifier and is moved back as normal. The bulwark does not need to move with the target if successful. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Lunge: The bulwark gains Lunge as a bonus feat.

Mobile Defense (Ex): A bulwark can adjust his position while maintaining a defensive stance. While in a defensive stance, he can take one 5-foot step each round without losing the benefit of the stance. Any movement-related abilities that the bulwark can use with a 5-foot step can be used in conjunction with mobile defense.

Ready Stance (Ex): The bulwark can enter a defensive stance as an immediate action, and the bulwark can enter a defensive stance even if fatigued. While using defensive stance after using this ability, the bulwark is immune to the fatigued condition. Once this stance ends, the bulwark is exhausted for 10 minutes per round spent in a defensive stance.

Refocus (Ex): The bulwark can move without ending his defensive stance. For one round, the bulwark gains no benefit of his defensive stance but is able to move normally. The bulwark can use this ability a number of times per day equal to ½ his bulwark level. The bulwark must have the mobile defense talent to select this talent.

Shield Training: The bulwark may select a bonus feat from the following list of bonus feats: Greater Shield Focus, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Focus, Shield Master, and Shield Slam.

Strike Back: The bulwark gains Strike Back as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.

Trap Sense (Ex): A bulwark gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 for a bulwark of at least 8th level. These bonuses stack with trap sense bonuses gained from other classes.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A bulwark retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.) If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A bulwark can no longer be flanked. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the bulwark. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the bulwark can flank him (and thus sneak attack him). The bulwark must have uncanny dodge to select this talent.

Retaliate (Ex): At 10th level, when an opponent attacks a bulwark in melee, the bulwark may make an attack of opportunity against that opponent if it is within the bulwark's reach. If the attack of opportunity is successful, the opponent's attack receives a penalty to the attack roll equal to the damage dealt by the bulwark's attack of opportunity. Once a creature has been affected by a bulwark's retaliate ability, it is immune for 24 hours.

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