PRIEST-CRUSADER KIT

Battleguard

Description:  Battleguards are specially-trained protectors and defenders of 
their faith and the sacred places of their religion.  Compelled by a strong 
sense of duty, Battleguards constantly monitor the region of their charge, 
scrutinizing the activities of strangers, advising travelers, and intercepting 
invaders.  Lawful Battleguards are honor- and oath-bound to defend their 
citadels and uphold the military might of their deity on the field of battle.  
Chaotic Battleguards, on the other hand, often operate of their own volition, 
without official sanction or title.  Regardless of alignment, Battleguards 
usually maintain good working relationships with officials of lands near their 
Crusader fortresses, and they will often work with them in mutually beneficial 
defensive and information-sharing arrangements.  Battleguards are reluctant to 
leave the vicinity of their fortresses, though they may do so if presented with 
a compelling reason.  When they do issue forth from their citadels, it is 
usually en masse and always armed to the teeth and ready to inflict the 
righteous wrath of their deity upon their enemies.  Regardless of alignment, 
Battleguards are trained to be self-sufficient, clear-headed, and conscientious.  
Though they may develop close relationships with fellow adventurers, they will 
always part company at the end of an adventure, returning to their ward as soon 
as possible.

Battleguards share most of the common requirements for Crusaders with respect to 
race, alignment, and ability scores, save that they must also have at least a 14 
Constitution.

Weapons & Armor:  A Battleguard can use any armor or shield, but since they must 
often fight from atop walls or other defensive positions, Battleguards must 
spend at least half of their proficiency slots on missile weapons or polearms.

Special Benefits:  Unlike other Crusaders, Battleguards gain major access to the 
Guardian and Protection spheres.  In addition, spells cast from the Guardian, 
Protection, and Wards spheres take effect as if the Battleguard was two levels 
higher than his or her actual level.  Because of their esteemed role as 
defenders of the faithful, Battleguards can always request room, board, and 
sanctuary for themselves and up to one companion per level at any temple or 
stronghold of their religion, and they gain a +4 reaction bonus when dealing 
with others of their faith.

Battle Prowess:  As a standard Crusader, save that Battleguards must spend at 
least half of their weapon proficiency slots on polearms or missile weapons.

Guardianship:  Battleguards are wary and careful in keeping their guard up and 
are highly resistant to mental attacks, gaining a +2 bonus to saves vs. all such 
attacks (including illusions and psionic powers, with a -2 penalty to Telepathic 
power scores).  These bonuses are doubled if a Battleguard is on ground 
consecrated to his or her deity.

Battleguards also gain a number of powers that aid them in protecting the 
fortresses of the faith and exacting the measure of the church's vengeance 
against those who wrong them:

Level		Ability
1st		shield 1/day
3rd		detect ambush 1/day
5th		create food & water 1/day
7th		spike stones 1/day
9th		unceasing vigilance of the holy sentinel 1/day
11th		know alignment at will

In addition, once per day a Battleguard can bestow courage upon him- or herself 
and one other creature per level.  All creatures to gain this benefit must be 
within 60' of the Battleguard, and each recipient gains a +1 bonus to attack 
rolls and saving throws (doubled for followers of the Battleguard's while on 
consecrated ground) and becomes immune to fear for 1 turn.  Recipients of this 
courage never need to check morale, and those who have already been affected by 
fear gain a new save at +4 to break the grip of fear, even if the original fear 
effect allowed no saving throw.

Vigilance:  Battleguards of all levels are immune to any spell, magical or 
psionic power, or other attack form that would put them to sleep.  This does not 
obviate their need for normal sleep, but it prevents them from being forced into 
slumber (especially while on guard duty).  In addition, when a Battleguard 
reaches 10th level he or she needs only half the normal amount of sleep at night 
in order to function normally (including regaining spells and healing 
naturally).

In addition to this resistance to sleep, Battleguards habitually check around 
their feet and overhead and take care to note the distance and exact direction 
of features in their surroundings; hence, when they are able to identify signs 
of approach they know exactly where and how far away an unseen intruder is and 
can hurl missiles at such an intruder even if the Battleguard cannot see it.  A 
Battleguard of 5th level or has a 10% chance plus 10% per level over 5th to 
interpret noises, half-seen movements, and other faint signs of approach and 
movement within 60' with great precision (e.g., a Battleguard might hear a faint 
scuffling and identify it as studded leather worn by a crawling elf against a 
particular large boulder he or she had noticed earlier).  Note that this ability 
is automatic and need not be declared as an action by a Battleguard, but it only 
applies in conditions of relative quiet--in the midst of a pitched ongoing 
battle, such small signs are impossible to pick out.  It also requires that a 
Battleguard spend one hour making a very careful study of the area.

This highly developed awareness of distance and surroundings grants a 
Battleguard a +2 bonus to hit with missiles of any sort, a +2 bonus to avoid 
surprise, and a -2 bonus to initiative rolls.  If a Battleguard of 5th level or 
above successfully identifies signs of approach, he or she cannot be surprised, 
always wins initiative against would-be attackers in the first round of combat, 
and gains a +5 bonus to missile weapon attacks against targets within 60' of 
their guard post.

Special Hindrances:  Battleguards focus much more on the defense of their 
citadels and the members of their faith than do other Crusaders, who focus more 
on the prosecution of offensive campaigns against the enemies of the church.  
Hence, Battleguards do not gain the Campaign Skill of other Crusaders.  In terms 
of magical ability, they gain access to spell spheres as do other Crusaders 
(plus major access to the Guardian and Wards spheres), but they focus on 
protective magics (Guardian, Protection, and Wards) to such an extent that 
spells cast from other spheres take effect as if the Battleguard was two levels 
lower than his or her actual level.  Spells reduced below 1st level in effect do 
not function; hence, a Battleguard must be at least 3rd level in order to 
effectively use spells from other spheres.  In any event, at least one spell of 
every level a Battleguard can use must come from one of these spheres.

Battleguards otherwise share the usual strictures of Crusaders.  In addition, 
they must tithe double the normal amount (i.e., 20% of their income) and must be 
ready to respond to any request for assistance from a priest or dedicated (q.v.) 
follower of their faith, rendering whatever aid is possible without violating 
other obligations.  Thus, a Battleguard need not necessarily drop what he or she 
is doing in order to render aid to a fellow worshiper in need, but he or she 
should always cheerfully and readily offer whatever assistance is possible given 
the situation.  A Battleguard who fails to do so loses all special abilities 
until atonement has been completed.

Required Proficiencies:  Alertness, Endurance
Preferred Proficiencies:  Acute Hearing, Armorer, Artillerist, Awareness, 
Ancient History, Artistic Ability, Bowyer/Fletcher, Chanting, Debate, Display 
Weapon Prowess, Etiquette, Excellent Vision, Fortification, Healing, Heraldry, 
Leadership, Local History, Night Vision, Observation, Reading/Writing, Religion, 
Riding (Land-based), Signaling, Singing, Strategy, Survival, Tactics, 
Weaponsmithing
Forbidden Proficiencies:  Any Psionicist, Rogue, or Wizard proficiencies