Stalwart in battle, a heavy knight has perfected an entire martial discipline relying on only her hand-to-hand fighting skills and her ever-present shield. What she forgoes in weapon versatility and improved combat maneuvering, she makes up for in her ability to turn her defense into a weapon.
The heavy knight is an archetype of the knight class.
Shielded Menace (Su)
At 1st level, a heavy knight learns how to use her shield to reflect damage at her enemies. At 1st level, a heavy knight, while wielding a buckler or light shield gets a DR 1/-, while wielding a heavy shield gets a DR 2/-, and while wielding a tower shield gets a DR 3/-. This DR stacks with other forms of the same type of DR. Every three knight levels thereafter, this DR increases by 1. Whenever a heavy knight would absorb damage with damage reduction, he deals non-elemental damage back at her enemy equal to twice the damage she absorbs. Abilities that use Defensive Stance may use Shielded Menace in its place.
This ability replaces defensive stance, improved defensive stance, tireless stance, and superior defensive stance.
Deflect Arrows
At 2nd level, a heavy knight gains the Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat, but only while wielding a shield.
This ability replaces stand firm and a knight talent gained at 8th level.
Heavy Knight Talents
A heavy knight gains access to the following talents:
Elemental Menace (Su): Elemental resistance now reflects back to enemies. Instead of non-elemental damage, however, it reflects the type of elemental damage that the heavy knight absorbs at a 1 for 1 exchange. Prerequisite: A heavy knight must have the Elemental Resistance heavy knight talent to select this talent.
Elemental Resistance (Su): The heavy knight chooses an element: Earth, fire, ice, lightning, water, or wind. The shielded menace class feature now grants elemental resistance equal to 2 to that specific element. This improves by 2 for every three knight levels. This talent can be chosen multiple times, each time choosing a different element.
Parry (Ex): The heavy knight can negate a melee attack by rolling an opposed attack roll, DC = the opponent’s attack roll. This uses one of the heavy knight’s attacks of opportunity (if he has more with Combat Reflexes) for the round in which it is used. He receives a –5 penalty to his attack roll every time he uses this after the first. He must have a shield in hand, and he must be aware of his foe and not flat-footed. Prerequisite: Heavy Knight 4
Riposte (Ex): Once per encounter, after the heavy knight successfully uses Parry against an opponent, he may make a melee attack against them as an immediate action. Prerequisites: Heavy Knight 6, Parry heavy knighr talent
Riposte Mastery (Ex): As per riposte, however, the warrior may make an additional riposte for each attack he has successfully parried, however, all ripostes after the first receive a –5 penalty to his attack roll for each time used after the first one. Prerequisites: Heavy Knight 14, Parry, and Riposte heavy knight talents
These abilities may replace knight talents.
Shield Ward
At 8th level, a heavy knight gains the Shield Ward as a bonus feat, without needing to meet the prerequisites.
This ability replaces courtly refinement and a knight talent gained at 10th level.