When faced by enemies, the holy shield reaches first not for a weapon, but for her trusty shield. With the power of light, she can ward others from harm.
The holy shield is an archetype of the paladin class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The holy shield mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Lay on Hands, Oath Stance. 2nd – Shared Defense, First Into Battle. 3rd – Blessing. 5th – Unwavering Confidence. 6th – Blessing. 7th – Divine Health. 9th – Flash of Light, Blessing. 10th – Cleansing Flame. 11th – Aura of Courage. 12th – Blessing. 14th – Restore. 15th – Blessing. 18th – Blessing. 20th – Holy Champion.
Guardian’s Shield (Su)
At 1st level, a holy shield learns to surround her allies in a field of holy protective energy. Whenever she makes an attack roll on an enemy combatant, the holy shield may apply a guardian’s shield to one ally (other than herself) within 60 feet as a free action. This shield lasts for a number of rounds equal to the holy shield’s Charisma modifier.
A guardian’s shield grants the affected ally a number of temporary hit points equal to twice the holy shield’s paladin level. These temporary hit points do not stack with other temporary hit points, and vanish when the shield’s duration expires. The holy shield can use her guardian’s shield ability a number of times per day equal to half her paladin level (minimum 1) + her Charisma modifier. This ability counts as the lay on hands class feature for the purposes of the Extra Lay on Hands feat.
This ability replaces lay on hands, cleansing flame, and restore.
Shield Oath (Su)
Also at 1st level, a holy shield may only use shield oath stance.
This ability modifies oath stance.
Strategic Protection (Su)
At 2nd level, as a move action, a holy shield can establish a magic aura that protects one or more of her allies. When she establishes her aura, she selects a number of allies up to her Charisma bonus that she can see and that are within 30 feet. As long as these allies remain within 30 feet of the holy shield, they gain a +2 bonus to their CMDs and on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying. The bonus increases to +3 at 7th level, to +4 at 12th level, and to +5 at 17th level. The radius of this aura increases by 10 feet at each of these levels. The bonuses from strategic protection last until the beginning of the holy shield’s next turn.
This ability replaces first into battle.
Bulwark (Ex)
At 2nd level, when a holy shield is using a heavy or tower shield, she can, as a move action, provide partial cover (+2 cover bonus to AC, +1 bonus on Reflex saves) to herself and all adjacent allies until the beginning of her next turn.
At 9th level, she can instead provide cover (+4 cover bonus to AC, +2 bonus on Reflex saves) and evasion (as a thief) to one adjacent ally until the beginning of her next turn. This cover does not allow Stealth checks.
At 16th level, she can provide cover to herself and all adjacent allies, or she can provide improved cover (+8 cover bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves, improved evasion) to a single adjacent ally. The holy shield ignores the armor limitation of evasion for herself.
This ability replaces shared defense.
Merciful Shield (Su)
At 3rd level, a holy shield’s guardian’s shield becomes potent enough to protect allies from debilitating effects. The holy shield selects one condition from the list below that she meets the prerequisites for. Whenever an ally under the effects of her guardian’s shield would gain a condition she has selected, that condition is negated and the duration of the guardian’s shield affecting them is reduced by one round. This ability can remove a condition caused by a curse, disease, or poison without curing the affliction.
At 3rd level, the holy shield can select from the following conditions:
-
Shaken
-
Sickened
-
Fatigued
At 6th level, the holy shield adds the following conditions to the list of those that can be selected:
-
Dazed
-
Stunned
-
Diseased
-
Staggered: The target is no longer staggered, unless the target is at exactly 0 hit points.
At 9th level, the holy shield adds the following conditions to the list of those that can be selected.
-
Cursed
-
Exhausted: The holy shield must have the fatigue condition before selecting this condition.
-
Frightened: The holy shield must have the shaken condition before selecting this condition.
-
Nauseated: The holy shield must have the sickened condition before selecting this condition.
-
Poisoned
At 12th level, the holy shield adds the following conditions to the list of those that can be selected:
-
Blinded
-
Deafened
-
Paralyzed
At 6th level and every three levels thereafter, the holy shield selects an additional condition from the above lists. The effects of this ability stack; for example, a 12th level holy shield’s guardian’s shield could provide 24 temporary hit points and protect against fatigue, exhaustion, diseases, and poisons. Once the holy shield selects a condition to protect against, that choice cannot be changed.
This ability replaces blessing.
Bastion of Light (Su)
At 5th level, once per day, a holy shield can call upon the powers of light to defend her and her allies against her enemies. As a swift action, the holy shield chooses one target within sight, any attacks the target makes against allies within 10 feet of the holy shield deal half damage. Attacks against the holy shield deal full damage, but the holy shield gains a deflection bonus to her AC equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) against attacks made by the target. This bonus increases by +1 for every three paladin levels (to a maximum of +6 at 20th level). The bastion of light effect remains until the target is dead or the next time the holy shield rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 8th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the holy shield may use bastion of light one additional time per day to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level.
This ability replaces unwavering confidence.
Tempering Touch (Su)
A holy shield knows that the best way to defend allies is to temper them to be stronger. At 7th level, when a holy shield uses a spell or class feature (but not a magic item or the Heal skill) to heal an ally, the ally gains a defensive bonus. For a number of rounds equal to the holy shield’s paladin level, whenever the ally fights defensively, uses the full defense action, or uses Combat Expertise, the ally gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC and a +1 sacred bonus on saving throws. These bonuses increase by +1 for every three paladin levels thereafter.
This ability replaces divine health.
Holy Shield (Su)
At 9th level, a holy shield can channel her holy power into her shield, protecting any nearby allies. All allies adjacent to the paladin gain a shield bonus equal to the holy shield’s own shield bonus, including any increase from the shield’s enhancement bonus. This bonus does not stack with any existing shield bonuses. The paladin herself radiates light as a torchlight spell while the shielding is active.
At 14th level, this protection expands to cover any allies within 10 feet and the radiance increases to the effects of a daylight spell.
At 19th level, any allies within 20 feet are protected.
Using this ability consumes two uses of the holy shield’s guardian’s shield ability, and the effects last for 3 rounds plus a number of rounds equal to her Charisma bonus (if any). The holy shield must be wielding a shield to use this ability.
This ability replaces flash of light.
Improved Bastion (Su)
At 11th level, the radius of a holy shield’s bastion of light ability increases to 20 feet.
This ability replaces aura of courage.
Perfect Bastion (Su)
At 20th level, a holy shield and her allies within 20 feet gain regeneration 10 against the target of her bastion of light ability (essentially regeneration that is overcome by any damage not caused by the target).
This ability replaces holy champion.
