Aldori Defender

Aldori Defender is a Fighter archetype in Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

## Description

The Aldori Swordlords of Brevoy are among the deadliest and most feared fighters of the Inner Sea. They have spent long years mastering the Aldori dueling sword, pitting themselves against other dueling swords and all manner of weaponry besides. Their speed and reflexes weave a net of impenetrable steel around them, from which they strike and harry their unfortunate opponents. The most common form of Aldori dueling (and arguably the easiest of the techniques to master) focuses on avoiding damage and disarming foes; these swordlords prefer to wear light or no armor, trusting their skill for protection.

## Gameplay

Role: Fighters excel at combat -- defeating their enemies, controlling the flow of battle, using Combat Maneuvers and surviving such sorties themselves. While their specific weapons and methods grant them a wide variety of tactics, few can match fighters for sheer battle prowess.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Skill Ranks Per Level: 1+ ½ Int modifier.

Class Skills: Athletics, Knowledge (World), Lore (Nature), Persuasion.

## Class Features

### **Fighter Proficiencies**

An Aldori Defender is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, light, and medium) and shields (including tower shields).

An Aldori Defender gains Weapon Proficiency (Dueling Sword) as a bonus feat.

### **Bonus Combat Feat**

At 1st, 2nd, 4th, 12th, and at every even level thereafter, an Aldori Defender gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement (meaning that the fighter gains a feat at every level). These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as *Combat Feats*, sometimes also called "fighter bonus feats."

### **Bravery**

Starting at 2nd level, an Aldori Defender gains a +1 bonus on Will saves against *fear*. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd to a maximum of +5 at 18th level.

### **Defensive Parry**

At 3rd level, when an Aldori Defender makes a full attack with a Dueling Sword, he gains a +1 bonus to AC against melee attacks until the beginning of his next turn. This bonus increases by +1 every four levels after 3rd.

This ability replaces Armor Training.

### **Weapon Training**

Starting at 5th level, an Aldori Defender can select one group of weapons. Whenever he attacks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.

Every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), an Aldori Defender becomes further trained in another group of weapons. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls when using a weapon from this group. In addition, the bonuses granted by previous weapon groups increase by +1 each. For example, when a fighter reaches 6th level, he receives a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with one weapon group and a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls with the weapons group selected at 5th level. Bonuses granted from overlapping groups do not stack. Take the highest bonus granted for a weapon if it resides in two or more groups.

An Aldori Defender also adds this bonus to any combat maneuver checks made with weapons from his group. This bonus also applies to the fighter's Combat Maneuver Defense when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against weapons from this group.

**Advanced Weapon Training**: Beginning at 9th level, instead of selecting an additional fighter weapon group, an Aldori Defender can choose an advanced weapon training option for one fighter weapon group that he previously selected with the weapon training class feature.

### **Disarming Strike**

At 6th level, when an Aldori Defender successfully disarms an opponent using a dueling sword, the Aldori Defender also deals normal damage to the target, but without the normal Strength bonus to damage.

This ability replaces the bonus feat that the Fighter would normally gain at 6th level.

### **Steel Net**

At 8th level, an Aldori Defender can throw up a blazing wall of steel to defend himself. When fighting Defensively with a dueling sword, the Aldori Defender's penalties on all attacks in a round are reduced by 2, and the dodge bonus to AC is increased by 2 for the same round.

This ability replaces the bonus feat that the Fighter would normally gain at 8th level.

### **Counterattack**

At 10th level, an Aldori Defender can make an attack of opportunity as an immediate action against an opponent who hits the Aldori Defender with a melee attack, so long as the attacking creature is within the Aldori Defender's reach.

This ability replaces the bonus feat that the Fighter would normally gain at 10th level.

### **Armor Mastery**

At 19th level, an Aldori Defender gains damage reduction 5/- whenever he is wearing armor or using a shield.

### **Weapon Mastery**

At 20th level, an Aldori Defender chooses one weapon, such as the longsword, greataxe, or longbow. Any attacks made with that weapon automatically confirm all critical threats and have their damage multiplier increased by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, for example). In addition, he cannot be disarmed while wielding a weapon of this type.