Advanced Armor Training (Legendary Fighter)

Advanced armor training options allow a fighter to replace the +1 max Dex bonus and –1 armor check penalty (ACP) from the armor training class feature. However, these options don’t replace the ability to move at full speed in medium armor (3rd level) or heavy armor (7th level).

Scrutinizing the armor training class feature reveals several issues. Some fighters simply don’t want to wear heavy armor or can already move at full speed in armor (such as a dwarven fighter). This can make part of the armor training feature redundant. Looking at the +1 max Dex/–1 ACP component, many fighters simply don’t have the Dexterity to take advantage of the increased maximum Dex bonus, making this part a waste even if the –1 ACP might be somewhat handy.

What is the power level of the armor training class feature?

The power level of the +1 max Dex/–1 ACP component is roughly equal to a weak feat. There is already a trait that gives –1 ACP and traits are approximately half a feat. The +1 max Dex part is a weak version of the Dodge feat that gives a “+1 dodge bonus to AC” but only if the fighter has enough Dexterity and is wearing the correct armor. Finally, when considering relative power levels, remember that mithral armor effectively grants +2 max Dex and –2 ACP, making it the same as two iterations of this component.

The move at full speed in armor component is also the equivalent of a below average feat. It basically gives a +10 foot move speed for most characters, but this only offsets the speed reduction from armor and takes two iterations to utilize in heavy armor. Each iteration is only slightly better than taking the Fleet feat and comparable to casting the *longstrider* spell.

Looking at the power level of the advanced armor training options they fall over a wide spread, from weak (quick donning) through to options that are not only quite powerful when compared to a combat feat but also scale with level (armor specialization and armored juggernaut).

Our solution is to divide armor training into two selectable pieces. So, at 3rd level a fighter chooses two of the following armor training options, and so on. This also means that some of the more powerful options need to be split into two pieces to retain a relatively balanced power level.

## Description

Unless indicated, a fighter cannot select an option more than once.

*Armor Expertise (Ex)*: When wearing armor, the fighter can increase the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor and reduce the armor check penalty (to a minimum of 0). Each time the fighter takes this ability, he picks one of the following choices:

* Reduce his armor check penalty by 2 points.
* Increase his maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by 1 point and reduce his armor check penalty by 1 point.
* Increase his maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by 2 points.

The fighter’s total increase to his maximum Dexterity bonus allowed cannot exceed his total reduction to armor check penalty. When determining the fighter’s total reduction to armor check penalty, include reductions from feats, traits, or class features (including this option). A fighter can choose this option multiple times.

*Armor Specialization (Ex)*: The fighter selects one specific type of armor with which he is proficient, such as chain shirt or full plate. While wearing the selected type of armor, the fighter adds +1 to the armor’s armor bonus. At 9th level this bonus increases to +2. This increase to the armor bonus doesn’t increase the benefit that the fighter gains from feats, class abilities, or other effects that are determined by his armor’s base armor bonus, including other armor training or advanced armor training options. A fighter can choose this option multiple times. Each time he chooses it, he applies its benefit to a different type of armor. The fighter must be 5th level before choosing this option.

*Armored Bastion (Ex)*: When wearing heavy armor, the fighter gains DR 1/—. At 7th level, the fighter gains DR 1/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 2/— when wearing heavy armor. The DR from this ability stacks with that provided by armor and fighter class features, but not with other forms of damage reduction.

*Armored Confidence (Ex)*: While wearing armor, the fighter gains a bonus on Intimidate checks based upon the type of armor he is wearing: +1 for light armor, +2 for medium armor, or +3 for heavy armor. This bonus increases by 1 at 7th level and every 4 fighter levels thereafter. In addition, the fighter adds half his armored confidence bonus to the DC of Intimidate checks to demoralize him.

*Armored Juggernaut (Ex)*: The fighter gains DR 1/— when wearing light armor, DR 2/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 3/— when wearing heavy armor. At 15th level, these bonuses increase by 1. If the fighter is 19th level and has the armor mastery class feature, these DR values increase by an additional 5. The DR from this ability stacks with that provided by armor and fighter class features, but not with other forms of damage reduction. The fighter must have the armored bastion option and be 11th level before choosing this option.

*Armored Master*: The fighter gains an armor mastery feat or a shield mastery feat as a bonus feat. He must meet all of the feat’s prerequisites.

*Armored Sacrifice (Ex)*: When damage would cause the fighter or an adjacent ally to be knocked unconscious or killed, the fighter can instead direct the damage to a suit of armor that he is wearing or a shield he is using as an immediate action. The original target takes no damage, but the armor or shield is treated as if it had only half its normal hardness. The fighter can use this option once per day, plus one additional time each day at 11th level and every 8 fighter levels thereafter, to a maximum of three times per day at 19th level.

*Armored Strike (Ex)*: While wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a pair of gauntlets, a fighter is considered to be armed even when unarmed—he doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity when attacking foes with unarmed strikes and he can choose to deal lethal or nonlethal damage with his unarmed strikes. While wearing medium armor or heavy armor, a fighter’s unarmed strikes may be with elbows, knees, or feet. This means that he may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. Treat these attacks as weapon attacks made using the same special material (if any) as the armor or gauntlets. The fighter increases his unarmed strikes’ damage die by one step when attacking with gauntlets or with unarmed strikes while wearing medium or heavy armor. This increase in damage die doesn’t stack with class features from other classes that increase the amount of damage done with unarmed strikes, such as brawlers’ or monks’ unarmed strikes.

*Critical Deflection (Ex)*: While wearing armor or using a shield, the fighter gains a +2 bonus to his AC against attack rolls made to confirm a critical hit. This bonus increases by 1 at 7th level and every 4 fighter levels thereafter, to a maximum of +6 at 19th level.

*Cushioning Armament (Ex)*: While wearing armor or using a shield, if the fighter takes falling damage or takes bludgeoning damage from an area effect that doesn’t allow a saving throw to reduce the damage (such as *ice storm* or *stone call*), he can direct half of the damage to his armor or shield. This damage ignores the half the armor or shield’s hardness.

*Effortless Impetus (Ex)*: A fighter adds his total reduction to armor check penalty as a bonus on his initiative checks, (minimum +2, and up to a maximum of: +3 at up to 10th level, +4 at 11th level, +5 at 15th level, and +6 at 19th level). This total armor check penalty reduction includes reductions from feats, traits, or class features. This option functions even when the fighter is not wearing armor.

*Greater Armor Specialization (Ex)*: The fighter increases the bonus of the armor type chosen with armor specialization by an additional +1 (total bonus of +3). At 17th level this increases by +1 again (total bonus of +4). A fighter can choose this option multiple times. Each time he chooses it, he applies its benefit to a different type of armor. The fighter must be 13th level and have the armor specialization option with the selected armor before choosing this option.

*Greater Armored Strike (Ex)*: The damage die increase from the armored striker option improves to two steps of damage die increase. While wearing medium or heavy armor, the fighter adds his armor’s enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls made with unarmed strikes as if it were a weapon enhancement bonus. The fighter must have the armored striker option and be 7th level before choosing this option.

*Quick Donning (Ex)*: The fighter can don armor in a hurry without reducing its effectiveness, and remove it quickly when it becomes a hindrance. When the fighter dons or removes his armor or dons it hastily, the amount of time needed to do so is reduced, as noted on the table below. Other characters can still help the fighter don his armor as normal.

 Medium armor
 Heavy armor

Additionally, when wearing hastily donned armor, the fighter can attempt a Strength or Dexterity check as a full-round action to remove the penalties associated with wearing hastily donned armor (DC = 10 + his armor’s unmodified armor bonus). If he succeeds at the check, he is treated as having properly donned his armor rather than having hastily donned it. He can even remove sections of armor to escape grapples and similar grasping hindrances. Whenever the fighter attempts a combat maneuver check, an Escape Artist check, or a Strength check to escape from an effect that reduces or restricts his ability to move or act, he can reduce the armor bonus of any armor that he is wearing by up to half his armor’s base armor bonus. If he does so, he gains a bonus on his check equal to the amount by which he reduced his armor’s armor bonus. Multiple uses of this ability cannot reduce the armor’s armor bonus below half its base armor bonus, and the reduction to the armor’s armor bonus lasts until the fighter recovers and dons the removed pieces of armor.

Lastly, whenever the fighter is wearing armor, hastily donned or not, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0).

*Shield Wielder (Ex)*: The fighter can treat heavy shields as light weapons. He increases his shield’s damage die by one step when using a shield to make a shield bash attack.

*Steel Headbutt (Ex)*: While wearing medium or heavy armor, a fighter can deliver a headbutt with his helm as part of a full attack action. This headbutt is in addition to his normal attacks, and is made using the fighter’s base attack bonus –5. A helmet headbutt deals 1d3 points of damage if the fighter is wearing medium armor, or 1d4 points of damage if he is wearing heavy armor (1d2 and 1d3, respectively, for Small creatures), plus an amount of damage equal to 1/2 the fighter’s Strength modifier. Treat this attack as a weapon attack made using the same special material (if any) as the armor. The armor’s enhancement bonus does not modify the headbutt attack, but the helm can be enchanted as a separate weapon.

*Unhindered Movement– heavy (Ex)*: The fighter can move at his normal speed while wearing heavy armor. He can run in heavy armor as if he were wearing medium armor. The fighter must have unhindered movement (medium) option before choosing this option.

*Unhindered Movement – medium (Ex)*: The fighter can move at his normal speed while wearing medium armor. While wearing medium armor, he can use movement based abilities such as the Fleet feat, as if he were wearing light armor.

*Unmoving (Ex)*: The fighter selects two combat maneuvers from the following list: bull rush, drag, grapple, overrun, reposition, and trip. Whether using his armor as leverage against a grappling foe or using its weight to help him stop a bull rush, a fighter can use his armor to protect him from the chosen maneuvers. While wearing armor, the fighter gains a bonus to his CMD against these combat maneuvers. The bonus is +1 if he’s wearing light armor, +2 if he’s wearing medium armor, and +3 if he’s wearing heavy armor. This bonus increases by +1 at 7th level and every 4 fighter levels thereafter, to a maximum at 19th level of +5 for light armor, +6 for medium armor, and +7 for heavy armor. Mithral armor provides a bonus 1 lower than normal for armor of its type. A fighter can choose this option up to three times. Each additional time he chooses this option, he selects two combat maneuvers he hasn’t previously selected.

*Warding Shield (Ex)*: While wearing a heavy, light, or tower shield, if the fighter makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack which normally deals half damage on a successful save, as an immediate action he can make a second Reflex save against the same DC to direct the remaining damage to his shield. He gains a bonus on this second saving throw equal to the total shield bonus (including enhancement bonuses) of this shield. The shield is treated as if it had only half its normal hardness against this damage.

## Implementation

Giving the fighter 2 armor training options at 3rd level and 7th level, and then only 1 option at 11th level and 15th level (a total of 6 options) would mirror how CRB fighter functions. However, we recommend giving 2 options at each of those levels for a total of 8 options. This gives higher level fighters a small but much-needed boost. Also, instead of giving 2 options every 4 levels (2 at 3rd, 2 at 7th etc.), consider spreading out these options and giving an option every 2 levels instead. This evens out the progression and still gives the same number of options in total.

Several of the advanced armor training options from the *AMH*, including the versatile training option, are now prowess options. As a GM if you are using prowess options, allow one of these or the other, but not both.

## Armor Mastery and Shield Mastery Feats

Armor mastery and shield mastery feats are types of feat that have a prerequisite of the armor training class feature. However, other classes can still take armor mastery feats by taking the Armor Focus feat and can take shield mastery feats by taking the Shield Focus feat.

In addition to the armor mastery and shield mastery feats listed in the *Armor Master’s Handbook*, the following feats now also count as armor mastery or shield mastery feats for the purpose of a fighter selecting them with the armored master armor training option.