Templar

Templar

A Base Class for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

Templars are divine characters charged with defending the faithful. Divine defenders, templars are often charged with defending holy sites or escorting important religious figures. They are as militant as paladins but skills more in the art of defense and security than outright warfare. Templars stay close to home rather than going on crusades, though they are not opposed to the notion of combat. Templars are often members of specific orders of the clergy and are skilled in the practice of holy wards.

Templars are skilled not only at the use of defensive divine magics but also at the use of two-handed weapons.

Hit Dice: D12.

Role: Templar are defenders first and foremost. While they can be of use on the front lines, their primary use is not as a damage dealer. Their guards allow them to harry their enemies and provide allies bonuses but they are limited in their ability to actually cause punishment.

Alignment: Any Lawful

While good aligned templars are the norm, they serve all deities. Evil aligned templars are generally bound to powerful demon lords or employed as bodyguards for high ranking cultists of evil deities. Neutral templars are often aligned with nature spirits or to clerics of lawful aligned gods.

### Sidebar: Sacred Bonuses and DR/Evil

Class features of the templar that provide a sacred bonus only do so for a good-aligned templar. Evil aligned templars provide profane bonuses in their place. Neutrally-aligned templars must choose at 1st level if they wish to provide a sacred or profane bonus and once this choice has been made it cannot be changed. When a good templar gains DR/evil, an evil templar gains DR/good, and a neutral one must select which they’d like at 1st level.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

## Class Skills

The templar’s class skills are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table #-1: The Templar

## Class Features:

The following are the class features of the templar.

## Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

The templar is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, light, and medium) and shields (including tower shields).

## Ardor (Su):

A templar’s main mission is to defend the faithful and places of holy reverence. Tasked by their god to do so, they are empowered by divine might when they are at risk of failure in their sworn duty. Each time an enemy successfully deals damage to one of the templar’s allies (the templar must be aware of this and the ally must be within line of sight) his fury builds. Each hit scored against an ally that results in damage grants the templar 1 point of ardor (3 successful hits from a full attack action grants a templar 3 ardor points).

Each point of ardor the templar has can be spent as a free action before rolling damage dice on a successful attack roll against an enemy that has caused damage to an ally during the last minute (this damage must have resulted in the gain of a ardor point). For each point spent, the templar gains a +2 sacred bonus on that damage roll (not subsequent ones that turn). A templar can accrue an unlimited number of ardor points but all ardor points vanish if unused once it has been at least a full minute since the last time one of your allies took damage. Ardor points have other uses, as defined by other class features, but a templar may only use one ability fueled by ardor points per turn and may never spend more than 1/4th (minimum 1) his templar level in ardor points at a time.

## Wards (Su):

The templar’s divine powers manifest themselves in the form of a protected area. As a swift action the templar can activate up to three wards at once. All allies, including the templar, within 30 feet of a templar gain the protection of his wards. He may never have more than 3 wards active at once. As a swift action, the templar can change any of his active wards to any other wards.

At 1st level he knows two wards and he gains the use of a new one at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter. Each ward has a minor and major version and by default activate in their minor form. See the major wards class feature for more information on major wards.

### Wards

* Protection: All allies are shielded from damage. All allies gain DR/evil, equal to 1/4th templar level (minimum 1).

* + Major: All allies gain DR /- equal to 1/4 templar level (minimum 1).
* Poison: All allies gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/4th templar level on Fortitude saves against diseases and poisons.

* + Major: All allies are immune to poison and disease. All current ongoing disease or poisons are suppressed while the major form of his ward is active.
* Magic Ward: All allies gain 10 + 1/2 templar level in spell resistance and gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/4th templar level on concentration checks to cast spells.

* + Major: All allies gain 10 + templar level in spell resistance and gain a sacred bonus equal to templar level on concentration checks to cast spells.
* Ability Score: All allies gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/4th templar level on saves against ability score damage and negative levels.

* + Major: All allies are immune to ability score damage and gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/2 templar level on saves against negative levels.
* Death: All allies gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/4th templar level on saves against ability death effects and on rolls for stabilization.

* + Major: All allies are immune to death effects and automatically stabilize if below 0 HP.
* Energy: All allies gain resistance to fire, cold, electricity, acid, and sonic damage equal to 10 +  1/4th templar level.

* + Major: Select one of the following kinds of damage: fire, cold, electricity, acid, and sonic. All allies become immune to that kind of damage.
* Mindshield: All allies gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/4th templar level on saves against mind affecting effects.

* + Major: All allies are immune to mind affecting effects.
* Movement: All allies gain a sacred bonus on movement speed equal 10 ft. per 4 levels of templar.

* + Major: All allies gain the benefits of the evasion class feature of the rogue (as described in Chapter 3 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook) as well as the benefit of the minor version of this ward.
* Tactical Ward: All allies gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/4th templar level to their Combat Maneuver Defense.

* + Major: All allies gain a sacred bonus equal to 1/2th templar level to their Combat Maneuver Defense.

## Guards (Ex):

Templar utilize two-handed weapons in their service as they are potent visible symbols and can be used to deny areas to their enemy. At 2nd level, they can use guards, special patterns and methods of attacking that provides their allies defensive bonuses or themselves. A templar can only benefit from one guard at a time, can only use guards while wielding a two-handed weapon in two hands, and once activated the effects last until the start of their next turn. Unless expressly stated, the templar himself does not benefit from his guards. At 2nd level, a templar knows all 2nd level guards. At 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter a templar learns a new guard.

### 2nd Level Guards

* Loyal Guard: A templar can expend a standard action to grant all adjacent allies a circumstance bonus to their AC equal to 1/4th his templar level (minimum +1).
* Aggressive Guard: They say the best defense is a good offense. As a swift action a templar can grant himself a competence bonus on attack rolls with two-handed weapons equal to 1/2 his templar level (minimum +1). In addition, as part of the swift action to activate this guard the templar can make an Intimidate action against a creature within the area they threaten at a +2 circumstance bonus.
* Personal Guard: As a swift action a templar can grant himself a shield bonus to his AC equal to 1/4th their templar level (minimum 1).

### 5th Level Guards

* Area Denial: A templar can expend a standard action to use this guard. While employing this guard he make make a number of additional attacks of opportunity equal to his to 1/2 templar level (minimum +1) and adds 5 feet to the reach of his weapon for the purpose of determining the area he threatens and can hit while employing this guard.
* Interception: A templar can expend a standard action to deny enemies attacks of opportunity within the area he threatens. This causes any attacks of opportunity that would normally be made provoked within the area that he threatens to automatically fail to hit. To intercept an attack of opportunity a templar must expend an attack of opportunity himself.
* Counter Guard: A templar can expend a immediate action to cause any attacks an enemy makes within the area the templar threatens to provoke an attack of opportunity from the templar. The templar’s attack of opportunity occurs before the enemy’s attack is made.
* Windwall Guard: As a standard action the templar can grant a circumstance bonus to the AC of all allies within the area that he threatens against ranged attacks equal to 1/4th his templar level (minimum 1).
* Vigilant Guard: As a standard action the templar can cause all of his allies within the area he threatens to become immune to precision damage. Both the creature dealing the precision damage and the target of the precision damage must be within the area he threatens.
* Harassing Flurry: As a standard action the templar can cause creatures within the range he threatens to lose any concentration they are maintaining and make it impossible to concentrate while within that area until the start of his next turn. All creatures within the templar’s threatened area who attempt to cast a spell have to make a concentration check (DC 10 + templar level + Strength modifier).
* Low Sweeps: As a swift action the templar can cause the area he threatens to become difficult terrain for his enemies but not his allies until the start of his next turn.

11th Level Guards

* Opportunistic Distraction: All enemies within the area threatened by the templar need to make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 templar level + Strength modifier) or be flat-footed until the start of their next turn.
* Name: Text

### Sidebar: Two-Handed Weapons

When class features of the templar specify a “two-handed weapon” the weapon must be both of the two-handed weapon variety and be wielded in two hands. One-handed weapons wielded in two hands and two-handed weapons wielded in one hand are not acceptable.

## Toughness:

At 2nd level, the templar gains Toughness as a bonus feat. If the templar already has Toughness or gains it at a later point, he gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves.

## Duty (Ex):

Templars are marked by an exuberance, energy, zeal, and dutifulness in their service. They next let their guard down and they always go that extra mile whenever possible, seeing it as their divine mission to do so. Some say they are powered by otherworldly zeal or possessive of some quality that makes them able to push harder and go longer. This notion is false, templars are simply exemplars of duty- trained never to leave good enough alone. They are ever-vigilant, ever-proactive, and fearless in the face of an insurmountable task. This has lead to some unique abilities that they can utilize due to their dutiful willingness to go above and beyond the typical call of duty.

At 3rd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, a templar gains a new duty.

* Hypervigilance: The templar increases the number of attacks of opportunity he can make per round with two-handed weapons by 4. This stacks with other feats and abilities that increase the number of attacks of opportunity they can make per round.
* Threatening: Two-handed weapons wielded by the templar gain an additional 5 feet of reach.
* Hustle: The templar increases their base land speed by 5 feet, their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance, and they gain a +1 sacred bonus to Initiative checks.
* Stubborn Zeal: The templar always automatically stabilizes when below 0 hp and they gain the ferocity universal monster ability.
* Service: The templar becomes adept at tending to his comrades and serving the party in a fashion that makes life more bearable and the accommodations more favorable. Before a party rests or as they rest, a templar may take 1 hour to provide maintenance service to the party in dutiful fashion. This goes beyond simply clean up and making sure everything is in the proper order- the templar goes far beyond what is expected. Allies who rest for 8 hours after the templar has provided his services gains all of the following benefits:

* + Extra HP healed as a result of resting. This amount is equal to the templar’s level.
	+ +4 sacred bonus against fatigue effects.
	+ The party may move at a forced march pace for 12 hours before they are worn out and hustle for 3 hours per day.
	+ A +4 sacred bonus on all long-term care Heal checks made upon waking up and on Fortitude saves against ongoing effects.
	+ A +4 sacred bonus on Survival checks to find food and water made within 1 hour of waking up.
* Midnight Vigil: A templar may go for 7 days without sleep before they start to incur penalties for not sleeping. In addition, they gain a +4 sacred bonus on all Perception checks to spot hiding creatures.
* Steed’s Charge: The templar with this duty who charges deals double damage with a lance as if he was mounted. He may also wield lances one-handed while charging (keep in mind that he only gains many of his benefits from his class features while wielding a weapon two-handed). In addition, regardless of the weapon he uses, he gains a sacred bonus on attack rolls while charging equal to 1/4th his templar level (minimum 1).
* Stern Countenance: The templar adds his Constitution modifier to the DC required to demoralize or influence him with the Intimidate skill. Finally, a templar adds 1/4th his templar level (minimum 1) to all Intimidate checks made to demoralize evil creatures.
* Workhorse: The templar triples (x3) his carrying capacity. In addition, a templar gets twice as much work done in a single day- allowing him to make two Profession or Craft checks per week to earn a living.
* Protection Predilection: The templar can expend 2 ardor points to activate and benefit from two guards he knows as a standard action. The templar must be at least 12th level to select this duty.
* Name: Text
* Name: Text

## Major Wards (Su):

At 4th level, a templar can turn one of their minor wards into a major wards as a swift action by spending 1 ardor point. This ward stays in its major state for 3 rounds before reverting to its minor state. Switching what major ward you have active is a swift action as well that costs 1 ardor point. Any time you pay an ardor point to switch or activate a major ward its duration resets.

A templar of 4th level can only have 1 active major ward at a time. At 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a templar can have a second major ward active at a time. Activating or switching multiple major wards can be done with the same swift action and costs a number of ardor points equal to the number of major wards the templar is activating.

## Give of Theyself (Su):

At 5th level, a templar can spontaneously gain 3 ardor points by taking a swift action to cause 10 points of damage to themselves. If this damage is mitigated in anyway the templar does not gain the ardor points. This may be done a number of times per day equal to the templar’s Constitution modifier but never more than once per minute.

## Sanctum Sanctorum (Su):

As a standard action a templar of 10th level can turn all of his wards into their major versions by paying 5 ardor points. These wards remain in their major state for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 3). A templar can expend another 5 ardor points as a free action to reset the duration of this effect. Once this effect ends, all wards revert to their minor form (though they may be activated normally on the following turn).

## Mounting Ardor:

At 11th level, during combat at the start of each odd numbered turn a templar gains 1 bonus point of ardor. At 17th level he gains a point of ardor every round.

## Spell Guard (Sp):

At 14th level, a templar may expend 3 ardor points as a swift action to cast spell turning on himself. This may be done as an immediate action in response to being targeted by a spell. A templar may pay 5 ardor points to use this ability on a willing ally within 30 feet.

At 19th level, the templar may expend 5 points of ardor as a standard action to cast spell turning on himself and all allies within 30 feet.

## Grand Sanctuary

At 20th level, all wards are activated as major wards rather than minor wards and cost no ardor points.