Being a noble guard, member of the city watch, or patrolman (depending upon your campaign and setting) means that you belong to a group of dedicated servants to society. You are there to protect the peace and are rightly equipped to do so. You know how to defend yourself and others, are decent in a fight, and have great investigative abilities. You can't tolerate thievery and have no stomach for policy making and backroom deals.
Gen Dice:
- Vitality: (Initial) 1d20 (Secondary) 1d8
- Soul: (Initial) 1d6 (Secondary) 1d4
- Power: (Initial) 1d12 (Secondary) 1d6
Weapon & Armor Types:
- Uses weapons that have parry value
- Can use any armor or shield
The Guard Profession is all about defending others.It is the profession of the City Watch, the Kings' Guard, and other related professions. The Guard makes a great tank character.
Back to top1) Effects on Weapon Usage
Guards are defenders, not warriors. Therefore they use only weapons that have a block value.
Back to top2) Effects on Armor Usage
Guards can use any armor or shield.
Back to top3) Profession Level Progression
Guards train so that they can protect others. They don't care as much about scholarly things or being sneaky. Instead, they want to know how to absorb and handle the most damage. Defense is the way to go for them.
All characters get the following by leveling up regardless of profession:
- Each level up you get your secondary gen dice rolls for Vitality, Soul, and Power.
- Each level up you get 1d4 stat points
- Each level up you get 1d6 trait points
- You can acquire 1 skill of choice in or out of profession.
- At level 1 you have an initial 1d6 trait points that you can assign as desired
- Your profession will also provide bonuses when you level up
- You can start with 1 spell, and gain a new spell on every odd number level whether you are a runic mage or not.
Guards gain the following through leveling up every other level:
| Level | Bonuses |
|---|---|
| 2 | +1d4 to Fortitude; 2 skills, 1 ability |
| 4 | +1d4 to Strength and Fortitude; +1d4 trait points; +1 skill and ability |
| 6 | +1d4 Power; +1d6 to Fortitude traits; +1d4 to Strength Traits; +2 skills and 1 ability |
| 8 | +1d8 trait points; +1d6 Vitality; +1d4 skills; +1 ability |
| 10 | +1d10 Stat Points; +1d6 trait points; +1d4 skills; +1d4 abilities |
| 12 | +1 to all Fortitude traits; +2 skills; +1 ability |
| 14 | +1 to all Speed traits; +1 skill; +2 abilities |
| 16 | +1 to all Strength traits; +1d4 skills; +1 ability |
| 18 | +1d8 Fortitude; +1d4 Strength; +1d6 trait points; +1d4 skills; +1 ability |
| 20 | +1 to all Fortitude traits; 1d4 abilities |
4) Skills
Guards specialize in defense skills.
4.1) Guard Skill Progression
4.2) Guard Skills
| Skill | Stat Cost | Range & Area | Duration | Check Roll | Effects | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anger | 2 Soul | any enemy targets within a 3x3 space area | instant | Normal Intimidate | This skill is Taunt as an area affect. All enemy targets in the area of affect must make a normal focus check or they will have no choice but to attack you their next round. |
Taunt |
| Armor Tuck | 4 Power | self | instant | Normal Defense -1 | This skill allows you to tuck into your armor more, making you smaller and allowing the armor to cover more weak spots. This increases your Physical and Magical armor by 1d6 for that instance. |
Shield Wall |
| Attention Lock | 8 Soul | 1 target | 1d6 +1 rounds | Impossible Intimidate | This skill forces you to be the target's only target for the duration. The target can only target you and is so focused on you that your allies get a +1 to their hit chances. |
Frustrate |
| Bash Defense | N/A | self | instant | Easy Defense | Increase armor's defense by 2 against bashing attacks. |
N/A |
| Block or Parry | 1 Power | self | instant | Easy Defense | Block or parry an attack with your weapon or shield, subtracting the weapon's damage value by your block or parry value. If your block or parry value is greater, you take no damage. |
N/A |
| Brace Others | 2 Power | 1 ally within movement range | instant | Normal Brace | This skill allows you to brace your ally that you can reach should your ally receive an attack that would move them or knock them down. With this skill you add your brace score +1 to your ally's brace score, making it easier for them to succeed on their brace check. |
Stand Your Ground |
| Chop Defense | N/A | self | instant | Easy Defense | Increase armor's defense by 2 against chopping attacks. |
N/A |
| Combo Guard | 2 Power | self | instant | Hard Defense | You use this skill with the Guard skill. This allows you to use your skills to aid in guarding your friends. You have the first skill for free, and can make normal react checks for each additional skill you wish to use. |
Guard |
| Daze or Stun Defense | 4 Power | self | instant | Normal Defense | This skill causes you to not be affected by the daze or stun status effects. |
Poison or Sickness Defense |
| Defense Empowerment | N/A | self | 1d4 rounds | Easy Defense | +1 to Immunity, Endure, and Defense traits |
N/A |
| Deflect 1-Target Spell | 4 Soul | self | instant | Hard Arcana | This skill is used with Runic Block. If you successfully use Runic Block, you can use this skill to deflect the spell away from you. You need to also roll Critical with this, if you succeed your critical check and there is anyone next to you, the spell is deflected to that target. Otherwise, you simply take no damage. |
Runic Block |
| Deflect Hit | 2 Power | self | instant | Normal React - 2 | This skill is used with Block or Parry. If you successfully use Block or Parry, you can use this skill to deflect the hit away from you. You need to also roll Critical with this, if you succeed your critical check and there is anyone next to you, the hit is deflected to that target. Otherwise, you simply take no damage. |
Block or Parry |
| Disarm | 4 Power | self | instant | Normal Athletics -2 | This skill can be used when you successfully use Block or Parry. If you succeed with Block or Parry, use this skill and if successful you cause the target that is attacking you to drop its weapon. |
Block or Parry |
| Distraction | 1 Soul | any within a 3x3 space area | instant | Normal Perform +1 | Targets in affected area must make normal focus check to not lose concentration, or their spells they are casting will fail to cast. |
N/A |
| Frustrate | 4 Soul | any enemy targets within a 3x3 space area | 1d4 rounds | Hard Intimidate | All targets in the affected area must make a hard mental balance check. If they fail they will be berserk for 1d4 rounds, and you can be their only target for the next round. |
Anger |
| Guard | 2 Power | 1 ally within movement range | instant | Normal Defense | With this skill you can defend your ally against an attack. You basically take the attack for your ally. |
N/A |
| Guard | 1 Power | movement range affecting 1 ally | instant | Easy React | This skill allows you to defend an ally from attack. You use this skill when a nearby ally, one that you can reach with one movement action, is being attacked. |
N/A |
| Knock Down Defense | 6 Soul | self | instant | Hard Defense | This skill causes you to not be affected by the Knock Down status effect. |
Daze or Stun Defense |
| Mortal Guard | 8 Soul | self | instant | Impossible Defense | This skill allows you to ignore instant death attacks. |
Knock Down Defense |
| Pierce Defense | N/A | self | instant | Easy Defense | Increase armor's defense by 2 against Piercing attacks. |
N/A |
| Poison or Sickness Defense | 2 Soul | self | instant | Easy Defense | This skill allows you to not be affected by the poison or sickness status effects. |
N/A |
| Runic Block | 2 Soul | self | instant | Normal Arcana -1 | With this skill you can block a spell with your shield. If the spell damage is equal to or less than your shield's block value, you take no damage. Otherwise you will decrease the spell damage by the shield's block value. |
Runic Defense |
| Runic Defense | 1 Soul | self | instant | Easy Arcana -2 | With this skill you can defend against a magical attack. You add your arcana score to your armor's defense. |
N/A |
| Runic Guard | 2 Soul | 1 ally within movement range | instant | Hard Defense | With this skill you can defend an ally against a magical attack. You can use Combo Guard with this skill. |
Guard and Runic Defense |
| Shield Wall | self | self and any affected allies | 1d4 rounds | Normal Defense | You hold your shield in front of you and duck behind it, making the shield like a wall. While behind the shield wall you cannot move, however any attacks that target you must first get past the shield wall. This increases your Physical and Magical Armor by 2, making it harder to hit you. If any of your allies use this with you and are next to you, a more secure wall is formed further increasing Physical and Magical armor by 1 for everyone involved. |
Shield equipped |
| Slash Defense | N/A | self | instant | Easy Defense | Increase armor's defense by 2 against slashing attacks. |
N/A |
| Stand Your Ground | 1 Power | self | 1d4 rounds | Easy Brace | Unable to be knocked down or moved when standing still. |
N/A |
| Taunt | N/A | 1 target | instant | Easy Intimidate | This skill forces the target to make a normal Focus or otherwise it must attack you its next round. |
N/A |
| Use Others as Shield | N/A | self and any nearby target | instant | Normal React | Allows you to quickly move behind anyone else, friend or foe, making them take the hit instead. |
N/A |
| Use Potion as Defense | N/A | self | instant | Easy React | Allows you to use potion as a defense action. |
N/A |
| Vitality Empowerment | 2 Soul | self | 1d6 rounds | Normal Defense | Allows you to temporarily increase your Vitality by your secondary Gen Dice. |
N/A |
5) Guard Abilities
These are abilities that are unique to the Guard profession. Only Guards can obtain and use these abilities:
| Ability | Effects | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Self Defense Techniques | Increase your Defense trait by 1d4 and your Immunity, Endure, and Brace traits by 1. |
Self Defense Techniques |
| Block & Counter | Whenever you successfully block with your shield, you have a normal react + 2 chance to counter attack. |
Counter Attack |
| Counter Attack | You can make a normal react check to counter attack the enemy when the enemy attacks you as long as you are in range. You cannot use any skills for this attack. |
N/A |
| Damage Absorb | You can absorb 10% of the damage dealt to your Vitality. For every 5 damage you absorb you lose 1 Power. |
N/A |
| Damage Store & Redirect | You can store the damage absorbed and redirect it in your next physical attack. The stored damage must be used before the end of battle or it will be lost. |
Damage Absorb |
| Danger Sense | You are more aware of dangers in the area. You have a +2 to Perceive, +1 to Insight, React, and Initiative. |
N/A |
| Defensive Stance | You are always in a defensive stance gaining a +2 to defense trait and +1 to armor defense. |
Danger Sense |
| Evasion | You have a chance to completely evade the attack. The chance is an Impossible Acrobatics -1. Be aware of the following penalties:
|
Defensive Stance |
| Heavy Armor Proficiency | Increases defense of heavy armor pieces by 1 for every piece of heavy armor worn. Increases Physical and Magical Armor by 2 if wearing a full set of heavy armor. |
N/A |
| Improved Defense | Increase armor defense by 1 for physical attacks. |
N/A |
| Improved Magical Defense | Increase armor defense by 1 for magical attacks. |
Improved Defense |
| Improved Reaction | Increase React by 1 |
Improved Magical Defense |
| Keep Self | +1 to Mental Balance. |
N/A |
| Light Armor Proficiency | Increases Light Armor Defense by 1 for every piece of light armor worn, and Physical and Magical Armor by 2 if wearing a full set of light armor. |
N/A |
| Medium Armor Proficiency | Increases defense of medium armor pieces by 1 for every piece of medium armor worn. Increases Physical and Magical Armor by 2 if wearing a full set of medium armor. |
N/A |
| Mortality Save | Grants you a +1d4 to Vitality Save. |
Advance Self Defense Techniques |
| Peripheral Vision | You cannot be ambushed. |
Danger Sense |
| Reactive Defense | You can make a hard react check to increase your defense trait by +1 for that instance. |
Defensive Stance |
| Roll Counter | When you go to counter attack, you can make a hard athletics check to roll to the side of the target, not only giving that target a -1 to their hit chance but also giving you a +1 to your hit chance. |
Block & Counter |
| Self Defense Techniques | Increase your Defense trait by 1. |
N/A |
| Side Step | As long as the space to the left or right is clear, you can make a normal react check to step to the side to try to avoid the hit. This gives the enemy a -2 to Hit Chance. |
N/A |
| Tactical Cover | Anytime there is something you can duck behind or hide behind near you when you are attacked you can make a hard react check to take that cover, giving the enemy a penalty of -3 to hit chance. |
N/A |
| Weapon & Shield | As long as you have a shield equipped you cannot be counter attacked. |
Peripheral Vision |