View source for Meat Shield, Sublime (3.5e Prestige Class)

:''Credit to [[User:ThunderGod Cid|Cid]] for the original premise, which can be found [[Meat Shield (3.5e Class)|here]]. A somewhat less powerful variant of this class (Sublime Meat Shield) can be found [[Meat Shield, Grimoire (3.5e Prestige Class)|here]].''

{{author
|author_name=Jota
|date_created=16 May, 2010
|adopter=
|date_adopted= 
|status=Complete
|editing=
|balance=Rogue
}}
<div class="blank">
{{#set:Summary=A meat shield is a master at taking a hit for the team. Literally.
|Length=5
|Minimum Level=7
|Base Attack Bonus Progression=Good
|Fortitude Save Progression=Good
|Reflex Save Progression=Good
|Will Save Progression=Good
|Class Ability=Martial Maneuvers 
|Class Ability=Other
|Class Ability Progression=Other
}}
{{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Evil}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral Evil}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Evil}}
</div>

[[File:04 warhammer chosen zealot by sandara.jpg|thumb|right|232px|Now in sublime format.]]

==Meat Shield==

{{quote
|“Whether the knife falls on the melon or the melon on the knife, the melon suffers.”
|orig=African proverb
|src=<!--The source of the quote (manuscript, book, etc)-->
}}

===Becoming a Meat Shield===

{| class="dragon monstats" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|+ style="font-size: larger; white-space: nowrap;" | Entry Requirements
|-
! Base Attack Bonus:
| +7
|-
! Special:
| Indomitable Soul<sup>[[Tome of Battle|ToB]]</sup> class feature
|} 

{| class="zebra d20"
|+ <div>{{Anchor|Table: The Meat Shield}}</div>
<p>Hit Die: d12</p>
|-
! rowspan="2" | Level
! rowspan="2" | [[BAB|Base<br/>Attack Bonus]]
! colspan="3" | [[SRD:Saving Throw|Saving Throw]]s
! rowspan="2" | Special
! rowspan="2" | [[#Maneuvers|Maneuvers<br>Known]]
! rowspan="2" | [[#Maneuvers|Maneuvers<br>Readied]]
! rowspan="2" | [[#Stances Known|Stances<br>Known]]
|- 
! [[SRD:Saving Throw#Fortitude|Fort]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Reflex|Ref]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Will|Will]]
|-
| 1st || +1 || +2 || +2 || +2 
| class="left" | [[#Intercession|Intercession]], [[#Patient Guardian|Patient Guardian]] || 0 || 1 (0) || 0
|- 
| 2nd || +2 || +3 || +3 || +3
| class="left" |  [[#Constant Vigilance|Constant Vigilance]], [[#Mobile Defender|Mobile Defender]]  || 1 || 0 (0) || 0
|- 
| 3rd || +3 || +3 || +3 || +3
| class="left" | [[#Retaliatory Intercession|Retaliatory Intercession]], [[#Vengeful Interceptor|Vengeful Interceptor]] || 0 || 0 (0) || 1 
|- 
| 4th || +4 || +4 || +4 || +4
| class="left" | [[#Share the Pain|Share the Pain]], [[#Wrathful Intercession|Wrathful Intercession]] || 1 || 0 (0) || 0 
|- 
| 5th || +5 || +4 || +4 || +4
| class="left" | [[#Sublime Intercession|Sublime Intercession]], [[#Urgent Protector|Urgent Protector]] || 0 || 0 (1) || 0 
|- class="noalt"
| colspan="42" class="skill" |
'''Class Skills ([[Skill Points::4]] + [[SRD:Intelligence|Int]] modifier per level.'''<br/>
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Balance Skill|Balance}} ([[SRD:Dexterity|Dex]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Craft Skill|Craft}} ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Diplomacy Skill|Diplomacy}} ([[SRD:Charisma|Cha]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Heal Skill|Heal}} ([[SRD:Wisdom|Wis]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Intimidate Skill|Intimidate}} ([[SRD:Charisma|Cha]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Jump Skill|Jump}} ([[SRD:Strength|Str]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge}} [History] ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge}} [Religion] ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Listen Skill|Listen}} ([[SRD:Wisdom|Wis]]), 
Martial Lore<sup>[[Tome of Battle|ToB]]</sup> ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]),
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Ride Skill|Ride}} ([[SRD:Dexterity|Dex]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Sense Motive Skill|Sense Motive}} ([[SRD:Wisdom|Wis]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Speak Language Skill|Speak Language}} (None),  
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Spot Skill|Spot}} ([[SRD:Wisdom|Wis]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Survival Skill|Survival}} ([[SRD:Wisdom|Wis]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Swim Skill|Swim}} ([[SRD:Strength|Str]]), 
|}

====Class Features====

All of the following are class features of the meat shield.

'''{{Anchor|Maneuvers}}:''' At the second level and fourth levels you gain one new maneuver from the Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon, or White Raven disciplines. You must meet the maneuver's prerequisite to learn it. Add your meat shield levels to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest level maneuvers known. 

At first level you gain an additional maneuver readied per encounter, and at fifth level you gain an additional granted maneuver at the beginning of an encounter.

Stances Known: At fifth you learn a new martial stance from the Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon, or White Raven disciplines. You must meet the stance's prerequisite to learn it. 

'''{{Anchor|Intercession}} ([[Ex]]):''' When the meat shield is adjacent to an ally who is targeted with an attack or single-target spell effect, the meat shield can move into that ally's space (taking the attack or spell effect as though he were the intended target) and move that ally anywhere within the meat shield's base reach (according to size, not weapon) as an immediate action. 
*A meat shield cannot be more than one size smaller than the ally he displaces. 
*If the meat shield takes up less space (e.g. Medium, one square) than the ally he protects (e.g. Large, four squares), he must place himself within reach of the attacker. 
:*A meat shield cannot make an intercession if there is no space to move the original target into, unless the creatures may normally occupy the same space, in which case they do so.
*If the meat shield takes up more space than the ally he protects, he may position himself however he chooses as long as his space covers all of the space his ally previously occupied. 
:*If, due to size differential, the meat shield cannot move into his ally's space (whether because of other enemies or the nature of the terrain), he cannot make an intercession.

Making an intercession does not use the meat shield's immediate action for the round, nor does it count against his ability to use a swift action in the following round. The movement from an intercession does not provoke an attack of opportunity for either the meat shield or his ally, even against effects that explicitly state otherwise. A meat shield can make a number of intercessions per encounter equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 0) + his initiator level. 

'''{{Anchor|Patient Guardian}} ([[Ex]]):''' As a free action, a meat shield may voluntarily not receive one of his readied maneuvers at the end of his turn in order to recover a number of uses of his intercession class ability equal half his class level, rounded up.

'''{{Anchor|Constant Vigilance}} ([[Ex]]):''' The meat shield may spend an immediate action to move up to his base land speed, but only if he does so in order to make an intercession. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as in-turn movement.

'''{{Anchor|Mobile Defender}} ([[Ex]]):''' A meat shield no longer takes any penalties to his movement speed for wearing heavy armor or carrying more than his light load, and runs at his normal speed even while carrying a medium or heavy load.

'''{{Anchor|Retaliatory Intercession}} ([[Ex]]):''' As part of an intercession, a meat shield may expend an additional use of his intercession ability to make a single melee attack against the aggressor, provided he can reach them.

'''{{Anchor|Vengeful Interceptor}} ([[Ex]]):''' A meat shield's class levels stack with his crusader level's for determining the maximum capacity of his delayed damage pool. Furthermore, after a round in which the meat shield has made an intercession, he may add his twice his class level to the value of his delayed damage pool.

'''{{Anchor|Share The Pain}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|Su]]):''' A meat shield can force an attacker to partake in his agony when he is struck. Whenever the meat shield takes damage and the attacker is within [[SRD:Range (Spell Descriptor)#Close|close range]], the attacker receives half the damage that the meat shield took. This damage is untyped and not subject to any form of resistance or [[SRD:Damage Reduction|damage reduction]]. This ability does not function against effects that do not specifically deal damage.

'''{{Anchor|Wrathful Intercession}} ([[Ex]]):''' As part of an intercession, a meat shield may expend two additional uses of his intercession ability to make a full attack against the aggressor, provided he can reach them.

'''{{Anchor|Sublime Intercession}} ([[Ex]]):''' As part of an intercession, a meat shield may expend three additional uses of his intercession ability to make a single melee attack against the aggressor, provided he can reach them. The meat shield may use a martial strike as part of this attack.

'''{{Anchor|Urgent Protector}} ([[Ex]]):''' At fifth level a meat shield may burn uses of his intercession class ability to grant himself one of his readied maneuvers at random. Consult the table below for the selected action and the requisite number of intercession uses.

{| class="zebra d20"
|+{{Anchor|Urgent Protector Usage Costs}}
! Action Used || class="left" | Intercession Uses
|- class="{{Odd-Even}}"
| Full-Round || 1
|- class="{{Odd-Even}}"
| Standard || 2
|- class="{{Odd-Even}}"
| Move || 3
|- class="{{Odd-Even}}"
| Swift/Immediate || 4
|- class="{{Odd-Even}}"
| Free || 7
|}<!--
===Campaign Information===
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====Playing a <-class name->====

'''Combat:''' <-Typical role in combat->

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'''Resources:''' <-What kind of assistance members of this class can expect from each other including possible organizations->
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{{quote|<-Some quote from a character of this class->|4=<-NPC name->, <-race-> <-class->}}

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====<-class name-> Lore====

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-insert prestige class name-> to learn more about them.  When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

{| class="zebra d20"
|+ <-the appropriate skills->
! DC || class="left" | Result
|-
| 11 || class="left" | <-not so common knowledge->.
|-
| 16 || class="left" | <-rare information->.
|-
| 21 || class="left" | <-very rare information->.
|- 
| 26 || class="left" | <-information so obscure that members of this class might not even know it->.
|}
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====<-pluralized class name-> in the Game====

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play->

'''Adaptation:''' <-Fitting this class in your campaign->

'''Sample Encounter:''' <-DM placement for NPC of this class->

''EL <- whatever ->:'' <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block.  The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter->
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----
{{3.5e Prestige Classes Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
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Allowed Alignments	Lawful Good +, Lawful Neutral +, Lawful Evil +, Neutral Good +, Neutral +, Neutral Evil +, Chaotic Good +, Chaotic Neutral + and Chaotic Evil +
Article Balance	High +
Author	Jota +
Base Attack Bonus Progression	Good +
Class Ability	Martial Maneuvers + and Other +
Class Ability Progression	Other +
Fortitude Save Progression	Good +
Identifier	3.5e Prestige Class +
Length	5 +
Minimum Level	7 +
Rating	Unrated +
Reflex Save Progression	Good +
Skill	Balance +, Craft +, Diplomacy +, Heal +, Intimidate +, Jump +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Ride +, Sense Motive +, Speak Language +, Spot +, Survival + and Swim +
Skill Points	4 +
Summary	A meat shield is a master at taking a hit for the team. Literally. +
Title	Meat Shield, Sublime +
Will Save Progression	Good +