Physical Defenses

BONE ARMOR
   Description: Through a painful ritual, you have had bone fragments grafted onto your flesh. Although it occurs at the expense of your health, this tough new shell protects you from getting harmed in the first place.
   Mechanic: You may subtract a number not to exceed 3 from your Endurance modifier and place it in Defense. The bonus to Defense is equal to twice the penalty subtracted from Endurance. Once chosen, this number may not be reversed. Bone armor may be "worn" in conjunction with the Sixth Sense ability, because it is not truly armor. However, this does not give you the ability to use Sixth Sense in conjunction with any other armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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DRAGONSCALE ARMOR
   Description: You can wear dragonscale armor. This armor is very light and flexible, while carrying a taint of the magical resistance of the creature whose hide it is made from.
   Mechanic: +1 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks and Resistance checks against magical attacks. This armor cannot be combined with any other armor ability. Using this ability is automatic.

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LIGHT ARMOR
   Description: You can wear light armor. Light armor favors finesse over toughness, granting a smaller bonus but letting you move easier.
   Mechanic: +2 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Light armor cannot be combined with medium or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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MEDIUM ARMOR
   Description: You can wear medium armor. Medium armor, as its name suggests, is a healthy balance between speed and toughness.
   Mechanic: +4 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Because of its weight, medium armor imposes a -2 penalty on physical and magical attacks. Medium armor cannot be combined with light or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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HEAVY ARMOR
   Description: You are a walking tank. You may lose a little attack power due to your bulky armor, but feel it is worth it for the impressive armor bonus you gain.
   Mechanic: +6 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Because of its weight and rigidity, heavy armor imposes a -4 penalty on physical and magical attacks. Heavy armor cannot be combined with medium or light armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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DISABLE TRAP
   Description: You are adept at disabling traps.
   Mechanic: +4 bonus on all defense or Resistance checks against a sprung trap. Furthermore, if you become aware of a trap (which requires a successful defense VS Attack check, on which you also receive a +4 bonus), you may make an additional defense VS Attack check to disable the trap, making it harmless until the original trapmaker resets it.
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BODYGUARD
   Description: You can protect another character from attacks.
   Mechanic: Choose an ally at the beginning of combat to be your "ward". Whenever your ward is attacked, you may make a Defense check equal to or higher than the attacker's original Attack. If successful, the attack is negated. You must spend a full turn to change your ward in combat. This ability cannot be combined with any physical or magical attack in the same turn. You may use this ability at a range, as long as you can see both the attacker and your ward.
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EXPERT BODYGUARD
   Description: You are so good at defending others that you absorb some of their damage even if you cannot completely shield them from harm, and your are lightning fast at switching protected targets in battle.
   Requires: Bodyguard
   Mechanic: Even if you do not succeed on your Defense check against the opponent's Attack when using the Bodyguard ability, your ward only takes 50% damage, the other half being dealt to you instead. Furthermore, you do not have to spend a full turn to change wards in battle; you simply choose which ward you protect at the beginning of each turn, although you must do this on your turn. This ability must be combined with Bodyguard, but otherwise works automatically.
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ENCHANTED CLOAK
   Description: You wear an enchanted cloak that will deflect attacks for you.
   Mechanic: Once per turn, this cloak may negate any one attack made from a distance unless that attack succeeds at an additional Attack VS Defense check. Using this ability is automatic.
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REINFORCED HAT
   Description: You sport a large, reinforced travelling hat that doubles as armour. While flimsier than a shield, it typically offers about the same protection.
   Mechanic: +1 bonus to defense checks against physical attacks. If an opponent rolls a natural 20 against you, this ability becomes useless until your hat is repaired in-game. This ability can be combined with either Sixth Sense or a Shield and light, medium, or heavy armor. Unlike most shield-based abilities, Reinforced Hat may be used in place of an armor-related ability for the purpose of attaining an ability path. Using this ability is automatic.

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SHIELD
   Description: You can use a shield to aid in your defense.
   Prevents: Sixth Sense
   Mechanic: +2 bonus to defense checks against physical attacks. A shield can be combined with a Long Sword as long as the character is not using two weapons at once, and can be combined with light, medium, or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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SIXTH SENSE
   Description: You have trained yourself to avoid incoming attacks at an almost supernatural level.
   Prevents: Armors, Shield
   Mechanic: You add 1/2 your Resistance modifier as a bonus to Defense. This ability cannot be combined with any armor or shield ability. Using this ability is automatic.
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TOUGH AS NAILS
   Description: Some guys know how to take a punch. You know how to shrug one off.
   Mechanic: Whenever you would be hit and damaged by an attack, you can make a defense check equal to Attack total of the attack that damaged you. If you succeed, you only take 50% damage (8 becomes 4) from that attack.
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TOUGHEN ARMOR
   Description: You have had your armor upgraded for extra toughness.
   Requires: Bone Armor, Hide Armor, Medium Armor, or Heavy Armor
   Mechanic: Each time you take this ability, your selected armor gains a +1 bonus on Defense checks. Using this ability is automatic.

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TOUGHEN SHIELD
   Description: You have had your shield upgraded for extra toughness.
   Requires: Reinforced Hat or Shield
   Mechanic: Each time you take this ability, the ability selected gains a +1 bonus on Defense checks. This bonus is tracked separately from bonuses granted by the Toughen Armor ability. Using this ability is automatic.

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ENCHANT ARMOR
   Description: You have had your dragonscale armor upgraded for extra toughness.
   Requires: Dragonscale Armor
   Mechanic: Each time you take this ability, you may add either a +1 bonus to Defense or a +1 bonus to Resistance using this ability. These bonuses are tracked independently, and separately from bonuses granted by the Toughen Armor ability. Using this ability is automatic.

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HIDE ARMOR
   Description: You can wear hide armor. Hide armor, made from animal skins, isn’t as heavy as some types of armor, but does impose minor restriction in movement.
   Mechanic: +3 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Because of its weight, hide armor imposes a -1 penalty on physical and magical attacks. Hide armor cannot be combined with light, medium, or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED ENCHANTED CLOAK
   Description: Your cloak can deflect attacks better than normal.
   Requires: Enchanted Cloak, 5th level.
   Mechanic: You gain a +2 bonus on Defense checks to deflect attacks with the Enchanted Cloak ability. At 10th level, 15th level, 20th level, and so on, you may take this ability again, allowing you to gain an addition +2 bonus on Defense checks to deflect attacks with Enchanted Cloak each time you take it. This ability must be combined with Enchanted Cloak, but is otherwise automatic.

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SPEEDY CLOAK
   Description: Your cloak can deflect more attacks than normal.
   Requires: Enchanted Cloak, 5th level.
   Mechanic: You may deflect one more attack per turn than normal with the Enchanted Cloak ability. At 10th level, 15th level, 20th level, and so on, you may take this ability again, allowing you to deflect an extra attack per turn each time you take it. This ability must be combined with Enchanted Cloak, but is otherwise automatic.

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SECOND SKIN
   Description: You wear your armor like a second skin granting you greater mobility.
   Requires: Bone Armor, Hide Armor, Medium Armor, or Heavy Armor, Toughen Armor, 3rd level
   Mechanic: Each time you take this ability, you may reduce the penalty to Attack and Magic rolls imposed by armor-related abilities by 1. You can take this ability multiple times; its effect stack. You cannot reduce the penalty below 0. Using this ability is automatic.

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SPRING ARMOR
   Description: You can wear spring armor. Unlike most armors, spring armor was crafted, not to reinforce the wearer against damage, but increase their agility, allowing a wearer to potentially strike first.
   Mechanic: +0 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Because of its agility-enhancing properties, spring armor grants a +1 bonus on physical and magical attacks. Since it fits against the body under where normal armor can go, spring armor can be combined with other armor-related abilities and Sixth Sense, although it does not grant the ability to combine Sixth Sense with any other armor-related ability. Using this ability is automatic.

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GROUP DEFENSE
   Description: Your group watches each other’s backs.
   Mechanic: You gain a +1 bonus on all Defense rolls for each ally that possesses this same ability while you fight alongside one another. This bonus is cumulative. Using this ability is automatic.

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TOWER SHIELD
   Description: Your heavy shield is an excellent defense, but restricts movement.
   Prevents: Sixth Sense
   Mechanic: +4 bonus to Defense checks against physical attacks. Because of its weight and bulk, a tower shield imposes a -2 penalty on physical and magical attacks unless you have completed the Knight ability path and are charging in that turn. A tower shield can be combined with light, medium, or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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PARRY ATTACK
    Description: You can oppose the physical attack of your opponent with one of your own, locking you both in a battle of strength versus strength.
    Mechanic: When you are targeted by a weapon-based physical attack, you may choose to oppose the Attack check of your opponent with an Attack check of your own, along with a physical attack of your choice, instead of a Defense check. If you fail, you take damage as normal in addition to the damage of your own attack. If you succeed, the opponent takes the damage of your attack in addition to their own. Using this ability is otherwise automatic.

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SECOND WIND
   Description: When the going gets tough, the tough keep going.
   Mechanic: When you would normally be reduced to somewhere between 0 and -9 hit points, you heal a number of hit points equal to your Endurance modifier multiplied by 1/2 your level, rounded down (minimum 1). This ability will not allow you to exceed your normal hit point maximum, nor can it be used to revive you from being reduced to -10 hit points or more. This ability may only be used once per combat and is automatic.

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LOCKED POCKETS
   Description: Safeguarding your valuables pays off when thieves strike.
   Mechanic: +4 on all Defense checks against Pick Pocket. Using this ability is automatic.

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SWIFT DEFENSE
   Description: You react quickly to danger, giving you an edge in your defense.
   Mechanic: You gain a bonus to your Defense checks equal to 1/3 your Swiftness modifier. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED SWIFT DEFENSE
   Description: You react even more quickly to danger, giving you a greater edge in your defense.
   Requires: Swift Defense, 5th level
   Mechanic: You gain a bonus to your Defense checks equal to 1/2 your Swiftness modifier. Using this ability is automatic.

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