Blood Guard
The Blood Guard are some of the most feared warriors in the kingdom of Gorn. Blood Guard spend a life time training to protect their charges unto the death. Most of the Blood Guard are allocated to protect the Dark Lord himself, but a few are snatched up by powerful noble houses to protect their personages of importance. Blood Guard have several skills that they are able to employ to protect themselves and those around them, the Blood Guard is unequaled in this capacity. In addition to their uncanny skill at defense, they are accomplished priests and can operate almost as well as a regular cleric.
Blood Guard must have the following minimum stats to qualify for this class: STR 15, INT 12, WIS 15, DEX 15, & CON 13. They do not gain any extra exp for exceptional stats.
Blood Guard have eight sided (d8) for hit points and fight on the Cleric table. They are always of a Lawful alignment, but my be Good, Evil or Neutral. Blood Guard can use any sort of armor and weapons that they choose, most prefer largish weapons and shields but the player may pick any.
Blood Guard are able to cast cleric spells at 4 levels lower, thus a 5th level Blood Guard has the casting ability of a 1st level cleric. Blood Guard do not receive a spell bonus for a high Wisdom score.
Other Abilities:
These special abilities can only be done one at a time, once a round unless otherwise indicated. The Blood Guard will still be able to attack, unless the otherwise stated.
1st level: Gain +2 to all Saving throws.
2nd level:
The Blood Guard can add their level to their AC for one melee round. This action must be declared before initiative dice are rolled and can only be done a number of rounds equal to half of the Blood Guards level, rounded up.
3rd level:
The Blood Guard can spread their AC to other around them. The Blood Guard can only protect those that are within melee range, about a 10 foot radius around the Blood Guard. They are able to add +1 to everyone’s AC in the radius for every two levels that the Blood Guard possesses, rounding up. They are able to maintain this ability for a number of rounds equal to the Blood Guard’s level. The Blood Guard does not gain any of this bonus, it is only for others.
4th level:
The Blood Guard can continue to fight at a negative hit point total equal to his/her level. If the Blood Guard is at -10 or more hits and does not receive healing during the combat, when the combat ends the Blood Guard will die. If the Blood Guard is healed to -9 or greater before the combat ends then they may have their wounds bound, healing magics used etc. after the combat has ended.
5th level:
Blood Guard are surprised only on a 1 in 8 chance (1 d8).
6th level:
Blood Guard can take hits that would have normally hit other around them. A Blood Guard jumps in the way of an incoming melee or missile attack, taking the damage instead of it’s intended target. This action may be done at any time, and only to other creatures that are within the Blood Guards immediate range (melee). If a successful hit is scored against one of the Blood Guards friends, the Blood Guard can opt to take the hit instead of the intended target. This hit will always strike, doing damage to the Blood Guard as if they were the intended target. This is a sacrifice ability and may be done even if the Blood Guard has already acted or used another special ability this round.
7th level:
Blood Guard can parry missile weapons. They may parry any number of missile weapons as long as they are aware of the attack. In order to make a successful parry, the Blood Guard character must roll below their level on a d 20. This ability can only be used to protect themselves.
8th level:
Surprised on a 1 in 10 chance (1 d10)
9th level:
Blood Guard can parry missile weapons adjacent to them, thus being able to protect others from ranged attack. They may only block incoming weapons that they are aware of and the Blood Guard can be no greater than 10 feet from the intended target. The Blood Guard must roll 2 under their current level to successfully parry missiles weapons in this fashion. Thus a 9th level Blood Guard can parry missile weapons intended for others on a roll of 7 or less.
10th level:
This is one of the most feared abilities that a Blood Guard can attain: The Blood Guard can “trade blows” with all opponents in melee that scored a successful hit against the Blood Guard in the same round. The Blood Guard’s return strikes are automatic, but the character must still roll a “to Hit’ as if it were a normal attack. They may do this ability in addition to their normal attack. The Blood Guard may attempt this ability a number of times equal to ½ their level, rounded down.
11th level:
The Blood Guard may sacrifice Hit Points to deliver extra damage on a strike. The Blood Guard must declare the abilities use before he/she makes an attack roll, if the Blood Guard misses the Hit Points are still lost. They may sacrifice a number of hit points equal to the character’s level and may repeat until the Blood Guard runs out of Hit Points. For every Hit Point spent in such a fashion, will add two hit points of damage to an attack.
12th level:
Surprised on a 1 in 12 (d12)
13th level:
Blood Guard score a critical hit in ranged or melee combat on a natural roll of 19 or 20.
14th level:
Blood Guard are able to sacrifice AC for Damage. They may sacrifice AC until they reach AC 10. For every point of AC sacrificed the Blood Guard gains +5 points of damage to a strike. If the Blood Guard misses, the points are lost. The AC lost remains lost for the duration of the combat, once the combat is over then the Blood Guard’s AC will recover. This ability enables the Blood Guard to deliver a devastating blow at the cost of protection. They may use this ability a number of times a day equal to half their level, rounding down.
15th level:
The Blood Guard gain two melee attacks a round.
EXP: Level HD (d8)
0-3,500 1 2
3,501-7,000 2 3
7,001-14,000 3 4
14,001-28,000 4 5
28,001-46,000 5 6
46,001-92,000 6 7
92,001-184,000 7 8
184,000-368,000 8 9
368,001-736,000 9 10
736,001-1,472,000 10 11
1,472,001-1,972,000 11 12
1,972,001-2,472,000 12 13
2,472,000-2,972,000 13 14
2,972,001-3,472,000 14 15
3,472,000-3,972,000 15 16
Blood Guard need 600,000 exp after the 15th level.
In all other respects this character class behaves like the Cleric class in the Players Handbook.