Black Shield

Created By Joe and Lucas


This old Dolgan order known just as much for its honour as its martial prowess has helped end battles, conflicts and wars from all over the land within their deep 200 years of history. The order began by a Dolgan noble gifted with sword and shield who wished to accomplish something great by establishing a fighting company that was based around his own personal fighting style. This man hailing from the noble house Thanok chose green and black as the orders colours and using the colour green of his own house for part of the orders colours. The name Black Shields or Obsidian Shields originated from the black shields they wield, the order is well known to at least a select few nobles across the land. Some who have at one time or an ancestor of theirs utilized the services of the order.

Although the black shields do not hail in great numbers, their level of ability, determination, organization and hardiness stand head and shoulders above all comparisons. With Black shields, Black capes with green brooches to signify their order. Each individual shield has the unique symbol to each shields man imprinted in dark green on their rounded shields. If ever there were a more reliable service to wage war, if any person from any walk of life be they a king, emperor or lowly noble has enough coin then the services & loyalty of the Obsidian Shields can be attained. If anyone is ever to be found with Obsidian Shields unique shield the order would be ever so determined to see to it that justice was found for their fallen comrade.


Orders Credo: My sword is my shield, My shield is my sword.


The Obsidian Shields hold a great deal of respect for honour but only to a particular degree. Primarily the Obsidian shields will not accept payment to start conflicts or to pick fights but only to defend a cause or to end a conflict. Anything from escort details to sentry details are all perfectly reasonable tasks that the Obsidian Shields will undertake if their prices are met. Typically those who become better known, prestigious or accomplish great deeds for the order are promoted more quickly inside its ranking structure of the Obsidian Shields. In some rare cases the Obsidian Shields will forgo a price if it’s for a cause they deem worthy enough such as defending the helpless or poor but ultimately this is left up to each individual shields man themselves.


Prerequisites:

Base Attack Bonus: +6


Feats: Shield Specialization (Heavy Shield), Improved Shield Bash, Agile Shield Fighter


Alignment: Any Non Evil


Special: Must have been accepted into the ranks of the Black Shields


Class Skills: The Black Shields class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str).


Hit Die: d12.


Skill points at each level: 2+ Int modifier


Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Black Shields gain no new weapon or armour proficiency’s.


Special: Levels of Black Shield count towards a characters Fighter Levels for determining Feat requirements.



Defend Other (Ex): A Black Shield with defend other can provide an adjacent ally with her shield bonus to AC. The character loses her shield bonus to AC when this happens. The character can alternate between herself and her allies once per round as an immediate action.

Fighter Feat: At 1st, 3rd and 5th level, the Black Shield gains a fighter bonus feat.


Shield Savvy (Ex): Starting at level 1 and every 2 levels after the Black Shields ability to wield their shield to protect themselves increases granting an extra +1 Shield ac when wielding a shield. This bonus becomes +2 at level 3 and ultimately +3 at level 5.


Shield Parry (Ex): A Black shields ability to actively and offensively utilize their shield increases allowing them in combat to bash away weapons or shields aside and ultimately leave their opponent more vulnerable to attacks. as a swift action each round the Black Shield makes a contested roll vs their opponent both adding their total melee attack bonus to the rolls. The Black Shield however also adds their shield AC to the roll as well. If the Black Shield rolls equal or higher on the check vs their opponent the opponent receives a -2 penalty to their AC until the end of the next round.


Shield Elusiveness (Ex): A Black Shields ability to become more elusive in combat increases allowing them to use their shield for better protection against grapples and holds. This allows the Black Shield to add his or her Shield AC towards their touch AC.


Shield Evasion (Ex): When using a shield to improve AC, the character also benefits from evasion.This can only be used if the character is wearing a heavy or larger shield. A helpless character does not gain the benefit of evasion.


Improved Shield Parry (Ex): A Black Shields ability to wield their shield to lower an opponent’s defences improves causing the opponent to suffer a -4 penalty to their AC now until the end of the next round.


Shield Strength (Ex): A Black Shields ability to put power and strength behind shield slams more effectively. This allows them to add their full strength modifier to damage rolls as well as increasing the damage die of the shield by one step.


Master Shield Fighter (Ex): A veteran Black Shield’s ability to wield a shield offensively and defensively is second to none. Black shields sharpen the edges of their shields so that they may now choose to deal slashing damage with their shields as well. Black Shields now treat a shields base critical threat range as 19-20. Additionally The Black Shield may now receive an extra shield attack based upon its attack bonus. This means that when a Black Shield begins receiving a second attack from their base attack bonus they also may make an additional shield attack as if they had the improved two weapon fighting feat. This continues to advance each additional time the character receives an extra attack from an increased base attack bonus