Pathfinder prestige class: Templar

Templar (Prestige class)

Divine champions, these warriors specialize in protecting their deity’s temples and their people. They specialize in granting powerful protective boons on allies, granted by their deity. As they grow in power, they learn additional magical powers as well as gain boons from their deity which aid in their ability to protect those in need, and strike down those who would destroy order.

Requirements:

Base attack bonus: +5.

Alignment: Lawful Good or Lawful Neutral.

Feats: Bodyguard, Iron will.

Skills: Profession (soldier) 3 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 3 ranks.

Special: Able to cast first level divine spells.

Special: Must worship a Neutral Good, Lawful Neutral, or Lawful Good deity.

Hit die: d10.

Skill points: 2+int.

Armor and weapon proficiencies: Light, medium, and heavy armor, light and heavy shields, and all simple and martial weapons.

Class skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (History, Int), Knowledge (Nobility, Int), Knowledge (Religion, Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense motive (Wis).

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per day
1	1	1	0	1	Guardian 1/day, Sanctuary magic	-
2	2	1	0	1	Protector’s boon, Sanctuary	+1 to existing divine spellcasting class
3	3	2	1	2	Guardian 2/day, Sanctuary magic	+1 to existing divine spellcasting class
4	4	2	1	2	Protector’s boon, martyr	+1 to existing divine spellcasting class
5	5	3	1	3	Guardian 3/day, Sanctuary magic	-
6	6	3	2	3	Protector’s boon, Benevolence	+1 to existing divine spellcasting class
7	7	4	2	4	Guardian 4/day, Sanctuary magic	+1 to existing divine spellcasting class
8	8	4	2	4	Protector’s boon, Mind guardian	+1 to existing divine spellcasting class
9	9	5	3	5	Guardian 5/day, Sanctuary magic	-
10	10	5	3	5	High Templar, Protector’s boon	+1 to existing divine spellcasting class

Guardian (Su): Once per day, the templar can choose one individual to protect. When they select this individual, they grant their wisdom modifier (minimum 1) as a bonus to the target’s armor class as sacred, and grant them DR/evil equal to half the templar’s level (minimum 1). This boon lasts a number of minutes equal to the templar’s level. This individual must be within 30 ft. to initiate and grant the guardian bonuses.

Sanctuary magic (Sp): At 1^st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the templar can choose one spell to gain as a spell-like ability twice per day.

At 1^st level, they can choose from bane, bless, command, divine favor, protection from alignment, remove fear, and shield of faith.

At 3^rd level, align weapon, consecrate, protection from chaos (communal), protection from evil (communal), sacred space, see invisibility, shield of fortification, shield other, weapon of awe, and zone of truth are added to the list.

At 5^th level, align weapon (communal), archon’s aura, aura sight, channel vigor, invisibility purge, magic circle against alignment, prayer, remove blindness/deafness, remove curse, remove disease, and spirit bonds are added to the list.

At 7^th level, absolution, blessing of fervor, crusader’s edge, death ward, dimensional anchor, dismissal, divine power, freedom of movement, glimpse of truth, guardian of faith, holy smite, neutralize poison, order of wrath, sending, shield of fortification (greater), and ward shield are added to the list.

At 9^th level, angelic aspect, atonement, ban corruption, breath of life, command (greater), commune, dispel alignment, hymn of mercy, mark of justice, righteous might, serenity, true seeing, and undeath ward are added to the list.

Protector’s boon (Ex or Su): At 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, and 8^th level, the templar gains a special boon from their deity in order to protect their temples or worshippers.

Bonus feat (Ex): The templar can gain a special feat from their deity. They can choose from the following list: In harm’s way, great fortitude, Improved iron will, improved shield focus, saving shield, shield focus, shield specialization, vanguard hustle, vanguard style, vanguard ward, weapon focus. They must meet the prerequisites for these feats. This can be selected multiple times. Their templar level counts as fighter level (or stack with fighter levels) for the purposes of these feats.

Emissary (Ex): The templar seeks to solve conflict between churches or peoples using words rather than weapons. They gain a +1 bonus to diplomacy, knowledge (religion), knowledge (nobility), knowledge (local), and linguistics checks. This bonus increases by 1 for every 2 levels they possess after 2^nd.

Divine guard (Su): When the templar's guarded target is helpless, knocked unconscious, or taken below 0 hit points, the target gains DR/- equal to their templar level. If the templar possess the protector's guard ability, this also applies to the guarded ally.

Divine intimidation (Ex): When a foe attempts to cast a spell defensively adjacent to the templar, they take a -2 penalty to the roll. This penalty increases by 2 at 6^th and 10^th level.

Empowerment (Su): The templar can choose one empowerment bestowed upon allies, as the Valkyrie ability. They can grant this to one ally at a time with a touch as a standard action, a number of times per day equal to 3 + their wisdom modifier. This does not heal the creature touched. This can be granted to the templar’s guarded target at a distance of 30 ft.

Halting Blow (Ex): If a foe's movement in the templar's threatened area provokes an attack of opportunity and the templar successfully hits the foe with the attack, the foe's movement ends immediately. The foe cannot move again until its next turn but can still take the rest of its action. This requires 6^th level.

Protector’s guard (Su): When wearing armor, the templar’s deity grants them a boon of fortification, granting a 25% chance of denying critical hits. At 6^th level, this becomes 50%. At 10^th level, this becomes 75%. This bonus is granted to the templar’s guarded target.

Smite (Su): The templar’s deity grants the templar the ability to smite a target as a swift action once per day. This acts as the paladin ability, but can be chosen against one alignment when taking this boon. This alignment must be the one of those opposite of their deity. Once this alignment is chosen, it cannot be changed. The templar gains a sacred bonus to attack rolls against the target of their smite and a bonus to their AC against attacks from that target equal to their wisdom modifier, as well as a bonus to damage rolls against their smite target equal to twice their level. This does not stack with nor combine with the effects of other smite abilities, such as from smite evil of the paladin.

Templar’s resolve (Ex): When taken below 0 hit points while guarding an ally, the templar can choose to remain conscious. This acts as the diehard feat. At 5^th level, they are no longer staggered when they are at or below 0 hit points. At 7^th level, they no longer lose hit points from strenuous action. At 10^th level, they do not die unless taken to a number of negative hit points equal to double their constitution score.

Wise protector (Ex): The templar’s deity grants them a special boon of wisdom, granting them a +1 sacred bonus to their wisdom score. This bonus increases by 1 at 6^th and 10^th level.

Sanctuary (Sp): Once per day, the Templar can use word of recall as a spell-like ability, but only to their chosen temple of their deity. This can be used one additional time per day for every 2 levels they possess after 2^nd.

Martyr (Su): At 4^th level, when the templar has selected someone to guard, they can, once per round as an immediate action, choose to take damage for their guarded target when they take hit point damage. They cannot mitigate this damage in any way. (such as, if the target takes fire damage, the templar’s fire resistance is ineffective)

Benevolence (Ex): At 6^th level, the templar treats their armor as if it possesses the benevolent property.

Mind guardian (Su): At 8^th level, when using the guardian ability, and they are within range, the templar can, once per round as an immediate action, make a will save for the protected ally instead. This must be chosen before the roll is made. If the templar fails, the effect instead affects them, rather than the ally. This ability cannot be used if the templar is also affected by the specified attack or ability.

High Templar: At 10^th level, the templar gains a great boon of guardianship. When they select someone to guard, this boon lasts 10 minutes per level, and can take damage or will saves for guarded allies a number of times per round as their wisdom modifier (minimum 2) instead of once as an immediate action. They gain one additional spell-like ability of sanctuary magic to use once per day, of the list above, or from banishment, blade barrier, chains of light, eaglesoul, forbiddance, heal, and undeath to death.