Dwarven Defender
Dwarven Defender is a prestige class in NWN2.
Dwarven Defender
Description: The dwarven defender is a sponsored champion of a dwarven cause, a dwarf aristocrat, a dwarven deity, or the dwarven way of life. As the name might imply, this character is a skilled combatant trained in the arts of defense. A line of dwarven defenders is a far better defense than a 10-foot-thick wall of stones, and much more dangerous. Most Dwarven defenders are fighters, paladins, rangers, or clerics, although ex-barbarians, sorcerers, wizards, and druids can certainly all benefit from the defensive capabilities of this prestige class. Rogues, bards, and monks usually depend too heavily on mobility to use the abilities of the dwarven defender class to their fullest.
Requirements
Class feature progression
| Hit die: 12 |
| Proficiencies: Weapons (simple, martial), armor (light, medium, heavy), as well as shields (except for tower shields) |
| Skill points: 2 + Int modifier |
| Class skills: Craft alchemy, Craft armor, Craft weapon, Listen, Parry, Spot |
| Base attack bonus progression: High |
| Saving throws | high: | Fortitude, Will |
| low: | Reflex |
Additional progressions
| Level | Features Gained |
|---|---|
| 1 | Defensive stance x1, improved defense I |
| 2 | Uncanny dodge |
| 3 | Defensive stance x2 |
| 4 | improved defense II, trap sense I |
| 5 | Defensive stance x3 |
| 6 | Damage reduction I, improved uncanny dodge |
| 7 | Defensive stance x4, improved defense III |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Defensive stance x5, trap sense II |
| 10 | Damage reduction II, improved defense IV |
Defensive stance
The dwarven defender can become a bastion of defense. They cannot move from the spot they're defending, but they gain +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and +4 to Constitution, a +4 Dodge bonus to AC, and a +2 bonus to all saves. A 1st-level dwarven defender can use this ability once per day. They gain an additional use every two levels beyond 1st.
This feat is currently broken - confirmed to be still broken in patch 1.05.
Improved defense
The dwarven defender receives a +1 dodge bonus to AC at 1st level. This bonus improves by an additional +1 at 4th, 7th, and 10th level.
Uncanny dodge
At 2nd level the dwarven defender retains their Dexterity bonus even when caught flat-footed.
Trap sense
At 4th level the dwarven defender gets a +1 reflex bonus against all traps. At 9th level this bonus increases by an additional +1.
Damage reduction
At 6th level, the dwarven defender gains DR 3/-. This increases to DR 6/- at 10th level.
Improved uncanny dodge
At 6th level, the dwarven defender can no longer be sneak attacked except by a character with 4 or more total levels in classes that grant sneak attack than the character levels of the dwarven defender.
NWN comparison
- This class was introduced in the Hordes of the Underdark NWN expansion.
- The dwarven defender in NWN didn't have improved defense and received different bonuses in defensive awareness rather than trap sense and improved uncanny dodge.
- The discipline skill that was created for NWN was removed in NWN2 and combat feats relating to it now function closer to 3.5 rules.
DnD 3.5 comparison
- The parry skill was created by NWN and is not a feature of DnD 3.5. It has returned in NWN2 for the same reasons it was in NWN.
- In DnD 3.5 the ability bonuses gained from Defensive Stance are not listed as enchantment bonuses.
External Resources
- NWNWiki:Dwarven Defender
- DnD 3.5 dwarven defender