Faerûnian Prestige Class : Battleguard of Tempus
Thomas M. Costa, Dragon #317
Battleguards are formidable soldier-priests of Tempus who specialize in every aspect of military affairs. Strategists and tacticians, their knowledge and guile can sway the tide of battles before they are even fought. Battle smiths and logisticians, they devotedly craft the arms of the faithful and speed even the most grueling marches. Harsh drill sergeants and exacting taskmasters, they understand the strength of recognizing and rewarding heroism and easily win their troops' unwavering loyalty. Battle rousers and holy champions, they inspire their followers to epic feats of courage and daring, all to glorify Tempus's name.
Whenever possible, battleguards take steps to prepare their companions for forthcoming battles and make use of healing magic to assist those who fall in valiant combat. These holy warriors are often organized into a military hierarchy. Common ranks in ascending order include: Warpriest, Swung Sword, Terrible Sword, Lance of the Lord, Shield of the God, Swordmistress/Swordmaster, Battlelady/Battlelord, and Lady/Lord of the Field - but these are often superseded by titles that go with a position, such as Battle Chaplain of a shrine or Trusted Sword (seneschal) of a temple. Church authorities assign ranks in light of service, needs, and situation. Brevet (or temporary) commands are common in desperate situations.
Most battleguards are clerics of Tempus, although many are multiclassed as barbarians, divine champions, or fighters. They regularly serve in fighting forces across the Realms, notably among the Flaming Fists of Baldur's Gate.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Battleguard of Tempus, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any nonlawful.
- Skills: Craft (armorsmithing) 5 ranks, Craft (weaponsmithing) 5 ranks, Handle Animal 3 ranks, Ride 3 ranks.
- Feats: Combat Casting, Leadership, Weapon Focus (any).
- Base Attack Bonus: +4
- Spells: Ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells. Clerics must have access to the War domain.
- Patron: Tempus
- Special: Must have been in at least five battles, and on the winning side of at least three battles involving fifty or more combatants.
Class Skills
The battleguard's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion), Ride, Spellcraft, and Survival.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the battleguard of Tempus.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A battleguard is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and all types of armor and shields. They prefer to wield axes and swords and to wear the best armor they can afford. Battleguards of high rank often wear a spiked gauntlet as a badge of office, especially when leading an army into battle, although it is rarely a weapon of choice.
Spells per Day: At each indicated battleguard level, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as improved chance of turning or destroying undead, additional favored enemies, and so on). If the character had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a battleguard, the player must decide which class to add each battleguard level to for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Army Domain: At 1st level, a battleguard gains access to the Army domain. The battleguard receives the Army domain's granted power, and if a cleric, may choose from the domain's spell list when choosing domain spells each day.
Arms Lore (Ex): At 1st level, a battleguard develops a wealth of knowledge about weapons and armor (including shields, helmets, and gauntlets). This ability works exactly like the bardic knowledge ability of the bard class, but only to facts relating to arms and armor. The knowledge check bonus is equal the character's battleguard level + his Intelligence modifier. If a battleguard has bard levels (or levels in another class with a similar ability, such as loremaster), his battleguard levels and his levels in the other appropriate class stack for the purposes of using bardic knowledge in matters involving armor and weapons.
Weapon of Choice (Ex): At 1st level, the battleguard must choose a weapon with which he has the Weapon Focus feat. The battleguard must then consecrate the weapon to Tempus in a lengthy ceremony of meditation and fasting, which takes a tenday. Should the battleguard's weapon of choice be lost, stolen, or destroyed, the battleguard must reconsecrate another weapon. A ranged weapon cannot be chosen as a weapon of choice.
Enchant Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a battleguard can temporarily enhance his weapon of choice (see above) to achieve a specific effect. The effect lasts for 1 minute per level, and the battleguard can create the effect once per day. The battleguard can choose from any special ability (including an enhancement bonus) with a +1 equivalent market price modifier. The effect ends if the weapon leaves the battleguard's grasp.
This ability improves at 6th level and 10th level, allowing the battleguard to choose weapon special abilities equivalent to a +2 or +3 modifier respectively.
Battleforger (Ex): Battleguards are master smiths and, beginning at 3rd level, receive a +2 competence bonus to all Craft (armorsmithing) and Craft (weaponsmithing) checks.
Identify Arms (Sp): At 5th level, a battleguard can determine the single most basic function of any weapon or piece of armor, as per the identify spell, a number of times per day equal to the battleguard's Charisma bonus (minimum 1 per day).
Diehard (Ex): Battleguards are often the last standing. At 7th level, battleguards gain the Diehard feat as a bonus feat, regardless of whether or not they meet it's prerequisites.
Analyze Arms Dweomer (Sp): At 9th level, a battleguard can discern the magical properties of any piece of armor (including shields, helms, and gauntlets) or weapon, as per the analyze dweomer spell, a number of times per day equal to the battleguard's Charisma bonus (minimum per day).
| Battleguard of Tempus | Hit Die: d10 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells per Day |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Army domain, arms lore, weapon of choice | - |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Enchant weapon +1 | +1 level of existing class |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Battleforger | - |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | - | +1 level of existing class |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Identify arms | - |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Enchant weapon +2 | +1 level of existing class |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Diehard | - |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | - | +1 level of existing class |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Analyze arms dweomer | - |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Enchant weapon +3 | +1 level of existing class |
Ex-Battleguards
Like clerics, a battleguard who grossly violates the dogma of Tempus loses all spells and class features and cannot gain levels as a battleguard of Tempus until he atones (see the atonement spell description).
Source: Dragon #317