Coastal Defender

Easy access to navigable waterways has been a staple of towns and cities since the dawn of civilization.

Lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans are the lifeblood of many settlements, and nowhere is this truer than at the poles. The coastline bordering neighboring oceans and seas offers the only respite from the bitter cold and encroaching glaciers in the frigid ice cap biome. Life fragilely clings to these comparatively warmer oases of rocks and earth adjacent to these vital trade arteries in all polar lands. While some envision them as highways to other cultures, aggressive polar people and monsters view them as gateways for plunder. When longboats filled with armed men searching for treasure appear on the horizon, panic instantly besets frightened residents.

Greedy giants descending from the glaciers and ice shelves seeking wealth and slaves terrify innocent civilians. Yet one hero emerges from the crowd to save the citizens from an ignominious death at the hands of barbarous raiders or a miserable life of bondage in a distant frost giant stronghold. He is the coastal defender, a paladin sworn to repel murderous invaders.

In most cases, he witnessed the ravages of such an attack at any early age. After barely surviving its horrors, these precocious individuals realized the community’s vulnerability to future assaults. Steel, wood, and bone in the hands of hunters and fishermen are doomed to fail. Yet a pious soldier inspired by divine providence can drop an onrushing behemoth with a single stone. Despite the name, coastal defenders sometimes take the fight to their enemies rather than waiting for trouble to come to them. These faithful warriors may lead an excursion to a monstrous encampment, or they may embark on a sea voyage of their own in search of potential threats. In either case, the coastal defender draws his strength not from inanimate objects, but from the force of his righteous convictions and his desire to protect those he calls friends from grievous harm.

Class Skills

The coastal defender adds Swim to his list of class skills.

This alters the paladin’s class skills.

Stand Together (Su)

At 2nd level, the coastal defender and all allies within 10 feet who are adjacent to the paladin or another ally gain a +4 bonus to their CMD against bull rush, overrun, and trip combat maneuvers.

This ability functions only when the coastal defender is conscious. This ability replaces divine grace.

By Your Side (Ex)

At 3rd level and every six levels thereafter, a coastal defender gains a bonus feat from the following list: Bodyguard and Saving Shield.

At 9th level, he adds In Harm’s Way, Swift Aid and Team Up to the list.

This ability replaces divine health.

Divine Bond (Su)

At 5th level, instead of forming a divine bond with his weapon or a mount, a coastal defender forms a bond with his allies. Once per day as a move action, the paladin forges a temporary bond affecting all allies within 30 feet who can see or hear the paladin. This bond lasts for a number of rounds equal to the paladin’s Charisma modifier. Each ally gains temporary hit points equal to one-half the paladin’s level + his Charisma modifier. In addition, each ally gains a sacred bonus to saves and damage rolls equal to the paladin’s Charisma modifier. A coastal defender can use this ability one time per day at 5th level and one additional time per day for every four levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level. At 9th level, allies also gain cold resistance 5 and DR 5/—. At 13th level, allies gain spell resistance equal to the paladin’s level +11. Allies cannot benefit from the same coastal defender’s divine bond more than once per hour.

This ability replaces divine bond.