Physical Defenses

BONE ARMOR
   Description: Through a painful ritual, you have had bone fragments grafted onto your flesh. Although it occurs at the expense of your health, this tough new shell protects you from getting harmed in the first place.
   Mechanic: You may subtract a number not to exceed 3 from your Endurance modifier and place it in Defense. The bonus to Defense is equal to twice the penalty subtracted from Endurance. Once chosen, this number may not be reversed. Bone armor may be "worn" in conjunction with the Sixth Sense ability, because it is not truly armor. However, this does not give you the ability to use Sixth Sense in conjunction with any other armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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DRAGONSCALE ARMOR
   Description: You can wear dragonscale armor. This armor is very light and flexible, while carrying a taint of the magical resistance of the creature whose hide it is made from.
   Mechanic: +1 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks and Resistance checks against magical attacks. This armor cannot be combined with any other armor ability. Using this ability is automatic.

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LIGHT ARMOR
   Description: You can wear light armor. Light armor favors finesse over toughness, granting a smaller bonus but letting you move easier.
   Mechanic: +2 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Light armor cannot be combined with medium or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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MEDIUM ARMOR
   Description: You can wear medium armor. Medium armor, as its name suggests, is a healthy balance between speed and toughness.
   Mechanic: +4 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Because of its weight, medium armor imposes a -2 penalty on physical and magical attacks. Medium armor cannot be combined with light or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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HEAVY ARMOR
   Description: You are a walking tank. You may lose a little attack power due to your bulky armor, but feel it is worth it for the impressive armor bonus you gain.
   Mechanic: +6 bonus on Defense checks against physical attacks. Because of its weight and rigidity, heavy armor imposes a -4 penalty on physical and magical attacks. Heavy armor cannot be combined with medium or light armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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DISABLE TRAP
   Description: You are adept at disabling traps.
   Mechanic: +4 bonus on all Defence or Resistance checks against a sprung trap. Furthermore, if you become aware of a trap (which requires a successful Defence VS Attack check, on which you also receive a +4 bonus), you may make an additional Defence VS Attack check to disable the trap, making it harmless until the original trapmaker resets it.

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BODYGUARD
   Description: You can protect another character from attacks.
   Mechanic: Choose an ally at the beginning of combat to be your "ward". Whenever your ward is attacked, you may make a Defense check equal to or higher than the attacker's original Attack. If successful, the attack is negated. You must spend a full turn to change your ward in combat. This ability cannot be combined with any physical or magical attack in the same turn. You may use this ability at a range, as long as you can see both the attacker and your ward.

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EXPERT BODYGUARD
   Description: You are so good at defending others that you absorb some of their damage even if you cannot completely shield them from harm, and your are lightning fast at switching protected targets in battle.
   Requires: Bodyguard
   Mechanic: Even if you do not succeed on your Defense check against the opponent's Attack when using the Bodyguard ability, your ward only takes 50% damage, the other half being dealt to you instead. Furthermore, you do not have to spend a full turn to change wards in battle; you simply choose which ward you protect at the beginning of each turn, although you must do this on your turn. This ability must be combined with Bodyguard, but otherwise works automatically.

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ENCHANTED CLOAK
   Description: You wear an enchanted cloak that will deflect attacks for you.
   Mechanic: Once per turn, this cloak may negate any one attack made from a distance unless that attack succeeds at an additional Attack VS Defense check. Using this ability is automatic.

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REINFORCED HAT
   Description: You sport a large, reinforced travelling hat that doubles as armour. While flimsier than a shield, it typically offers about the same protection.
   Mechanic: +1 bonus to Defense checks against physical attacks. If an opponent rolls a natural 20 against you, this ability becomes useless until your hat is repaired in-game. This ability can be combined with either Sixth Sense or a Shield and light, medium, or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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SHIELD
   Description: You can use a shield to aid in your defense.
   Prevents: Sixth Sense
   Mechanic: +1 bonus to Defense checks against physical attacks. A shield can be combined with a Long Sword as long as the character is not using two weapons at once, and can be combined with light, medium, or heavy armor. Using this ability is automatic.

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SIXTH SENSE
   Description: You have trained yourself to avoid incoming attacks at an almost supernatural level.
   Prevents: Armors, Shield
   Mechanic: You add 1/2 your Resistance modifier as a bonus to Defense. This ability cannot be combined with any armor or shield ability. Using this ability is automatic.

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TOUGH AS NAILS
   Description: Some guys know how to take a punch. You know how to shrug one off.
   Mechanic: Whenever you would be hit and damaged by an attack, you can make a Defense check equal to Attack total of the attack that damaged you. If you succeed, you only take 50% damage (8 becomes 4) from that attack.

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TOUGHEN ARMOR
   Description: You have had your armor upgraded for extra toughness.
   Requires: Medium Armor or Heavy Armor
   Mechanic: Each time you take this ability, your selected armor gains a +1 bonus on Defense checks. Using this ability is automatic.

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