LAWKEEPER

Salorras Paragon: Lawkeeper · Base path: Armsman (Fighter) A Pathfinder 1e prestige class for the elite defender-soldiers of the Axes of Law — unbreakable shields of order and law across Salorras.

The lawkeepers are the elite warrior order of the ancient faction of the Axes of Law, and their fame is renowned across all of Salorras. As the ages passed, the faction grew strong and its numbers swelled, and out of that multitude rose the greatest warriors — fighters gifted with survival and martial hardening, the living proof of the history of the Demonic Wars, who showed that an enemy’s numerical superiority means nothing on the field of battle. So the Axes of Law, with the consent of the starborn Dareldor “Noblebeard” Stonekings and after hard effort, founded the war-school of the lawkeepers — elite combatants and defenders of the laws and rules of Salorras.

From a young age the would-be lawkeepers are trained to exhaustion in a long daily regimen, taught by eminent battle masters. They learn everything about combat, with particular emphasis on swift parries with the shield and instant counterattacks. Yet the most important virtue of a lawkeeper lies in the stillness of the mind, even in the heart of an explosive battle.

Most lawkeepers are faithful to Thoraldor, since the Axes of Law was staffed from the clans of the dwarves. There are, however, plenty who stand closer to other creeds, so long as their moral standing is strongly framed by law.

Lawkeepers are marked by their calm and good-heartedness, placing great emphasis on justice through law, for they “serve” the world under the principles of the Axes of Law. They keep good relations with most peoples and hold it their duty to keep the civilizations of Salorras flourishing, holding back anarchy and chaos when the need arises. For this moral stance they have, deservedly, been called “defenders of justice” more than a few times.

Though it is far from common, there have been “black sheep” in the history of the lawkeepers — warriors “swallowed by chaos” or by violence. Such “lawfallen,” when they do not immediately conform, are pursued by the Axes of Law and are never accepted again.

Lawkeepers are found all across Salorras, though most frequent the local headquarters of the Axes of Law or the military units of the dwarves. Often the devout become guardians of the temples of their faith, while others serve as bodyguards protecting powerful political figures of their region. And of course there is never a shortage of wandering lawkeepers across the three continents, whose purpose is to stamp out evil.

Hit Die: d10.

Requirements

To qualify to become a lawkeeper, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Alignment: Lawful good or lawful neutral.

Base Attack Bonus: +6.

Constitution: 12+.

Wisdom: 12+.

Feats: Combat Reflexes, Iron Will.

Special: To join the lawkeepers, the character must be a member of the Axes of Law faction. They must also pass five months training without pause under their battle master in new arts of war concerning more effective defense and the automatic counterstrike.

The Lawkeeper

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Endurance, warrior’s focus
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Bonus feat, keep the line
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Diehard, uncanny dodge
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Bonus feat, strike of law
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Armored mobility, warrior’s defense
6th	+6	+5	+2	+2	Bonus feat, battle master
7th	+7	+5	+2	+2	Keep fighting
8th	+8	+6	+2	+2	Bonus feat, counterattack
9th	+9	+6	+3	+3	Stubborn to death
10th	+10	+7	+3	+3	Bonus feat, armor of law

Class Skills

The lawkeeper’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Perception (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are features of the lawkeeper prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency. A lawkeeper is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all armor, and with all shields (including tower shields).

Bonus Feats. At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, a lawkeeper gains a bonus combat feat (from the fighter bonus feat list), meeting all prerequisites as normal.

Endurance. At 1st level a lawkeeper gains Endurance as a bonus feat.

Warrior’s Focus (Ex). A lawkeeper handles their own gear flawlessly and quickly reads an opponent’s combat methods. After an opponent has attacked the lawkeeper twice in melee, the lawkeeper has measured that foe’s technique and gains a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class against that same opponent’s attacks made with the same weapon and method, for the rest of the encounter.

Keep the Line (Ex). From training, a lawkeeper knows well what it means to be charged. They may make an attack of opportunity against a charging enemy regardless of the reach of the weapon the lawkeeper wields, and this attack of opportunity deals normal damage rather than the reduced damage of an ordinary readied response. This attack of opportunity counts against the total number of attacks of opportunity the lawkeeper is entitled to for the round.

Diehard. At 3rd level a lawkeeper gains Diehard as a bonus feat.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex). A lawkeeper reacts to danger faster than their senses would normally allow, retaining their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class even when flat-footed or struck by an unseen attacker (they still lose it if immobilized). A character who already has uncanny dodge from another class (such as barbarian or rogue) instead gains improved uncanny dodge.

Strike of Law (Ex). When a lawkeeper turns aside an incoming attack, they can “read” the weak points of the one who struck. After an opponent’s melee attack misses the lawkeeper, the lawkeeper gains a +4 insight bonus on their next attack roll against that same opponent. The bonus does not apply against foes who have not yet engaged the lawkeeper in melee, and if the lawkeeper has multiple attacks in a round from a high base attack bonus, it applies only to their first attack.

Armored Mobility (Ex). At 5th level a lawkeeper wears their armor with far greater ease. The encumbrance category of any armor they wear is treated as one step lighter for the purpose of movement: heavy armor allows them to move at 25 feet rather than 20, and medium armor allows the full 30 feet. In addition, the armor’s armor check penalty and any arcane spell failure chance are reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 0). Finally, the lawkeeper can rest and sleep normally while wearing armor without becoming fatigued.

Warrior’s Defense (Ex). Also at 5th level, as the lawkeeper’s training advances, they grasp the flow of a battle and their foes’ tactics more strategically, enriching their defense against multiple attackers. After four attacks have been made against the lawkeeper in a single encounter (regardless of which round or how many enemies made them), the lawkeeper gains a +2 insight bonus to Armor Class against all foes, lasting until the end of that encounter.

Battle Master (Ex). The lawkeeper’s extensive war experience has honed their senses so sharply that they are always ready and unshakable, even in the “fire” of battle. They gain a permanent +4 insight bonus on saving throws against fear effects and a +2 competence bonus on initiative checks.

Having earned the title of “battle master,” the lawkeeper is also ready to “pass on” their skills to a new and aspiring warrior seeking to join the order. A battle-master lawkeeper is paid for each day they instruct a prospective lawkeeper, the funds deposited by the Axes of Law into the battle master’s account — usually with the bank of Galiena.

Keep Fighting (Ex). One of the highest virtues of the most experienced lawkeepers is the persistence they show in the “struggle” of a battle. With mind and body at the zenith of composure, they accomplish the unthinkable — fighting on even after a grievous blow that would normally stagger them. When the lawkeeper is struck by a powerful attack that would impose a condition such as stun, they gain a +2 competence bonus on the Fortitude save to resist it. If they nonetheless fail the save, they retain their senses for one more round — gaining a +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution during that round — before the condition takes hold at the end of it. The Strength and Constitution bonuses last until the end of the encounter, after which the lawkeeper becomes fatigued.

Counterattack (Ex). Lawkeepers are taught early that spellcasters are the most dangerous enemies on a battlefield and so must be the first to “fall.” From 8th level on, each time the lawkeeper succeeds on a saving throw against a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural effect, they gain — for 2 rounds — a +2 bonus on damage rolls and a +2 resistance bonus on all saving throws against the opponent who targeted them with that spell or supernatural energy.

Stubborn to Death (Ex). Lawkeepers are famed for their stubbornness and leave no battle unfinished — not even those that seem already lost. Law and duty hold such sway over veteran lawkeepers that they can fight on though mortally wounded. At this level, if the lawkeeper is reduced below 0 hit points but not yet dead, they continue to fight and act normally while in the dying range; and even at the moment a fatal blow would slay them, they are granted one final standard action before death takes them.

Armor of Law (Ex). At 10th level the lawkeeper has reached the summit of the war-tactics of the Axes of Law. They can hearten their allies with words of courage, making them abler fighters. Within a 30-foot radius centered on the lawkeeper, the lawkeeper and their allies gain a +2 morale bonus to Armor Class and a +4 morale bonus on all saving throws. These bonuses last a number of rounds equal to 1d4 + the lawkeeper’s Wisdom modifier.

Ex-Lawkeepers

If a lawkeeper violates the codes of order and morality taught by the Axes of Law, they enter a process of atonement until they prove they are not at the mercy of their impulses, of chaos, or of pointless violence. A lawkeeper who does not conform within a reasonable time is cast from the faction and never readmitted.

Should this happen, the character loses none of the class features this prestige class grants — they were earned purely by personal effort.