Requirements

Base Attack Bonus: +5

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks

Feats: Alertness, Combat Expertise, Iron Will

Summary

The warriors of the Shiba family are sworn to protect the Isawa family, just as the first Shiba swore to protect the Isawa family while its leader ventured into the Shadowlands with Shinsei . For a thousand years the descendants of Shiba have pursued this duty, giving them a clear sense of purpose that defines their family character. They pursue this duty with the aid of rigorous military training, combined with a spiritual discipline that grants them a keen awareness of magic's ebb and flow, allowing them to heighten its effects on themselves, resist it more strongly, or even shrug it off entirely.

Shiba protectors are almost exclusively drawn from the samurai character class.

Young Shiba protectors serve a period in the Home Guard, patrolling Phoenix lands and defending them from any threat . As they advance, some choose to become yojimbo (bodyguards), assigned to protect an individual courtier or dignitary. It is in this capacity that the Shibas truly excel, and where their vow to defend their fellow Phoenix shines most clearly.

Role: DPS Support

Characteristics: Protectors and warriors who empower the spells of shugenjas and augment their abilities

Source: Oriental Adventures

Game Rule Information

The Shiba Protector has the following game statistics.

Abilities: This class is weird, at the lowest levels, Wisdom is the key stat as you add it to everything, at the highest level the Shiba Protector can use the bonus of whatever their highest stat is which is wild.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d10

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Shiba Protector's class skills are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Shiba Protector.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Shiba Protector is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with prior to taking levels in this class.

No ThoughtEx: Shiba protectors add their Wisdom modifier, if positive, to their attack and damage rolls.

Aid ShugenjaSu: At 2nd level, a Shiba protector can use her own personal energy to empower a shugenja's spell when she is the target of that spell. The spell is treated as if the shugenja had used the Empower Spell metamagic feat, including the longer casting time. The Shiba protector can use this ability once per day at 2nd level, twice per day at 4th level, three times per day at 6th level, and four times per day at 8th level. He must make a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10) to enhance the spell. A failed check does not count as a use of the ability.

At 8th level and above, the protector can apply the Maximize Spell feat to spells cast on her instead. The Spellcraft DC is 15. She must decide before any applicable dice are rolled whether she wishes to maximize or empower the spell.

A Shiba protector cannot empower an already empowered spell, or maximize an already maximized one.

Dancing with the ElementsEx: Beginning at 3rd level, a Shiba protector gains a bonus on all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. This bonus is +2 at 3rd level, +4 at 5th level, and +6 at 7th level.

One With NothingSu: Three times per day, a Shiba protector of 6th level or higher can fall into a trance that allows her to perform actions quickly but with perfect clarity. For a single round, the samurai can act as if under the effect of a Haste spell.

Diamond SoulEx: At 9th level, a Shiba protector gains spell resistance equal to 20 + her Wisdom modifier. In order to affect the Shiba protector with a spell, a spellcaster must roll the protector's spell resistance or higher on 1d20 + the spellcaster's level.

One With All and NothingSp: A Shiba protector of 10th level has recognized the deep truth that all her ability scores spring from the same essence. In a moment of perfect clarity, she can use her highest ability score modifier when making a skill check, attack roll, damage roll, or saving throw, in place of the ability score modifier she would normally use. Thus, she could add her Wisdom modifier to a damage roll instead of her Strength modifier, her Charisma modifier to her Reflex saving throw instead of her Dexterity modifier, or her Intelligence modifier to her Spot check instead of her Wisdom modifier. The Shiba protector can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her highest ability score modifier.

Table 1-1: Shiba Protector Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+2	+0	+2	No thought
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+3	Aid shugenja 1/day
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	Dancing with the elements +2
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Aid shugenja 2/day
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Dancing with the elements +4
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	One with nothing, aid shugenja 3/day
7th	+5	+5	+2	+5	Dancing with the elements +6
8th	+6	+6	+2	+6	Aid shugenja (maximize) 4/day
9th	+6	+6	+3	+6	Diamond soul
10th	+7	+7	+3	+7	One with all and nothing