Guardian

Class Difficulty: Basic

Role: Defence

Available to races: Dwarf, Elf, High Elf, Hobbit, Man, River Hobbit, Stout-axe

Gameplay: Guardians wear heavy armour and have many defensive skills that allow them to survive battles against the most fearsome foes. Guardians also have skills that draw foes' attention away from their allies and themselves. In Fellowships, a Guardian forces enemies to attack himself or herself, so his or her more fragile allies will not be harmed by foes.

Lore: The Guardians are the stout protectors of the weak, and defenders of those in need. They are loyal companions to the end. True Guardians stand in the forefront of battle, shielding allies from enemy assaults.

This class was inspired by the hobbit Samwise Gamgee, whose loyalty to Frodo Baggins knew no bounds.

Class-infobox
Classes
Skills
Traits
Deeds
Traceries
Effects

Role in a Fellowship

The Guardian's ability to wear Heavy Armour, use a Heavy Shield and the highly defensive skills available to the class enable him to face creatures that would make other heroes' morale fail. He also has the ability to draw the foes' attention away from his allies and to himself. The Guardian also has reactive abilities that can only be used after blocking or parrying incoming attacks.

Guardians specialized in the Defender of the Free tree fulfills the role of Heavy Tank, with lower overall damage output in exchange for improved survivability. It is one of the hardiest classes, with high morale (health) and a number of abilities which mitigate damage taken.

Alternatively, Guardians can choose to specialize in the Keen Blade tree, sacrificing some of their survivability, to deal damage with 2 handed weapons through an assortment of bleeds, heavy hitting abilities, and AoE attacks.

The Fighter of Shadow tree is an auxiliary tree that augments either specializations with additional skills and abilities.

Skills

Default Skills

These skills are granted automatically as you gain levels. The effects of many of these skills are improved in various ways by your choice of specialization and how you spend your trait points. Some skills may also be replaced by an improved version of the same skill as you increase in level.

Active Skills	Category	Cooldown	Range	Source
Guardian's Ward	Melee + Buff	3s	5.2m	Level:	1
Sting	Melee	2.5s	5.2m	Level:	1
Retaliation	Melee	5s	5.2m	Level:	1
Shield-swipe	Melee	5s	5.2m	Level:	1
Sweeping Cut	Melee + AoE	9s	5.2m	Level:	4
Whirling Retaliation	Melee + AoE	5s	5.2m	Level:	6
Let Fly	Ranged	9s	30m	Level:	8
Vexing Blow	Melee + AoE	4s	5.2m	Level:	10
Charge	Run Speed	1m	Self	Level:	14
Challenge	Force Attack	30s	7m	Level:	16
Ignore the Pain	Cure	5s	Self	Level:	18
Improved Sting	Melee + Corruption	3s	5.2m	Level:	20
Turn the Tables	Melee + Fellowship Manoeuvre	1m 30s	5.2m	Level:	20
Bash	Melee + Stun	5s	5.2m	Level:	22
Fray the Edge	Force Attack + Fellowship Manoeuvre	10s	25m	Level:	24
Shield-blow	Melee	10s	5.2m	Level:	26
Stagger	Melee + Debuff	5s	5.2m	Level:	28
Catch a Breath	Self-heal	45s	Self	Level:	30
Warrior's Heart	Buff + Self-heal	2m	Self	Level:	32
Stamp	Melee + Interrupt	20s	5.2m	Level:	34
Guardian's Promise	Utility	15s	Self	Level:	36
Engage	Force Attack + Debuff	30s	4.7m	Level:	38

The Defender of the Free

These skills are acquired by spending trait points in the Defender of the Free (blue) trait tree. You can only obtain the Set skills if you specialize in this tree.

Active Skills	Category	Cooldown	Range	Source
Shield-taunt	Taunt	10s	10.2m	Set:	Initial Skill
Litany of Defiance	Buff + Debuff	1m30s	7.2m	Set:	Initial Skill
Protection by the Shield	Buff	20s	35m	Set:	Protection by the Shield
Guardian's Pledge	Buff	3m	Self	Trait:	Guardian's Pledge
Shield-smash	Melee + Stun	5s	5.2m	Trait:	Shield-smash
Smashing Stab	Melee + Fellowship Manoeuvre	30s	5.2m	Trait:	Smashing Stab
Shield Wall	Buff	20s	35m	Trait:	Shield Wall
Juggernaut	Melee + Buff	3m	Self	Trait	Juggernaut

The Keen Blade

These skills are only acquired by specializing in the Keen Blade (red) trait tree and spending trait points. Note that points spent outside the red trait tree will still advance The Keen Blade if you are specialized in it, but at a slower rate.

Active Skills	Category	Cooldown	Range	Source
Breach	Melee + Buff	10s	5.2m	Set:	Initial Skill
Overwhelm	Melee + Bleed	10s	5.2m	Set:	Initial Skill
Protection by the Sword	Buff	10s	25m	Set:	Protection by the Sword
Relentless Fury	Buff	2m	5.2m	Set:	Relentless Fury
Thrust	Melee + Bleed	5s	5.2m	Trait:	Thrust
Brutal Assault	Melee + Bleed	20s	5.2m	Trait:	Brutal Assault
To The King	Melee + Stun + Buff	5s	5.2m	Trait:	To The King
Hammer Down	Melee + Stun	40s	5.2m	Trait:	Hammer Down

The Fighter of Shadow

These skills are acquired by spending trait points in the Fighter of Shadow (yellow) trait tree.

Active Skills	Category	Cooldown	Range	Source
Force Opening	Melee	10s	5.2m	Trait:	Force Opening
Bastion of Light	Debuff	15s	6m	Trait:	Bastion of Light
War-chant	AoE + Debuff	10s	10.2m	Trait:	War-chant
Thrill of Danger	Self-heal	1m	10.2m	Trait:	Thrill of Danger
Redirect	Melee + Buff	30s	5.2m	Trait:	Redirect
Cataclysmic Shout	AoE + Stun + Debuff	2m	7.2m	Trait:	Cataclysmic Shout

Mounted Combat Skills

These skills can be used only while riding a war-steed, and only while in the regions of East Rohan, Wildermore, and West Rohan. Passive skills which improve the war-steed's defensive capabilities remain effective even in other regions, but serve only to prevent forced dismount due to enemy attacks.

Active Skills	Category	Cooldown	Range	Source
Discipline: Red Dawn	Stance	1s	-	Quest:	Devastation in the North
Discipline: Riddermark	Stance	1s	-	Quest:	Devastation in the North
Discipline: Rohirrim	Stance	1s	-	Quest:	Devastation in the North
Clash of Arms	Melee + Debuff	30s	4.2m	Quest:	Vol. III, Book 8, Ch. 1
Driving Slash	Melee + Debuff	3s	4.2m	Quest:	Vol. III, Book 8, Ch. 1
Pledge to Rohan	Buff	24s	Self	Quest:	Vol. III, Book 8, Ch. 1
Rohan's Edge	Melee + Buff	15s	4.2m	Quest:	Vol. III, Book 8, Ch. 1
Serrated Edge	Melee + Bleed	16s	4.2m	Quest:	Vol. III, Book 8, Ch. 1
Staggering Slash	Melee + Debuff	8s	4.2m	Quest:	Vol. III, Book 8, Ch. 1

Passive Skills

Armour Proficiencies

Proficiency	Level
Light Armour	1
Medium Armour	1
Heavy Armour	1
Shields	1
Heavy Shields	1

Weapon Proficiencies

Proficiency	Level
Daggers	1
One-handed Axes	1
One-handed Clubs	1
One-handed Hammers	1
One-handed Maces	1
One-handed Swords	1
Spear	1
Two-handed Axes	1
Two-handed Clubs	1
Two-handed Hammers	1
Two-handed Swords	1
Bows	7
Crossbows	7

Instrument Proficiencies

Proficiency	Level
Horn Use	1
Lute Use	1
Specialized Equipment	1
Bassoon Use	5
Fiddle Use	5

Other Passive Skills

Proficiency	Level
Bolster	1
Shield Spike Use	1
Critical Defence	20