Stalwart Defender

You become trained in medium and heavy armor. Whenever you gain a class feature that grants you expert or greater proficiency in any armor (but not unarmored defense), you also gain that proficiency rank in the armor types granted to you by this feat.

Trigger You're about to attempt a saving throw against a fear effect.

Requirements You're in Tenacious Stance.

As a stalwart defender, you rely on your martial training and your tried-and-true armor to face any danger without flinching. Your mountain-like resilience and courage draw strength from the centuries-old traditions of dwarven song. You bring to mind—and possibly give voice to—a cherished dwarven song of inspiring heroism, granting you a +2 circumstance bonus to the saving throw.

Requirements You are in Tenacious Stance.

Using your shield, you guard against the movement of foes as surely as if you were a wall of stone. You Raise A Shield and become anchored for 1 round. While anchored, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus to the DC to Tumble Through your space.

The weight of your armored feet casts aside natural impediments. When wearing medium or heavy armor, you ignore difficult terrain from non-magical sources. If you are a master in the armor you are wearing, you also ignore greater difficult terrain from non-magical sources.

Stone never becomes queasy, so why should you? You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws against the Sickened condition. When you succeed at a Fortitude save to reduce your sickened value, you reduce it by 2 (or by 3 on a critical success).

Trigger You are damaged by a melee Strike.

Requirements You are in Tenacious Stance.

You lean into your foe's attack, using the weight of your body and armor to send them reeling. Attempt an Athletics check against the creature's Reflex DC. On a success, the target becomes Clumsy 1 until the end of its next turn (Clumsy 2 on a critical success). If you are anchored, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to this check.

Frequency once per day

Requirements You are in Tenacious Stance.

Every dwarf knows that the rock they walk upon can be either a best friend or a treacherous path. With a heavy impact of your armored heel, you crack the ground underneath you. The ground within a 10-foot emanation becomes difficult terrain. If you are a master or better in the armor you are wearing, this becomes greater difficult terrain. The cracked ground settles and reverts to normal terrain after 1 minute.

Special At 16th level, you can take this feat again. If you do, you can use it once per hour instead of once per day.

You know story after story of unyielding, valiant dwarven heroes whose minds were bulwarks against fear and confusion. You can use Stalwart Song when attempting a saving throw against any mental effect, and if you fail the saving throw, you gain resistance to mental damage against any resulting effect equal to half your level.

You know the precise limits of your armor, and trust it to save you from harm. You gain the armor specialization effect of light armor. If you are trained in medium or heavy armor, you gain the respective armor specialization effect for those armors as well. While in Tenacious Stance, you increase the value of your armor specialization effects by an amount equal to the value of your armor check penalty (adding +3 to the resistance while wearing plate armors, for example).

Trigger You enter Tenacious Stance.

By rooting yourself in place, you are able to focus your body's natural healing to work faster. You gain fast healing equal to your level. This fast healing remains for 1 minute or until you end your Tenacious Stance, whichever comes first.

Trigger You would be reduced to 0 Hit Points but not immediately killed.

Requirements You are in Tenacious Stance.

You fight on, staying on your feet and lashing out at a foe. You avoid being knocked out and remain at 1 Hit Point, and your Wounded condition increases by 1. Make a melee Strike at an enemy within reach. You immediately end your Tenacious Stance.

Requirements You are in Tenacious Stance.

Emulating the great defenders throughout dwarven history, you close your mind to the sensation of pain, becoming as resolute as stone itself. You gain resistance 10 to all damage. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn or immediately upon being critically hit.