Wall Veteran
The hordes come, and we shall throw them from the Wall - once, twice, or a thousand times. It makes no difference when my brothers are beside me.
Five centuries ago, construction began on the Wall after uncounted orques, gnolls afflicted by the Ravaging, poured forth from the Imperium into the lands of Bein-Zoltak. Today, it spans over 400 leagues and is the first - and often the only - line of defense protecting innocents from those same hordes. All families send children to serve on the Wall as part of their passage to adulthood - man or woman, strong or weak, it makes no difference. Upon the Wall, the professional legions shape all comers into soldiers to be proud.
While the required term of service upon the Wall is four years, many dragonborn, especially those from poorer families, spend much longer in service, honing their skills while protecting their nation. These Wall Veterans are the best of the best when it comes to fighting in a group with allies they trust - each of their tactics built around trust in one another.
Playing a Wall Veteran
As a Wall Veteran, you have spent a significant amount of time protecting Bein-Zoltak from orques, gnolls gone feral. Many veterans make no distinction between an orque and a gnoll, and even the most open-minded amongst them generally get along poorly with the bestial humanoids. In a battle, your comrades and your shield are your greatest weapons - with the never-ending hordes you have spent your life facing, you can never kill enough to ensure your safety, so the focus of your training is on fighting defensively and preventing the beasts from overrunning the line.
Often from a poor background, serving on the Wall covers the costs of your living without such strain on your loved ones, while allowing you to use your skills in defense of those you care about.
Requirements
Dragonborn, dragon breath or dragonfear racial power
Back to Back
Wall Veteran Feature
In the chaotic realm that is battles for the Wall, you've learned to trust your comrades to protect you, as you protect them.
Encounter
Martial
Minor Action
Personal
Requirements: You must be adjacent to an ally and wielding a shield
Effect: Until you are no longer adjacent to an ally, both you and each adjacent ally gain a +2 bonus to AC and Reflex, and do not grant combat advantage.
Wall Veteran Level 1 Feature
You gain the back to back power.
Wall Veteran Level 5 Feature
You can reroll History checks regarding battles or tactics and Heal checks to provide first aid, and use the highest result.
Wall Veteran Level 10 Feature
If you have the dragon breath racial power, you gain the bolstering breath feat. If you have the dragonfear racial power, when you use your dragonfear, allies in the effect gain temporary hit points equal to your highest ability modifier.
Wall Veteran Substitution Powers
The following powers are available to Hedge Arcanist adventurers at any time they would otherwise gain access to an attack or utility power of the listed level.
Wall Veteran Feats
Covering Shield
Your shield covers your allies, giving them protection from distant attacks.
Prerequisite: Proficiency with heavy shields, any martial class or the Wall Veteran theme
Benefit: While you wield a heavy shield, adjacent allies gain cover against ranged and area attacks.
Urgent Aid
Fallen soldiers in the legions are a double weakness, as they interfere with the practiced skill with which you fight together - so you've learned to get your allies back on their feet quickly.
Prerequisite: Wall Veteran theme, back to back power
Benefit: While your back to back power is active, you can make a single Heal check each round to perform first aid as a minor action.
Cover and Strike
Wall Veteran Attack 1
Out of position, you provide your ally with cover while he makes the attack you are unable to.
Encounter
Martial, Weapon
Standard action
Melee 1
Target: One ally
Effect: The target gains a power bonus to all defenses equal to the bonus to AC provided by your shield until the end of your next turn, and can make a melee basic attack against as a free action. If the attack hits, it deals an additional 1[W] damage and both you and the target can shift 1 square.