Your proficiency rank in unarmored defense increases to expert. Your proficiency ranks for light, medium, and heavy armor, as well as for unarmored defense, increase to expert. You also gain the Storm Born druid feat. Share. We might eventually grab a half-plate to wear until our Constitution is. This also adjusts Ambusher, Daredevil, and all. Divine Defense 13th. Mage Armor provides an armor bonus. You point your finger and project a bolt of magical energy that stutters in and out of phase until it reaches the target. Archetype Dedication Multiclass. Make a bow Strike. Lore Oracle (Sidestep Secret): Cha instead of Dex to. It allows access to unarmed attacks which don't need a stance, and offers better AC for Barbarian based characters. Multiclass Monk characters. The Pathfinder 2e rules are quite clear about how a character can issue orders to a normal animal, and what that animal can do. Duelist - Canny Defence (Duelist 1) Intelligence to AC while unarmored addition to dex, max 1 pr class level Oracle - Prophetic Armor (Oracle 7, Lunar Revalation) Use Cha instead. If your character info doesn't say you're proficient in something, you aren't. Introduction. You gain a +1 status bonus to AC instead of taking a –1 penalty to AC; if you have the greater juggernaut class feature, this status bonus increases to +2. Oct 7, 2020. ". Unarmored Defense states that while unarmored, the barbarian’s AC is 10 + Dex + Con. Communication with animals like Wild Empathy. Game Master. Roll a d20 and identify the modifiers, bonuses, and penalties that apply. You want a stance with non-agile attacks, since Rage damage is halved when using agile attacks. 122 4. Heavy armor has +1 AC at the cost of 5ft speed compared to other options, assuming you meet the Strength requirement. 2) Scout base class (CV): +1 AC when using Skirmish class feature starting at 3rd level and increasing by +1 every four levels afterward. 1) If you want to excel in tanking, you have to go for a class which hit legendary, which are the champion and the monk. Chapter 6: Equipment / Weapons. Summary The rules state that positive energy heals living as positive energy and harms undead in the form of positive damage. 274 4. Only medium and heavy armors have armor specialization effects. Practically monks are way better at unarmed then fighter; but monks don`t get the title of being legendary. I have decided that I want to try my hand at making a theme I like work, so as to shake off the build-fu rust. 274 4. You might need a minimum proficiency rank to Subsist in particularly strange environments. You deal 2 additional damage with weapons and unarmed attacks in which you are an expert. Rolling randomizes that to an extent. I believe the intent was to make them Expert in unarmored defense. Then you need only 14 dex and can max your strength and invest in social stat. The assumption is that Animal Instinct barbarians will rely on Animal Skin, but Animal Skin is terrible. 597 4. Round 2: Combat Grab + Certain Strike + Certain Strike. This build was a bit of a strange one, because while it was primarily based off Monk levels, I was wearing heavy armor and using a Greatsword/Sword and Shield (depending on the situation). Your branch level remains the same. You can Dismiss the spell. Take the DC from Table 1. Change it so it raises just Acrobatics to expert, putting it back in parallel with savage raising Athletics. true. The spell selection is low, but that's not a problem unless you want to pretend you're a full-time spellcaster. On your second, you take a -5 penalty to your attack roll, and on your third (and any subsequent) you take a -10. On your first strike of a turn, you do it at your full bonus. A swashbuckler could do well, and is almost tailor-made for such a concept, but you will fall behind a bit without light armor. Goblins are stumpy humanoids with large bodies, scrawny limbs, and massively oversized heads with large ears and beady red eyes. Sign up / Sign in. Not to say that every heavy armored character would suffer a simple -5 foot speed from the armor. Natural Armor. Monks choose between Str or Dex for their key ability. If you’re not wearing armor, use your proficiency in unarmored defense. Each type has its own strengths and increases two of these modifiers by 1 each. First off, Ancient Elf does not give a feat that can be used on Martial Artist - the free feat from Ancient Elf is multiclass only. Monks have a number of advantages when it comes to unarmed combat. . Defenses: No armor and your proficiency in Unarmored Defense never goes past Expert. If you aren't wearing Armor, and not using a Shield, it. The warlock's casting progression is simply inferior in every way, and by a wide margin. Armor comes in several varieties, each of which is described in detail on pages 144 and 145 of the Player’s Handbook. The released the Pathfinder 2 Playtest stats for some of the iconics to include Ezren. View all types of animals and gear. Expert. Similarly, a. 52 4. Simple answer: The system wants you to spend credits on surviving. Suits of armor can be crafted from precious materials or infused with magic to grant them abilities exceeding those of typical armor. Subsist. You have spent so much time wearing armor that you know how to make the most of its protection. Also called martial arts suits or practice clothes, gi are outfits of tough cloth built for comfort and unrestricted movement—ideal for practicing martial arts. Prerequisites trained in Athletics; trained in unarmed attacks, and unarmored defense Wrestlers are athletes who pit their strength and skill against powerful foes. You can defy fate and continue fighting as long as you have divine energy. You gain a +1 status bonus to AC instead of taking a –1 penalty to AC; if you have the greater juggernaut class feature, this status bonus increases to +2. Heightening spells is an important mechanic in Pathfinder 2e. Also with the tough hide feat technically you are using medium armor proficiency not unarmored but it doesn't matter for a champion they are all good. Among the games' similarities are many core classes. Her throne lies within a vast, gothic cathedral located on. 274 4. Compare the result to the difficulty class (DC). A kinetic gate inextricably tied to your body channels power directly from the elemental planes, causing elements to leap to your hand, whirl around your body, and blast foes at your whim. Mar 6, 2019, 11:29 pm. Baseline NOT armored max AC: AC 16 (AC 10 +6 Dex modifier), add +2 Bracers of Defense, Cloak of Protection, 2x Staff's of Defense with dual wielder feat, Ring of Protection. The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. On the flip side you still start with expert proficiency in unarmored defense. 11. You use alchemy for medicinal purposes, Healing and protecting others across the lands. Basically wanna use human free general feat to pick Ancestral Paragon which is feat level 3 but no prerequisites listed. You gain the armor specialization effects of medium and heavy. At each level that you gain a swashbuckler feat, you can select one of the following feats. Whenever you gain a class feature that grants you expert or greater proficiency in any type of armor (but not unarmored. Overall I'm not sure how well the 5e warlock casting mechanic carries over into Pathfinder 2e at all. That means that the lizardfolk’s AC is 15 via natural armor or 14 via Unarmored Defense, so the lizardfolk uses their natural armor. Trigger You fail a skill check or saving throw. Critical Success You masterfully complete the disharmonic instrument. This time around, it’s a new class, the Avenger, which is an adaptation of the old D&D 4E class of the same name. At least a mild ranged option, akin to Energy Beam or Seed Pod, so as to not mandate flight ASAP for all shifters. On a critical hit, the target also becomes stunned 1. The original post was about the comparison in survivability between a sword and shield fighter and a barbarian. The fullplate sorc only needs +1 DEX bonus. Medium armor is more forgiving of lower stats and can receive a variety of. Trained in light armor and medium armor and unarmored defense. I'm setting up my character for a Pathfinder 2e game, but I can't seem to find the option to unequip my armor. 0. That's all fine and dandy. Chapter 6: Equipment / Armor Armor Class Source Core Rulebook pg. 35 votes, 24 comments. Chapter 4: Skills. Aug 19, 2020. Latest Pathfinder 2e! Contact Other Plane - Dead Void II (PF2E) October 31, 2023; Cultures. Unarmored defense is cooler, Medium Armor is better for your stat spread. RELATED: Pathfinder 2e: Best Spells On The Divine Spell List With the Scroll Cache traits, these characters get a few spells of their choice to cast per day, with so many possibilities. Not something like free +3 AC (i. Swashbuckler Feats. There are none. If the PC’s ancestry has ability flaws, decrease those ability scores to 8. 120 2. Explore and conquer the Stolen Lands and make them your kingdom! Embark on a journey to a realm overrun by demons in a new. Prerequisites Summoner Dedication. Source Gamemastery Guide pg. Not only are they absent from the games lore, but there would also likely be copy-write issues if they did try to add them. At 10th level, this bonus increases to +4. This is a carryover from when proficiency only gave +1 and the savage companion used to have higher proficiency in unarmed attacks while the nimble companion had higher in unarmored defense. But it lasts all day and stacks with your unarmored skill. Calculate the result. Scales of the Dragon gives static status bonus of +2 to AC with a DEX cap of +2 while unarmored. Armor increases your character’s defenses, but some medium or heavy armor can hamper movement. Fumarole : Aug 7, 2018, 01:27 pm:Unarmored defense is superior from a monetary cost and usually from a stealth perspective (Breastplate, Mithral Armor, and Medium Armor Master are the exceptions for stealth superiority) as well as the ability to gain AC from higher stats, dexterity in particular. Though referred to as a breastplate, this type of armor consists of several pieces of plate or half-plate armor that protect the torso, chest, neck, and sometimes the hips and lower legs. However, the lockdown effect is not contingent on your native unarmed reach. The 6th-level feats bring the first instinct feat, Animal Skin (become expert in unarmored defense, get a bonus to your AC instead of penalty while raging when unarmored, but also get a cap on your Dex bonus to AC since your skin is thicker) which doesn't have the rage trait, but I think the increase in proficiency is supposed to work at. 0. Bracers of Armor are designed to work with unarmored defense. Gunslinger. Only medium and heavy armors have armor specialization effects. Pathfinder 2e Nexus - Animal Skin - Your proficiency in unarmored defense increases to expert. Just keep in mind that the Maximum Dexterity Bonus with Scales of the Dragon is +2. Chapter 11: Crafting & Treasure. envision [one-action] The chalice fills with a single vial's worth of holy water. If you're comfortable reflavoring statblocks, taking Monastic Weapons and wielding a Temple Sword is far. Prerequisites: Unarmored Specialist, evasion class feature. As they progress through their adventures and improve their station in the world, characters collect ever more. That phrase only shows up in the Monk Class. The item bonus to AC from Scales of the Dragon is cumulative with armor potency runes on your explorer's clothing, mage armor, and. For armor proficiency, 1-2 extra AC if you're a caster with only proficiency in unarmored defense or 1 extra AC if you're a martial grabbing heavy armor, which are both pretty good since that's just extra AC without taking any actions. 220 4. It allows access to unarmed attacks which don't need a stance, and offers better AC for Barbarian based characters. Which makes sense given the pregen sneak peeks we have seen number wise. You become unable to have children (or otherwise procreate by any means, including create spawn abilities) and are permanently doomed 2. But it lasts all day and stacks with your unarmored skill. Here you can find all the rules, character options, and monsters needed to play Pathfinder Second Edition. Since Psychics use a Spell Repertoire, you need to learn spells at multiple levels to highten them in most cases. Furthermore, when looking at the cost of bracers of armor they follow the same formula as armor enhancement (enhancement squared *1000). I gain trained in Simple, Martial, and Unarmed attacks. Their skin ranges from green to gray to blue, and they often bear scars, boils, and rashes. And if your GM uses lore correctly, the DCs are lower if you use lore instead of general knowledge. The improved Unarmored Defense bonus is nice, but it doesn’t stack with Daredevil, and Daredevil is a much more broadly useful option. However, most sorcerers only learn. Finally, there is a level 1 Barbarian feat “Moment of Clarity”, which for the cost of one action allows you to use actions with the concentrate trait until the end of the turn. 5k 9 9 gold badges 218 218 silver badges 304 304 bronze badges. Together is AC 23. There is no armor check penalty for casting in 2e. Whenever you gain a class feature that grants you expert or greater proficiency in any type of armor (but not unarmored defense), you also gain that proficiency in the armor types granted to you by this feat. Bully One of just two specialization options to boost your companion’s Strength Modifier, Bully is a great option for Strength-based companions looking to deal extra damage. All defense options from unarmored to medium have the same AC if your Dex is capped, so the only choice is which armor gets you closest to that cap with no/minimal penalties (based on your Strength). With Unarmored Defense, we start at 15 AC, which is fine for this level. Hello and welcome to the Archives of Nethys, the official home of the Pathfinder Second Edition system reference documents. lose the bonus if the enemy misses by 4 or less, but if you would actually get hit during total defense, deflect for free. If you’re not wearing armor, use your proficiency in unarmored defense” (268). Harsk accepts and earns a total of 138 sp (13 gp, 8 sp) that month. Braum is here! 5th lvl fighter with 21 AC wearing nothing over his chest. " Page 203 of the Core Rulebook. Not every class is equally capable. Source Core Rulebook pg. Cost Expend a harm or heal spell. Latest Pathfinder 2e! Contact Other Plane - Dead Void II (PF2E) October 31, 2023; Cultures of Celmae: Dwarves 2e September 8, 2023; Cultures of Celmae Oyapok 2e September 8, 2023;This may sound like a dumb question, but nowhere in the playtest rules could I find it saying what proficiency tier monks had in unarmed combat at…I will save this for later, thanks for the work. For example, Predator's Pounce (pg. "Restrictions are GOOD in Pathfinder 2e" - I've had players coming. 0. They need the edge early on to make up for the fact that they're a defensive class that can't actually hit their cap, but it means they. for strength Monk). Whenever you gain a class feature that grants you expert or greater proficiency in any type of armor (but not unarmored defense), you also gain that proficiency in the armor types. You become trained in light armor and medium armor. They gain 1 Ability Point for. Source Core Rulebook pg. 103 2. 377 4. You add your level to all lores. On a critical hit, the target also becomes stunned 1. I believe the intent was to make them Expert in unarmored defense. You put your alchemical interest into practice. Increase the level of the branch you chose by 1. For example, a bear companion belonging to a level 1 druid and wearing no barding has AC. Pathfinder has a lot of Dungeons & Dragons in its DNA. Animal Instinct Barbarian can take Animal Skin feat at level 6 to get +2 item bonus while unarmored with a Dex cap of +3 (Dex 16). Sorcerers are one of the most. ” Which says to me that everyone adds their level to AC or that this was intentionally removed to make others. Share. There are nearly no “taunt” mechanics in Pathfinder 2e, so this may be worthwhile solely because it motivates enemies to attack you instead of your allies. It was Errata'd already. Brian I said. Scrolls of Mage Armor are only 4 gold. For example, if you have a Dexterity modifier of +4 and you are wearing a suit of half plate, you apply only a +1 bonus from your Dexterity. The combat is just too good. If you don’t want to wear armor, or you’re trained in only unarmored defense, you can wear either explorer’s clothing or bracers of armor. With this being explained, I now want to go through the options that you have presented and give my thoughts on them as a veteran player. 38. Reflex saves and Fortitude saves are priority if you want to take less damage. Speed penalty doesn't matter at all since armors can be made out of mithril. Pathfinder has many types of checks, from skill checks to attack rolls to saving throws, but they all follow these basic steps. Cloth: Nethys Note: there is no medium or heavy cloth armor, so there is no armor specialization effect for the cloth armor group. 123It leans into the elemental power of the genies by flexing into different types of elemental damage on any given round, and combos easily with suli-specific benefits like Incremental Elemental Assault . In addition, the first time this turn the target. Lore Oracle (Sidestep Secret): Cha instead of Dex to. Source Character Guide pg. 92, ibid. I think you are mistaken, the page you linked to actually says: Though it’s not armor and uses your unarmored defense proficiency, it still has a Dex Cap and can grant an item bonus to AC if etched with potency runes (as described on page 581). Shirtless Barbarians is, while admittedly cool, almost entirely a 5th ed thing. Pathfinder 2e Digital Tool Set - The Goblin's. We here at Fox’s Cunning are excited to preview the newest Base Class for Pathfinder 2e! Originally this was meant to be a preview for an upcoming public beta test, but no matter how we tried to format it the class itself just refused to stay hidden. But, if a character wants to take a one or two level dip to snag +1AC, so be it. Table 3–12: Fighter Advancement; Level. The run says it does 3d6 acid damage to the individual's armor. The whole issue just feels weird to me. And Shields (and Crane Stance) provide a circumstance bonus. All 3 are available via Martial Artist. So at 4th level, which should be the earliest possibility to get both, my maths makes this best case a +4 AC since an item bonus should stack with a. Traits. That'd be +4 in total. Source Core Rulebook pg. As long as you're using your Unarmored Proficiency you're considered Unarmored for feats like Scales of the Dragon. Cast [two-actions] somatic, verbal. Oct 7, 2020. 0. . Roaring fire, pure water, fleeting air, steadfast earth, twisting wood, slicing metal. The AC and attack of his weapons fluctuate when he is using two weapon fighting and combat expertise. You carry the fury of the storm within you, channeling it to terrifying effect and riding the winds through the sky. Find out the class features, feats, skills, weapons,. Source Core Rulebook pg. Close Deck Character Creation + Ancestries Archetypes Backgrounds Classes Skills Equipment + All Equipment Adventuring Gear Alchemical Items Armor Held Items Runes. You draw the life force out of your enemies to heal your own wounds. With a rush of telekinetic power, you move a foe or something they carry. Rage says (emphasis mine):Base Armor. Attack Evocation Force. For all heavy armor types on the armor table, item bonus to AC + Dex cap is 6. Very true, but there are going to be weaknesses in every character. While you are raging and unarmored, your skin transforms into a thick hide resembling your animal’s skin. With Pathfinder 2e's Champion also. Your proficiency ranks for light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, and unarmored defense increase to expert. 0. Not every class is equally flexible. " Page 203 of the Core Rulebook. You siphon the destructive energies of positive or negative energy through a melee attack and into your foe. Scales grow across your body, protecting you against physical and magical threats. As you know, the character sheet template has an Armor Class section that has TEML ranks for both the AC itself as well as for each of the four classes of armor (Unarmored, Light, Medium, and Heavy). If you are wearing armor, your armor will have a “Dex Cap”, which is the maximum amount of Dexterity which you can add to your AC. Excellence in an ability score improves the checks. I'm running it concurrent with D&D 5e, and it's an interesting compare / contrast. Also with the tough hide feat technically you are using medium armor proficiency not unarmored but it doesn't matter for a champion they are all good. Unarmed attacks can belong to a weapon group (page 280), and they might have. Your character can use a skill increase to either become. Extreme heat. If you want to increase your character’s defense beyond the protection your armor provides, they can use a shield. Your skill with light armor improves, increasing your ability to dodge blows. Alchemist Dedication Feat 2. Range 60 feet; Targets 1 creature. 112 4. I get that monks have perfected form which is arguable much better than having legendary in unarmed; but it feels thematically wrong that monks don't get legendary in unarmed when fighters do. Monk in 5e is so terrible partially because it relies on increasing both of those scores for the purpose of unarmored defense and it. The Unarmored Defense will probably give him better AC than the bear had, but less than a typical monk has (due to the low dexterity). If you already were trained in light armor and medium armor, you gain training in heavy armor as well. Its proficiency rank in unarmored defense increases to expert. Devastator Level 19 Your Strikes are so devastating. Perception and Will are the most common for social encounters. Champion monks are perfect for champions of Irori or other deities. The negative trait states that Negative energy heals undead and harms the living in the form of negative damage, therefor a dhampir heals and a living creature is damaged. Might I suggest using the Free Archetype variant rule. From the armor table, the only difference I can see between being unarmored and wearing adventurer's clothing is that the latter imposes a dex cap (+5) while the former does not. During Combat Encounters… You show off to gain panache, leveraging your flair to build up to. At level 1 the comparison between a set of armor and not being proficient is relatively minor. Follow edited Nov 13, 2020 at 1:42. None of them are baked into the class, so all you need to do is take other class feats if you want to play as a ki-less monk. It similarly loses its potency 1 day after being removed from such a. Not all are custom. ago. Applying an archetype requires you to select archetype feats instead of class feats. Pathfinder 2e doesn’t allow you to respond to moving enemies by default, so they are often free to walk right past you to attack your less-durable allies. Let's look at the spell Knock. 182. Prerequisite (s) Eldritch Archer Dedication. Scales of the Dragon Feat 4. The devs mentioned in their post gencon post that everybody is considered trained in unarmored defense. Step 1: Decrease Starting Scores. All of a character’s ability scores start at 10. If you aren’t a living creature, you gain no benefit from this feat. Hero’s Defiance (19th) You gain the hero’s defiance devotion spell. Archetype Magaambyan Attendant. That feature allows players to utilize their unarmored bodies to protect themselves. Barbarians already get their unarmored defense to master at level 19 along with light and medium armor, not sure when they get expert. This activity requires seven disharmonic heartslivers, the formula for a disharmonic instrument, 55,000 gp worth of rare materials, and 7 days of work. Clothing isn't armor, but if it has a Dex cap it can accept fundamental and property runes. 1. Your eidolon becomes an expert in unarmed attacks. While your character's ability scores represent their raw talent and potential, skills represent their training and experience at performing certain tasks. Instead, it's covered by the proficiency bonus. Table 6–3: Unarmored Defense provides the statistics for the various forms of protection without wearing armor. Benefit: As long as you do not have any armor bonus to AC (such as from wearing armor, or from the spell mage armor) you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC. Chapter 6: Equipment / Armor Armor Class Source Core Rulebook pg. Pathfinder 2e Nexus - Explorer’s Clothing. No touch armor class (Magic just bounces off armor now) Flat footed is only a -2 and so many things grant this bonus, but it doesn't stack, it becomes pretty much useless for more than one player to use it. By default, an animal companion is trained in barding and unarmored defense, and uses the level of its PC for proficiency bonuses. It strategically grants some of the protection of plate while allowing greater flexibility and speed. You lose the Dex bonus to AC and gain an item bonus while in the stance. Hot Take. Each additional day spent Crafting reduces the materials needed. You shout in defiance, filling you with a sudden burst of healing. If you plan to take. Different types of Backgrounds and Heritage choices can be used to further customize the class. Basically, mage armor leaves no room for the second stat for Unarmored Defense so you would not be able to apply the second stat. Determined Dash: Situational by design, but for a class that can’t provide magical solutions to these sorts of problems this could be a helpful option. I gain Trained in All Armor plus Unarmored Defense. With an unarmored character, you need to hit that dex cap and you need to hit it ASAP; because it's the lions share of your AC. A Level 10 wizard with 10 DEX would have 20 AC while unarmored. Your proficiency ranks for unarmed attacks and simple weapons increase to master. Pathfinder is a rich and complex fantasy RPG that uses the same d20 ruleset at the core of Dungeons & Dragons. You gain the hero’s defiance devotion spell. Monks: So, unless I'm missing something, in PF2E Monks no longer have their Wisdom bonus to their AC, and instead start with an Expert rank proficiency in Unarmored defense, putting them at +4 against any one else unarmored, and thus roughly equivalent to someone in chain mail, except the Monk probably has a higher Dex bonus. A Level 10 wizard with 10 DEX would have 20 AC while unarmored. Oracle - Prophetic Armor (Oracle 7, Lunar Revalation) Use Cha instead of dex for AC and reflex saves. Cleric Divine Necromancy. True. 0. Second, the stances you have available that also give an unarmed attack are: Gorilla, Stumbling, Cobra. Unarmored Kinetic Knight is a bad idea, since you don't get your elemental defense unless you're wearing armor. Rage Unarmored Defense Skills-Athletics-Insight-Perception-Religion-Stealth-Survival Tools-Vehicles (Land)-Vehicles (Water) Cantrip-Light Starlight Step: We grab a greatsword and swing it around. Mage Armor: SET AC = 13+Dex. You must satisfy any prerequisites before selecting the feat. Base fighter gets master in all AC at 17. Defensive Armaments Feat 2. The Monk is most easily compared to the Fighter. At 7th (when Expert Unarmored Defense kicks in) you could go without armor, and maybe w/ an aggressive Domain spell, and some of the same advice as for Monk, except Cha becomes more central, so should suit innate Cantrips better (though yes, a Cantrip-centric build cannot contribute much, even if durable and sparkly). Players: 1-100. A legendary defense class not tied to oaths or to unarmored/stances. You can either get +7 from dex of 24, or +8 from Bracers of Armor +3/Explorer's Clothing+3 and +5 dex. Source Core Rulebook pg. At least a mild ranged option, akin to Energy Beam or Seed Pod, so as to not mandate flight ASAP for all shifters. Pathfinder 2e Nexus - Medium Armor Expertise - You’ve learned to better defend yourself against attacks. Source Core Rulebook pg. Animals and Gear (3). Medical Researcher Feat 1. You move with perpetual grace in battle, eluding and turning aside blows. Animal Barbarian is probably your simplest bet, as long as you aren't attached to wielding weapons. 35. Make a bow Strike. Is unarmored ever viable outside being a Monk or Wizard then? Was wondering the point of the Animal Totem Barbarian’s Animal Skin class feat. One scroll will likely take you to 2nd level, a couple more to 3rd. They don't work for all monks, since they provide an item bonus that doesn't stack with Mountain Stance, but they are generally good for monks. And that you can affix talismans as if the bracers were light armor, where explorer's. Every class gets up to Expert Proficiency in at least one type of defense, whether that's Unarmored Defense or some form of armor. It does require you to be unarmored. Anyone can Raise a Shield, and anyone can take the Shield Block general feat. I got all pocket editions, some in multiple numbers, as they greatly reduce weight & space at the tables.