Helga the Shield-Maiden

[Anthony]

This started with a bad idea, and evolved into an experiment in exploits: just how close can I come to an MMO tank?

Helga the Shield Maiden

246-point Dwarf Knight

As a child, Helga had ambitions of being a skáld for her clan. Sadly for her, a powerful voice and lungs like bellows were no match for the cleverness of her competitor, Lorik the Sly, and she found herself instead pressed into service as a warrior. where she used those same lungs to become... an expert target. Eventually, and predictably, Lorik betrayed the clan, and she fled. She is now seeking wealth and warriors to return home and dispose of her treacherous rival.

Tactical Notes: Helga is optimized to use Taunt and Bluster (Exploits 58) with Singing skill. It is debatable whether Sacrificial Block is usable to block a slam...

ST 14[40]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 16 [60].
Damage 1d/2d; BL 51 lbs.; HP 14 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 19 [9].
Basic Speed 7.00 [-10]; Basic Move 6 [-5]; Move 4.
Dodge 12*; Parry 18*†§ (Axe); Block 15*
Advantages
Armor Mastery [5]
Born War-Leader 2 [10]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Dwarven Gear [1]
Fearlessness 1 [2]
High Pain Threshold [10]
Lifting ST 2 [6]
Penetrating Voice [1]
Pickaxe Penchant 1 [5]
Rallying Cry [5]
Sacrificial Block [1]
Shield-Wall Training [1]
Tough Skin 1 [3]
Disadvantages and Quirks
Code of Honor (Soldier's) [-10]
Compulsive Carousing [-5]
Greed (12) [-15]
Honesty (15) [-5]
Overconfidence (12) [-5]
Sense of Duty (Nation) [-10]
Stubborn [-5]

Distrusts smooth talkers. [-1]
Forgets that other people aren't as tough as she is. [-1]
Lacks an 'indoor voice'. [-1]
Seeking (eventual) Vengeance [-1]
Wants to be a Bard. [-1]

Skills
Armory (Bod Armor)-11 [4]
Axe/Mace-21‡/22§ [24]
Brawling-15 [2]
Carousing-16 [1]
Connoisseur (Weapons)-12† [2]
Fast-Draw (Potion)-15* [1]
Forced Entry-15‡ [1]
Heraldry-9 [1]
Intimidation-9 [1]
Knife-14 [1]
Leadership-12† [2]
Savoir-Faire-12† [1]
Shield-16[4]
Singing-16[1]
Strategy-11† [2]
Sumo Wrestling-14 [2]
Tactics-11† [2]
Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace)-17‡ [4]

* Includes +1 for Combat Reflexes.
† Includes +2 for Born War-Leader.
‡ Includes +1 for Pickaxe Penchant.
§ Use higher skill for starting weapon (Balanced)

Equipment

$3,000, 147 lbs. (Medium encumbrance)

Axe, Balanced, Dwarven, Fine. 2d+3 cut (reach 1), $810, 4 lbs.
Canteen, Full. 1 quart water. $10, 3 lbs.
Clothing. $0, 2 lbs.
Coins. 4 silver, 3 copper. $83, 0.14 lb.
Healing Potion (Minor). $120, 0.5 lb
Heavy Cloth Armor, Suit. +2 DR as inner layer. $450, 36 lbs.
Large Shield. $90, 25 lbs.
Personal Basics. $5, 1 lb.
Pouch. Holds rations. $10, 0.2 lb.
Rations, 6 meals. $12, 3 lbs.
Scale Armor, Head and Body. DR 4/3 (total DR 8/7). $716, 36.4 lb)
Light Scale Armor, Rest of Body. DR 3/2 (total DR 7/6). $544, 27.2 lbs.
Small Knife. 2d-3 cut (reach C, 1) or 1d-1 imp (reach C). $30, 0.5 lbs.
Throwing Axes ×2. 2d+2 cut, Acc 2, Range 14/21, Shots T(1), Bulk -3. $120, 8 lbs.

[Flyndaran]

Cool. But all I see is Brianna Blessed. :)

[Rupert]

I'm not seeing a shield in her equipment list.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Rupert

I'm not seeing a shield in her equipment list.

Whoops. I did that manually and it got left out of the display (it was included in the weight/cost total)