Sentinel

[MtSlayer]

The sentinel is a veteran knight who has fought in countless wars, but has decided to best protect his people not through endless bloodshed, but through defense. Although he still carries his sword, his skill with the blade has diminished. He traded his battle-worn shield for a blessed tower shield that has extraordinary defense, but at the cost of an added weight.

HP: 50 (60 felt a little high, although golems are 60)
Armor: 30% (Same as a stone golem)
Power: 16 (Maybe 18?)
Blocking: 80%, 50% (80%, 60%
Movement: 3 (2%)
Recovery: Attacking-1, Moving-0 (1), Guarding-3

Appearance:

Similiar to a knight, except with larger, more defined plate mail and a massive tower shield that covers most of the sentinel's body.

Secondary ability:

If the sentinel is adjacent to a friendly unit, it may choose to guard it. When a unit is being guarded, the sentinel's blocking becomes 0, but it intercepts all attacks on the guarded unit (including unblockable attacks). If the attack effects multiple units in a straight line, it will not continue past the sentinel.

The guarded unit can attack, but can not move without losing the Guarded effect. A unit may only be guarded for a maximum of 2 turns before focus is lost in order to prevent a unit from being guarded indefinitely. This forces a 1 turn interval. A sentinel can block focus attacks.

Examples:

A golem ambusher attacks a guarded cleric, the sentinel will step in front of the incoming attack and receive the damage.

A beast rider attacks a guarded stone golem from 2 spaces away. The sentinel stops the attack and receives the damage.

Possible Changes:

The sentinel can block while guarding, but must be in front of the unit.
See stats table for alternate values in parantheses.
The sentinel cannot attack but has increased HP and armor.
The sentinel cannot block focus attacks for guarded units.

Open to suggestion.

[dirka dirka]

Name almost looks like it came from that one stargate episode.

[Kyir]

names from Greek/Roman mythology i think

anyway in the case of the unit its a well balenced counter to the busher, but what if its at the front of your dragon(cant move aside) while its being attacked at the back, sence its not like the dragon moves so he can block?

[MtSlayer]

I missed that loophole.. hmm. The idea is though that since the sentinel has devoted his life to defense, he can block all attacks. So yes, he would block the attack.

And the name comes from everywhere, its pretty common. The most common meaning is usually a defender or a guardian who's incredibly powerful.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Aside from this unit being eerily similar to my own Phalanx (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14943), I like it. The damage substitution is a nice touch.

[MtSlayer]

If I do make a unit called berserker in the future, its fair game. 1, I've been berzerker since the summer 2- I already made one a few months ago. ;)

However, I did just make this one up in the shower, although it is based on the cover ability in Final Fantasy. To be honest I only visit this forum when I'm looking for criticism on one of my own units. ;) The phalanx sounds pretty cool though, kind of like a spear wall.

[Serge]

Yeah, I just picture Auron from FFX whenever I see the topic.

[Cross Punisher]

What would happen if I made the Sentinel guard my cleric but then I barriered the Sentinel? When the cleric is attacked does the barrier break because the Sentinel is "moving" to intercept the attack, or does the barrier not break because the Sentinel, I assume, will return to the square it was on after guarding the cleric?

Oh yeah I forgot,
Auron was cool
:)

[MtSlayer]

To create balance, the cover would be counted as a movement and the barrier would be removed. You could barrier a guarded unit, but to no real effect, but you cannot barrier a sentinel that is guarding a unit. That's far too exploitable.

And although I didn't have Auron in mind (I was thinking a classic FF or the Cover materia), that works. And the sentinel name had nothing to do with FF, it just fit in my mind.