Hoplite Phalanx

Cultures worldwide have created their own tactics, but few have stood the test of time like the spear and shield. This strategy originated in the Salmotenia Republic, a land of warring factions that were united under one banner and continue to dominate the landscape to the present day. This tactic has been adjusted and reworked several times but it has always kept the same name: the phalanx.

The phalanx is a tactic that uses long spears or shortswords with large shields that overlap and interlock with each other. Much like this formation, you have learned to channel the synergy of it those interlocking patterns. Through the Path of the Phalanx, you will summon the strength and spirit of your past comrades to assist you in battle, protecting your allies and pummeling your enemies.

Shield Wall

Starting at 3rd level, while you're using a shield, you can use a bonus action to bring forth spectral shields on your flanks, granting two friendly creatures within 5 feet of you +1 to their AC. If the creature is already wielding a shield, it also has advantage on checks and saving throws against being knocked prone, and that would move it against its will. An affected creature loses these benefits when it is no longer within 5 feet of you. The only creatures affected by this ability are those who were present when this ability was activated. Entering the area after it has been used does not grant these benefits until this ability is activated again.

The range of the Shield Wall and the AC buff increases at higher levels in this class. Starting at 10th level, the AC bonus is +2, the range is 10 feet, and you can affect 4 creatures. At 15th level, the AC bonus is +3, and the range is 15 feet, and you can affect 6 creatures. At level 18, the AC bonus is +4, the range is 20 feet, and you can affect 8 creatures.

Only one Shield Wall can be active at a time. This ability lasts for 1 minute, or it ends early when you use a bonus action to end it, you become incapacitated or unconscious, or you die. You can use this ability a number of times equal to twice your Constitution modifier.

Spear Master

Beginning at 7th level, your attacks from polearms are much stronger than the average warrior. When you hit on an attack with a javelin, spear, trident, or yklwa, whether it be melee or ranged, you can add force damage equal to half your Fighter level, rounding down, a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

When a creature affected by your Shield Wall makes a melee or ranged weapon attack with a javelin, spear, trident, or yklwa, you can use your reaction to attack the same target. You must be within range or reach of the same target. You attack it as normal, gaining no advantage or disadvantage on this attack. On a hit, the target takes the normal piercing damage from you and its speed is reduced by 5 until the end of its next turn. After this attack, the weapon you threw disappears and returns to your hand.

At 12th level, this also applies to glaives and pikes.

Improved Shield Wall

Starting at 10th level, you ignore the two-handed property of glaives and pikes when wielding a shield. In addition, the AC bonus to friendly creatures is increased to +2 and the range of your Shield Wall increases to 10 feet. Each friendly creature within 10 feet of your gains a +1 increase to its AC and your AC is increased by 1. Affected creatures standing within 5 feet of your gain advantage against being knocked prone and effects that would move it against its will regardless, whether it is wielding a shield or not.

Also, when a creature that’s affected by your Shield Wall makes a melee or ranged attack roll with a javelin, spear, trident, or yklwa, you can call out to inspire them. If the creature can hear you, you can add your Strength modifier to its damage once per turn. This damage is not doubled when the creature makes a critical hit. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

Pin Them Down

At 15th level, you cannot be moved against your will, and you have advantage against being knocked prone without Shield Wall needing to be active. In addition, you can select one javelin, spear, trident, or yklwa to become a returning weapon. Whenever you throw this weapon, it returns to your hand in a flash of light after you throw it. Your Shield Wall expands to 15 feet and the AC boost increases. Those standing within 5 feet of you gain a +3, 10 feet away gain +2, and 15 feet away gain +1.

You have learned to have uncanny accuracy with your ranged weapon attacks. Once per turn, when you hit with a ranged weapon attack using a javelin, spear, trident, or yklwa, the creature takes the weapon’s damage and must make a saving throw equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the creature is pinned in place and is considered grappled. A creature of size Huge or bigger has advantage on the save. You can choose the same creature to be pinned again on subsequent turns up to a total of 4 times. On a second fail, the creature is restrained. On a fourth fail, the creature is incapacitated. A pinned creature, including if it is incapacitated in this way, can use its action to remove one weapon at a time or make a Strength (Athletics) check to free itself with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a success, the creature is freed and takes 1d8 slashing damage for each weapon that had it pinned.

Siege

Your Shield Wall expands to 25 feet and the AC boost increases. Those standing within 5 feet of you gain a +4, 10 feet away gain +3, 15 feet away gain +2, and 20 feet away gain +1.

It’s all come down to this. Once per long rest, you can use your action to muster the might of all your predecessors to become an impenetrable fortress or a devastating spearhead. Either ability lasts for 1 minute unless you end them with a bonus action. While they are active, your speed is halved, and you can only move in straight lines.

Fortress

This summons a line of hoplites to assist you in battle. The line is 5 feet wide, 5 feet tall, and 35 feet long with you at its centre. While the wall is active, hostiles cannot move through it unless it is a creature of size Huge or bigger. You choose which direction the hoplites are facing and can change it as a free action or a reaction when it is not your turn. All friendly creatures that are size Large or smaller behind you are at half cover, negating effects that ignore cover, such as the spell sniper feat, from hostiles. Your melee weapon attacks from javelins, spears, tridents, or yklwas have their reach extended to 10 feet, and all thrown weapons have their range doubled. Any friendly creature that shares the space of a spectral hoplite also gains these benefits. While Fortress is active, you can use the Shove action against all hostile creatures on one side of the line. On a failed roll, a creature takes 2d6 force damage, is shoved back 10 feet, and is knocked prone. On a successful roll, a creature takes no damage and is shoved back 5 feet.

Spearhead

As the name suggests, you form a 35-foot triangle with no cap of hoplites. You, and any friendly creature who shares a space with a spectral hoplite, have an AC boost of +1. Hostile creatures cannot move through or between the hoplites unless it is of size Huge or bigger. You are always at the point of the triangle. The direction of the triangle can be changed with a bonus action. As an action, you can make one melee weapon attack roll within 10 feet of the triangle with a glaive, javelin, pike, spear, trident, or yklwa against all hostile creatures within 10 feet of the triangle, or one volley of ranged weapon attacks from the same weapons (except glaives and pikes) within range. All hostiles are targeted by the single roll. The hoplites deal force damage equal to what you roll on your weapon damage. While Spearhead is active, you can use your action to charge forward in a straight line up to a distance equal to your speed. All hostile creatures that the spearhead encounters must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 force damage and is knocked prone. On a success, a creature is shunted sideways away from the spearhead and takes half damage. A creature cannot be hit by the same hoplite twice but can be hit by multiple. Once you use this feature, Siege ends.