Defender

This subclass is inspired by YoungDungeonMaster's own Defender homebrew.

Defenders can be elite guards of lords and kings, who then struck out on their own to find other uses for their talents. They can also be aspiring heroes, sworn to help those in need. Trained to see others' lives as the priority, defenders are adept at keeping enemies at bay and rescuing their allies from harm. With their otherworldly reaction speed and indomitable will, they will stop at nothing to keep those around them safe.

You must be wielding a shield in order to use any features from this archetype. Any feature that requires a target to make a saving throw has a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.

Always Ready

Starting at 3rd level, you are always on the watch for danger. You gain a bonus to your initiative rolls and passive Perception equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).

Guardian's Leap

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you resolve to protect your allies by becoming their shield. When an ally you can see within 5 feet of you is the target of a creature's attack roll, you can use your reaction to leap in between your ally and the enemy as long as you are not prone, grappled, or restrained. You move up to 5 feet into your ally's space, and your ally must have an unoccupied space within 5 feet of them that they take during the move. Your ally's movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. This makes you the new target of the triggering attack roll, and you gain +2 AC against that attack. Additionally, if the attacker is within your melee range immediately after using this feature, you can make one melee attack against it.

Protective Stance

At 3rd level, you learn how to widen your stance in order to allow allies to use you as cover. Creatures of your size or smaller you choose can use you as a source of three-quarters cover, so long as you are not blinded, incapacitated, prone, grappled, or restrained. The creatures must be within 5 feet of you and you must be in between them and the source of the attack. In addition, when you use your Second Wind feature, any creatures covered by you regain the same amount of hit points you do.

Defender's Strike

At 7th level, you learn how to use your shield to disrupt your enemy's focus. When you make a melee weapon attack using your action, you can attack with your shield, which you are proficient with, instead of your weapon. On a hit, you deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage and the target rolls a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the target is stunned until the end of their next turn. You can use this feature up to a number of times equal to your Strength modifier + your Dexterity modifier (minimum 2), but no more than twice per turn. You regain all uses of this feature on a short or long rest.

Surge of Retribution

At 10th level, you learn to channel your frustrations into avenging your fallen allies. At the start of your turn, if an ally you can see was reduced to 0 hit points by an enemy's attack after the end of your last turn, you can use your Action Surge to Dash to that enemy and make a melee attack with advantage. If the attack hits, you deal bonus force damage equal to the total damage your fallen ally took after the end of your last turn and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute. If you are grappled, you can attempt to escape the grapple as a free action immediately before using this feature.

Challenging Roar

At 15th level, you learn how to take the enemies' attention off of your allies and instead on to you. As an action you can raise your arms and call out a challenge to anyone who can hear. All enemies within 60 feet of you who can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. Creatures with an Intelligence of 9 or lower have disadvantage on the save. On a failed save, the enemy cannot make attacks against anyone except you and you gain +1 AC for each enemy affected. These effects last for 1 minute or until you fall unconscious.

Exemplary Guardian

At 18th level, your lifetime of training and experience has paid off in the form of greatly improved abilities. If you used your reaction to use Guardian's Leap, you can use the feature an additional number of times until the start of your next turn equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum 1), regardless of how many reactions you have remaining. Additionally, the range and movement of your Guardian's Leap increases to 15 feet and the cover from your Protective Stance is extended to allies within 15 feet of you. When you succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw against an effect that also affects your allies, those covered by your Protective Stance automatically succeed against the effect.