Thorn Warden

Thorn Wardens enhance their combat abilities by channeling the primal magic of Woodland Marks, a mystical tradition passed down by ancient forest spirits. These marks originate from treants, dryads, and druids who inscribed their power into nature itself. Whether you stumbled upon these marks etched into a sacred grove, learned their secrets from a wise druid, or were taught directly by a guardian of the wild, you mastered the art of using these ancient symbols to command the raw power of thorns, vines, and brambles, protecting the wilds with their relentless might.

Wooden Bond

 

Your bond with nature allows you to wield wooden weapons with the power of your Wisdom. You can use your Wisdom modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls of melee weapon attacks, but only with wooden weapons (such as clubs, quarterstaffs, or specially crafted wooden blades).

If you and your DM wish to collaborate on creating a unique wooden weapon suited to your character, you can do so to better align with your Thorn Warden’s theme.

Woodland Marks

At 3rd level, you learn to inscribe yourself with magical marks that channel the power of the wilds. You know two marks of your choice from the Woodland Marks list, learning an additional mark at 7th, 11th, and 15th levels.

you can inscribe one of the marks you know on your equipment, clothing, or jewelry, granting you both its passive and active abilities. The mark lasts until your next long rest or until you use the mark's active ability . You regain all expended uses after a short or long rest. in addition, you can also replace one of the marks you know with another one during a long rest.

Some of your Woodland Marks features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the effect. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Woodland Mark save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Vine Mark

• Passive: You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) and Strength (Athletics) checks.
• Active: As a bonus action, conjure a magical vine that tethers to a point within 30 feet for 10 minutes. You can use it to pull objects toward you or move along it, gaining 30 feet of extra movement with added verticality.

Thorn Mark

• Passive: You have advantage on saving throws against natural traps such as thorns or brambles.
• Active: When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one use of the mark to deal an extra 2d6 piercing damage. The target must make a Strength saving throw or be restrained until the end of your next turn.

Wood Woad Mark

• Passive: You have advantage on Constitution saving throws against extreme weather.
• Active: As a bonus action, cover yourself in bark for 10 minutes, gaining a +2 bonus to AC.

Moss Mark

• Passive: You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks in natural environments.
• Active: As an action, you can become invisible while stationary for up to 10 minutes, until you move, take an action, or use a reaction.

Myconid Mark

• Passive: You have advantage on saving throws against disease and poison.
• Active: When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one use of the mark to deal an extra 2d6 poison damage. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage on weapon damage rolls until the end of your next turn.

Bramble Mark

• Passive: You have advantage on checks made to grapple a creature.
• Active: When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, thorny brambles tether creatures within 10 feet. Tethered creatures have their speed reduced to 0 and take 1d4 piercing damage if they move. The brambles last for 1 minute.

7th-Level Woodland Marks

Grasping Roots Mark

• Passive: You have advantage on checks and saving throws to avoid being moved against your will.
• Active: As an action, cause roots to burst in a 20-foot radius within 60 feet. Each creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 20 feet toward the center.

Bloom Mark

• Passive: You can cast goodberry as a ritual.
• Active: As a bonus action, vibrant flowers bloom, granting temporary hit points equal to your ranger level to allies within 30 feet. These last for 1 hour.

Kelpie Mark

• Passive: You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed and can breathe underwater.
• Active: As a bonus action, summon a spectral kelpie within 30 feet. It lasts for 1 minute, moving up to 30 feet each turn to take the Help action.

11th-Level Woodland Marks

Shambling Mound Mark

• Passive: You gain immunity to lightning damage.
• Active: As a bonus action, cause rotting vegetation to attack a creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn.

Dryad Mark

• Passive: You gain proficiency in Charisma (Persuasion) checks, or expertise if already proficient.
• Active: As an action, use an ability similar to tree stride, allowing you to teleport between two trees within 60 feet.

Mark of the Treant

• Passive: You can cast speak with plants once per long rest without expending a spell slot.
• Active: As an action, take on the aspects of a treant for 1 minute: grow to Huge size, increase AC by 2, extend reach by 5 feet, and add 1d8 damage to weapon attacks.

Thorn Whip Mastery

You learn the thorn whip cantrip if you don't already know it, and you can cast it as a bonus action. When you use thorn whip, its reach extends to 20 feet, and it deals an additional 1d6 piercing damage. This additional damage increases to 2d6 at 15th level.

Bark Skin

Starting at 11th level, while you are not wearing heavy armor, your AC increases by 1 as tough, bark-like vines weave around you, forming a protective layer.

Mark Mastery

At 15th level, you can use the active ability of your Woodland Marks twice, rather than once, before needing to rest. Additionally, the range of each mark’s active ability is doubled, their damage dice increase (e.g., from d6 to d8), and any duration associated with a mark’s effect is also doubled.