Oath of the Defender

Paladins who take the Oath of the Defender are sworn to defend and protect those around them, even at the cost of their own lives. They train for years to perfect their abilities for defense; using shields, or maximizing their armor’s usefulness, and learning how to be seen as the biggest threat on the battlefield. Typically these Paladins follow Helm or Ilmater, always keeping a watchful eye on those who accompany them, and suffering in the place of others.

Tenets of the Defender When you take this Oath at 3rd level, like all Paladins, you swear to uphold the tenets of your Oath. The tenets are as follows.

Defend the Defenseless: Mine will be the first shield raised to protect those who cannot protect themselves

Allies before Self: The lives of those that fight at my side are precious, and I will defend them to my last breath

Bulwark of the People: I am the shield against evil, and I will stand between the evils of the world and the common folk.

Oath Spells

3rd: Heroism, Shield of Faith

5th:  Aid, Warding Bond

9th: Beacon of Hope, Spirit Guardians

13th: Death Ward, Resilient Sphere

17th: Hold Monster, Wall of Force

Channel Divinity

At 3rd level when you take this Oath you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Bulwark: : Defenders have learned a few things from Barbarians, namely how to shrug off damage and keep going. As an action, you touch your holy symbol and imbue yourself with divine defense. For the next minute you are resistant to all damage

Vow of the Protector: As a bonus action, you utter a Vow to protect one ally within 15ft of you. For the next minute the ally targeted as Advantage on all saving throws against spells, and enemies have disadvantage on hitting them with any kind of attack

Aura of Viciousness

At 3rd level Defenders have learned to exude an aura that makes them impossible to not target. As a bonus action you can activate this aura, forcing all hostile creatures within 30ft of you to make a Charisma saving throw against your Paladin Spell Save DC.

On a failed save the creature must now target you with any attack they make (AoE spells like Fireball must be centered on you as well), on a success they are unaffected. Enemies that fail the save may re-attempt the save at the end of their turn. Enemies that failed the save and leave the Aura no longer have to attack you, but should an enemy, even one that succeeded on the original save, leave and re-enter the area, must reattempt the save. If the enemy failed previously, they have disadvantage on the save when re-entering the Aura’s area.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma Modifier (minimum 1) per short or long rest

Armor Mastery

At 7th level, you have become a bulwark of defense. So long as you are wearing medium or heavy armor you gain +1 to AC. This AC bonus increases to +2 at 10th level, and +3 at 15th level.

As a reaction, when an ally within 15ft of you is hit with an attack, you can cast this armor bonus onto them, possibly turning a hit into a miss. The ally's AC remains boosted until the beginning of your next turn when it returns to you.

Aura of the Guardian

At 7th level, you emit an Aura of protectiveness while you aren't Incapacitated. You and any friendly creature within 10ft of you are resistant to damage from weapon attacks.

This Aura increases to a range of 30ft at 18th level.

 

(Note: This Resistance does NOT stack with the Resistances given by abilities such as the Barbarian's Rage feature)

Soul of the Defender

At 15th level, your Vow of the Defender automatically adds the resistance of Bulwark to the ally under the effect of your Vow, making them resistant to all damage while under the effect of Vow of the Protector

Living Bulwark

At 20th level you have become the epitome of defense, and protection. As an action you assume the form of a Living Bulwark. For the next hour, you gain the following benefits.

Living Adamantine: Your skin transforms into living adamantine; making you immune to critical hits in this form and granting you a +5 to AC

They Don’t Exist: While you are in this form, allies within 60ft of you can not be targeted by attacks, though they can still be caught by an AoE Spell or effect

This ability is usable once per long rest.