A Duel Warden is a fighter who thrives in personal combat — champions of one-on-one duels who draw strength from victory. Inspired by legendary wardens of the battlefield who protect allies by challenging the greatest threats, Duel Wardens mark their enemies with a Duel Challenge and grow stronger the longer they remain locked in combat.

While other fighters may master battlefield tactics or tactical formations, the Duel Warden excels through sheer force of will and martial dominance — turning each conquest into a surge of battlefield momentum.

Whether they're shielding companions by drawing a foe’s focus, or tearing through enemy champions one by one, these warriors shine brightest when facing overwhelming odds with unbreakable resolve.

Duel Wardens gain increasing benefits as they continue to engage and defeat opponents, culminating in a battle fervor where each triumph fuels their strength and even inspires hope — and healing — in nearby allies.

Duel Challenge

As a bonus action, you can mark a creature you can see within 60 feet for a Duel Challenge. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be compelled to fight you.

While marked:
- You have advantage on attacks against the target.
- It has disadvantage on attacks against anyone other than you.
- The effect ends early if you or the target drops to 0 HP, one of you becomes incapacitated, or you move more than 30 feet apart.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum once), regaining uses on a long rest.

Overwhelming Assault

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack during a Duel Challenge, you may force it to make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failure, it is knocked prone and takes an extra damage die.

Moment of Courage

When you are below half your hit point maximum and not incapacitated, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Fighter level at the start of your turn. This can occur once per short or long rest.

Press the Attack

When a creature marked by your Duel Challenge is reduced to 0 HP, you can use your reaction to move up to your speed and make a melee attack against another creature. If that attack hits, Duel Challenge transfers to the new target.

Battle Glory

When you reduce a creature affected by your Duel Challenge to 0 HP, your Strength score increases by +1 (to a maximum of +5 this way). These bonuses last until the end of the current combat and can increase your Strength to a maximum of 30.

Once you've reached +5 bonus Strength in one combat, each additional Duel Challenge kill allows you to heal the lowest-HP ally within 60 feet for an amount equal to your Strength modifier. If the ally is unconscious, they regain 1 HP and become stable, but can't be healed again this way until your next turn.