Spellguard

In a world of magic those with aptitude, money, or even just a bit of good luck can achieve a level of power unreachable to common folk. Spellguards are a special breed of warriors who dedicate their lives to fighting those who abuse the magic power of the universe. As a Spellguard you've suffered years of arduous training to awaken your strength of will, and empower it with the same arcane energies that would be used against you. Whether you've joined a military outfit, drawing your sword to defend the defenseless, or gone into the private sector, collecting the hefty bounties placed on rogue spellcasters, you represent an elite class of individuals who refuse to bend a knee to the supernatural. When a mage makes the mistake of believing that arcane power is tantamount to godlihood, you correct them.

Antimagic Ward

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you begin to empower your body's ability to resist magical effects. You gain a number of Ward Charges equal to your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. You can expend these charges to activate any ward abilities you've learned in your training. You regain 1 expended Ward Charge each time you roll a 20 on the d20 roll for a melee attack, or deal a killing blow to a creature of significant threat (DM's discretion). You regain all expended Ward Charges after a long rest.

Ward Abilities. You learn two ward abilities of your choice, which are detailed under "Ward Abilities" below. Some of your Ward Abilities require other creatures to make saving throws. The DC for these saving throws equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

You learn an additional Ward Ability of your choice at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. Each time you learn a new Ward Ability, you can also replace one ward ability you know with a different one.

Know Thy Enemy

You've spent years studying how magic works to cultivate your ability to fight it. You gain proficiency in the arcana skill.

Once per turn you can use your action to make an arcana check against a creature you can see that can cast a spell, contested by the target creature's deception skill (a creature can choose to willingly fail this saving throw). If you succeed you can deduce one spell of 1st level or higher that the target creature is capable of casting (DM's choice).

Once you successfully use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

Antimagic Smite

At 7th level you've learned how to channel the energy of your Antimagic Ward into your weapon attacks to cause lasting damage to enemy spellcasters. Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can deal an extra 2d10 force damage to that creature if it can cast at least one spell. A creature damaged by this ability must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or suffer half of the damage from the Antimagic Smite again if they cast a spell before the start of your next turn.

Antimagic Guardian

At 10th level, you've trained your Antimagic Ward to be available to your allies in times of need. You can use your action to drop the walls of your Antimagic Ward for 1 minute, during which time it becomes visible and sheds bright light in a 10ft radius. This light illuminates areas shrouded by both magical and non-magical darkness. Creatures of your choice within this radius, including you, have advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

You maintain concentration on this ability as if it were a spell, ending the effect early if you lose concentration. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest or you spend two Ward Charges to use it again.

Superior Warding

At 15th level you've trained your Antimagic Ward to steal the magic power of your enemies to add to your own strength, and to instill in it a resiliency against certain types of magic damage. This hard won resilience grants you the following features:

• Antimagic Endurance. Choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, radiant, and thunder. You gain resistance to that damage type when it is dealt by spells or other magical effects. When you finish a long rest you can choose to exchange your resistance for one of the other options. Additionally, when you take damage from one of these damage types from a spell or magical effect, you can use your reaction to spend one Ward Charge and change your chosen resistance to the triggering damage type.
• Absorbing Ward. When you damage a creature with your Antimagic Smite you can force that creature to make an additional Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must expend one available spell slot or use of a feature that allows them to cast a spell (DM or target player's choosing). You gain 1d6 temporary hit points per level of the expended spell slot or the level of the spell cast by the chosen feature. You also regain one expended Ward Charge. Once you use this ability, you must finish a long rest or spend three Ward Charges to use it again.

Antimagic Master

At 18th level you've taken the art of nullifying your enemies' magic to its fullest potential. You can cast antimagic field once without expending a spell slot or material components. When you cast it in this way any magic items you are attuned to, holding, or wearing are unaffected by the field. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You must finish a long rest before you can cast antimagic field this way again. You can also cast it again by spending five Ward Charges, but your own items are not protected when you cast antimagic field in this way.

Ward Abilities

These ward abilities are presented in alphabetical order.

Armored Ward

You can empower your ward to defend your body. As a bonus action you may spend one Ward Charge and add +1 to your AC for one minute. You maintain concentration on this effect as if it were a spell, ending the effect early if you lose concentration. This effect also ends early if you activate another Ward Ability within the duration.

The bonus to your AC increases by 1 when your reach 10th level (+2), and 18th level (+3)

Branding Ward

Prerequisite: 7th Level

When you damage a creature with your Antimagic Smite you can spend one Ward Charge to force that creature to make a Wisdom saving throw, branding them with your Antimagic Ward on a failure for a number of hours equal to the damage dealt by your Antimagic Smite. While branded, a creature can’t become hidden from you and gains no benefit from the invisible condition against you. Additionally, while a branded creature is on the same plane of existence as you, the you always knows the most direct route to the creature.

You must maintain concentration on your Branding Ward as if it were a spell, ending the effect early if you lose concentration, and only one creature can be branded at a time. Your Branding Ward also ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if you use this ability to apply a brand to another creature.

Cleansing Ward

Using your Antimagic Ward you attempt to exorcise harmful magic from a creature. As an action you may spend one Ward Charge and touch a creature, including yourself, that is afflicted by a condition brought on by a spell or magical effect. The target must make the appropriate saving throw against the spell or magical affect afflicting them, if applicable, or they make a Constitution saving throw against the original DC of the spell or ability; if there is no save to end the effect. The target adds your Constitution modifier to whatever saving throw they make.

Counter Ward

Prerequisite: 10h Level

You learn to channel your ward outward to counteract enemy magic. You may spend one Ward Charge to cast counterspell at 3rd level using Constitution as your spellcasting modifier. You may also spend additional Ward Charges to cast it at one level higher for each additional charge you spend, to a maximum of 5th level.

Once you use this ability, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Damage Ward

You defend yourself against incoming magic damage. When a creature you can see damages you with a spell, you can use your reaction to spend a Ward Charge and halve the attack's damage against you.

Dispelling Ward

Prerequisite: 10th Level

You learn to channel your ward outward to neutralize enemy magic. You may spend one Ward Charge to cast dispel magic at 3rd level using Constitution as your spellcasting modifier. You may also spend additional Ward Charges to cast it at one level higher for each charge you expend, to a maximum of 5th level.

Once you use this ability, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Dowsing Ward

You briefly expand the radius of your Antimagic Ward to uncover any magical energies around you. You may expend one Ward Charge as an action to sense the presence of any magic within 30ft of you. If a visible creature or object within range bears magic, you feel an almost vibrational resonance from them through your ward. If an unseen source within range bears magic, you learn the direction of said source, but not it's shape or precise location.

1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood blocks your ward.

Retaliating Ward

Prerequisite: 7th Level

When a creature that you can see within 60ft damages you with a spell or magical effect, you can use your reaction to spend a Ward Charge and strike back with your own power. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d10 force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.

Stunning Ward

Prerequisite: 7th Level

When you damage a creature with your Antimagic Smite, you can spend one Ward Charge and force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target creature is stunned until the beginning of your next turn.

Violent Ward

You can use your Antimagic Ward to empower your body to bolster your attacks. You can spend one Ward Charge as a bonus action, giving yourself advantage on the next attack you make with a melee weapon. This attack is considered magical for the purpose of over coming resistance, even if your weapon is not, and on a hit you deal additional damage equal to your Constitution modifier.

Weapon Ward

Prerequisite: 15th Level

You temporarily nullify the magic of enchanted weapons. When a creature hits you with an attack using a magic weapon, you can expend three Ward Charges as a reaction to grant yourself immunity from that weapon's damage type(s) until the beginning of your next turn.