Oath of the Bulwark

A Paladin of the Bulwark specialize in keeping their party members safe by drawing attention away from their allies, and increasing their defenses against those who dare strike them. Prioritizing staying close to allies is one of the  presidencies of a Bulwark-Oathed Paladin, having mastered the defensive fighting style to keep any and all allies in reach away from the grasping tendrils of darkness. After all, what better defense is there against the malevolent despair than being closest to the radiant light of a Paladin?

TENETS OF THE BULWARK

A paladin who takes this oath make silent prayers for the safety of their allies.

The Penultimate Shield. You should be the first into the fray, and the last one to retreat. Your friends should always be the safest when they are around you.

An Un-resisted Vanguard. You belong in the front lines, where steel meets steel, and will meets will. Stare the dark right between their eyes.

Indomitable. Never flee from danger, lest the grips of the nefarious turns on those you yearn to protect the most.

 

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of the Bulwark Spells

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how Channel Divinity works.

Guarding Faith. You can use your channel divinity to safeguard an ally from harm. As a reaction, you shield an adjacent ally, granting them bonus AC equal to your Charisma modifier, including against the triggering attack. This effect lasts until the end of the current creature’s turn.

Their Own Size. You can use your Channel Divinity to force an enemy to consider you the biggest threat. Upon rolling initiative, you may use your Channel Divinity to attempt to taunt a creature of large size, or smaller, causing them to make a wisdom saving throw. Upon failing, the creature is taunted, and must spend all their movement to attempt and reach you, attacking whenever possible. Attacks made by the creature against creatures other than you gain disadvantage. This effect ends when you are incapacitated, or if you are no longer visible to the creature.

Safeguardian Aura

At level 7, you emanate an aura of warding that reacts to your allies' dangers. All allies within your Aura of Protection may use their reaction to gain AC equal to your Charisma Modifier,  including against the triggering attack. This effect lasts until the end of the current creature’s turn.

Warden against Evil

Upon reaching level 15, you are always ready to keep harm at bay, and are always on guard to protect your closest companions. When a creature within 5 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to magically substitute your own health for that of the target creature, causing that creature not to take the damage. Instead, you take the damage. This damage to you can’t be reduced or prevented in any way. Should the damage have dropped the creature's health to 0, you gain a reaction.

The Best Defense

On reaching 20th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon with the wrath of your will, fueled by your desire mingled with divine light. Once per long rest, as an action, encase your weapon with divine energy, causing the weapon to deal radiant damage. Additionally, when rolling for damage with the weapon, you and all allies within your Aura of Protection heal and gain temporary health equal to your Charisma Modifier. This effect lasts for 1 minute, or you are incapacitated.