You have decided to specialize in the arts of defense and protection, vowing to be an unwavering shield for the vulnerable but sacrificing some of your abilities to combat offensively to focus on your specialty. You gain the following benefits and minuses.
- While wielding a shield, the Physical damage you take is reduced by 1d6 (unless it is a critical hit) as you reduce the impact of the strikes with by redirecting or nudging them with your shield, turning them into shallower or weaker hits in the process. While wielding a magical shield, this damage reduction also apply to elemental or magical damage from attacks that have travel time (EG. An attack such as Phantasmal Force can't have its damage reduced as you have nothing to deflect, unless the DM says otherwise). You must be wielding a shield to use this feature.
- When an allied creature within half of your movement speed is being attacked, you can spend a reaction to instantly dart toward them and reduce the To Hit of that attack by 1d10, if you have the Interception (TCE) or Protection (PHB) fighting style, their effects are also triggered. You must be wielding a shield to use this feature.
- Your damage output is reduced by 1d8 and you can't utilize any offensive fighting styles or maneuvers (From the Battlemaster subclass or Superior Technique Fighting Style) while wielding a shield.
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