3/27/2020. I started making this class in January of 2019, it's already gone through multiple iterations. However, it has had almost no play-testing, and feedback from only a few sources, so any feedback is welcome, and if you feel like trying it out please do, with the knowledge that what your playing is largely untested.
3/28/2020. I made a few class adjustments, buffs, and switched the levels at which some abilities are learned, along with some minimal multiclassing specifications. Plus some minor editing errors.
Honor Guard
In lands fraught with dark monsters and cities tainted by human ilk, the heroes that combat them are many in number. However, there are heroes who are as legendary in their ability as they are few in number.
These folk are called ‘Honor Guards.’
Only the fearless take this path. Honor guards are a unique breed, as their name suggests, they will do whatever is within their power to protect those around them. However, it is for the same reason that very few people ever lay eyes on an honor guard, for a guard to be contracted to very powerful and important beings often puts a target on their back as well. They are not called honor guards simply because of who or what they guard, it is because of the seemingly undying determination and honor they display on and off the battlefield to protect those they are sworn to, or those they choose to call friends.
An honor guard values defense above all, and does so with a shield, the most defining feature of an honor guard as it is also their greatest weapon. While the shield is typically nothing extraordinary, an honor guard can wield it with great skill, and learn to supplement their technique with magic to enhance both themselves and the shield.
Creating an Honor Guard
As you create your honor guard, keep in mind the effect your character can have in society and what made them choose the path of shielding others. Was it someone they lost or maybe an oath they took? What makes your honor guard worthy of their title?
While an honor guard can protect themselves, they are not ignorant of their need for companions on the road and will welcome them. Honor guards know their best place is beside those who could use a shield.
Quick Build:
You can make an honor guard quickly by following these suggestions. First make Strength your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence if you plan to focus on the effectiveness of your abilities, or Constitution if you want the extra hit points to take hits. Second, choose the Folk Hero background or the Criminal background if you go Guidance of the Betrayed.
Table of the Honor Guard
Level
Proficiency
Bonus
Best
Defense
Valor
Points
Juggernaut
Features
1
+2
1d4
-
-
The Best Defense
2
+2
1d4
-
-
Erudition
3
+2
1d4
3
-
Guidance of the Shield, Valor
4
+2
1d4
4
-
Ability Score Improvement
5
+3
1d6
5
+5 ft.
Juggernaut
6
+3
1d6
6
+5 ft.
Knowledge is Power
7
+3
1d6
7
+5 ft.
Fortitude, Guidance of the Shield Feature
8
+3
1d6
8
+5 ft.
Ability Score Improvement
9
+4
1d6
9
+5 ft.
Shield Strike Improvement, Guidance of the Shield Feature
10
+4
1d6
10
+5 ft.
Honorable Presence
11
+4
1d8
11
+5 ft.
12
+4
1d8
12
+5 ft.
Guidance of the Shield Feature
13
+5
1d8
13
+5 ft.
Ability Score Improvement
14
+5
1d8
14
+5 ft.
Opportunist
15
+5
1d8
15
+10 ft.
Area of Denial
16
+5
1d8
16
+10 ft.
Shield Strike Improvement, Adaptive
17
+6
1d10
17
+10 ft.
Guidance of the Shield Feature
18
+6
1d10
18
+10 ft.
Indomitable
19
+6
1d10
19
+10 ft.
Ability Score Improvement
20
+6
1d10
20
+10 ft.
Legendary Shield
Honor Guard Multiclassing
Should you wish to multiclass into an Honor Guard, the prerequisites and proficiencies gained are listed below.
Honor Guard Multiclassing
Ability Score Minimim
Strength 13 or Dexterity 13, and Intelligence 13
Honor Guard Multiclassing Proficiencies
Proficiencies Gained
Light armor, medium armor, shields, daggers, thrown weapons, one skill from the class’s skill list, one artisan tool.
Honor Guard Multiclassing with Warlock
If multiclassing Guidance of the Bonded with Warlock levels, add a third of your honor guard levels (rounded down) to your Warlock level and consult the Warlock progression table in the Player’s Handbook for total Spell Slots, Cantrips known, and Spell Slot Level.
As an Honor Guard, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Honor Guard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Honor Guard level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, Medium armor, shields
Weapons: Shields, daggers, thrown property
Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools.
Saving Throws: Strength, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Investigation, Perception, Survival, Athletics, History, and Performance.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a shield and 2 daggers or (b) a shield and 30 darts
(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
(a) chain shirt, (b) leather armor, or (c) chain mail (if proficient)
The Best Defense
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of the shield as a weapon, Shield Strike allows you to wield a shield as if it were a normal weapon with great utility in a fight, and honor guard weapons, which are simple melee weapons and simple ranged weapons that don’t have the two-handed, versatile, or ammunition properties. You gain the following benefits while you are using a shield and/or are unarmed, or wielding only honor guard weapons:
You can use strength instead of dexterity for the attack and damage rolls of your shield strikes and honor guard weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your shield strike. This die changes as you gain honor guard levels, as shown in “The Best Defense” column of the “Honor Guard” table.
Augmented Reactions
Starting at 2nd level, your study of magic, training of body, and quick mind make you capable of performing a reaction(s) that would normally be impossible through the use of Erudition. The number of Erudition points you have available is equal to your Proficiency modifier (a minimum of two). You know the augmented Semblance reaction and one other augmented reaction of your choice, which are detailed in the section below. You learn one additional augmented reaction of your choice at 7th, 9th, 11th, and 17th level. Whenever you learn a new reaction, you can also replace one that you already know with a different reaction. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest and can change your list of reactions with any previously known.
Erudition is used to perform the following augmented reactions:
Defense Break
Against those who wilt. If an ally is attacking an enemy within your melee range, you can use your reaction to knock the enemy off balance and give your ally advantage on their attack roll.
Soul Protector (11th Level Required)
A journey of the soul. If an ally you can see is hit by an attack, you manifest a spark of your very being to surround your ally and shield them. The target gains resistance to all damage which is then halved and split with the honor guard for one hour. The honor guard takes psychic damage.
Protection
For those by your side. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.
Sacrifice
So that they may live. If an ally within 5ft of you is under attack, you trade places with them, becoming the target instead. If you’re knocked unconscious the protected ally gains advantage on their next attack and adds 1d12 to the damage roll. If you die, any ally in view gains advantage for one round against the creature that killed you and their next attack deals an additional 1d12 to the damage roll.
Semblance
For those out of reach. You can project your shield as a reaction up to 30ft away and protect another creature of your choice that is threatened by an attack until the start of your next turn. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll. The protected target receives a bonus to their AC equal to your proficiency modifier (minimum +2) from the projection. If you go unconscious while semblance is active it fades. You must be wielding a shield.
Sentinel’s Watch (7th Level Required)
A will to overcome. If an ally you can see is hit by an attack, you manifest your will power to surround your ally and shield them. The target gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage which is then halved and split with the honor guard for one attack. The honor guard takes psychic damage.
Assisted Leap
For those seeking ascension. Any creature of the same size or smaller steps on your braced shield and are then propelled in the desired direction. You must be wielding a shield.
Staggering Throw
To stay their advance. If an enemy moves 5ft within the range of a thrown weapon on your person, you can make an attack roll in an attempt to slow their progress. On a successful hit the enemy takes the weapon's respective damage and loses half of their movement for the remainder of their turn.
Reposition (7th Level Required)
A position of the past. You can use your reaction to move again up to your movement speed. Cannot use when targeted, even when damage is indirect, i.e fireball.
Deflect Missiles
Return to sender. You can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Strength modifier + your honor guard level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 valor point to make a melee attack or a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as an honor guard weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
Healer (7th Level Required)
Pour one out. When an ally goes unconscious within 5ft of you, you can immediately administer a healing potion or use a healer's kit if you have one.
Riposte (7th Level Required)
The power of opportunity. When a creature misses you with a melee attack you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the creature.
Taunt (7th Level Required)
Furious are the weak minded. When an ally is under attack you can taunt their assailant, the creature must be able to see and hear you. The taunted creature can only target you but is still free to move anywhere, the taunt lasts for 1 minute and cannot be stopped. The effect ends when you go unconscious or the creature dies.
Stunning Counter (9th Level/Vanguard Required)
Let justice be done. When a creature misses you with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to attempt a stunning counter . The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your DC or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
At 17th level this reaction evolves. Stunning counter now deals damage.
Consume Erudition (9th Level/Sentinel Required)
Let knowledge prevail. When you or a creature you can see is making a concentration saving throw, you can use your reaction to consume an erudition point and grant that creature advantage or disadvantage on the roll. This can only be done once per turn.
At 17th level this reaction evolves. You can choose whether the save succeeds or fails before the roll.
Shade Step (9th Level/Betrayed Required)
To become nothing. When an enemy misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to become invisible until the start of your next turn and move 10 feet. This can only be done once per turn.
At 17th level this reaction evolves. Your invisibility acts as Greater Invisibility for the duration and your movement is now 15ft.
Guidance of the Shield
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a Guidance of the Shield: Guidance of the Vanguard, Guidance of the Sentinel, and Guidance of the Betrayed are detailed at the end of the class description. Your chosen guidance grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 9th, 12th, and 17th level.
Valor
Starting at 3rd level, your steadfastness in the face of danger allows you to harness the will of valor. Your access to this ability is represented by a number of valor points. Your honor guard level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the “Valor Points” column of the “Honor Guard” table.
You can spend these points to perform various valor abilities. You start knowing two such features: Swift Strike and Shield Slam. You learn more valor features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a valor point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you’re reinvigorated and replenish your expended valor. You must spend at least 1 hour of rest to regain your valor points. When you critically hit with a weapon attack you regain a valor point. Some of your valor features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Valor save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Swift Strike
Immediately after taking an action on your turn, you can spend 1 valor point to make a ranged attack with a weapon that has the thrown property as a bonus action.
Shield Slam
Immediately after landing a hit with shield strike, you can spend 1 valor point to shove the target as a bonus action. It must make a Strength saving throw against your save DC or be pushed up to 15ft away.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead. The Shield Master feat cannot be chosen.
Juggernaut
Starting at 5th level, your speed increases by 5 feet and again at level 15.
Knowledge is Power
Starting at 6th level, your experience of fighting against magic has taught you both its usefulness and its danger, your strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
Fortitude
Starting at 7th level, you have reached your limits again and again, but you always rise up, whenever your health drops below half (rounding up) you can add your proficiency bonus to any saving throw. This effect ends when you’re at half or more health.
Shield Strike Improvement
Starting at 9th level, your understanding of magic has improved, you can choose one elemental type and take 1 hour to imbue your shield with: lightning, fire, cold damage or an element granted by your guidance. Each attack now deals one additional die equal to your shield strike of elemental damage, you gain a second elemental damage die when you reach 16th level. If you want to change the element you can spend 2 hours to imbue a different element or If another shield is acquired you can spend 1 hour and imbue an element into the new shield as the old element fades.
Components are consumed:
Lightning: 50 gold and a glass rod.
Fire: 50 gold, and a handful of ash or iron dust.
Cold: 50 gold and water
Additionally, shield slam now causes additional damage equal to your shields elemental damage.
Honorable Presence
Starting at 10th level, If an ally within line of sight makes a Persuasion or Intimidation (charisma) check, you can spend a valor point to grant advantage on the roll.
Opportunist
Starting at 14th level, you can take a second reaction in the same round, and when an enemy gets a surprise round, your quick senses let you use one reaction before the initiative order.
Area of Denial
At 15th level, as an action you can expand the shield's protective influence around you, for 1 minute any creature in a 15ft radius takes half damage from two damage types of your choice when you start the ability. You can do this once per long rest.
Adaptive
Starting at 16th level, you have learned more of magic elements through combat and the magic of your shield. You are now immune to the same elemental damage as your shield when using it.
Shield Strike Improvement
Starting at 16th level, your imbued shield deals an additional elemental damage die.
Indomitable
At 18th level, when you roll for initiative and have no valor points remaining, you regain 4 valor points. If you have no erudition remaining, you regain 2 erudition points.
Legendary Shield
At 20th level, The magic you have imbued your shield with over time has caused the shield to evolve and become more powerful. You can bind a name to the shield, and when invoked using an action, it’s current element releases a powerful magic aura. Shield auras can be used once and require a long rest to use again. They end if you choose to end them or you go unconscious.
Lightning: An electric surge of energy from the shield spreads out in a 30ft radius. The aura lasts for 1 minute and moves with you, centered on you. Allies that start their turn or pass through it are invigorated with power coursing through their muscles, for that turn their movement speed increases by 10ft and they can make an extra weapon attack. Enemies caught in the effect have disadvantage on strength and dexterity saving throws.
Fire: (balance comparison issues with necrotic) Heat emanates from your shield as you summon 6 columns of fire to any 5ft. space of your choice within 30ft of you. Any creature hit by a column must make a Dexterity saving throw for each column of fire under it. It takes 2d10 fire damage per column of fire on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Cold: Freezing cold temperature emanates from the shield. When you invoke its name the shield will flash freeze the area in a 15ft radius centered on you, this can be done a total of 3 times. Any creature caught in the area must make a constitution saving throw, on a success creatures are unaffected and can move freely through the affected area, on a fail they become restrained as moisture in the air freezes them in place , creatures can make saves at the start of their turns.
Necrotic: Black-green ethereal tendrils erupt from the shield hitting any visible enemy in a 30ft radius. The aura lasts for 1 minute and moves with you, centered on you. Enemies hit by a tendril take 2d10 necrotic damage and must make a constitution saving throw, on a success the creature frees itself from the tendril, on a failure the creature cannot move away from you and takes 2d10 necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The creature can make another save at the start of its turn after the damage. If a creature moves out of view while tethered it does not break, such as a wall or below water, if the creature is forced to leave the aura it is no longer affected. Your movement is halved so long as any creature is tethered to you.
Radiant: Healing energy radiates from the shield in an aura with a 30-foot radius. The aura lasts for 3 rounds and moves with you, centered on you. At the start of their turn any ally inside the aura (including you) regains 2d6 hit points. Undead move at half speed within the aura.
Psychic: Enhanced by the shield your powers of manipulation have taught you how to protect yourself as well as your allies. You project the influence of your mind in a 60 ft radius, protecting the minds of your allies and yourself. The aura lasts for 1 minute and moves with you, centered on you. Allies within the aura gain telepathic ability with those affected as well as resistance to being charmed, falling asleep, and being frightened. Any creature that leaves your range loses the effects.
Force: A shock wave bursts from your shield in a 30ft radius. Allies hit by the shockwave including yourself gain temporary hit points equal to your (constitution modifier multiplied by 6) or (Honor Guard levels plus your constitution modifier) as semi-transparent fields outline your forms. Enemies hit by the shock wave must make a strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Guidance of the Shield:
Honor guards who choose a path of guidance learn special ways to wield their shields with brute strength, sharp intellect, and specialized magic.
Guidance of the Vanguard
The guidance of the vanguard excels up close in disrupting the enemy all while remaining unpredictable. They learn techniques to more effectively counter and disable their opponents.
When choosing this Guidance gain a permanent +1 to attack rolls and proficiency in one of the following skills: Acrobatics, History, and Persuasion.
Shield Mastery
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can better manipulate your opponent while using the shield. You can use your bonus action to make a melee attack.
After landing a melee attack you can spend 1 valor point to perform one of the following as a bonus action:
Disarming Strike
The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your DC or drop a held item of the player’s choice.
Patient Defense
You can take the dodge action.
Shield Check
You attempt to blind your opponent, the target must make a Constitution saving throw against your DC or be blinded until the end of your next turn.
Flying Aegis (reworked)
At 7th level, you gain the ability to throw your shield using the attack action, the shield has a range of 30 feet. Immediately after a successful hit, you can spend a valor point to make another ranged attack with the shield.
Imbuement
Starting at 9th level, Vanguards can now imbue their shields with Force damage.
Components are consumed: 50 gold and thread.
Additionally, you have advantage on grapple checks.
Aegis Blink
Starting at 12th level, immediately after hitting a creature with flying aegis you can spend a valor point to teleport to your shield in an empty space adjacent to your target.
Unyielding Will
Starting at 17th level, when you hit a creature with an ability that uses a valor point, their saving throw is rolled at disadvantage.
Guidance of the Sentinel
The Guidance of the Sentinel is the path many honor guards pursue. Focused on protecting one’s allies and inspiring them in battle, the path of a Sentinel is the epitome of what an honor guard strives for. Sentinels have been mistaken for clerics with their seemingly divine magic, but have trained and learned through study and repetition to embrace the use of select magic to further extend the influence of their shield on the battlefield through Valor.
When choosing this Guidance shields gain an additional +1 to AC (+3) and you gain proficiency in heavy armor and one of the following skills: Arcana, Persuasion, and Medicine.
Learned Arcana
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can cast powerful support spells for your allies.
Your ability to cast spells is fueled by valor represented in the “Valor Points” column of the “Table of the Sentinel”. Due to your limited knowledge of magic, enhancing the power of any spell takes great effort. Spells at higher levels: When you cast a spell at a higher level the cost increases by 1 point for each slot level. If a spell listed has a level requirement next to it, you must at least be that level in this class in order to learn it. The spells are listed in alphabetical order below, you know bless and two others of your choice. You learn two additional spells of your choice at 7th, 9th, 12th, and 17th level. Whenever you learn new spells, you can also replace one that you already know with a different one. You can change your list of prepared spells with any previously known spells when you finish a long rest.
Shield of Control
Starting at 7th level, the Sentinel can begin to control the battlefield even further. Gain a +2 to Concentration saving throws to maintain spells.
Imbuement
Staring at 9th level, Sentinels can now imbue their shields with Radiant damage.
Components are consumed: 50 gold and a white feather.
Banner of the Valorous
Starting at 12th level, As an action you can summon a banner, when planted in the ground a dome of light flashes outward in a show of defiance. Every ally within sight gains a d8 inspiration die at the start of their turn and can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. A creature can have only one such inspiration die at a time.
While the banner is up the honor guard doesn’t expend erudition points when using augmented reactions. The banner and its effects fade after 3 rounds, it loses 20 hit points (AC 18), if the guard moves more than 15 feet from it or goes unconscious. You can’t use this feature again and a creature that gained inspiration from this ability can’t do so again until after finishing a long rest.
Stalwart Divide
Starting at 17th level, the connection to your allies has given you new vigor, you can demonstrate to any who threaten them the vast divide that stands between them and the allies at your side. The sentinel can have up to two concentration spells active at a time, however with 2 spells, the higher level spell’s concentration saving throw is rolled with disadvantage. If both spells are cast at the same level the second spell save has disadvantage. The War Caster feat affects each concentration spell seperately. Additionally, no spells can be cast while concentration is being held for two spells.
Honor Guard Levels
Maximum Valor Points for a Spell
5th - 8th
3
9th - 12th
4
13th - 16th
5
17th - 20th
6
Sentinel Spells
Aid [2nd] (7th Level Required)
You can cast aid using 2 valor points.
Aura of Vitality [3rd - C] (9th Level Required)
You cast aura of vitality using 3 valor points.
Bane [1st - C]
You can cast bane using 1 valor point.
Banishing Smite [5th - C] (17th Level Required)
You cast banishing smite using 5 valor points.
Bless [1st - C]
You can cast bless using 1 valor point.
Calm Emotions [2nd - C]
You cast calm emotions using 1 valor point.
Conjure Barrage [3rd] (9th Level Required)
You cast conjure barrage using 3 valor points.
Counterspell [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You can cast counterspell as a bonus action using 3 valor points.
Crusader’s Mantle [3rd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast crusader’s mantle using 2 valor points.
Cure Wounds [1st]
You cast cure wounds using 2 valor points.
Daylight [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You cast daylight using 2 valor points.
Ensnaring Strike [1st - C]
You cast ensnaring strike using 1 valor point.
Gift of Alacrity [1st]: Target can add 1d8 to their initiative once. Duration: 8 hours.
You cast gift of alacrity using 2 valor points.
Haste [3rd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast haste using 2 valor points.
Heat Metal [2nd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast heat metal using 3 valor points.
Hold Monster [5th - C] (9th Level Required)
You can cast hold monster using 5 valor points.
Hold Person [2nd - C]
You can cast hold person using 2 valor points.
Light [0]
You cast light using 0 valor points.
Mass Healing Word [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You cast mass healing word using 3 valor points.
Mental Prison [6th - C] (17th Level Required)
You cast mental prison using 6 valor points.
Message [0]
You cast message using 0 valor points.
Protection from Energy [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You cast protection from energy using 3 valor points.
Protection from Poison [2nd]
You cast protection from poison using 2 valor points.
Searing Smite [1st - C]
You cast searing smite using 1 valor point.
Shatter [2nd] (7th Level Required)
You cast shatter using 2 valor points.
Silence [2nd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast silence using 3 valor points.
Slow [3rd - C](9th Level Required)
You cast slow using 3 valor points.
Spike Growth [2nd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast spike growth using 3 valor points.
Teleport [7th](17th Level Required)
You cast teleport using 6 valor points.
Wall of Force [5th - C] (11th Level Required)
You cast wall of force using 5 valor points.
Zone of Truth [2nd] (7th Level Required)
You cast zone of truth using 3 valor points.
Guidance of the Betrayed
An honor guard strives to shield others and uphold their selfless ideals, but every once in a while, one of these noble warriors will stray from the path. Be it corruption by the society they served, the death of a client because they failed, or the betrayal of their own ideals, something sent them down a dark road and it is up to them to redeem themselves. If an honor guard deliberately throws away who they are to follow the Guidance of the Betrayed, then they have become a contradiction of who they were, stripping themselves of their title and the ideals they clung to, leaving behind a warrior known as a Betrayed.
When you choose this Guidance gain proficiency with the Disguise kit and one of the following skills: Stealth, Acrobatics, and Insight. Additionally, your proficiency bonus can be doubled and added to any Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Deceiver
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you have forgone your honor and learned to manipulate others, choosing to use deception, tricks, and magic to get the upper hand in whatever way possible. You can cast minor illusion and gain advantage on deception checks, and as an action you can spend 2 valor points to cast Blink or invisibility on yourself.
Uncanny Deflect
Starting at 7th level, you can use uncanny deflect as a reaction when an attacker that you can see hits you with a melee attack, you halve the attacks damage against you, and the remaining damage can be deflected to any creature (except your attacker) of your choice within 5ft of your attacker.
Imbuement
Starting at 9th level, Betrayed can now imbue their shield with Psychic damage.
Components are consumed: A diamond worth 50 gold.
Silver Tongue
Starting at 12th level, you can spend 4 points of valor to cast Mass Suggestion at 6th level.
Additionally, your speed increases by +5 feet (+10ft).
Wraith
Starting at 17th level, as a bonus action you can spend 3 valor points to become invisible until the end of your turn, this ends if you make an attack or cast a spell. While invisible your movement speed increases +10ft, you are resistant to slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage, and your first strike deals 5d6 sneak attack damage and uses your attack action. A short rest is needed between uses.
Additionally, you get a +2 to attack rolls when an ally is within 5ft of your target.
Guidance of the Bonded
Guards follow their own ideals giving them strength and resolve in a world influenced by monsters, powerful gods, and merciless demons that can destroy nations and twist reality. However, Ideals alone will not always be enough, and under extreme circumstances the strength of a more powerful entity is needed to persevere.
Rarely is an honor guard pushed to the brink of their beliefs, and while they will not betray themselves they often learn a hard truth; Their will alone is not enough to uphold those beliefs. They will either surrender to reality or search for a greater power to twist reality for them, a patron so that they may gain the strength to beat back the darkness, and then it will know the Guidance of The Bonded.
When choosing this Guidance gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Arcana, Religion, and Insight.
Otherworldly Patron
When you reach 3rd level, you strike a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice: the Archfey, the Fiend, the Undying, or the Great Old One, each detailed in the warlock section of the Player's Handbook, the Undying in the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, or the Celestial in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. Your choice augments some of your order features.
The Archfey
Your patron is a lord or lady of the fey, a creature of legend who holds secrets that were forgotten before the mortal races were born. This being’s motivations are often inscrutable, and sometimes whimsical, and might involve striving for greater magical power or the settling of age-old grudges. Beings of this sort include the Prince of Frost; the Queen of Air and Darkness, ruler of the Gloaming Court; Titania of the Summer Court; her consort Oberon, the Green Lord; Hyrsam, the Prince of Fools; and ancient hags.
The Celestial
Your patron is a powerful being of the Upper Planes. You have bound yourself to an ancient empyrean, solar, ki-rin, unicorn, or other entity that resides in the planes of everlasting bliss. Your pact with that being allows you to experience the barest touch of the holy light that illuminates the multiverse.
The Fiend
You have made a pact with a fiend from the lower planes of existence, a being whose aims are evil, even if you strive against those aims. Such beings desire the corruption or destruction of all things, ultimately including you. Fiends powerful enough to forge a pact include demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus, Fraz’Urb-luu, and Baphomet; archdevils such as Asmodeus, Dispater, Mephistopheles, and Belial; pit fiends and balors that are especially mighty; and ultroloths and other lords of the yugoloths.
The Great Old One
Your patron is a mysterious entity whose nature is utterly foreign to the fabric of reality. It might come from the Far Realm, the space beyond reality, or it could be one of the elder gods known only in legends. Its motives are incomprehensible to mortals, and its knowledge so immense and ancient that even the greatest libraries pale in comparison to the vast secrets it holds. The Great Old One might be unaware of your existence or entirely indifferent to you, but the secrets you have learned allow you to draw your magic from it.
The Undying
Death holds no sway over your patron, who has unlocked the secrets of everlasting life, although such a prize — like all power — comes at a price. Once mortal, the Undying has seen mortal lifetimes pass like the seasons, like the flicker of endless days and nights. It has the secrets of the ages to share, secrets of life and death. Beings of this sort include Vecna, Lord of the Hand and the Eye; the dread Iuz; the lich-queen Vol; the Undying Court of Aerenal; Vlaakith, lich-queen of the githyanki; and the deathless wizard Fistandantalus.
Pact Magic
When you reach 3rd level, you can augment your combat techniques with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 in the Player's Handbook for the Sorcerer spell list.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional Sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 9th level.
Spell Slots. The Bond Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level.
To cast one of your Sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, when you are 8th level, you have two 2nd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell witch bolt, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 2nd-level spell.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. At 4th level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list.
The Spells Known column of The Bond table shows when you learn more Sorcerer spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 12th level, for example, you learn a new Sorcerer spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class and order, you can choose one of the Sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Sorcerer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Sorcerer spells, so you use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Level
Cantrips Known
Spells Known
Spell Slots
Slot Level
4
2
2
1
1
5
2
2
2
1
6
2
3
2
2
7
2
3
2
2
8
2
4
2
2
9
3
4
2
2
10
3
5
2
2
11
3
5
2
3
12
3
6
2
3
13
3
6
2
3
14
3
7
2
3
15
3
7
2
4
16
3
8
2
4
17
3
8
2
4
18
3
9
2
4
19
3
10
2
5
20
3
11
2
5
Pact Weapon
Starting at 3rd level, you weave power from the pact between the patron, yourself, and the shield, bonding it to you.
Your bonded shield disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the shield (no action required), or if you die.
You can transform one magic shield into your bonded shield by performing a special ritual while you hold them. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the shield, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your bonded shield thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The shield ceases being your bonded shield if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different shield, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The shield appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.
The shield becomes bound to your pact with your chosen patron. While your shield is summoned, you can use it as a spellcasting focus (found in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook) for your spells. Your chosen pact also enhances your abilities.
The Archfey
You can use an augmented reaction you know without using a point of eurition. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Celestial
You can expend a use of your augmented reactions feature as a bonus action to heal one creature within 60 feet of you. They regain hit points equal to your honor guard levels + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Fiend
If you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll or saving throw, you can choose to take fire damage equal to half your level (rounding up) in this class and make the attack succeed instead, adding the fire damage to your attack damage. You cannot be knocked unconscious from the damage and are instead dropped to 1 hit point. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Great Old One
Whenever you deal a critical hit to a creature, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the creature is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
The Undying
Whenever you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points with a weapon attack, and kill it, you regain hit points equal to your damage die rolled once.
Violent Cast
Beginning at 7th level, whenever you cast a cantrip, if you roll a 1 on any damage die, you may reroll them. You can reroll each die only once per turn and must take the second roll.
Bound Arcana
At 7th level, your patron grants you the rare use of a dangerous arcane spell based on your pact.
The Archfey
You can cast blur once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Celestial
You can cast sacred flame once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Fiend
You can cast burning hands once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Great Old One
You can cast phantasmal force once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Undying
You can cast blindness/deafness once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Imbuement
Starting at 9th level, Bonded can now imbue their shields with Radiant or Necrotic damage.
Components are consumed:
Radiant: 50 gold and a white feather
Necrotic: 50 gold and a drop of blood
Alternate Summon
Starting at 12th level, when you summon your shield you can spend a valor point to have it follow and revolve around you. When the shield is summoned in this way, melee attacks against you that miss your AC by 5 or more are hit by the shield, which deals elemental damage based on the Shield Strike Improvement. While the shield is like this you do not benefit from it’s AC bonus but are still able to make melee attacks excluding the shields elemental damage and perform augmented reactions as normal.
Unchained Arcana
At 17th level, your patron grants you the rare use of an additional arcane spell based on your pact.
The Archfey
You can cast dominate beast once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Celestial
You can cast revivify touch once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Fiend
You can cast fireball once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Great Old One
You can cast haste once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Undying
You can cast Blight once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Reality Bond
At 17th level, you can invoke your patron to alter reality, the space around you warps and twists as your patron restores your expended spell slots and new magical energy surges through you. You can spend 1 minute entreating your patron for aid to regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. Once you regain spell slots with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Although it sounds cool, I would say that this is similar to the Blood hunter, so you could make one of these guys as a good blood hunter. On top of this, these guys don't seem like they can do much damage in combat at level one, using just weapons. Two daggers!?! Or 30 darts!?!? It seems like these guys also lean into the paladin class. At the moment, I would definitely choose pally. The proficiencies seem messes up. Medium armour, but not light? You offer heavy but no-one will have proficiency with it cause if you start with this class then it isn't given. You can't pick it up from fighter with multiclass. And only thrown weapons and daggers? That doesn't make sense. This seems like a martial class, yet doesn't really get the right proficiencies or equipment for it. As much as I love the idea, I would prefer to go either paladin or good Blood hunter.
The honor guard is a support class with potentially high damage, some of the Guidance characteristics stray from that concept a bit, but it's an ongoing development still. As for equipment; the class is intended to focus on using the shield, but can have options depending on how you build it, for example, some races have weapon proficiencies like the dwarf or elf could start using a sword but eventually the shield would be the better option. However, it's proficiencies have been an area of conflict for me, simple weapons may help the classes early game. As for your comparisons to other classes, I did take inspiration from certain aspects of the other classes, Guidance of the Bonded is very similar to the Blood hunter's Order of the Profane Soul as the structure made sense for what i was working with, but most classes share similarities with others. Your note of multiclassing reminded me to add that to the description, though that is still incomplete thus far. One of my goals while making this class has always been for it to have it's own identity apart from the other classes regardless of similarities, and that's where feedback and testing come in.
Could you elaborate on why you think the blood hunter is similar, or why it and the paladin are classes you would prefer to play?
3/27/2020. I started making this class in January of 2019, it's already gone through multiple iterations. However, it has had almost no play-testing, and feedback from only a few sources, so any feedback is welcome, and if you feel like trying it out please do, with the knowledge that what your playing is largely untested.
3/28/2020. I made a few class adjustments, buffs, and switched the levels at which some abilities are learned, along with some minimal multiclassing specifications. Plus some minor editing errors.
Honor Guard
In lands fraught with dark monsters and cities tainted by human ilk, the heroes that combat them are many in number. However, there are heroes who are as legendary in their ability as they are few in number.
These folk are called ‘Honor Guards.’
Only the fearless take this path. Honor guards are a unique breed, as their name suggests, they will do whatever is within their power to protect those around them. However, it is for the same reason that very few people ever lay eyes on an honor guard, for a guard to be contracted to very powerful and important beings often puts a target on their back as well. They are not called honor guards simply because of who or what they guard, it is because of the seemingly undying determination and honor they display on and off the battlefield to protect those they are sworn to, or those they choose to call friends.
An honor guard values defense above all, and does so with a shield, the most defining feature of an honor guard as it is also their greatest weapon. While the shield is typically nothing extraordinary, an honor guard can wield it with great skill, and learn to supplement their technique with magic to enhance both themselves and the shield.
Creating an Honor Guard
As you create your honor guard, keep in mind the effect your character can have in society and what made them choose the path of shielding others. Was it someone they lost or maybe an oath they took? What makes your honor guard worthy of their title?
While an honor guard can protect themselves, they are not ignorant of their need for companions on the road and will welcome them. Honor guards know their best place is beside those who could use a shield.
Quick Build:
You can make an honor guard quickly by following these suggestions. First make Strength your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence if you plan to focus on the effectiveness of your abilities, or Constitution if you want the extra hit points to take hits. Second, choose the Folk Hero background or the Criminal background if you go Guidance of the Betrayed.
Table of the Honor Guard
Level
Proficiency
Bonus
Best
Defense
Valor
Points
Juggernaut
Features
1
+2
1d4
-
-
The Best Defense
2
+2
1d4
-
-
Erudition
3
+2
1d4
3
-
Guidance of the Shield, Valor
4
+2
1d4
4
-
Ability Score Improvement
5
+3
1d6
5
+5 ft.
Juggernaut
6
+3
1d6
6
+5 ft.
Knowledge is Power
7
+3
1d6
7
+5 ft.
Fortitude, Guidance of the Shield Feature
8
+3
1d6
8
+5 ft.
Ability Score Improvement
9
+4
1d6
9
+5 ft.
Shield Strike Improvement, Guidance of the Shield Feature
10
+4
1d6
10
+5 ft.
Honorable Presence
11
+4
1d8
11
+5 ft.
12
+4
1d8
12
+5 ft.
Guidance of the Shield Feature
13
+5
1d8
13
+5 ft.
Ability Score Improvement
14
+5
1d8
14
+5 ft.
Opportunist
15
+5
1d8
15
+10 ft.
Area of Denial
16
+5
1d8
16
+10 ft.
Shield Strike Improvement, Adaptive
17
+6
1d10
17
+10 ft.
Guidance of the Shield Feature
18
+6
1d10
18
+10 ft.
Indomitable
19
+6
1d10
19
+10 ft.
Ability Score Improvement
20
+6
1d10
20
+10 ft.
Legendary Shield
Honor Guard Multiclassing
Should you wish to multiclass into an Honor Guard, the prerequisites and proficiencies gained are listed below.
Honor Guard Multiclassing
Ability Score Minimim
Strength 13 or Dexterity 13, and Intelligence 13
Honor Guard Multiclassing Proficiencies
Proficiencies Gained
Light armor, medium armor, shields, daggers, thrown weapons, one skill from the class’s skill list, one artisan tool.
Honor Guard Multiclassing with Warlock
If multiclassing Guidance of the Bonded with Warlock levels, add a third of your honor guard levels (rounded down) to your Warlock level and consult the Warlock progression table in the Player’s Handbook for total Spell Slots, Cantrips known, and Spell Slot Level.
As an Honor Guard, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Honor Guard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Honor Guard level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, Medium armor, shields
Weapons: Shields, daggers, thrown property
Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools.
Saving Throws: Strength, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Investigation, Perception, Survival, Athletics, History, and Performance.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
The Best Defense
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of the shield as a weapon, Shield Strike allows you to wield a shield as if it were a normal weapon with great utility in a fight, and honor guard weapons, which are simple melee weapons and simple ranged weapons that don’t have the two-handed, versatile, or ammunition properties. You gain the following benefits while you are using a shield and/or are unarmed, or wielding only honor guard weapons:
Augmented Reactions
Starting at 2nd level, your study of magic, training of body, and quick mind make you capable of performing a reaction(s) that would normally be impossible through the use of Erudition. The number of Erudition points you have available is equal to your Proficiency modifier (a minimum of two). You know the augmented Semblance reaction and one other augmented reaction of your choice, which are detailed in the section below. You learn one additional augmented reaction of your choice at 7th, 9th, 11th, and 17th level. Whenever you learn a new reaction, you can also replace one that you already know with a different reaction. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest and can change your list of reactions with any previously known.
Erudition is used to perform the following augmented reactions:
Defense Break
Against those who wilt. If an ally is attacking an enemy within your melee range, you can use your reaction to knock the enemy off balance and give your ally advantage on their attack roll.
Soul Protector (11th Level Required)
A journey of the soul. If an ally you can see is hit by an attack, you manifest a spark of your very being to surround your ally and shield them. The target gains resistance to all damage which is then halved and split with the honor guard for one hour. The honor guard takes psychic damage.
Protection
For those by your side. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.
Sacrifice
So that they may live. If an ally within 5ft of you is under attack, you trade places with them, becoming the target instead. If you’re knocked unconscious the protected ally gains advantage on their next attack and adds 1d12 to the damage roll. If you die, any ally in view gains advantage for one round against the creature that killed you and their next attack deals an additional 1d12 to the damage roll.
Semblance
For those out of reach. You can project your shield as a reaction up to 30ft away and protect another creature of your choice that is threatened by an attack until the start of your next turn. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll. The protected target receives a bonus to their AC equal to your proficiency modifier (minimum +2) from the projection. If you go unconscious while semblance is active it fades. You must be wielding a shield.
Sentinel’s Watch (7th Level Required)
A will to overcome. If an ally you can see is hit by an attack, you manifest your will power to surround your ally and shield them. The target gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage which is then halved and split with the honor guard for one attack. The honor guard takes psychic damage.
Assisted Leap
For those seeking ascension. Any creature of the same size or smaller steps on your braced shield and are then propelled in the desired direction. You must be wielding a shield.
Staggering Throw
To stay their advance. If an enemy moves 5ft within the range of a thrown weapon on your person, you can make an attack roll in an attempt to slow their progress. On a successful hit the enemy takes the weapon's respective damage and loses half of their movement for the remainder of their turn.
Reposition (7th Level Required)
A position of the past. You can use your reaction to move again up to your movement speed. Cannot use when targeted, even when damage is indirect, i.e fireball.
Deflect Missiles
Return to sender. You can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Strength modifier + your honor guard level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 valor point to make a melee attack or a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as an honor guard weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
Healer (7th Level Required)
Pour one out. When an ally goes unconscious within 5ft of you, you can immediately administer a healing potion or use a healer's kit if you have one.
Riposte (7th Level Required)
The power of opportunity. When a creature misses you with a melee attack you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the creature.
Taunt (7th Level Required)
Furious are the weak minded. When an ally is under attack you can taunt their assailant, the creature must be able to see and hear you. The taunted creature can only target you but is still free to move anywhere, the taunt lasts for 1 minute and cannot be stopped. The effect ends when you go unconscious or the creature dies.
Stunning Counter (9th Level/Vanguard Required)
Let justice be done. When a creature misses you with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to attempt a stunning counter . The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your DC or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
At 17th level this reaction evolves. Stunning counter now deals damage.
Consume Erudition (9th Level/Sentinel Required)
Let knowledge prevail. When you or a creature you can see is making a concentration saving throw, you can use your reaction to consume an erudition point and grant that creature advantage or disadvantage on the roll. This can only be done once per turn.
At 17th level this reaction evolves. You can choose whether the save succeeds or fails before the roll.
Shade Step (9th Level/Betrayed Required)
To become nothing. When an enemy misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to become invisible until the start of your next turn and move 10 feet. This can only be done once per turn.
At 17th level this reaction evolves. Your invisibility acts as Greater Invisibility for the duration and your movement is now 15ft.
Guidance of the Shield
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a Guidance of the Shield: Guidance of the Vanguard, Guidance of the Sentinel, and Guidance of the Betrayed are detailed at the end of the class description. Your chosen guidance grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 9th, 12th, and 17th level.
Valor
Starting at 3rd level, your steadfastness in the face of danger allows you to harness the will of valor. Your access to this ability is represented by a number of valor points. Your honor guard level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the “Valor Points” column of the “Honor Guard” table.
You can spend these points to perform various valor abilities. You start knowing two such features: Swift Strike and Shield Slam. You learn more valor features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a valor point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you’re reinvigorated and replenish your expended valor. You must spend at least 1 hour of rest to regain your valor points. When you critically hit with a weapon attack you regain a valor point. Some of your valor features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Valor save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Swift Strike
Immediately after taking an action on your turn, you can spend 1 valor point to make a ranged attack with a weapon that has the thrown property as a bonus action.
Shield Slam
Immediately after landing a hit with shield strike, you can spend 1 valor point to shove the target as a bonus action. It must make a Strength saving throw against your save DC or be pushed up to 15ft away.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead. The Shield Master feat cannot be chosen.
Juggernaut
Starting at 5th level, your speed increases by 5 feet and again at level 15.
Knowledge is Power
Starting at 6th level, your experience of fighting against magic has taught you both its usefulness and its danger, your strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
Fortitude
Starting at 7th level, you have reached your limits again and again, but you always rise up, whenever your health drops below half (rounding up) you can add your proficiency bonus to any saving throw. This effect ends when you’re at half or more health.
Shield Strike Improvement
Starting at 9th level, your understanding of magic has improved, you can choose one elemental type and take 1 hour to imbue your shield with: lightning, fire, cold damage or an element granted by your guidance. Each attack now deals one additional die equal to your shield strike of elemental damage, you gain a second elemental damage die when you reach 16th level. If you want to change the element you can spend 2 hours to imbue a different element or If another shield is acquired you can spend 1 hour and imbue an element into the new shield as the old element fades.
Components are consumed:
Lightning: 50 gold and a glass rod.
Fire: 50 gold, and a handful of ash or iron dust.
Cold: 50 gold and water
Additionally, shield slam now causes additional damage equal to your shields elemental damage.
Honorable Presence
Starting at 10th level, If an ally within line of sight makes a Persuasion or Intimidation (charisma) check, you can spend a valor point to grant advantage on the roll.
Opportunist
Starting at 14th level, you can take a second reaction in the same round, and when an enemy gets a surprise round, your quick senses let you use one reaction before the initiative order.
Area of Denial
At 15th level, as an action you can expand the shield's protective influence around you, for 1 minute any creature in a 15ft radius takes half damage from two damage types of your choice when you start the ability. You can do this once per long rest.
Adaptive
Starting at 16th level, you have learned more of magic elements through combat and the magic of your shield. You are now immune to the same elemental damage as your shield when using it.
Shield Strike Improvement
Starting at 16th level, your imbued shield deals an additional elemental damage die.
Indomitable
At 18th level, when you roll for initiative and have no valor points remaining, you regain 4 valor points. If you have no erudition remaining, you regain 2 erudition points.
Legendary Shield
At 20th level, The magic you have imbued your shield with over time has caused the shield to evolve and become more powerful. You can bind a name to the shield, and when invoked using an action, it’s current element releases a powerful magic aura. Shield auras can be used once and require a long rest to use again. They end if you choose to end them or you go unconscious.
Lightning: An electric surge of energy from the shield spreads out in a 30ft radius. The aura lasts for 1 minute and moves with you, centered on you. Allies that start their turn or pass through it are invigorated with power coursing through their muscles, for that turn their movement speed increases by 10ft and they can make an extra weapon attack. Enemies caught in the effect have disadvantage on strength and dexterity saving throws.
Fire: (balance comparison issues with necrotic) Heat emanates from your shield as you summon 6 columns of fire to any 5ft. space of your choice within 30ft of you. Any creature hit by a column must make a Dexterity saving throw for each column of fire under it. It takes 2d10 fire damage per column of fire on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Cold: Freezing cold temperature emanates from the shield. When you invoke its name the shield will flash freeze the area in a 15ft radius centered on you, this can be done a total of 3 times. Any creature caught in the area must make a constitution saving throw, on a success creatures are unaffected and can move freely through the affected area, on a fail they become restrained as moisture in the air freezes them in place , creatures can make saves at the start of their turns.
Necrotic: Black-green ethereal tendrils erupt from the shield hitting any visible enemy in a 30ft radius. The aura lasts for 1 minute and moves with you, centered on you. Enemies hit by a tendril take 2d10 necrotic damage and must make a constitution saving throw, on a success the creature frees itself from the tendril, on a failure the creature cannot move away from you and takes 2d10 necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The creature can make another save at the start of its turn after the damage. If a creature moves out of view while tethered it does not break, such as a wall or below water, if the creature is forced to leave the aura it is no longer affected. Your movement is halved so long as any creature is tethered to you.
Radiant: Healing energy radiates from the shield in an aura with a 30-foot radius. The aura lasts for 3 rounds and moves with you, centered on you. At the start of their turn any ally inside the aura (including you) regains 2d6 hit points. Undead move at half speed within the aura.
Psychic: Enhanced by the shield your powers of manipulation have taught you how to protect yourself as well as your allies. You project the influence of your mind in a 60 ft radius, protecting the minds of your allies and yourself. The aura lasts for 1 minute and moves with you, centered on you. Allies within the aura gain telepathic ability with those affected as well as resistance to being charmed, falling asleep, and being frightened. Any creature that leaves your range loses the effects.
Force: A shock wave bursts from your shield in a 30ft radius. Allies hit by the shockwave including yourself gain temporary hit points equal to your (constitution modifier multiplied by 6) or (Honor Guard levels plus your constitution modifier) as semi-transparent fields outline your forms. Enemies hit by the shock wave must make a strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Guidance of the Shield:
Honor guards who choose a path of guidance learn special ways to wield their shields with brute strength, sharp intellect, and specialized magic.
Guidance of the Vanguard
The guidance of the vanguard excels up close in disrupting the enemy all while remaining unpredictable. They learn techniques to more effectively counter and disable their opponents.
When choosing this Guidance gain a permanent +1 to attack rolls and proficiency in one of the following skills: Acrobatics, History, and Persuasion.
Shield Mastery
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can better manipulate your opponent while using the shield. You can use your bonus action to make a melee attack.
After landing a melee attack you can spend 1 valor point to perform one of the following as a bonus action:
Disarming Strike
The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your DC or drop a held item of the player’s choice.
Patient Defense
You can take the dodge action.
Shield Check
You attempt to blind your opponent, the target must make a Constitution saving throw against your DC or be blinded until the end of your next turn.
Flying Aegis (reworked)
At 7th level, you gain the ability to throw your shield using the attack action, the shield has a range of 30 feet. Immediately after a successful hit, you can spend a valor point to make another ranged attack with the shield.
Imbuement
Starting at 9th level, Vanguards can now imbue their shields with Force damage.
Components are consumed: 50 gold and thread.
Additionally, you have advantage on grapple checks.
Aegis Blink
Starting at 12th level, immediately after hitting a creature with flying aegis you can spend a valor point to teleport to your shield in an empty space adjacent to your target.
Unyielding Will
Starting at 17th level, when you hit a creature with an ability that uses a valor point, their saving throw is rolled at disadvantage.
Guidance of the Sentinel
The Guidance of the Sentinel is the path many honor guards pursue. Focused on protecting one’s allies and inspiring them in battle, the path of a Sentinel is the epitome of what an honor guard strives for. Sentinels have been mistaken for clerics with their seemingly divine magic, but have trained and learned through study and repetition to embrace the use of select magic to further extend the influence of their shield on the battlefield through Valor.
When choosing this Guidance shields gain an additional +1 to AC (+3) and you gain proficiency in heavy armor and one of the following skills: Arcana, Persuasion, and Medicine.
Learned Arcana
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can cast powerful support spells for your allies.
Your ability to cast spells is fueled by valor represented in the “Valor Points” column of the “Table of the Sentinel”. Due to your limited knowledge of magic, enhancing the power of any spell takes great effort. Spells at higher levels: When you cast a spell at a higher level the cost increases by 1 point for each slot level. If a spell listed has a level requirement next to it, you must at least be that level in this class in order to learn it. The spells are listed in alphabetical order below, you know bless and two others of your choice. You learn two additional spells of your choice at 7th, 9th, 12th, and 17th level. Whenever you learn new spells, you can also replace one that you already know with a different one. You can change your list of prepared spells with any previously known spells when you finish a long rest.
Shield of Control
Starting at 7th level, the Sentinel can begin to control the battlefield even further. Gain a +2 to Concentration saving throws to maintain spells.
Imbuement
Staring at 9th level, Sentinels can now imbue their shields with Radiant damage.
Components are consumed: 50 gold and a white feather.
Banner of the Valorous
Starting at 12th level, As an action you can summon a banner, when planted in the ground a dome of light flashes outward in a show of defiance. Every ally within sight gains a d8 inspiration die at the start of their turn and can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. A creature can have only one such inspiration die at a time.
While the banner is up the honor guard doesn’t expend erudition points when using augmented reactions. The banner and its effects fade after 3 rounds, it loses 20 hit points (AC 18), if the guard moves more than 15 feet from it or goes unconscious. You can’t use this feature again and a creature that gained inspiration from this ability can’t do so again until after finishing a long rest.
Stalwart Divide
Starting at 17th level, the connection to your allies has given you new vigor, you can demonstrate to any who threaten them the vast divide that stands between them and the allies at your side. The sentinel can have up to two concentration spells active at a time, however with 2 spells, the higher level spell’s concentration saving throw is rolled with disadvantage. If both spells are cast at the same level the second spell save has disadvantage. The War Caster feat affects each concentration spell seperately. Additionally, no spells can be cast while concentration is being held for two spells.
Honor Guard Levels
Maximum Valor Points for a Spell
5th - 8th
3
9th - 12th
4
13th - 16th
5
17th - 20th
6
Sentinel Spells
Aid [2nd] (7th Level Required)
You can cast aid using 2 valor points.
Aura of Vitality [3rd - C] (9th Level Required)
You cast aura of vitality using 3 valor points.
Bane [1st - C]
You can cast bane using 1 valor point.
Banishing Smite [5th - C] (17th Level Required)
You cast banishing smite using 5 valor points.
Bless [1st - C]
You can cast bless using 1 valor point.
Calm Emotions [2nd - C]
You cast calm emotions using 1 valor point.
Conjure Barrage [3rd] (9th Level Required)
You cast conjure barrage using 3 valor points.
Counterspell [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You can cast counterspell as a bonus action using 3 valor points.
Crusader’s Mantle [3rd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast crusader’s mantle using 2 valor points.
Cure Wounds [1st]
You cast cure wounds using 2 valor points.
Daylight [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You cast daylight using 2 valor points.
Ensnaring Strike [1st - C]
You cast ensnaring strike using 1 valor point.
Gift of Alacrity [1st]: Target can add 1d8 to their initiative once. Duration: 8 hours.
You cast gift of alacrity using 2 valor points.
Haste [3rd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast haste using 2 valor points.
Heat Metal [2nd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast heat metal using 3 valor points.
Hold Monster [5th - C] (9th Level Required)
You can cast hold monster using 5 valor points.
Hold Person [2nd - C]
You can cast hold person using 2 valor points.
Light [0]
You cast light using 0 valor points.
Mass Healing Word [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You cast mass healing word using 3 valor points.
Mental Prison [6th - C] (17th Level Required)
You cast mental prison using 6 valor points.
Message [0]
You cast message using 0 valor points.
Protection from Energy [3rd] (7th Level Required)
You cast protection from energy using 3 valor points.
Protection from Poison [2nd]
You cast protection from poison using 2 valor points.
Searing Smite [1st - C]
You cast searing smite using 1 valor point.
Shatter [2nd] (7th Level Required)
You cast shatter using 2 valor points.
Silence [2nd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast silence using 3 valor points.
Slow [3rd - C](9th Level Required)
You cast slow using 3 valor points.
Spike Growth [2nd - C] (7th Level Required)
You cast spike growth using 3 valor points.
Teleport [7th](17th Level Required)
You cast teleport using 6 valor points.
Wall of Force [5th - C] (11th Level Required)
You cast wall of force using 5 valor points.
Zone of Truth [2nd] (7th Level Required)
You cast zone of truth using 3 valor points.
Guidance of the Betrayed
An honor guard strives to shield others and uphold their selfless ideals, but every once in a while, one of these noble warriors will stray from the path. Be it corruption by the society they served, the death of a client because they failed, or the betrayal of their own ideals, something sent them down a dark road and it is up to them to redeem themselves. If an honor guard deliberately throws away who they are to follow the Guidance of the Betrayed, then they have become a contradiction of who they were, stripping themselves of their title and the ideals they clung to, leaving behind a warrior known as a Betrayed.
When you choose this Guidance gain proficiency with the Disguise kit and one of the following skills: Stealth, Acrobatics, and Insight. Additionally, your proficiency bonus can be doubled and added to any Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Deceiver
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you have forgone your honor and learned to manipulate others, choosing to use deception, tricks, and magic to get the upper hand in whatever way possible. You can cast minor illusion and gain advantage on deception checks, and as an action you can spend 2 valor points to cast Blink or invisibility on yourself.
Uncanny Deflect
Starting at 7th level, you can use uncanny deflect as a reaction when an attacker that you can see hits you with a melee attack, you halve the attacks damage against you, and the remaining damage can be deflected to any creature (except your attacker) of your choice within 5ft of your attacker.
Imbuement
Starting at 9th level, Betrayed can now imbue their shield with Psychic damage.
Components are consumed: A diamond worth 50 gold.
Silver Tongue
Starting at 12th level, you can spend 4 points of valor to cast Mass Suggestion at 6th level.
Additionally, your speed increases by +5 feet (+10ft).
Wraith
Starting at 17th level, as a bonus action you can spend 3 valor points to become invisible until the end of your turn, this ends if you make an attack or cast a spell. While invisible your movement speed increases +10ft, you are resistant to slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage, and your first strike deals 5d6 sneak attack damage and uses your attack action. A short rest is needed between uses.
Additionally, you get a +2 to attack rolls when an ally is within 5ft of your target.
Guidance of the Bonded
Guards follow their own ideals giving them strength and resolve in a world influenced by monsters, powerful gods, and merciless demons that can destroy nations and twist reality. However, Ideals alone will not always be enough, and under extreme circumstances the strength of a more powerful entity is needed to persevere.
Rarely is an honor guard pushed to the brink of their beliefs, and while they will not betray themselves they often learn a hard truth; Their will alone is not enough to uphold those beliefs. They will either surrender to reality or search for a greater power to twist reality for them, a patron so that they may gain the strength to beat back the darkness, and then it will know the Guidance of The Bonded.
When choosing this Guidance gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Arcana, Religion, and Insight.
Otherworldly Patron
When you reach 3rd level, you strike a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice: the Archfey, the Fiend, the Undying, or the Great Old One, each detailed in the warlock section of the Player's Handbook, the Undying in the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, or the Celestial in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. Your choice augments some of your order features.
The Archfey
Your patron is a lord or lady of the fey, a creature of legend who holds secrets that were forgotten before the mortal races were born. This being’s motivations are often inscrutable, and sometimes whimsical, and might involve striving for greater magical power or the settling of age-old grudges. Beings of this sort include the Prince of Frost; the Queen of Air and Darkness, ruler of the Gloaming Court; Titania of the Summer Court; her consort Oberon, the Green Lord; Hyrsam, the Prince of Fools; and ancient hags.
The Celestial
Your patron is a powerful being of the Upper Planes. You have bound yourself to an ancient empyrean, solar, ki-rin, unicorn, or other entity that resides in the planes of everlasting bliss. Your pact with that being allows you to experience the barest touch of the holy light that illuminates the multiverse.
The Fiend
You have made a pact with a fiend from the lower planes of existence, a being whose aims are evil, even if you strive against those aims. Such beings desire the corruption or destruction of all things, ultimately including you. Fiends powerful enough to forge a pact include demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus, Fraz’Urb-luu, and Baphomet; archdevils such as Asmodeus, Dispater, Mephistopheles, and Belial; pit fiends and balors that are especially mighty; and ultroloths and other lords of the yugoloths.
The Great Old One
Your patron is a mysterious entity whose nature is utterly foreign to the fabric of reality. It might come from the Far Realm, the space beyond reality, or it could be one of the elder gods known only in legends. Its motives are incomprehensible to mortals, and its knowledge so immense and ancient that even the greatest libraries pale in comparison to the vast secrets it holds. The Great Old One might be unaware of your existence or entirely indifferent to you, but the secrets you have learned allow you to draw your magic from it.
The Undying
Death holds no sway over your patron, who has unlocked the secrets of everlasting life, although such a prize — like all power — comes at a price. Once mortal, the Undying has seen mortal lifetimes pass like the seasons, like the flicker of endless days and nights. It has the secrets of the ages to share, secrets of life and death. Beings of this sort include Vecna, Lord of the Hand and the Eye; the dread Iuz; the lich-queen Vol; the Undying Court of Aerenal; Vlaakith, lich-queen of the githyanki; and the deathless wizard Fistandantalus.
Pact Magic
When you reach 3rd level, you can augment your combat techniques with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 in the Player's Handbook for the Sorcerer spell list.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional Sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 9th level.
Spell Slots. The Bond Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level.
To cast one of your Sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, when you are 8th level, you have two 2nd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell witch bolt, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 2nd-level spell.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. At 4th level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list.
The Spells Known column of The Bond table shows when you learn more Sorcerer spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 12th level, for example, you learn a new Sorcerer spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class and order, you can choose one of the Sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Sorcerer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Sorcerer spells, so you use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Level
Cantrips Known
Spells Known
Spell Slots
Slot Level
4
2
2
1
1
5
2
2
2
1
6
2
3
2
2
7
2
3
2
2
8
2
4
2
2
9
3
4
2
2
10
3
5
2
2
11
3
5
2
3
12
3
6
2
3
13
3
6
2
3
14
3
7
2
3
15
3
7
2
4
16
3
8
2
4
17
3
8
2
4
18
3
9
2
4
19
3
10
2
5
20
3
11
2
5
Pact Weapon
Starting at 3rd level, you weave power from the pact between the patron, yourself, and the shield, bonding it to you.
Your bonded shield disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the shield (no action required), or if you die.
You can transform one magic shield into your bonded shield by performing a special ritual while you hold them. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the shield, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your bonded shield thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The shield ceases being your bonded shield if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different shield, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The shield appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.
The shield becomes bound to your pact with your chosen patron. While your shield is summoned, you can use it as a spellcasting focus (found in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook) for your spells. Your chosen pact also enhances your abilities.
The Archfey
You can use an augmented reaction you know without using a point of eurition. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Celestial
You can expend a use of your augmented reactions feature as a bonus action to heal one creature within 60 feet of you. They regain hit points equal to your honor guard levels + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Fiend
If you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll or saving throw, you can choose to take fire damage equal to half your level (rounding up) in this class and make the attack succeed instead, adding the fire damage to your attack damage. You cannot be knocked unconscious from the damage and are instead dropped to 1 hit point. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Great Old One
Whenever you deal a critical hit to a creature, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the creature is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
The Undying
Whenever you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points with a weapon attack, and kill it, you regain hit points equal to your damage die rolled once.
Violent Cast
Beginning at 7th level, whenever you cast a cantrip, if you roll a 1 on any damage die, you may reroll them. You can reroll each die only once per turn and must take the second roll.
Bound Arcana
At 7th level, your patron grants you the rare use of a dangerous arcane spell based on your pact.
The Archfey
You can cast blur once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Celestial
You can cast sacred flame once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Fiend
You can cast burning hands once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Great Old One
You can cast phantasmal force once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Undying
You can cast blindness/deafness once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Imbuement
Starting at 9th level, Bonded can now imbue their shields with Radiant or Necrotic damage.
Components are consumed:
Radiant: 50 gold and a white feather
Necrotic: 50 gold and a drop of blood
Alternate Summon
Starting at 12th level, when you summon your shield you can spend a valor point to have it follow and revolve around you. When the shield is summoned in this way, melee attacks against you that miss your AC by 5 or more are hit by the shield, which deals elemental damage based on the Shield Strike Improvement. While the shield is like this you do not benefit from it’s AC bonus but are still able to make melee attacks excluding the shields elemental damage and perform augmented reactions as normal.
Unchained Arcana
At 17th level, your patron grants you the rare use of an additional arcane spell based on your pact.
The Archfey
You can cast dominate beast once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Celestial
You can cast revivify touch once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Fiend
You can cast fireball once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Great Old One
You can cast haste once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Undying
You can cast Blight once without using a bonded spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Reality Bond
At 17th level, you can invoke your patron to alter reality, the space around you warps and twists as your patron restores your expended spell slots and new magical energy surges through you. You can spend 1 minute entreating your patron for aid to regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. Once you regain spell slots with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Although it sounds cool, I would say that this is similar to the Blood hunter, so you could make one of these guys as a good blood hunter. On top of this, these guys don't seem like they can do much damage in combat at level one, using just weapons. Two daggers!?! Or 30 darts!?!? It seems like these guys also lean into the paladin class. At the moment, I would definitely choose pally. The proficiencies seem messes up. Medium armour, but not light? You offer heavy but no-one will have proficiency with it cause if you start with this class then it isn't given. You can't pick it up from fighter with multiclass. And only thrown weapons and daggers? That doesn't make sense. This seems like a martial class, yet doesn't really get the right proficiencies or equipment for it. As much as I love the idea, I would prefer to go either paladin or good Blood hunter.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
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The honor guard is a support class with potentially high damage, some of the Guidance characteristics stray from that concept a bit, but it's an ongoing development still. As for equipment; the class is intended to focus on using the shield, but can have options depending on how you build it, for example, some races have weapon proficiencies like the dwarf or elf could start using a sword but eventually the shield would be the better option. However, it's proficiencies have been an area of conflict for me, simple weapons may help the classes early game. As for your comparisons to other classes, I did take inspiration from certain aspects of the other classes, Guidance of the Bonded is very similar to the Blood hunter's Order of the Profane Soul as the structure made sense for what i was working with, but most classes share similarities with others. Your note of multiclassing reminded me to add that to the description, though that is still incomplete thus far. One of my goals while making this class has always been for it to have it's own identity apart from the other classes regardless of similarities, and that's where feedback and testing come in.
Could you elaborate on why you think the blood hunter is similar, or why it and the paladin are classes you would prefer to play?
Now, that you have explained that they are a very supportive class, I think I would be more inclined to choose it.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!