Was looking into Cavalier fighter. I was probably gonna go with sword and shield. Do you guys have any recommended feats that would help achieve the idea of a defender. Were doing point buy and my V-Human feat i chose is Heavy Armor Master.
Sentinel. It kind of overlaps a bit with the cavalier abilities, but actually they compliment each other nicely. Aldo great if you can find a caster to enlarge you so you can lock down a bigger area. Also shield master and crusher can help you move people around. Crusher might have you push them out of your reach, but it’s also good for moving enemies away from squishy allies. And you can always step up after the attack.
Human variant heavy armor master cavalier works well to mitigate damage. If you’re fulfilling a damage mitigation role interception can help Allie’s that might be targeted in your place since you will have a good AC.
the unwavering mark feature has some me limitations and variation that need to be understood to use effectively.
You can mark a creature you hit with a melee weapon attack. Marking itself doesn’t have a hard limitation on range, so you can mark any creature within reach of your melee weapon attack. Polearms and whips would extend your reach but there may be other features available to you to increase reach more than 10ft.
your mark on a creature ends if you’re incapacitated, die, or if the target creature is marked by another creature. Hypnotic pattern and other incapacitation features would end the mark.
While the creatures you mark are within 5ft of you, the creature has disadvantage while attacking anything that isn’t you. Other creatures, objects, magical effects. This could include a closed door you might be guarding.
if the marked creatures deals damage to another creature you gain access to a bonus action attack made with advantage and a damage bonus that scales with fighter level. You gain access to this bonus action regardless of if the creature stayed within 5ft of you, or how the creature delivers the damage. So for example if you marked a dragon who moves more than 5ft away from you and breath weapons other creatures, you get your bonus action attack. Same for if the marked enemy dealt damage via a spell forcing a save.
the bonus action melee weapon attack is limited to str uses per long rest so str investment is nice.
as far as feats go, I’d recommend an ally of yours who has a strong single damage attack, like maybe a rogue, takes the sentinel feat and fights next to you. If an enemy you mark attacks the rogue, they do so at disadvantage on all those attacks while you’re next to each other. If an attack still hits, rogue reduces damage with uncanny dodge and you use interception and have a use of your bonus action attack available. If the enemy attacks you, regardless of if the enemy hits, the rogue gets an off turn reaction attack that would qualify for sneak attack.
both your offenses and defenses are drastically more powerful together than either of you would be standing farther apart.
your level 10 feature would supplement the rogues sentinel feat by further reducing mobility of a creature that tries to move around you within your reach, a zone that is typically save due to the way opportunity attacks are triggered.
at higher levels your warding maneuver, usable Con mod times a day, could be dedicated to yourself since interception will be used on the rogue. The features supplement each other very well.
defense fighting style can be powerful and scales with the number of enemy attacks. Might reduce warding maneuvers you have to use on yourself.
you have a 2 features that increase in uses directly tied to ability modifiers. Pulled in the direction of investing in strength and constitution, with an additional feature granting a save effect based on strength. Ability score improvements can be effective.
Shield master can improve your defenses while also granting a bonus action to prone the marked creature, granting advantage for melee Allie’s and reducing the targets movement by forcing them to stand up on their turn.
The poisoner feat can be quite effective if the target isn’t immune to poison. The failed save causes damage and the poisoned condition. The damage is decent and the poisoned condition is very debilitating when it lands.
skill expert is a half feat to round off strength and athletics can be chosen for expertise on your cavalier. Shoving and grappling can be quite effective. Grappling a creature in front of you would grant half cover, so that’s +2 AC and dex save bonus if applicable.
slasher and crusher can be used to help move creatures or limit movement. The critical effects, while not reliable, will be useful through the campaign at different times and preserve resources. Also half feats for strength, constitution, or dexterity depending on the feat.
inspiring leaders temporary hitpoints per rest will be bolstered by the defenses you and potentially your melee teammates will have.
alert feat will substantially boost your initiative, prevent surprise, and maintain your defense when you can’t see your attackers. Quite powerful, especially when encounter circumstances would have drastically been in the enemies favor.
Note the cavalier, while it has the fluff of a mounted attacker, the only mounted abilities it grants are Born To the Saddle, at level 3, and are honestly not that good.
The mark feature imposing disadvantage would also make your mount more defensive since, being mounted, you’re likely to be within 5ft of the enemy on your mount.
barding exists and has rules associated with cost for mounts, but can feel like too much management.
having someone cast mage armor on your mount can do well to make them live longer and you don’t need to worry about equipment being adjusted or paid for.
a flying mount may well be worth using your warding maneuver on so you don’t die from fall damage if it gets taken out.
Was looking into Cavalier fighter. I was probably gonna go with sword and shield. Do you guys have any recommended feats that would help achieve the idea of a defender.
Were doing point buy and my V-Human feat i chose is Heavy Armor Master.
Sentinel. It kind of overlaps a bit with the cavalier abilities, but actually they compliment each other nicely. Aldo great if you can find a caster to enlarge you so you can lock down a bigger area.
Also shield master and crusher can help you move people around. Crusher might have you push them out of your reach, but it’s also good for moving enemies away from squishy allies. And you can always step up after the attack.
Human variant heavy armor master cavalier works well to mitigate damage. If you’re fulfilling a damage mitigation role interception can help Allie’s that might be targeted in your place since you will have a good AC.
the unwavering mark feature has some me limitations and variation that need to be understood to use effectively.
You can mark a creature you hit with a melee weapon attack. Marking itself doesn’t have a hard limitation on range, so you can mark any creature within reach of your melee weapon attack. Polearms and whips would extend your reach but there may be other features available to you to increase reach more than 10ft.
your mark on a creature ends if you’re incapacitated, die, or if the target creature is marked by another creature. Hypnotic pattern and other incapacitation features would end the mark.
While the creatures you mark are within 5ft of you, the creature has disadvantage while attacking anything that isn’t you. Other creatures, objects, magical effects. This could include a closed door you might be guarding.
if the marked creatures deals damage to another creature you gain access to a bonus action attack made with advantage and a damage bonus that scales with fighter level. You gain access to this bonus action regardless of if the creature stayed within 5ft of you, or how the creature delivers the damage. So for example if you marked a dragon who moves more than 5ft away from you and breath weapons other creatures, you get your bonus action attack. Same for if the marked enemy dealt damage via a spell forcing a save.
the bonus action melee weapon attack is limited to str uses per long rest so str investment is nice.
as far as feats go, I’d recommend an ally of yours who has a strong single damage attack, like maybe a rogue, takes the sentinel feat and fights next to you. If an enemy you mark attacks the rogue, they do so at disadvantage on all those attacks while you’re next to each other. If an attack still hits, rogue reduces damage with uncanny dodge and you use interception and have a use of your bonus action attack available. If the enemy attacks you, regardless of if the enemy hits, the rogue gets an off turn reaction attack that would qualify for sneak attack.
both your offenses and defenses are drastically more powerful together than either of you would be standing farther apart.
your level 10 feature would supplement the rogues sentinel feat by further reducing mobility of a creature that tries to move around you within your reach, a zone that is typically save due to the way opportunity attacks are triggered.
at higher levels your warding maneuver, usable Con mod times a day, could be dedicated to yourself since interception will be used on the rogue. The features supplement each other very well.
defense fighting style can be powerful and scales with the number of enemy attacks. Might reduce warding maneuvers you have to use on yourself.
you have a 2 features that increase in uses directly tied to ability modifiers. Pulled in the direction of investing in strength and constitution, with an additional feature granting a save effect based on strength. Ability score improvements can be effective.
Shield master can improve your defenses while also granting a bonus action to prone the marked creature, granting advantage for melee Allie’s and reducing the targets movement by forcing them to stand up on their turn.
The poisoner feat can be quite effective if the target isn’t immune to poison. The failed save causes damage and the poisoned condition. The damage is decent and the poisoned condition is very debilitating when it lands.
skill expert is a half feat to round off strength and athletics can be chosen for expertise on your cavalier. Shoving and grappling can be quite effective. Grappling a creature in front of you would grant half cover, so that’s +2 AC and dex save bonus if applicable.
slasher and crusher can be used to help move creatures or limit movement. The critical effects, while not reliable, will be useful through the campaign at different times and preserve resources. Also half feats for strength, constitution, or dexterity depending on the feat.
inspiring leaders temporary hitpoints per rest will be bolstered by the defenses you and potentially your melee teammates will have.
alert feat will substantially boost your initiative, prevent surprise, and maintain your defense when you can’t see your attackers. Quite powerful, especially when encounter circumstances would have drastically been in the enemies favor.
Note the cavalier, while it has the fluff of a mounted attacker, the only mounted abilities it grants are Born To the Saddle, at level 3, and are honestly not that good.
Consider being a dismounted Cavalier.
The mark feature imposing disadvantage would also make your mount more defensive since, being mounted, you’re likely to be within 5ft of the enemy on your mount.
barding exists and has rules associated with cost for mounts, but can feel like too much management.
having someone cast mage armor on your mount can do well to make them live longer and you don’t need to worry about equipment being adjusted or paid for.
a flying mount may well be worth using your warding maneuver on so you don’t die from fall damage if it gets taken out.
Sentinel is amazing on Cavalier if your campaign will end before lvl 11, where you get a different reaction option.