Compared to the other options, the Protection fighting style usually isn't worth taking. At low level settings it might be comparable with the other fighting styles, but as the players and monsters grow more powerful, it rapidly loses it's value as a way to use your reaction (cough...Sentinel...cough). Here's my rework of the fighting style so that it keeps it both competent and flavorful as a fighting style:
"When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you, you can use your reaction to provide half cover (+2 AC) to that target against all attacks made by that creature until either the start of your next turn or when you are incapacitated. If you are wielding a shield, you can instead provide three quarter cover (+5 AC) to the target. The target must be within 5 feet of you to benefit from your protection."
This rework has three things that make it better than the original.
1) You can defend your ally from multiple attacks rather than just one attack (like when that demonic Marilith decides to go to town on your wizard with all 6 of their sword attacks).
2) You can still defend your ally if you are not wielding a shield, which gives two-handers and dual-wielders even more variety in styles to choose from.
3) You can always increase an ally's AC value, but you can't stack disadvantage (e.g. imposing disadvantage with the current Protection fighting style on to a creature attacking your sorcerer who is under the effects of the Blur spell).
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Compared to the other options, the Protection fighting style usually isn't worth taking. At low level settings it might be comparable with the other fighting styles, but as the players and monsters grow more powerful, it rapidly loses it's value as a way to use your reaction (cough...Sentinel...cough). Here's my rework of the fighting style so that it keeps it both competent and flavorful as a fighting style:
"When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you, you can use your reaction to provide half cover (+2 AC) to that target against all attacks made by that creature until either the start of your next turn or when you are incapacitated. If you are wielding a shield, you can instead provide three quarter cover (+5 AC) to the target. The target must be within 5 feet of you to benefit from your protection."
This rework has three things that make it better than the original.
1) You can defend your ally from multiple attacks rather than just one attack (like when that demonic Marilith decides to go to town on your wizard with all 6 of their sword attacks).
2) You can still defend your ally if you are not wielding a shield, which gives two-handers and dual-wielders even more variety in styles to choose from.
3) You can always increase an ally's AC value, but you can't stack disadvantage (e.g. imposing disadvantage with the current Protection fighting style on to a creature attacking your sorcerer who is under the effects of the Blur spell).