Arcane Ward

You create a magical ward that automatically protects you or a creature you touch. The ward grants temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. The ward remains active for the duration or until its temporary hit points are depleted.

Mechanics:

• When the creature with the ward is hit by an attack, the damage is absorbed by the ward's temporary hit points first. If the damage exceeds the ward's pool of temporary hit points, the excess damage is dealt to the creature as normal.
• If the ward's temporary hit points are reduced to 0, the ward dissipates, and the creature takes damage as usual.
• The ward does not stack with other sources of temporary hit points. If the ward is recast, it replaces the existing pool of temporary hit points with a new roll of 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  
  At higher levels, when you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the pool of temporary hit points increases by 1d8 for each spell level above 2nd.