Monks of the Shield train for years using their shield to both repel attacks and use them offensively against their foes. A Shield Monk disciplines themselves in the use of the shield and as an extension of themselves.

 

Path of the Shield

At level 3, you gain proficiency with shields, and when you wield one it counts as a martial weapon, and is considered as a monk weapon. The shield may be used with Unarmored Defense and other monk abilities, without penalty as long as your other hand remains free.

You can attack using a shield as an Attack action. Based from the shield you are wielding, it may have blades or spikes along the circumference, a sharpened edge, or a flat, dull edge which determines the damage type from either being slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning. Its damage die is a d4. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. If your shield has a magic bonus to AC, you also add that to attack and damage rolls made with the shield.

You also gain the Protection Fighting Style.

Protection

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. You must be wielding a shield.

Block Incentive

One with the Shield

At level 6, you gain the following features while you have a shield equipped:

• Attacks made with your shield are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity.
• When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 20 feet of you, you can use your reaction to move within 5 feet of the target, taking the shortest path, and impose disadvantage on the attack roll. The movement speed used this way counts against your total movement speed next turn. You must be wielding a shield.

Ki-Enhanced Deflection

At level 11, when you use the Protection fighting style, you can expend 2 ki points during that reaction for the target to also gain a +4 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, until the start of its next turn. This can only be used once per round.

Linked Sturdiness

At level 11, you gain the ability to share defensive properties with another while you have a shield equipped. When a nonhostile creature ends their turn within 5 ft of you, you can use a reaction link with them. You and the creature share resistances and immunities to damage with each other until the start of their next turn. If either of you is more than 5 feet away from each other in a turn, the link is severed and the effect ends. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Greater Safeguard

At level 17, your ability to protect others reaches greater heights. You gain the following features while you have a shield equipped and your other hand remains free:

• You give half cover to nonhostile creatures that are within 5 feet of you.
• When nonhostile creatures within 20 feet of you are forced to make a Dexterity saving throw,  you can use a reaction to spend 3 ki points to give a number of these creatures up to or equal to your Wisdom modifier advantage to the saving throw.