Inspiring leaders and dauntless warriors, Shield Commanders are titans on the battlefield. 

The Shield Commander has chosen to focus on advanced battle tactics and elite combat based upon a specially designed shield. Believing that offense and defense needn't be mutually exclusive concepts, The Commander has trained rigorously to make her shield not just a defensive item, but an offensive weapon as dangerous as any sword.

Command Training

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called command dice.

Maneuvers. You learn two maneuvers of your choice, which are detailed under “Maneuvers” below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack.

You learn one additional maneuvers of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Command Dice. You have four command dice, which are d8s. A command die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended command dice when you finish a short or long rest.

You gain another command die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.

Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Advanced Shield Tactics

Starting at 3rd level, When you have no other melee weapons equipped, a shield becomes a weapon in your hands letting you use it for your attacks. It deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage, uses your strength for attack and damage rolls and has the versatile property (1d10).

You also gain the Shield Master feat.

Maneuvers

The maneuvers are presented in alphabetical order.

Commander’s Strike

When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks and use a bonus action to direct one of your companions to strike. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you and expend one superiority die. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack, adding the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.

Disarming Attack

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it’s holding. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.

Distracting Strike

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to distract the creature, giving your allies an opening. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.

Evasive Footwork

When you move, you can expend one superiority die, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to your AC until you stop moving.

Feinting Attack

You can expend one superiority die and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature this turn. If that attack hits, add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.

Goading Attack

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to goad the target into attacking you. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.

Lunging Attack

When you make a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can expend one superiority die to increase your reach for that attack by 5 feet. If you hit, you add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.

Maneuvering Attack

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to maneuver one of your comrades into a more advantageous position. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and you choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks from the target of your attack.

Menacing Attack

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to frighten the target. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Parry

When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your superiority die + your Dexterity modifier.

Precision Attack

When you make a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one superiority die to add it to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

Pushing Attack

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to drive the target back. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you push the target up to 15 feet away from you.

Rally

On your turn, you can use a bonus action and expend one superiority die to bolster the resolve of one of your companions. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to the superiority die roll + your Charisma modifier.

Riposte

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If you hit, you add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.

Sweeping Attack

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the number you roll on your superiority die. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.

Trip Attack

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.

Shield Throw

Starting at 3rd level, as an action, you can hurl your shield to make a ranged weapon attack against a creature with range of 30/60 adding your STR modifier to the attack bonus. If you hit a creature, it takes damage equal to your normal one-handed shield attack, adding your STR modifier to the damage bonus. While using your shield in this way, you lose it's AC bonus and any class features or actions that require a shield until your shield returns to you. At the beginning of your next turn, your shield returns to your hand and is instantly donned.

If you miss any attack roll by more than 10 or in the event of a natural 1, your shield falls to the ground and must be retrieved.

Shield Ricochet

Starting at 7th level, you can use your extra attacks to ricochet your thrown shield between targets. After you hit a creature or solid object with your shield throw, you can attempt to make another attack against a different creature or solid object within 15ft of the previous target. Solid stationary object have an AC of 5. Whether you hit or miss your target, that attack counts as used. You can repeat this as many times as you have extra attacks.

If you miss any attack roll by more than 10 or in the event of a natural 1, your shield falls to the ground and must be retrieved.

Unburdened Mobility

Starting at level 10, when not carrying your shield, your speed is increased by 10.

Hand to Hand Training

Due to your rigorous hand to hand training, at 10th level, if you use the attack action to make a weapon attack, you are able to make an additional unarmed strike as a bonus action.

I can do this all day...

Starting at 15th level, when you roll initiative and have no command dice remaining, you regain one command die.

Veteran Commander

At 18th level, your superiority dice turn into d10s.

Leading the Charge

At level 18, you gain the ability to put your shield up and charge through the rank of your enemies. If you can move at least 20 feet in a straight line, you are able to move through all hostile or enemy creatures up to your movement speed. All creatures of large size or smaller caught directly in your path or within 5 feet of the line must succeed in a strength save DC of 8+your STR bonus+your proficiency bonus. Upon failure, creatures caught directly in your path are knocked prone and creatures within 5 feet of the line are pushed 5 away from the line.

You can use this ability twice per long rest.