Aphraenai Defenders represent a proud and elite tradition of guardians who reject more deadly arts to focus on the shield as both a defensive and offensive implement. Those who pursue the path of an Aphraenai Defender have chosen the defense of their allies, or their cause, as their primary martial purpose.

More than just a warrior, an Aphraenai Defender protects allies' spirits as well as their bodies, keeping morale high so as to protect them from fear and doubt. Often this means they are charismatic performers who have perfected the art of the inspirational speech, but they are just as capable of using their commanding personalities to discourage or distract would-be aggressors. Many even consider it ideal to focus upon their oratory skills, turning potential adversaries into allies before violence breaks out—or at least to convince them that attacking an Aphraenai Defender's allies will almost certainly end poorly for the attacker.

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Defensive Reflexes

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

Defensive Maneuvers: You learn two basic maneuvers of your choice from the “Defensive Maneuvers” list at the bottom of this page. In order to use a maneuver from this list, you must be wearing a shield. Many of these basic maneuvers are reactions, or enhance a reaction in some way. Unless otherwise stated by a specific maneuver, you can use only one basic maneuver per round.

You learn two additional basic maneuvers of your choice from the same list at 6th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn a new basic maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Advanced Maneuvers: Starting at 13th level you can learn advanced maneuvers from the Defensive Maneuvers list. Advanced maneuvers are especially powerful defensive maneuvers with more dramatic or long-lasting effects than basic maneuvers. Using an advanced maneuver requires you to expend two reflex dice (rather than one die, as for a basic maneuver). You must have two or more reflex dice unexpended in order to use an advanced maneuver. If, at 13th or 17th level you learn a new basic maneuver, you can replace another maneuver known with an advanced maneuver; otherwise, you can't replace a previously learned basic maneuver with an advanced maneuver.

Reflex Dice: You have 1 + Proficiency reflex dice, which are d4s. At 13th level they become d6s. Reflex dice are expended regardless of whether any part of the maneuver used succeeds or fails.

You regain all expended reflex dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Saving Throws: Some of your defensive maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Ward and Weapon

At 3rd level you have trained sufficiently with shields to wield all shields as weapons with metaphysical affinity. You can treat any equipped shield as a martial melee weapon with the finesse, reach, and thrown (25 feet) properties, and which does 1d4 bludgeoning damage.

While wearing a shield, you also gain the ability to use Shield Strike. Shield Strikes do not need line of sight; you can attack around obstructions, including other creatures, and the target of your attack doesn't gain the benefit of anything less than total cover. You may even use this to attack enemies with total cover so long as you have a general idea where the enemy is and there is a viable path to the target within 10ft of you; however, any attacks made against enemies in total cover are made with disadvantage. 

Shield Strike:

Extra Reactive

You gain the Protection fighting style. If you already have the Protection fighting style you can use an additional reaction once per round. This reaction can only be utilized for the Protection Fighting Style.

Shield Wall

At 7th level, your proximity fortifies allies' might by your confidence. Choose either Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation). You gain expertise in that skill. Allies within 10ft of you add your Charisma bonus on ability checks and saving throws using Strength so long as you are not incapacitated. 

Additionally, for the purposes of opposed strength checks, you count as one size larger for every ally within 10ft of you. 

Daunting Presence

You gain expertise in Charisma (Intimidation).

Persuasive Presence

You gain expertise in Charisma (Persuasion).

Maneuver Mastery

Starting at 10th level, your mastery of a particular defensive tactic has made it trivial to employ. Choose one basic maneuver you know; it becomes a mastered maneuver for you, and you can use it without expending a reflex die. Additionally, when you roll initiative, if you have no remaining reflex dice, you can regain one reflex die.

Mobile Armor

At 15th level, you are so adept with your shield that you can use it as an effective counterweight to enhance your balance and movement. While wearing a shield, you gain advantage on Dexterity saving throws and Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. If an enemy within reach fails an opposed check to shove, push, grapple, or otherwise force or control the movement of you or an ally within 10 feet, you can attempt to knock that enemy over. They must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 10+Proficiency+the higher of Dexterity or Strength) or be knocked prone.

Beacon of Protection

At 18th level you have become a veritable castle; allies take heart when sheltered by the wall of your shield, and enemies quake at the prospect of besieging it. So long as you wear your shield, allies within 10 feet of you who are not already wearing a shield add +2 to their armor class, and all gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws. 

You have advantage on Charisma checks and saving throws against enemies who can see or hear you while you have a shield equipped. 

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List of Defensive Maneuvers

Defensive maneuvers are presented in alphabetical order.

Buffeting Defense

(Advanced Maneuver) You can make an attack of opportunity against an enemy entering the melee range of or attacking an ally within 10 feet of you, adding your reflex die to the attack roll. If you hit them, make an opposed strength check, adding your reflex die to your roll, to knock the opponent prone or push them back 10ft (your choice) and reduce their speed to 0 until the end of your next turn. if an attack is successfully interrupted by this defensive maneuver,  even if damage has been rolled for it, the intended target of that attack may treat it as a miss.

Canny Intuition

(Basic Maneuver) Roll a reflex die and add the result to your initiative roll. You can use a reaction before the end of your first turn in combat, including any basic maneuvers you know, even if you were caught by surprise.

Captain's Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) As a reaction to an enemy making an attack against an ally within 25 feet of you, you can interrupt the attack by throwing your shield at the enemy. Treat this attack as a Shield Strike (from your Ward and Weapon class feature) rather than a thrown weapon attack, even if the enemy is beyond your normal melee reach. Add a reflex die to your attack roll, and if you hit, treat the shield's damage as nonlethal force damage.

You can draw the shield as part of making this attack if you have a free hand, and once the attack is resolved, the shield bounces back to the free hand as if by magic, or some fluke of physics. If for some reason you do not have a free hand when the attack is resolved, the thrown shield lands at your feet.

Chain Reaction

(Advanced Maneuver) Using a reaction, perform any basic maneuver you know which normally applies to a single-target; you can choose a second target for that maneuver if it is within range of the maneuver, or within 5ft of the first target. The targets can both be allies or enemies, depending upon whether the effect is beneficial or detrimental. Any result from a die roll used for the first target must be rerolled for the second target.

Communal Defense

(Advanced Maneuver) If at least one ally is within 10ft of you, you can create a formation that optimizes your collective defenses. As an action on your turn, roll a reflex die, plus one additional die for every ally within 10ft of you. For a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus, allies within 10ft of you gain the highest result as a bonus to their AC. You gain the second highest result as a bonus to your AC for the same duration. Allies who move out of range before the duration ends lose this bonus, but allies who move to within 10ft of you gain the bonus for the remainder of the duration, or until they move more than 10ft away.

Conductive Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) When you see an enemy about to use an attack, [Tooltip Not Found], or any other ability that is about to damage you and at least one other ally at the same time (e.g, Fireball), use a reaction to make an Intelligence (investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check (your choice). Add your reflex die to the result of that skill check. If the total result exceeds the damaging ability's DC (if any), you determine exactly what is about to strike you and its damage type. You give all allies within 10 feet of you resistance to that damage type until the beginning of your next turn; you instead become vulnerable to that damage type for that duration.

If the enemy's damaging ability had no obvious DC, treat the DC as 10 + half of the enemy's character level.

Daring Defense

(Basic Maneuver) As a bonus action, you can hold your shield in front of an ally within 10 feet, providing that ally three-quarters cover while they remain within 10ft of you, until the beginning of your next turn. However, doing so leaves you open to attacks; for as long as you provide that ally cover, your AC becomes 8 + Dexterity or Charisma (whichever is higher) + the result of a reflex die.

If the ally moves, you can use a reaction to move behind or alongside them, so long as the distance traveled does not exceed your own movement speed.

Deathless Defense

(Basic Maneuver) You can add the result of a reflex die to a death saving throw you make to become stable. This maneuver can be used to add a reflex die to a maximum of three consecutive death saving throws, even if you are unconscious and otherwise unable to perform any action, provided you have enough expendable reflex dice.

Diffracting Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) As a reaction you can mitigate the damage of an enemy's attack against an ally within 10 feet of you. Subtract a reflex die from the damage done; you and the attacked ally each take half of the remaining damage, rounded down.

Disorienting Reaction

(Advanced Maneuver) When a creature susceptible to critical hits misses you or an ally within 10 feet of you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to bash them in the head with a Shield Strike, adding a reflex die to your attack roll. If you hit and the enemy fails their saving throw, roll your reflex die again and apply one of the following conditions to your target based on the result:

• 1-3: Blinded for 3 rounds
• 4: Incapacitated for 3 rounds
• 5: Stunned for 2 rounds
• 6: Paralyzed for 1 round

This condition replaces the disadvantage resulting from a failed saving throw against Shield Strike.

Fearsome Reaction

(Advanced Maneuver) When an ally within 10 feet is attacked in melee, you can make an attack of opportunity against the attacker, adding your reflex die to your attack roll. If your opportunity attack hits, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. Roll another reflex die. On a failed save, the enemy is frightened of you for a number of rounds equal to that reflex die's result.

Add your Charisma bonus to the ally's Armor Class for the same number of rounds. If this is used before the enemy has rolled damage for a hit, the improved Armor Class may cause the enemy's attack to miss.

Harrying Attack

(Basic Maneuver) As part of any melee attack against a creature, add your reflex die to the attack roll. If you hit, you can attempt to make yourself the focus of the target's attention; the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls against any target other than you until the end of your next turn.

Interposing Attack

(Basic Maneuver) When you make a melee attack against an enemy within reach of an ally, add a reflex die to your attack roll. On a hit, you can attempt to shove the target if it is up to one size larger than you; it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it is pushed up to 10 feet away from your ally, and you position yourself between the enemy and the ally (nearer to the enemy, if possible). If you have the Shield Wall feature, you are treated as at least one size larger for the purposes of this maneuver.

Magnetic Defense

(Advanced Maneuver) As an action, you can become a polarizing sight, drawing allies into a protective formation, while forcing enemies who see you to retreat and reassess their choices. Allies within 10 feet of you gain half-cover and advantage on saving throws, and allies who start their movement beyond 10 feet of you and end their movement within 10 feet are not subject to attacks of opportunity.

Roll a  reflex die. A number of enemies you select up to that result, who are within 30 feet of you, must make a saving throw or become frightened of you. The half-cover for allies and frightened condition for enemies both last a number of rounds equal to a second reflex die.

Mitigating Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) When another creature does damage to an ally within 10 feet of you, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by the total result of a reflex die + your Charisma modifier.

Precise Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) As a reaction to an enemy entering melee range of an ally within 10 feet of you, you can use a Shield Strike against that enemy with advantage. On a hit, add a reflex die and your Charisma modifier to to the damage roll. If this damage would reduce an enemy to 0 Hit Points, its damage is considered non-lethal and renders the enemy unconscious instead of killing them, if possible.

Rallying Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) When you or an ally within 10 feet of you makes a Wisdom saving throw, you can use a reaction to add your reflex die to that saving throw. If the saving throw succeeds, you and all other allies within 30 feet add your Charisma bonus to all Wisdom saving throws, and can use your Charisma modifier on Charisma saving throws if it is higher than theirs, until the beginning of your next turn.

Ranging Defense

(Advanced Maneuver) As part of a dash action toward an ally within 60 feet, add your Charisma bonus to that ally's armor class and saving throws until the beginning of your next turn. You need not see the ally, so long as you're aware of where they are. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity during this dash. You may use a Shield Strike or appropriate "bonus action" or "reaction" basic maneuver you know immediately after your dash ends, provided you have not already used it for this round. If you choose to use a Shield Strike, double its damage; if you choose to use a basic maneuver, double the result of the reflex die you roll for it.

Rearguard Defense

(Advanced Maneuver) If you have not used your movement for this round, then as a bonus action you can reduce your speed to zero and add a reflex die to your armor class until the beginning of your next turn. Any enemies within 30 feet that can see or hear you must make saving throws, subtracting a reflex die + your Charisma bonus from their results. On a failed save, they become restrained until the beginning of the next round. Any ally who is not incapacitated and who can see or hear you may use a reaction to disengage as if they had a speed of 40 for this round (thus being able to move up to 20 feet). This does not use up their movement for the round, and can be done regardless of their speed otherwise, whether higher or 0.

Remarkable Composure

(Basic Maneuver) When you make a Charisma ability check or Charisma saving throw, you can add the result of a reflex die to the roll. You can use this maneuver as part of a different reaction to add a Charisma (Intimidation), Charisma (Performance), or Charisma (Persuasion) check to the reaction, even if that reaction is a basic maneuver.

Rotating Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) When you’re within 5 feet of a creature, you can use a reaction to switch places with that creature, provided they are willing and aren't incapacitated. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Until the end of their next turn, the creature gains a bonus to Armor Class equal to the result of a reflex die.

If the creature is unwilling or is incapacitated, you can make an opposed Strength check to force them to comply with this movement. You can forego the AC bonus and add a reflex die to that Strength check.

Rushing Reaction

(Basic Maneuver) When an enemy moves into melee range of an ally more than 10ft away from you, and there is a clear passage with no obstructions or difficult terrain between you and that ally or enemy, you can use your reaction to roll a reflex die. Multiply your reflex die's result by 5 and add 10. As part of this reaction you can immediately move up to that amount (in feet) towards the ally being approached, without using your remaining movement speed, if any; you provoke attacks of opportunity along the way as normal. If the resulting number of feet meets or exceeds the distance to either the enemy or ally, you can move to an adjacent square of either one (your choice). You can then attempt one of the following:

• Force the enemy to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, an enemy up to one size larger than you is pushed back 5ft; if more than one size larger than you, they are knocked prone instead.
• Make a strength check to push the ally 5ft away from the enemy threatening them, in any direction the ally chooses. If the ally is up to one size larger than you, the DC is 10. The DC is increased by +5 for every size category larger your ally is. If moved in this way, the ally does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

If you have the Shield Wall feature it affects your size category, and the enemy you intercept can make an attack of opportunity against you in either case.

Situational Awareness

(Basic Maneuver) When you make a Wisdom ability check or saving throw, you can add the result of a reflex die to the roll. You can use this as part of a different reaction to make a Wisdom (Insight), Wisdom (Perception), or Wisdom (Survival) check, even if that reaction is a basic maneuver.

Zealous Defense

(Basic Maneuver) If, due to being charmed, you are compelled to act to the detriment of anyone other than a recognizable enemy, you can make a Charisma saving throw, adding a reflex die to the result. You can use Charisma even if the original saving throw opposed another ability (usually Wisdom). This save is made against the DC of the attack, [Tooltip Not Found], ability, or etc. which exerted the charm effect on you. If that effect didn't have a DC, make the save against a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the level of the character who charmed you.

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Shield Strike: Dex or Str

 Choose whether your Shield Strike will be based on your Dexterity or Strength.

Shield Strike (Dexterity)

This Shield Strike uses your Dexterity bonus for attack and damage rolls.

Shield Strike (Strength)

This Shield Strike uses your Strength bonus for attack rolls.

List of Mastered Maneuvers

The following may be chosen as Mastered Maneuvers

Master of Canny Intuition

Canny Intuition is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Conductive Reactions

Conductive Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Daring Defenses

 Daring Defense is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Deathless Defenses

Deathless Defense is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Diffracting Reactions

Diffracting Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Harrying Attacks

Harrying Attack is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Interposing Attacks

Interposing Attack is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Mitigating Reactions

Mitigating Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Precise Reactions

Precise Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Rallying Reactions

Rallying Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Remarkable Composure

Remarkable Composure is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Rotating Reactions

Rotating Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Rushing Reactions

Rushing Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of Situational Awareness

Situational Awareness is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.

Master of the Captain's Reaction

Captain's Reaction is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die. 

Master of Zealous Defenses

Zealous Defense is a mastered maneuver for you; you can use it without expending a reflex die.