Shieldsman

While all know the usefulness of a shield, few understand how squandered they are in battle. Shieldsman are warriors that use their shields as weapons and extensions of themselves, smashing through foes up close or at a distance.

Leather and Steel

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you are adept at crafting and repairing your equipment. You gain proficiency with leatherworker's tools and smith's tools.

Weapon of Guardians

Also at 3rd level, you have trained extensively with your shield, allowing you to use it as a reliable weapon. You gain the following benefits:

• You can pick up, remove or equip a shield on your turn as a free object interaction.
• Your shield is considered a martial weapon with the finesse and versatile properties, dealing 1d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier bludgeoning damage, or 1d8 bludgeoning damage when used with both hands.
• Your shield also has the thrown property, with a range of 20/60. throwing your shield is done one-handed.
• When you take the Attack action with your shield, you can use a bonus action to attempt to shove a creature within 5 feet of you.
• If your shield has a magical bonus to its AC, you add that bonus to your attack and damage rolls with it, and attacks with it will ignore resistance and immunity to non-magical damage.

Hold the Line

At 7th level, your skill with a shield is unmatched, allowing you to guard multiple allies at once. When you take the Attack action and you are wielding your shield, allies within 5 feet of you gain the AC bonus of your shield until the start of your next turn, until they move away, or until you are not wielding your shield.

In addition, your precision and accuracy with your shield is nothing short of supernatural. When you make a thrown weapon attack with your shield and do not have disadvantage on the roll, you can cause the shield to bounce back to your hands, hit or miss.

Bouncing Barrage

At 10th level, even hordes of foes cannot escape your shield when it leaves your deft hands. When you take the Attack action to make a thrown weapon attack with your shield and hit, you can use another of your attacks to cause it to ricochet at another target within the short range of your shield. You make another attack roll against them as normal and can do this for every attack you currently have, but the shield will only bounce back to your hand after if you are within its short range.

Iron Juggernaut

At 15th level, not even foes behind walls and defenders can escape your might. When you make a thrown weapon attack with your shield, you ignore half-cover and three-quarters-cover, but not full cover if they are completely obscured from all sides. your shield attacks now deal double damage to objects and structures.

In addition, years of catching flying steel with your bare hands have strengthened your grip. You cannot be disarmed through nonmagical means, and you have advantage on Athletics checks to maintain a grapple.

Brutal Bulwark

At 18th level, your allies and enemies know you as the pinnacle of shielded combat. You and allies within 5 feet of you can add the AC bonus of your shield to any Strength or Dexterity saving throw. When an enemy enters the short range of your shield, you can use your reaction to make a thrown weapon attack with it against them.

In addition, the range of your thrown shield attacks increases to 30/90.