The Guardian is a tireless defender of the meek, sworn to put their own life on the line to protect others. A Guardian is a sight to behold on the battlefield, an unbreakable bulwark holding back a sea of enemies.

 

Break Upon My Shield

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you become a walking fortress, daring all challengers to test their might against you. As a bonus action, you may taunt a creature you can see within 30 feet of you.

The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your Constitution modifier + your Proficiency bonus) or be forced to attack you on their next turn to the best of their ability. You may taunt this way a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus per short rest.

Shield Bash

When you become a Guardian at 3rd level, you become adept at the use of shields in combat. You can now use your shield as a weapon. Your shield is considered a one-handed martial melee weapon with which only you are proficient. It deals a base 1d8 bludgeoning damage and uses your Strength modifier for all pertinent rolls.

Guardian Doctrine

Starting at 7th level, you are a staunch defender of your allies, putting your own body in front of them. As an action, you take on the Guardian Doctrine, which lasts for 1 minute.

Upon activating the Guardian Doctrine, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to half of your total hit points, rounded up. While the Doctrine is active, whenever a creature you can see within 30 feet of you would take damage, you may use your reaction to receive any amount of that damage of your choice instead, up to taking the full amount.

You may dismiss the Doctrine as a bonus action on your turn and when it you dismiss it this way or when it ends as a result of a minute passing, the temporary hit points granted at the start are removed.

At 15th level you gain a second reaction that you may use only for taking damage for a creature via the Guardian Doctrine feature. At 18th level you gain a third reaction for this purpose. You may activate the Guardian Doctrine a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus per long rest.

Back Into The Fray

Starting at 10th level, after taking countless hits to protect others, your body has grown to recover quickly to return to the fight. You now have two additional uses of your Second Wind and whenever you use your Second Wind feature, you may spend and roll one of your hit dice up and add the result to the hit points recovered.

Dreadnought

At 15th level, after countless battles defending your allies, your body has grow callused and tough. Once per combat round, if you would take damage, you may choose to take only half instead.

To The Last

At 18th level, you are such a stalwart defender of your allies that they have become untouchable in your presence. You gain an additional 3 points to your Armor Class, and any number of creatures of your choice that you can see within a 30 foot radius of you may add the bonus to Armor Class granted by your shield to their own Armor Class.