The guardian is an elite warrior that typically protects a member of the nobility or royalty. They are frequently mounted in order to push through crowds, but are just as able on foot. They are often trusted confidents of their patron and are equally comfortable at the high table of a ballroom as pushing through undergrowth during a hunt. Compelled to right wrongs, earn prestige, or in response to humiliating failure, many guardians leave their lives of comfort to embark on glorious adventure.

Guardian's Mark

Starting at 3rd level, you can menace your foes, foiling their attacks and punishing them for harming others. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can mark the creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, or if someone else marks the creature. While a target is marked you gain the following abilities:

Taunt : A creature marked by you has disadvantage on any attack that doesn't target you while it is within range of the weapon you are holding.

Retribution : If a marked creature deals damage to anyone other than you, your next attack that targets that creature is made at advantage and if it hits, you deal extra damage equal to half your fighter level.

Matters of State

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, History, Insight, Performance, or Persuasion, and one language of your choice

Protective Stance

At 7th level, you learn to fend off strikes directed at you, your mount, or other creatures nearby. If you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use a reaction to move within 5ft of the target,  you can then add your proficiency bonus to the target's AC until the start of your next turn. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Hold the Line

At 10th level, you have mastered controlling the area around yourself. Creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they move 5 feet or more while within your reach. The first time you make an attack of opportunity each round, it does not expend your reaction.

Fierce Retribution

Starting at 13th level, when you deal extra damage to a creature by using your Guardian's Mark : Retribution feature, you can also either push the target 15 ft away from you or knock it prone if it is no more than one size category larger than you.

Resilient Defender

At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of defensive tactics. Creatures benefitting from your Protective Stance also have resistance to all damage, and you can trigger your Protective Stance in response to a creature taking any type of damage not just attacks.

In addition, attacks of opportunity never expend your reaction, but you can only make one per turn.