Path of the Shield Dancer

Shield dancers studied the eternal dance and saw its importance to maintain and protect, using their knowledge of the dance to weave around their shield and not only use it to protect but also to redirect enemies and use their force against themselves.

Path of the Shield Dancer Features

Monk Level	Feature
3	Extra Proficiencies, Metal Fists, Way of the Dancers Shield
6	Dance of the Protector
10	Choreographed
14	Improved Reaction

Extra Proficiencies

You gain proficiency in performance.

Metal Fists

You have learnt how to hit things really hard with your bare hands. Starting at 3 level, whenever you enter a rage, your unarmed strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier damage, increasing by 1d6 at level 10 (2d6 + Str).

Way of the Dancers Shield

At 3 level, your training has given you the ability to wield shields and use them to evade enemies and use their blows against them.

Deflect Melee Attack. When you are hit you can use a reaction to attempt to deflect the attack. The attacker must make an intelligence or wisdom save against 8 + Dex + Proficiency. On a failed save you can move the attacker to a free space within 5 ft. of you and force them to damage someone within the attacker's melee range. On a successful save, you take the damage reduced by 1d12 + Str + barbarian level.

Shield Dance. Instead of raging you enter a shield dance. During a shield dance you gain the same benefits as rage. You also gain the following benefits:

• Bonus AC. When you start a Shield Dance, your AC increases by 1
• Tunnel Vision. During your shield dance you can attempt to Tunnel Vision an enemy as a bonus action. It makes a Charisma save against 8 + Dex + Proficiency. On a failed save, the enemy is forced to use all of its movement to move closer to you on its next turn and has disadvantage on all attack rolls that are not targeted on you.
• Spellcasting. You can concentrate and cast the spells you get with this subclass. Your spellcasting ability is Charisma.

You must be carrying a shield to enter a shield dance. With or without a shield you can still enter a normal rage, you won’t gain the benefits form a shield dance.

The Best Offense. You can burn your action to gain one additional reaction until the start of your next turn. When you reach level 11 in this class, you gain two reactions.

Dance of the Protector

At level 6, you gain the ability to extend your dance into protecting allies.

Protective Shield. You can cast Shield of Faith or Absorb Elements as a reaction on you or an ally. The bonus damage for Absorb Elements is stored on the character you saved, so for their next attack they gain the benefits of the spell. Each spell can be cast two times per shield dance respectively.

Choreographed

When your reach level 10, you train to perfect your shield dance and can use it to protect allies.

Shield Dance. Your shield dance abilities list is extended with the following:

• Duet. On your turn you can use a bonus action to incorporate an ally within 5 ft. of you into your shield dance. An ally in your shield dance gains a +2 to their AC.
• Tranced Dance. As a reaction you can make a creature reroll their Charisma save to break out of Tunnel Vision. They must use the new roll.

Improved Reaction

At 14 level, you can make one additional attack against any target as part of your reaction.