Wall of Iron

Does your friendly wizard seem to always be on the wrong end of an arrow? Is your bard always picking fights with their mouth, or regions below? Well your party is in luck!  While others choose to fight, you choose to protect.  Their safety is your main concern, even if that means you take the full brunt of the beating yourself.  A mass of heavy armor and two shields, you are the perfect target for enemies to bounce their attacks off, while your allies go in for the kill.  You may be slow, but your armor is impenetrable.  Your foe's blades will shatter and arrow shafts will splinter against your shields.  No weapon will break your armor nor your resolve.  

My Armor is My Life

You gain proficiency in Smith's Tools if you don't already have proficiency.

Shielded Defender

At 3rd level, when you choose this archetype you become proficient in shield combat.  You gain access to the new actions and attacks called Defensive Maneuvers.  To be able to use these you must have heavy armor and two shields equipped with no other weapons.  You ONLY gain the AC bonus of a second shield when you use the Defensive Stance maneuver.  Your shields count as melee weapons for attacking purposes.  Some Defensive Maneuvers require an Iron Wall DC, this DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

You gain the following abilities:

Shield Jab - Attack - Make a melee attack with the edge of your shield dealing 1d4 + Strength bludgeoning damage. This damage increases to 2d4 at 7th level.

Defensive Stance - Action - You hold your shields together and prepare for an attack.  You gain the AC bonus for both of your shields until the start of your next turn.  This effect is lost if you move, attack, use a reaction, get knocked prone, are incapacitated, or fall under any condition that would otherwise affect your defensive stance.  At 10th level you may use Defensive Stance as a Reaction to a melee attack made against you.

Steely Resolve

Upon picking this archetype, you gain Resolve Tokens.  These Tokens represent your unbreakable, unbendable Resolve and are used for special shield attacks and defensive maneuvers.  Your Resolve Tokens equal your total levels in the Iron Will archetype plus your Constitution modifier.  You regain all Resolve Tokens after you finish a long rest.  If you finish a short rest with less then half of your total Resolve tokens, you gain a number of Resolve Tokens equal to your Constitution modifier, you may benefit from this only once per day.  Whenever you roll Hit Dice die to regain Hit Points, you regain 1 Resolve Token per Hit Die spent in this manner.

Defensive Maneuvers

At 3rd level, you have learned special combat techniques utilizing your shields. These maneuvers cost Resolve Tokens to use, you must have heavy armor equipped with two shields in your hands.  Additional maneuver options are unlocked at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th levels.  

Shield Upper Cut - Attack - cost:  1 Resolve Tokens - Strike upward with your shield making a melee attack dealing 1d4 + Strength bludgeoning damage.  Enemies of size Large or smaller must make a Strength saving throw against your Iron Wall DC or be knocked prone. This damage increases to 2d4 at 7th level.

Shield Clap - Action - cost: 2 Resolve Tokens - You slam your shields together with a loud bang.  Enemies within 20 feet of you must make a Constitution save against your Iron Wall DC or have disadvantage on attack rolls made against anyone other then you until the start of your next turn.

Shield Shove - Bonus Action - cost: 1 Resolve Token - If you take the attack action on your turn, as a bonus action you can choose to shove one creature away from you.  The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your Iron Wall DC or be shoved 5 feet away.

Damage Sponge - Reaction - cost: 1 Resolve Token - If a friendly player you can see within 5 feet is the single target of a weapon or spell attack you can use your reaction to make you the target instead.

 

Rapid Protector

At 7th level your long experience wearing armor has given your muscles honed reflexes and the knowledge of the most efficient ways to equip and repair your armor.  You now take half as long to don or doff your armor as long as it is heavy armor.  You also repair your armor twice as fast as normal and for half the material cost.  If a roll is required to repair your armor you gain advantage on that roll.
In addition, you gain resistance to nonmagical slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage.

Tough As Nails

Also at 7th level, you gain resistance to slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage.

Shielded Defender (2)

Upon reaching 7th level, your shield attacks do an additional d4 damage.  This applies your Shield Jab and Shield Upper Cut abilities.

Defensive Maneuvers (2)

At 7th level you get access to additional Defensive Maneuvers: 

You choose one of the following maneuvers: 

Weighted Shield Punch - Attack - cost: 1 - 3 Resolve Tokens - You strike with your shield putting the full weight of your body behind the punch.  You deal the normal damage from your Shield Jab, plus an additional d4 per Resolve Token spent up to 3 total.  The enemy must make a Constitution save against your Iron Wall DC or be Stunned until the start of your next turn.

OR

Shield Block - Reaction - cost: 2 Resolve Tokens - if you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you can use your reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw.  Additionally, you may now add a single shield's AC bonus to Dexterity saving throws from affects you can see.

Defensive Maneuvers (3)

At 10th level you've honed your reflexes with your shields. You may now use the Defensive Stance Action as a Reaction to a melee attack against you.

At 10th level, you may choose one of the following maneuvers: 

Solid Charge  - Bonus Action - cost: 3 Resolve Tokens - If you used Defensive Stance on your previous turn or as a Reaction, immediately at the start of your next turn if you move at least 15 feet in any direction you can use a bonus action to knock back all enemies within 5 feet of you, this includes enemies encountered on the way.  Enemies must make a Strength save against your Iron Wall DC or be knocked prone.  Creatures of size Large or bigger have advantage on the save.

OR

Concussive Slam - Action -  cost: 3 Resolve Tokens - You slam the ground with all your might, causing an echoing blast to ring out from beneath your feet.  Everyone within 5 feet must make a Constitution save against your Iron Wall DC.  On a failed save they take 2d10 force damage and are knocked prone.  On a successful save they take half damage and remain standing.  Everyone else within 20 feet must make a Constitution save against your Iron Wall DC or be Deafened until the end of your next turn.  On a successful save there is no effect.

Wall Master

At 15th level your Damage Sponge Maneuver gains a range of 15 feet

Unmovable Object

At 18th level, you've become a mass of solid iron and learn the final Defensive Maneuver.

Bastion of Iron - Action - cost: 5 Resolve Tokens - duration: 1 minute - limit once per long rest -
Your AC increase by 1 per shield equipped
As a reaction, you project a 5 foot radius sphere around you, giving allies within 5 feet of you full cover.

You gain immunity to slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage.

You are immune to being knocked prone or forced to moved in any direction against your will.