Path of the Dreadnought, Updated

Tired of being a plain ol' face tank swinging a big axe around? Why not be a regular tank throwing around a giant shield instead! What's the best class? Armor Class!

Lumbering Palisade

When you choose this path at Level 3, you gain the ability to craft and wield Greatshields. Additionally, you gain proficiency with Smith’s tools and Carpenter’s tools.

Crafting a Greatshield requires wood and steel worth at least 30 GP, and access to an anvil, and forge. Crafting requires one 8 hour day to complete; this time can be reduced by one hour for each additional proficient creature aiding you, or reduced by half if aided by another creature with this ability. A Greatshield is thrice as large as a standard shield and requires a minimum Strength of 15 to wield.

There are two varieties of Greatshields: Bulwarks, and Crushers.

Bulwarks: While raging, add ½ of your Rage Damage Bonus to your armor class. This bonus is doubled against ranged attacks you can see, so long as you are not incapacitated. Starting at 6th level, when you use the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with a shield bash, targeting one creature you can see within your reach. The creature must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + prof + Strength mod), or be pushed 5 ft away from you and become Stunned until they take damage or until the start of your next turn.

Crushers: While raging, when a creature you can see misses you with a melee attack, they take piercing damage equal to your Rage Damage Bonus. This damage is doubled against unarmed attacks. Starting at 6th level, when you use the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with a shield bash, targeting one creature you can see within your reach. The creature must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + prof + Strength mod), or take your choice of either bludgeoning or piercing damage equal to your Strength modifier plus your Rage Damage Bonus, and be knocked prone.

You can only attempt a shield bash once on your turn.

Fortress of Might

Beginning at level 6, once per rage, when a creature targets you with an attack, you can spend your reaction to gain temporary hit points equal to your twice Strength modifier (min 2). Additionally, while raging, you have advantage on checks or saving throws to resist being moved or knocked prone.

Staunch Defender

At level 10, both Bulwarks and Crushers now provide you a base AC rating of 3 instead of 2. While raging, you can add your Greatshield’s AC to Dexterity saving throws made against effects you can see. To gain this benefit, you can't be incapacitated. Additionally, non-hostile creatures within 5 ft of you that are your size or smaller benefit from ¾ cover against ranged attacks from on the opposite side of you. Creatures no larger than one size larger than you instead gain ½ cover. Additionally, you can shield bash as a bonus action.

Rampaging Monolith

Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of Greatshields improves.

Bulwarks: While raging, you can expend your reaction to make either yourself, or one creature within 5 ft that is your size or smaller untargetable by attacks until the start of your next turn.

Crushers: While raging, whenever a creature misses you with a melee weapon attack, you can spend your reaction to make a Strength check (DC = 8 + target creatures weapon attack bonus) to reduce the weapon’s damage die by one size (d10 to d8, d4 to d2, etc). If this would decrease the damage die below a d2, the weapon is broken and can no longer be used.

Whenever you enter a rage, if you use your Instinctive Pounce to move at least 10 ft in a single direction, you can then target one creature within 5 ft with a brutal shield bash as an action. Instead of imposing a saving throw, the effect happens automatically. Additionally, if you are wielding a Bulwark, the creature is knocked unconscious until it takes damage or is roused as an action; if you are wielding a Crusher, the shield bash damage is doubled.