Vanguard

Those who choose the Vanguard archetype provide a wide variety of skills and services. Perhaps your job is to lead the charge into a volley of arrows, protecting your party from harm. Or maybe your job is to guard a tunnel, giving your friends time to escape. Or maybe your job is just to act as a bodyguard while you wait for the wizard to give up trying those stupid control spells and just throw a fireball already. Whatever the purpose, you are a tower of safety in a world of chaos. You are the Vanguard.

Improved Defender

As an action on your turn, you can take a defensive stance. This lasts until the start of your next turn. While you are in this stance, you gain +3 to your AC. In addition, you provide 3/4 cover instead of 1/2 cover.

If you move after taking your defensive stance, it immediately ends. You must be wielding a shield to take a defensive stance.

Shield Bash

Starting at 7th level, you are able to take your protective abilities and turn them to offense. When you take the attack action on your turn, you are able to perform a shield bash as a bonus action. Choose one of the following effects:

• Make a melee attack, adding your proficiency bonus and your Strength modifier. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage.
• The target makes a Strength saving throw. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target is pushed 5 feet away from you.
• The target makes a Strength saving throw. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target is knocked prone.
• The target makes a Constitution saving throw. The DC is equal to your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target is stunned until the end of its next turn.

Additional Fighting Style

At 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature. This option must be chosen from the following: Protection, Defense

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Superior Defender

You have gotten much better at protecting yourself and your allies. When you take the defensive stance granted by Improved Defender, you now provide full cover and advantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Ultimate Defender

At 18th level, you are the best defender the world has ever known. You and every ally within 5 feet of you gains +2 to their AC while you are conscious.