Shielding Crusader

The archetypical Shielding Crusader is determined to protect their allies, without sacrificing on their duties to slay the foes before them.  With your tactical knowledge of shields, spears, and an arcane barrier, you are able to trample across your enemies and keep your friends safe.

Hoplite Warrior

Starting at 3rd level, you excel in combat while wielding a shield and long weapons. Spears, Tridents, Javelins, and War Picks deal 1d8 damage, and have the reach property. While wielding a shield and weapon with the reach property at the same time, you gain the following benefits:

• If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet of you with your shield.
• As a reaction when you make a Dexterity saving throw, choose any number of creatures within 5 feet of you. Each chosen creature is considered to have half-cover against any harmful attacks or effects while within 5 feet of you until the start of your next turn. Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you’ve finished a short or long rest.

Phalanx Formation

Starting at 7th level, your superior defensive tactics protect you an your allies. As a bonus action, you can select an ally to form a protective bond with.  When you do, for the next minute you and your ally in the formation have half cover while within 5ft of one another, provided you are wielding a shield.  As well, creatures of your choice within 5ft of the formation have half cover from ranged attacks.  

Once you have used this feature you can not do so again until you have finished a short or long rest.

Arcane Protection

At 10th level, you can cast shield and absorb elements and regain the ability to do so at the end of a short rest.

Protector of the Many

Starting at 15th level, you can cast your Arcane Protection spells twice, rather than once, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. Additionally, your Arcane Protection spells have a range of 15ft, and can be cast as a reaction on an allied creature when they are attacked or damaged, rather than yourself.

The Wall

At 18th level, you and your team work seamlessly to protect one another. Your Hoplite Warrior and Phalanx Formation features that effect allies now provide 3/4 cover and extend to a range of 10ft.

Additionally, while you are wielding a shield, you permanently provide 1/2 cover to allies within 5ft of you.