The Guardian
As the pack of wolves encircles the camp, a boisterous dwarf shouts drunken provocations and clangs his handaxe against his shield to draw their attention away from his allies.
The naive princess searches the city for tales of adventure and daring, unaware of the assassins stalking her from the shadows. Aiming, they fire a bolt from their crossbow, whizzing towards her. And then, with a shocked gasp, they watch as the bolt shatters on impact. It had collided suddenly with the shield of the young princess' protector.
Young, eager mages sneak through the library. An artifact was on loan from a prestigious alumni. They heard this tome could raise any mage's understanding of magic, quite a boon with exams around the corner. As the three approach the mysterious tome, they suddenly are shunted away. From the balcony, they hear the crisp voice of an elven man, "The exhibit is closed for the evening. Please come back tomorrow while we are open."
These protectors are all guardians, dedicating their lives to the shield and develop many bonds along their journies.
Live by the Shield
While guardians have varying responsibilities, they often have two things in common: an unyielding resolve and a sturdy shield arm. These warriors would gladly take up a shield over a longsword any day of the week. Not only for protection, but it's utility. Whether it's shovin' a creature away or giving them a good ole' shield bash, a shield is an all-purpose tool in their hands.
Vigilant Protectors
A guardian undertakes a rather daunting responsibility, both in and out of combat. A guardian requires vigilance, a sharp sense for when things are about to go awry. If they don't, it can leave others in great peril.
But just noticing the danger is not enough. Once identified, there are two options: pacify the threat or draw its ire. Often, this can result in a guardian being the target of many attacks.
Creating Your Guardian
While creating your guardian, consider why you took up the shield instead of the greatsword. Perhaps you are a gentle soul who seeks to protect your allies instead of clashing swords and drawing blood? Do you have an injury or physical disposition that hinders your ability to keep up those rapid strikes? Or perhaps is it simply that you are built sturdy and are capitalizing on your strengths.
Even though you don't start your Guardianship until the 2nd level, it's good to consider the path you'll travel. Are you a loyalist to your kingdom? Have you served any factions or groups? Have you been given a charge or duty to uphold? Are you escorting a person or object somewhere?
Art Credit. Veli Nyström - Dwarf Warrior
Multiclassing with the Guardian
If your table uses the optional multiclassing rules, here is what you'll need to know before taking one level in or out of the Guardian class.
Ability Score Minimums. You must have at least a 13 in your Constitution. While not required, it is recommended you have a 13 or higher in the ability score you'll be using to calculate your Challenger's Call DC.
Proficiencies. If the guardian isn't your initial class when creating your character, you gain the following proficiencies when you take your first level in this class: light armors, medium armors, shields, and simple melee weapons.
The Guardian
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Shield Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Shield Warrior, Watchman | d6 |
| 2nd | +2 | Challenger's Call, Guardianship | d6 |
| 3rd | +2 | Shield Brace | d6 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | d6 |
| 5th | +3 | Shielder | d8 |
| 6th | +3 | Guardianship Feature | d8 |
| 7th | +3 | Mettle | d8 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | d8 |
| 9th | +4 | Unwavering Will | d8 |
| 10th | +4 | Guardianship Feature | d10 |
| 11th | +4 | Immovable, Shielder (2) | d10 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | d10 |
| 13th | +5 | Audacious Protector | d10 |
| 14th | +5 | Guardianship Feature | d10 |
| 15th | +5 | Fortified Resolve | d12 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | d12 |
| 17th | +6 | Superior Shielder | d12 |
| 18th | +6 | Guardianship Feature | d12 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | d12 |
| 20th | +6 | Unbreakable | d12 |
Class Features
As a guardian, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d12 per guardian
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per guardian level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: All armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple melee weapons, flails, morningstars, scimitars, shortswords
- Tools: none
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a handaxe or (b) a morningstar
- (a) studded leather, (b) scale mail, or (c) chain mail
- (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a priest's pack
- A shield
Quick Build
You can make a guardian quickly by following these suggestions: First, make Constitution your highest ability score, followed by Strength and Charisma, and lastly Wisdom. Next, choose the folk hero background.
Shield Warrior
1st-level Guardian feature
While others only use their shield to fend off attacks, your proficiency with shields lets you use them as martial melee weapons with the light property. Your shield deals bludgeoning damage using a d6— your shield die. This die changes when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Shield Die column of the Guardian table.
You gain the following benefits while wielding a shield:
- You can take the shove action as a bonus action. Whenever you succeed on shoving a creature, you knock it prone and push it 5 feet away from you.
- When the target of an attack that you can see takes damage within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to roll your shield die. Your shield reduces this damage by the number you rolled + your Constitution modifier.
- While wielding a magical shield, you add its AC bonus to any attack, damage, or damage reduction rolls using it. This doesn't include the shields normal bonus to AC.
Watchman
1st-level Guardian feature
You remain vigilant at all times, having a + 5 bonus to your passive Perception score to notice threats early. Furthermore, you can't naturally fall asleep while on watch.
Challenger's Call
2nd-level Guardian feature
As an action, you challenge a number of hostile creatures within 30 feet that can hear you. The number of creatures you challenge cannot exceed your proficiency bonus, as determined by your level in this class.
A challenged creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, with disadvantage if it has Keen Hearing or similar features that enhance its hearing. The DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, it accepts your challenge and is affected in the following ways until the end of its next turn or you become incapacitated:
- It has disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you.
- Each foot of movement not moving directly towards you costs it one extra foot.
Guardianship
2nd-level Guardian feature
You hold onto an ideal or bond that strengthens your resolve and shapes your protective nature. Choose one of the following options detailed at the end of the class description. Your guardianship grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.
Shield Brace
3rd-level Guardian feature
You have advantage on Strength saving throws and any ability checks or saving throws to avoid being knocked prone or moved against your will while wielding a shield. If you fail this roll or move more than 5 feet in a turn, you lose this benefit until the start of your next turn.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level Guardian feature
When you gain this feature, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. You can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Shielder
5th-level Guardian feature
While benefiting from your Shield Brace, you can add your shield die to ability checks made to shove a creature with your shield.
In addition, you gain an additional reaction, allowing you to take two per round. You can only use that reaction in response to specific triggers that allows you to roll your shield die as part of the reaction. You can take only one reaction per turn.
The number of reactions increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class.
Mettle
7th-level Guardian feature
You can absorb the impact of certain area effects to protect your allies. When you are subjected to an effect that targets an area and allows you to make a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw, you can choose to fail it instead. Failing this save causes you to lose the benefit of your Shield Brace until the start of your next turn.
If you do, creatures in a cone originating from you automatically succeed on their saving throw. This cone faces directly away from the source that triggered this saving throw and extends to the affected area's boundary. If the effect spreads around corners, the cone only extends 10 feet.
Art Credit. seraph777 - Ram & Boar Shields
Unwavering Will
9th-level Guardian feature
Though you feel fear, you no longer let it control you, allowing you to move closer to the source of your fear while frightened.
Moreover, when you move 5 feet or more towards a creature you are frightened of, you draw it's ire for 1 minute. For the duration, it accepts your challenge.
Immovable
11th-level Guardian feature
While you are benefiting from your Shield Brace, you cannot be forcefully moved or knocked prone. You have resistance to any damage from such effects.
Audacious Protector
13th-level Guardian feature
When you challenge a creature, you can choose any number of creatures who can hear you within range.
Fortified Resolve
15th-level Guardian feature
When you roll initiative or challenge a creature, you can steel yourself and roll your shield die. You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the roll.
Superior Shielder
17th-level Guardian feature
Your Shielder feature allows you take one reaction on every turn in combat, quickly recovering from each strike you block. Your first reaction each round is not restricted to any specific triggers as normal.
Unbreakable
20th-level Guardian feature
Your body embodies the aspect of fortitude. Your Constitution score is increased by 4. Your maximum for this score is now 24.
Furthermore, when you roll your shield die to reduce damage, you can choose to reduce the damage to 0 instead. Once you use this feature to reduce damage, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest or roll initiative.
Guardianships
Most guardians have a protective nature since birth. It isn't until later in life that they choose to take up a guardianship, a task in which they pledge themselves to the protection of an object, place, or creature. Your choice of guardianship is reflected in your abilities and how this time changed you.
The Crown
You spent your time in service of your kingdom. Many guardians take up this opportunity to protect their homeland from invasion, while others seek the fame and recognition the comes with the job. Roll on the table below to learn the details of your guardianship or create your own.
| d6 | Results |
|---|---|
| 1 | You were stationed to a garrison near the hinterlands |
| 2 | You escorted the survivors of a raid to safety |
| 3 | You joined a faction that patrols the roads for bandits |
| 4 | You witnessed the crime of a dastardly felon, but were unable to capture them |
| 5 | A merchant hired you as a bodyguard |
| 6 | You were charge with protecting a noble figure, such as a prince or princess |
Keeper of the Peace
2nd-level The Crown feature
You gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Insight, Intimidation, Perception, or Persuasion. Alternatively, you learn one language of your choice.
Respect the Law
2nd-level The Crown feature
When a creature who has accepted your challenge attacks a target other than you, you can use your reaction to move up to 15 feet and make a melee weapon attack against it. Alternatively, you can try shoving it instead of making an attack.
Thwart Assassination
6th-level The Crown feature
When a creature makes an attack roll with advantage, you can use your reaction to negate the advantage with your shield if the attack targets you or a creature you can see within reach. If the attack still hits its target, you can reduce the damage using your Shield Warrior feature as part of the same reaction.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, as determined by your level in this class. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Art Credit. Manuel Castañón - Dauntless Bodyguard
Intercede
10th-level The Crown feature
When you use your shield die to reduce damage from an attack not targeting you, the attacker has disadvantage on all subsequent attacks for the rest of the turn while it or its target is within your reach.
Bold Reputation
14th-level The Crown feature
Your reputation helps rally your allies and makes hostile creatures weary at the start of combat, represented by the following benefits:
- When an allied creature within 30 that can hear or see you makes an initiative roll, it can add your proficiency bonus to the initiative.
- Whenever you roll initiative, you can use your Challenger's Call (no action required).
Gate Guardian
18th-level The Crown feature
When a creature enters your reach or moves more than 5 feet within it, you can use your reaction and shield to make an attack of opportunity or try shoving it. A creature shoved or hit with this reaction has its speed reduced to 0 until the start of its next turn.
Art Credit. Druid Circle art - owned by WotC (artist unkown)
The Nexus
A nexus is a source of ancient magical secrets or power. As you continue guarding this nexus of magical power, you learn to manipulate the forces of magic to ward off intruders and create unconquerable battlements. You can roll on the table below to discover what magical nexus you protected or create your own.
| d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | A collection of arcane tomes at a school of wizardry |
| 2 | Remains of an archdruid that causes the land within 1 mile of it to be overgrown with foliage |
| 3 | A rift in space connecting two planes or points in time |
| 4 | You are blessed by a deity of magic, and are searching for a lost fragment of their divinity |
| 5 | Ancient druidic structure(s) built upon a leyline |
| 6 | Permanent magical scars have formed as a result of rampant sorcery. These scars create extreme magical effects that visible from over a mile away |
Keeper of Magic
2nd-level The Nexus feature
You gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, or Nature.
In addition, you can use Intelligence or Wisdom instead of Charisma when calculating the DC for your Challenger's Call.
Restricted Area
2nd-level The Nexus feature
When you use Challenger's Call, you can forgo challenging any creatures to set up a restricted area by choosing a point you can see within range. This restricted area is a 10-foot cube originating from this point. The space within this area magically becomes difficult terrain for creatures of your choice. This area remains affected until the start of your next turn unless you are inside it.
Moreover, at the end of a creature's turn, you can use your reaction to choose any creatures within your restricted area. A creature must make a Constitution saving throw against your Challenger's Call DC. On a failed save, it is forcefully moved outside of the affected area to an unoccupied space within 5 feet.
You can choose an additional point when you take this action at 6th level (two points), and again at 10th (three points) and 14th level (four points).
Landlord
6th-level The Nexus feature
When you create a restricted area, you can grant creatures permission to occupy it. If such a creature is inside this area at the start of your next turn, the restricted area persists as if you were inside it too.
In addition, your restricted area comes equipped with the following benefits when you create it:
- Any entryway or object with a lock inside your restricted area is considered under the effects of the arcane lock spell unless you choose otherwise.
- You sense when a creature or object enters it. You can't distinguish between the two. If it is warded against divination magic, this effect doesn't detect the creature or object.
Armed Zone
10th-level The Nexus feature
When you set up a restricted zone, you arm it with imposing magical defenses. When a creature enters your restricted area, you can use your reaction to deal it force damage equal to a roll of your shield die.
Access Tunnels
14th-level The Nexus feature
Areas that have been restricted by you are connected by a series of leylines. While you are standing in a restricted area, you can teleport yourself and one willing creature you are touching as a bonus action. This bonus action can only teleport creatures to an unoccupied space within one of your restricted areas.
Covered Zone
18th-level The Nexus feature
Those permitted within your restricted area are granted protection by magically created cover. You and creatures of your choice have half cover while in your restricted zone.
In addition, your restricted area is expanded, occupying a 15-foot cube originating from each points you have chosen.
The Tower
Your adventures have brought you to a structure of imposing presence. Within you have discovered clues of the purpose of this place. Roll on the table below to learn of your discoveries in the tower, or create your own. You can roll again to learn if it's still active (evens) or abandoned (odds).
| d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | The restless spirits of prisoners howl inside the unfinished structure |
| 2 | Chains and shackles bind the bones of an adult dragon |
| 3 | This dwarven stronghold stands ready for battle |
| 4 | A journal of an infamous tyrant contains details of the gruesome deeds they performed within this place |
| 5 | While sleeping inside, you have nightmarish vision of the future |
| 6 | Fire giants built this tower to construct a cataclysmic weapon |
Keeper of the Tower
2nd-level The Tower feature
You gain proficiency with mason’s tools and smith’s tools. If you already have either of these tool proficiencies, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.
When you make an ability check using mason's tools or smith's tools to repair or modify an object, you can roll a d4 and add it to the roll.
Imposing Shield
2nd-level The Tower feature
You can spend 30 minutes modifying an existing shield using your smith's tools and materials worth 15gp. You can do this as part of a short or long rest. Upon completion, the shield's modified in the following ways:
- It now requires two hands to wield this shield as it's weight has doubled (replace its light property with the two-handed property).
- It's normal bonus to AC increases to +3 from a +2.
- While holding a two-handed shield, a creature has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
- When a creature successfully is shoved using this shield, it's pushed up to 10 feet away instead of 5 feet.
Looming Presence
6th-level The Tower feature
While benefiting from your Shield Brace and wielding a two-handed shield, you give off an intimidating presence, granting you advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
Additionally, you can challenge a creature as a reaction when it moves away from you or targets an ally you can see with an attack. On a failed save, you also reduce its speed to 0 until the start of its next turn. A creature immune to being frightened doesn't have its speed reduced to 0.
You can take this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, as determined by your level in this class. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Unshakable Foundation
10th-level The Tower feature
When you would lose the benefits of your Shield Brace, you can choose to keep these benefits. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until the start of your next turn.
Shaken Will
14th-level The Tower feature
When you reduce a creature's speed to 0 using your Looming Presence, it becomes shaken, making its first saving throw before the start of its next turn with disadvantage.
Unconquerable Dread
18th-level The Tower feature
You leave creatures with a sense of dread when one of the following happens:
- A creature fails its saving throw to resist your challenge
- You reduce the attacker's damage to 0
- you succeed on the initial saving throw to resist a creature's spell or effect
When one or more of these occur, roll your shield die. This creature takes psychic damage equal to the roll.