Defender
A fighter of this archetype is a protector of others, who is skilled at intervening of behalf of its allies. The Defender is conditioned to remain vigilant for long hours.
Defender Features
| Fighter Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Guardian |
| 7th | Enduring Will |
| 10th | Shield Wall |
| 15th | Shadow Guard |
| 18th | Stalwart Barrier |
Guardian
3rd-level Defender feature
At the end of each of your turns, you can guard one ally within 5 feet of you. The target gains a bonus to its AC equal to the bonus provided by your shield as long as it remains within 5 feet of you until the end of your next turn. If you have no shield, the bonus to AC is +1.
While guarding or shadowing a target with this or your Shadow Guard feature, when you deal damage to a creature with a weapon, you can also deal an extra 1d6 weapon damage to that creature. Once you deal this damage, you can’t deal it again until the start of your next turn. The extra damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 10th level.
Enduring Will
7th-level Defender feature
Tireless hours training and working with little rest enable you to handle fatigue and maintain focus for long periods of time. You gain the following benefits:
- Armor you wear only weighs half as much for you.
- You treat the effects from exhaustion as one level of exhaustion less.
- You add your proficiency bonus to Constitution checks.
- You add half your proficiency bonus to Wisdom saving throws if you aren’t already proficient.
Shield Wall
10th-level Defender feature
While you are wielding a shield, you and the target of your Guardian feature gain a +1 bonus to AC. Moreover, you are treated as having three-quarters cover when you move while wielding a shield.
Shadow Guard
15th-level Defender feature
When a creature within 5 feet of you moves, you can use your reaction to move with it until the end of its turn. You can move no more than your movement speed, but the movement doesn’t have to be all at once. You must remain within 5 feet of your target.
If a creature you shadow through this feature moves outside of your reach, you can choose to make an opportunity attack against that creature using the same reaction used to activate this feature.
While you shadow a creature, you can choose to provide it three-quarter’s cover until the end of your next turn, provided you remain within 5 feet of it.
Stalwart Barrier
18th-level Defender feature
At the start of each of your turns, you gain damage resistance to bludgeoning, fire, piercing, slashing, and thunder damage until the end of your next turn or until you move, provided you are wielding a shield. You also provide this benefit to the target of your Guardian feature.