WarrentheHero
2016-01-12, 11:23 PM
The Defender
Submission for JNAP's Homestead Homebrew contest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?474734-Base-Class-Contest-III-Homestead-5E).
There are those in every plane, in every nation, who have chosen the life of the selfless protector. These heroic individuals would sooner die than allow harm to come to what they defend. A Defender embodies these ideals to the utmost, vowing to defend a person or an area until they draw their last breath- or until those that threaten draw theirs.
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Defense Dice
Features
1
+2
2
Defense Dice, Fighting Style, Threat Watch
2
+2
2
Confront, Threat Surge
3
+2
2
Defender's Stance
4
+2
3
Ability Score Improvement
5
+3
3
Threat Warding
6
+3
3
-
7
+3
4
Defender's Stance Feature
8
+3
4
Ability Score Improvement
9
+4
4
Immovable
10
+4
5
Defender's Stance Feature
11
+4
5
-
12
+4
5
Ability Score Improvement
13
+5
6
Hold the Line
14
+5
6
-
15
+5
6
Defender's Stance Feature
16
+5
7
Ability Score Improvement
17
+6
7
Total Defense
18
+6
7
Defender's Stance Feature
19
+6
8
Ability Score Improvement
20
+6
8
Insurmountable
Class Features
As a Defender, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Defender level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifer
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Defender level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light and medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) chain shirt, or (b) studded leather
(a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
a light crossbow and 20 bolts
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Defense Dice
Your devotion to defending those around you allows you to use a special resource known as Defence Dice, which are d8s. You have a number of Defense Dice as shown on the Defender Table. When You can expend a Defense Die to gain one of the powerful effects, called Guards. Some of your Guards require creatures to make saving throws to resist the Guard's effect. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Guard save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
Defender's Vigilance You may cast Alarm as a 1st-level spell. This is not magical; rather it represents your heightened awareness, even while asleep. You cannot choose an audible alarm when casting this way.
Redirect When a creature within 5 feet of you is the target of an attack, you may use your reaction to cause the attack to target you instead. If the attack hits, roll the Defense Die expended for this Guard. The damage of the attack is reduced by the amount shown on the die.
Taunt As an action, roll the defense die expended for this Guard. A number of creatures of your choice within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. Threats have disadvantage on this save. On a failure, they suffer disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you and cannot move more than 30 feet away from you for 1 minute.
Interfere When a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you may use your reaction to roll your Guard die to reduce the damage they take by an amount shown on the die. You must be wielding a shield or a weapon.
Interpose When you use an action to use this Guard, you and a creature within 5 feet of you swap spaces. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Distract When you use an action to use this Guard, you harry your opponents, allowing one ally you can see to Disengage as a bonus action on their next turn.
You regain all expended Defense Dice upon completing a short or long rest.
Fighting Styles
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Close Quarters Shooter
You are trained in making ranged attacks at close quarters. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. Finally, you have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.
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.
Tunnel Fighting
You excel at defending narrow passages, doorways, and other tight spaces. As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Threat Watch
As a bonus action on your turn, you may mark a number of creatures that you can see up to your Defender level as Threats. You gain advantage on all Wisdom(Perception) checks made to perceive Threats, and your attacks ignore half and three-quarters covers against Threats you can see. If your group uses the optional Flanking rule as presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide, page 251, Threats cannot benefit from Flanking you. There is no maximum on the number of Threats you can mark per day, but you cannot have more creatures marked as Threats at a single time than your Wisdom modifier. In the same bonus action used to mark Threats, you can unmark any number of Threats.
Advance
Starting at 2nd level, when you are moving toward a Threat, your movement speed is increased by 5 feet.
Threat Surge
Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits in order to punish Threats. On your turn, you may take an additional action or bonus action, but only if you use it to attack, interfere with, move towards, or otherwise harm a Threat.
Defender's Stance
At 3rd level, you choose which Stance you wish to master, either the Stance of the Guardian or the Stance of the Threshold Keeper. The Stance you choose grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th levels.
Threat Warding
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack a Threat twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn.
Immovable
At 9th level, your ability to resist any attempt your opponents phase you. You have advantage on any checks made to resist being forcibly moved in any way. You also take 3 less damage from all bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage you take. This effect can reduce damage dealt to 0.
Hold the Line
By 13th level, you've learned how to keep your foes at bay, and you're always ready to stop them. You gain an extra reaction.
Total Defence
Beginning at 17th level, your mastery of defence allows you to avoid damage when you focus on nothing else, as well as consistently avoid it. When you use the Dodge action on your turn, you gain resistance to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage. Additionally, you can use the Dodge action as a bonus action, but when used this way you do not gain the resistance benefit.
Insurmountable
At 20th level, you are a bastion your foes simply cannot bypass. Whenever you mark Threats, you may choose a number of Threats equal to your Wisdom modifier to mark as Grave Threats. These creatures are treated as Threats for all intents and purposes, with the following exceptions: They have disadvantage to attack any creature other than you, and you have resistance to all damage they deal to you.
Defender's Stances
The sole purpose of a Defender is to protect. At 3rd level, you choose whether you focus on protecting an individual or an area.
Stance of the Guardian
You have devoted yourself to the guardianship of other people. Your training makes you the ideal bodyguard; always ready and willing to put yourself between your Ward and their threats. Many Guardians maintain one or two Ward for the entirety of their careers, though others switch freely between high-priority targets.
Guardian's Ward
Beginning when you choose this Stance at 3rd level, you may use a bonus action on your turn to choose a creature as your Ward. This is a creature that you have chosen to protect in combat. You may only have one Ward at a time. When you use the Redirect Guard on your Ward, you don't expend Defense Dice. However, you also can't reduce the damage by rolling Defense Dice when used this way. Additionally, you gain your Advance bonus to movement speed when moving towards your Ward.
A creature stays marked as your Ward until they die, you fall unconscious, or you unmark them as no action.
Ever Watchful
Beginning at 7th level, your vigilance allows you to watch and protect two Wards at once. You may still only mark one Ward at a time using a bonus action.
Protector's Presence
At 10th level, your very presence inspire confidence within your wards. While within 30 feet of you, your Wards have advantage on saving throws against being frightened and charmed. Additionally, any character that has a positive outlook on one of your Wards has the same outlook on you. You are also allowed entry into areas that normally only you would not be allowed in, as long as you are accompanying a Ward who is permitted. For example, if your Ward is permitted audience with a king, but you are not, you are still allowed to accompany your Ward. You may still be subject to certain regulations (such as disarming, for example).
Guardian's Wrath
At 15th level, you punish those who would dare to harm your Wards. Whenever a creature makes an attack against one of your Wards, you may use your reaction to make a weapon attack against that creature. Your reaction attack occurs before the damage from the triggering attack deals damage.
Inspiring Defense
At 18th level, your Wards are so confident in your ability to protect them that they can shrug off inconsequential damage. Whenever you use a Defense Die, the nearest Ward within 30 feet of you gains temporary hitpoints equal to your Defender level.
Stance of the Threshold Keeper
Your training allows you to keep watch over an area, whether it be an open space, a building, or a room. That area is your domain, and no-one enters it without answering to you.
Hearth
You choose an area as your Hearth. There are two types of Hearths, and you may have a maximum of one of each type active at a time.
Zonal Hearths are temporary. These are small areas you have chosen to defend, and you can spend no less than 10 minutes inspecting an area to declare it as a Zonal Hearth. A Zonal Hearth lasts until you leave it.
Permanent Hearths are much more permanent and must be a building or some other permanent structure. A sufficiently large Permanent Hearth can include multiple buildings. You must spend at least a full day in a Permanent Hearth to mark it as such, but this type of Hearth lasts until you make another. A Permanent Hearth that includes multiple building cannot include partial buildings unless it is completely contained within that building. Additionally, you must spend a full day in each building included in your Hearth, otherwise that building is not in your Hearth even if it is within the maximum area.
While inside one of your Hearths, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC. Additionally, you have advantage on all Wisdom(Perception) and Intelligence(Investigation) checks made pertaining to your Hearth. The Alarm granted by your Defender's Vigilance can be cast over your entire Hearth, even if it would not normally cover that area. Creatures that enter one of your Hearths while you are inside of it have their movement slowed by 5 feet until the end of their turn.
The maximum size of a Hearth is given on the following table:
Defender Level
Zonal Hearth
Permanent Hearth
3
20 x 20 feet
30 x 30 feet
7
30 x 30 feet
50 x 50 feet
10
40 x 40 feet
70 x 70 feet
15
50 x 50 feet
90 x 90 feet
18
60 x 60 feet
120 x 120 feet
Every Detail
At 7th level, your familiarity with your Hearths allows you to perceive even minute differences within them. You are unaffected by nonmagical darkness while within your Hearth, and cannot be blinded or deafened to things within your Hearth. Additionally, you can potentially detect invisible creatures within your Hearth with your Passive Perception.
Respect for the Landlord
At 10th level, others recognize your domain as respect that. While in one of your Hearths, you have advantage on all Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion checks against creatures in one of your Hearths. In one a Permanent Hearth, you also gain your proficiency bonus in these checks. If you are already proficient in one of these skills, your proficiency bonus is doubled instead.
This is a Work-in-Progress. I haven't finished with all of the features yet, but I know that I want most of the base features to interact with Threats somehow, and the subclass features should obviously be either in the style of a bodyguard(Guardian) or in defense of an area(Threshold Keeper). I used the Fighter as a template for this class, and part of that includes me wanting to put a noncombat ribbon into the subclasses at level 10, which will be tricky especially for the Guardian, I think. Any and all ideas/feedback/critiques are appreciated.
I'd also like to mention that while I was not inspired by weaseldust's Torchbearer class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?473696-Class-Torchbearer&p=20248516#post20248516) for the Threat system, it is very similar to that and I feel I should mention it here to avoid any perceived impropriety.
I've also put the subclasses into Spoilers for readability. If I failed in this, let me know and I'll put them into normal text.
Additionally, I'm not exactly in love with the name for Hearths, so if you think of something better, let me know.
1-22-16: Added Immovable and Total Defense features
1-26-16: Finished base class features, finished Guardian, added a level 10 feature to Threshold Keeper
Submission for JNAP's Homestead Homebrew contest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?474734-Base-Class-Contest-III-Homestead-5E).
There are those in every plane, in every nation, who have chosen the life of the selfless protector. These heroic individuals would sooner die than allow harm to come to what they defend. A Defender embodies these ideals to the utmost, vowing to defend a person or an area until they draw their last breath- or until those that threaten draw theirs.
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Defense Dice
Features
1
+2
2
Defense Dice, Fighting Style, Threat Watch
2
+2
2
Confront, Threat Surge
3
+2
2
Defender's Stance
4
+2
3
Ability Score Improvement
5
+3
3
Threat Warding
6
+3
3
-
7
+3
4
Defender's Stance Feature
8
+3
4
Ability Score Improvement
9
+4
4
Immovable
10
+4
5
Defender's Stance Feature
11
+4
5
-
12
+4
5
Ability Score Improvement
13
+5
6
Hold the Line
14
+5
6
-
15
+5
6
Defender's Stance Feature
16
+5
7
Ability Score Improvement
17
+6
7
Total Defense
18
+6
7
Defender's Stance Feature
19
+6
8
Ability Score Improvement
20
+6
8
Insurmountable
Class Features
As a Defender, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Defender level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifer
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Defender level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light and medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) chain shirt, or (b) studded leather
(a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
a light crossbow and 20 bolts
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Defense Dice
Your devotion to defending those around you allows you to use a special resource known as Defence Dice, which are d8s. You have a number of Defense Dice as shown on the Defender Table. When You can expend a Defense Die to gain one of the powerful effects, called Guards. Some of your Guards require creatures to make saving throws to resist the Guard's effect. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Guard save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
Defender's Vigilance You may cast Alarm as a 1st-level spell. This is not magical; rather it represents your heightened awareness, even while asleep. You cannot choose an audible alarm when casting this way.
Redirect When a creature within 5 feet of you is the target of an attack, you may use your reaction to cause the attack to target you instead. If the attack hits, roll the Defense Die expended for this Guard. The damage of the attack is reduced by the amount shown on the die.
Taunt As an action, roll the defense die expended for this Guard. A number of creatures of your choice within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. Threats have disadvantage on this save. On a failure, they suffer disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you and cannot move more than 30 feet away from you for 1 minute.
Interfere When a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you may use your reaction to roll your Guard die to reduce the damage they take by an amount shown on the die. You must be wielding a shield or a weapon.
Interpose When you use an action to use this Guard, you and a creature within 5 feet of you swap spaces. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Distract When you use an action to use this Guard, you harry your opponents, allowing one ally you can see to Disengage as a bonus action on their next turn.
You regain all expended Defense Dice upon completing a short or long rest.
Fighting Styles
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Close Quarters Shooter
You are trained in making ranged attacks at close quarters. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. Finally, you have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.
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.
Tunnel Fighting
You excel at defending narrow passages, doorways, and other tight spaces. As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Threat Watch
As a bonus action on your turn, you may mark a number of creatures that you can see up to your Defender level as Threats. You gain advantage on all Wisdom(Perception) checks made to perceive Threats, and your attacks ignore half and three-quarters covers against Threats you can see. If your group uses the optional Flanking rule as presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide, page 251, Threats cannot benefit from Flanking you. There is no maximum on the number of Threats you can mark per day, but you cannot have more creatures marked as Threats at a single time than your Wisdom modifier. In the same bonus action used to mark Threats, you can unmark any number of Threats.
Advance
Starting at 2nd level, when you are moving toward a Threat, your movement speed is increased by 5 feet.
Threat Surge
Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits in order to punish Threats. On your turn, you may take an additional action or bonus action, but only if you use it to attack, interfere with, move towards, or otherwise harm a Threat.
Defender's Stance
At 3rd level, you choose which Stance you wish to master, either the Stance of the Guardian or the Stance of the Threshold Keeper. The Stance you choose grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th levels.
Threat Warding
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack a Threat twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn.
Immovable
At 9th level, your ability to resist any attempt your opponents phase you. You have advantage on any checks made to resist being forcibly moved in any way. You also take 3 less damage from all bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage you take. This effect can reduce damage dealt to 0.
Hold the Line
By 13th level, you've learned how to keep your foes at bay, and you're always ready to stop them. You gain an extra reaction.
Total Defence
Beginning at 17th level, your mastery of defence allows you to avoid damage when you focus on nothing else, as well as consistently avoid it. When you use the Dodge action on your turn, you gain resistance to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage. Additionally, you can use the Dodge action as a bonus action, but when used this way you do not gain the resistance benefit.
Insurmountable
At 20th level, you are a bastion your foes simply cannot bypass. Whenever you mark Threats, you may choose a number of Threats equal to your Wisdom modifier to mark as Grave Threats. These creatures are treated as Threats for all intents and purposes, with the following exceptions: They have disadvantage to attack any creature other than you, and you have resistance to all damage they deal to you.
Defender's Stances
The sole purpose of a Defender is to protect. At 3rd level, you choose whether you focus on protecting an individual or an area.
Stance of the Guardian
You have devoted yourself to the guardianship of other people. Your training makes you the ideal bodyguard; always ready and willing to put yourself between your Ward and their threats. Many Guardians maintain one or two Ward for the entirety of their careers, though others switch freely between high-priority targets.
Guardian's Ward
Beginning when you choose this Stance at 3rd level, you may use a bonus action on your turn to choose a creature as your Ward. This is a creature that you have chosen to protect in combat. You may only have one Ward at a time. When you use the Redirect Guard on your Ward, you don't expend Defense Dice. However, you also can't reduce the damage by rolling Defense Dice when used this way. Additionally, you gain your Advance bonus to movement speed when moving towards your Ward.
A creature stays marked as your Ward until they die, you fall unconscious, or you unmark them as no action.
Ever Watchful
Beginning at 7th level, your vigilance allows you to watch and protect two Wards at once. You may still only mark one Ward at a time using a bonus action.
Protector's Presence
At 10th level, your very presence inspire confidence within your wards. While within 30 feet of you, your Wards have advantage on saving throws against being frightened and charmed. Additionally, any character that has a positive outlook on one of your Wards has the same outlook on you. You are also allowed entry into areas that normally only you would not be allowed in, as long as you are accompanying a Ward who is permitted. For example, if your Ward is permitted audience with a king, but you are not, you are still allowed to accompany your Ward. You may still be subject to certain regulations (such as disarming, for example).
Guardian's Wrath
At 15th level, you punish those who would dare to harm your Wards. Whenever a creature makes an attack against one of your Wards, you may use your reaction to make a weapon attack against that creature. Your reaction attack occurs before the damage from the triggering attack deals damage.
Inspiring Defense
At 18th level, your Wards are so confident in your ability to protect them that they can shrug off inconsequential damage. Whenever you use a Defense Die, the nearest Ward within 30 feet of you gains temporary hitpoints equal to your Defender level.
Stance of the Threshold Keeper
Your training allows you to keep watch over an area, whether it be an open space, a building, or a room. That area is your domain, and no-one enters it without answering to you.
Hearth
You choose an area as your Hearth. There are two types of Hearths, and you may have a maximum of one of each type active at a time.
Zonal Hearths are temporary. These are small areas you have chosen to defend, and you can spend no less than 10 minutes inspecting an area to declare it as a Zonal Hearth. A Zonal Hearth lasts until you leave it.
Permanent Hearths are much more permanent and must be a building or some other permanent structure. A sufficiently large Permanent Hearth can include multiple buildings. You must spend at least a full day in a Permanent Hearth to mark it as such, but this type of Hearth lasts until you make another. A Permanent Hearth that includes multiple building cannot include partial buildings unless it is completely contained within that building. Additionally, you must spend a full day in each building included in your Hearth, otherwise that building is not in your Hearth even if it is within the maximum area.
While inside one of your Hearths, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC. Additionally, you have advantage on all Wisdom(Perception) and Intelligence(Investigation) checks made pertaining to your Hearth. The Alarm granted by your Defender's Vigilance can be cast over your entire Hearth, even if it would not normally cover that area. Creatures that enter one of your Hearths while you are inside of it have their movement slowed by 5 feet until the end of their turn.
The maximum size of a Hearth is given on the following table:
Defender Level
Zonal Hearth
Permanent Hearth
3
20 x 20 feet
30 x 30 feet
7
30 x 30 feet
50 x 50 feet
10
40 x 40 feet
70 x 70 feet
15
50 x 50 feet
90 x 90 feet
18
60 x 60 feet
120 x 120 feet
Every Detail
At 7th level, your familiarity with your Hearths allows you to perceive even minute differences within them. You are unaffected by nonmagical darkness while within your Hearth, and cannot be blinded or deafened to things within your Hearth. Additionally, you can potentially detect invisible creatures within your Hearth with your Passive Perception.
Respect for the Landlord
At 10th level, others recognize your domain as respect that. While in one of your Hearths, you have advantage on all Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion checks against creatures in one of your Hearths. In one a Permanent Hearth, you also gain your proficiency bonus in these checks. If you are already proficient in one of these skills, your proficiency bonus is doubled instead.
This is a Work-in-Progress. I haven't finished with all of the features yet, but I know that I want most of the base features to interact with Threats somehow, and the subclass features should obviously be either in the style of a bodyguard(Guardian) or in defense of an area(Threshold Keeper). I used the Fighter as a template for this class, and part of that includes me wanting to put a noncombat ribbon into the subclasses at level 10, which will be tricky especially for the Guardian, I think. Any and all ideas/feedback/critiques are appreciated.
I'd also like to mention that while I was not inspired by weaseldust's Torchbearer class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?473696-Class-Torchbearer&p=20248516#post20248516) for the Threat system, it is very similar to that and I feel I should mention it here to avoid any perceived impropriety.
I've also put the subclasses into Spoilers for readability. If I failed in this, let me know and I'll put them into normal text.
Additionally, I'm not exactly in love with the name for Hearths, so if you think of something better, let me know.
1-22-16: Added Immovable and Total Defense features
1-26-16: Finished base class features, finished Guardian, added a level 10 feature to Threshold Keeper