Dwarven Defender (5e Subclass)
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Fighter Martial Archetype: Dwarven Defender[edit]
Dwarves are well-known for their stubborn, head-on approach on things. Give them a suit of armor, a shield, and centuries of war history, and you have a typical dwarven defender. Ironclad, both literally and metaphorically, these juggernauts embody a valuable lesson of why dwarves are not meant to be trifled with. Those who are foolish enough to taunt these guardians' physical appearance tend to regret what they just did, often while being stomped to death to the half-pints they've been wooing a minute before.
- Restrictions: Dwarves Only
Only dwarves can be the Dwarven Defender. Dwarven Defender fills a particular niche in dwarven society and culture. (Not to mention that if other races were to be the Dwarven Defender, it would have been just Defender.)
You DM can lift this restriction to better suit the campaign. The restriction may vary for the settings; it might not apply to your DM's setting or your DM's version of the setting.
- Stands Like A Rock, Hits Like A Rock
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this subclass, your training as a dwarven fighter grants you a special stance that allows you to hold your ground firmly. You gain the following benefits:
- As long as you are wearing a heavy armor, wielding a shield, and not incapacitated, the area within 5 feet of you is considered the difficult terrain for creatures hostile to you.
- You can wield a shield as a melee weapon you are proficient in. On a hit, the shield deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
- When you hit a creature with a shield on your turn, you can use a bonus action to goad the target, compelling it to attack you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. The DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.
- Compact Yet Colossal
When you reach 7th level, you are surprisingly resilient against outer force to move you out of your space. As long as you are not incapacitated, you are considered one size larger for the purpose of avoiding or resisting being shoved or grappled, and creatures smaller than you have disadvantage on Strength (Athletics) checks when attempting to shove or grapple you.
- Additional Fighting Style
At 10th level, you gain the Defense or Protection option the Fighting Style class feature, if you do not have it already. If you already have both Fighting Style options, you can choose a third option from the Fighting Style class feature.
- Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to your Armor Class.
- 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.
- Warding Shield
By 15th level, you can wield your shield to protect yourself from an attack that would normally unable to avoid. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. You must wield a shield to gain this benefit.
- Stands Like A Mountain, Hits Like A Mountain
When you reach 18th level, your presence is improved to the point that simply standing there imposes threat against your enemies. You gain the following benefits.
- When a hostile creature first enters the area within 5 feet of you or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. The DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn. You must be wearing heavy armor, wielding a shield, and not incapacitated to gain this benefit.
- Once on each of your turn when you hit a creature with a shield, you can deal an additional 1d6 damage with the attack.
- When you hit a creature with a shield on your turn, you can use a bonus action to cause a concussive smite against the target. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the creature becomes stunned until the end of your next turn.
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