Guard (5e Class)

Guard

The streets are dirty, in the gutter lies crime lords and villains galore, it is up for someone to stand up, take action and clean up the world. Sometimes even paladins aren't enough. For that reason, the world needs guards, regular people who wander cities and protect their inhabitants from the dangers of criminal activities.

Creating a Guard

When creating your guard, ask yourself some questions to help guide your character creation: Why did you become a guard? Is this a family tradition, or have you been traumatized by a crime on your past and want justice? Why fight for justice? What morals do you wish to upkeep? Do you believe that the law must be respect above everything else, or do you think that sometimes the law should be bent to serve justice? Are you the "Good Cop" or the "Bad Cop"? Do you try to show an approachable image to the people you have chosen to protect, or do you believe that fear is your greatest tool when enforcing peace?

Quick Build

You can make a Guard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength or Dexterity should be your highest ability score, depending on your focus in melee or ranged weapons. Second, choose the Soldier background.

Class Features

As a Guard you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Guard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Guard level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Thieves tools
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Deception, History, Intimidation, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Survival.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail or (b) leather, hand crossbow, and 20 bolts
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a club and a dagger
• (a) dungeoneer's pack or (b) explorer's pack

Table: The Guard

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Tough As Nails, Sentinel Eye
2nd	+2	Archetype Feature
3rd	+2	Archetype Feature
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack
6th	+3	Tactical Advice
7th	+3	Archetype Feature
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Enduring
10th	+4	Archetype Feature, Deductive Logic
11th	+4	Stake Out
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Calm Under Pressure
14th	+5	Sharp Instincts
15th	+5	Archetype Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Uncanny Focus
18th	+6	Archetype Feature
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Captain of Guard

Optional Rule: Firearm Proficiency

The secrets of gunpowder weapons have been discovered in various corners of the D&D multiverse. If your Dungeon Master uses the rules on firearms in the Dungeon Master's Guide and your Guard has been exposed to the operation of such weapons, your Guard is proficient with them.

Sentinel Eye

At 1st level, you cannot gain disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight, unless you are blinded.

In addition, you gain proficiency in Investigation and Perception, and add twice your proficiency bonus in these skills.

Tough As Nails

Starting at 1st level, your hard life in the streets have strengthened your resolve, and you know how well how to handle violence. You gain the following benefits:

Take Violence

Whenever you take damage from an attack, you can use a reaction to reduce the damage taken by 5 + half your Guard level.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

Give Violence

Whenever you make an attack with unarmed strikes or simple bludgeoning weapons, you roll a d8, if the normal damage for that weapon is lower. In addition, you can use either Strength or Dexterity for those attacks.

Archetype

At 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th levels, you gain features from your chosen archetype. The archetypes for the Guard class are described in the end of this class description.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, 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.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

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.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Extra Attack

At 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Tactical Advice

At 6th level, you can use your action to give one creature of your choice within 60 feet advantage on its next attack roll made until the start of your next turn.

If the creature hits the attack, you can take the Attack action using your reaction, but all attacks must be made against the same target attacked by your ally.

Enduring

Starting at 9th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and not killed outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution save. On a success, you regain 1 hit point and return to consciousness. Once you use this feature, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.

Deductive Logic

At 10th level, you can try to logic to deduct and piece together evidences to solve a mystery. You can spend 1 minute concentrating on a specific topic. You can make three questions to your DM, that can be answered with a yes or no, and make a Intelligence (Investigation) check with a DC of 15. The DM must truthfully answer those questions on a success. On a failed attempt, you suffer 1 level of exhaustion.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Stake Out

At 11th level, you reduce the amount of sleep needed to benefit from a long rest by half, needing to only sleep 4 hours to get those benefits. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit a human would from 8 hours of sleep.

In addition, you can complete a short rest after 10 minutes of rest, instead of 1 hour.

Calm Under Pressure

Starting at 13th level, when you fail a saving throw, you can use your reaction to give yourself advantage on that roll. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.

Sharp Instincts

At 14th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to your Dexterity checks. In addition, creatures hidden from you can't gain advantage on attacks made against you if you aren't incapacitated.

Uncanny Focus

At 17th level, you can put yourself in the situation, focusing your mind on the danger ahead. You can use your bonus action and choose to gain one of the following benefits:

Enhanced Reflexes: For 1 minute, you can use your bonus action to take the Dash, Dodge, Disengage, Hide or Search actions, or make a single attack with a weapon.

Improved Aim. You add a +10 to the result of your next attack roll.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

Captain of Guard

At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of your Take Violence feature, you regain one use. In addition, you gain a bonus to your Constitution and Strength or Dexterity (your choice) equal to +4.

Archetypes

Street Guard

Facing the danger of the street on a daily basis, dealing with violence and corruption, the street guard is the cornerstone of any police force, patrolling the streets and enforcing peace and order.

Order Enforcer

Starting at 2nd level, you sometimes use brutality to keep peace and order. Once per turn when you deal bludgeoning damage, you add your Guard level (rounded up) to the damage dealt.

Whenever you roll under than a 10 on a Charisma (Intimidation) check, you can add this bonus to the result of your check.

Peace Enforcer

Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Intimidation skill.

In addition, whenever you make a Wisdom (Perception) or a Charisma (Intimidation) on a urban environment, you make the check with advantage.

In addition, you can use your action and attempt to calm the emotions of exalted people. You can make a Charisma (Intimidation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the Wisdom (Insight) of all humanoid creatures within 20 feet. If you win the contest, all creatures in the area that are hostile towards another creature become indifferent for 1 minute. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the effect ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.

Pursuer

At 7th level, whenever you take the Dash action, you can use your bonus action to make a grapple or shove attempt.

In addition, you ignore non-magical difficult terrain and gain a climbing and swimming speed equal to your movement speed when dashing.

Arresting

At 10th level, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can grapple a creature as a bonus action. In addition, you can try to arrest a creature you are grappling. Make a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target's Strength(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). If you win, the creature is restrained.

Moreover, if you have a set of manacles on you, can put them on a grappled creature using your reaction.

Shock Trooper

Starting at 15th level, once in each turn when you hit a creature within 5 feet with a melee bludgeoning weapon, you can attack another creature within 5 feet of your target.

Voice of Command

At 18th level, when you roll initiative, you can use your Peace Enforcer feature without taking an action.

In addition, when you use your Peace Enforcer feature, you can also issue a command on any creature within range. This command works as the spell command, but the save DC equals the result of your Intimidation check.

Special Forces

Some menaces that target a city require for the use of a more lethal force. In those cases, the special forces are invoked, and they use tactical positioning and precision to ensure the security of civilians.

Improved Critical

At 2nd level, you score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20 on the d20.

Bonus Proficiencies

Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Stealth skill, and your proficiency bonus is doubled on checks with this skill.

In addition, you can spend 1 minute preparing a space of 5-foot of your choice as a sniper nest. After 1 minute, whenever you are in this position and make an attack with a ranged weapon, you have advantage on the attack.

Tactical Coordination

Starting at 7th, you can use effectively your voice of command. You can use your Tactical Advice feature as a bonus action.

Brutal Critical

At 10th level, you roll one additional damage die when you score a critical hit.

Sniper

At 15th level, you add twice your proficiency bonus to your Dexterity (Stealth) checks. In addition, you can take the Hide action using your bonus action.

If you miss a ranged attack while hidden, your position is not revealed.

Head Shot

At 18th level, when you make a ranged attack and have advantage on the attack, you deal maximum damage on a hit.

Inspector

Using intelligence and research, Inspectors are the detectives, discovering crimes and working to ensure that the criminals pay for their mistakes.

Analytical Eye

Starting at 2nd level, you can take the Search action as a bonus action. In addition, you can take the Search action to make an Intelligence (Investigation) check, contested by the target's Charisma (Deception). If you win, you gain a bonus equal to 1d4 to your damage rolls against the analyzed target. This damage die increases to 1d6 at 7th level and 1d8 at 15th level.

This benefit lasts for 1 minute, until the target is reduced to 0 hit points or until you use it on a new target.

Man-Hunter

Starting at 3rd level, you learn how to police over inhabitants of urban areas. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track and Intelligence checks to recall information about humanoid creatures.

In addition, whenever you hit a humanoid creature you can mark that creature. You always know the location of the marked creature while it is within 1 mile radius of distance from you. You can only have one creature marked at each time. The mark ends after the creature leaves the area or when you finish a long rest.

Lie Detector

Starting at 7th level, you can see trough the lies of investigated creatures. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid the charmed condition.

Mental Prowess

Starting at 10th level, you become proficient in Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws.

Take Cover

Starting at 15th level, an analyzed creature with an attack, you gain the benefits of the Dash and Disengage action without taking an action.

Take it Down

Starting at 18th level, whenever you hit your analyzed target with an attack, you can make one additional attack as a bonus action.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Guard class, you must meet these prerequisites:13 Dexterity or Strength and a 13 Intelligence.

Multiclassing. When you multiclass into the guard class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons and thieve's tools.

5.00

(3 votes)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes