Tank (5e Class)

Tank

The Tank by Todd Ulrich

As the Red dragon raises its head, stepping forward, a puff of hot smoke sparks out of its nostrils, coating the parties open wounds with ash. With everyone on the back foot, all hope seems lost. The beast lunges forward, only to be stopped by a Goliath clad in thick armor. Even against the odds, he holds his shield and maul close, as he will defend his friends to the last breath.

In the depths of a murky dungeon, the halfling rogue inspects a trap. He delicately attempts to disarm the contraption, patiently tinkering with the device. Mid way through, something snaps, as shock covers his face. In an instant, he is pulled back quickly as the trap explodes, expelling toxic gas. He looks up to his savior, to which he meets eyes with the groups Dwarven Tank

Tanks are the main line of defense in a party, like a fortress to a kingdom. Your goal is to protect and maintain your allies during battles or adventures. You want to defend, whether you defend the weak or are a hired brute. Maybe you want to show off your superior physical mass, or perhaps you are just doing your job. Tanks are generally larger members of their race, to better defend their allies.

Creating a Tank

Quick Build

You can make a Tank quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score followed by Strength. Second, choose the soldier background. Third, choose heavy armor and a shield.

Class Features

As a Tank you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d12 per Tank level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Tank level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple and Martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) chain mail or (b) scale mail and a shield
• (a) explorer's pack or (b) dungeoneer's pack
• (a) 2 one handed weapons or (b) 1 two handed martial weapon
• (a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) a heavy crossbow and 20 bolts
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4×10 gp in funds.

Table: The Tank

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Vitality Points
1st	+2	Marking, Defensive Reactions	—
2nd	+2	Vitality, Fighting Style	2
3rd	+2	Archetype	3
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	4
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Vitality Improvement	5
6th	+3	Archetype Feature	6
7th	+3	Guardian's Reaction	7
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	8
9th	+4	Vitality Improvement	9
10th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	10
11th	+4	Archetype Feature	11
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	12
13th	+5	Vitality Improvement	13
14th	+5	Heart of Iron	14
15th	+5	Body of Steel	15
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	16
17th	+6	Vitality Improvement	17
18th	+6	Archetype Feature	18
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	19
20th	+6	Unstoppable	20

Marking

At 1st level as a Tank, you strive to defend others, specifically by focusing on a threat. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you mark that creature.

Whenever the marked creature makes an attack against one of your allies, or moves away from you, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against it, attempt to grapple or attempt to shove that creature. The effects of your reaction are applied before the marked creature's attack is resolved.

Defensive Reactions

At 1st level, you’ve learned how to protect your allies in all situations. As a reaction, you can shove or grapple a willing creature with no check involved. This would be in response to danger, like they are falling and you grab them, or a ranged attack is coming so you knock them prone.

Vitality

At 2nd level, as a Tank, your superior power allows you to go beyond the physical limitations of a non tank. Choose one of the following options: Vital Enhancement, Vital Empathy or Vital Emanation. You gain benefits from your chosen vitality technique at 2nd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels.

Your vitality features are fueled by your vitality points. You start with 2 vitality points, but you gain more as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Vitality Point column on the Tank table.

When you spend a vitality point, it is lost until you complete a short or a long rest. Alternatively, you can spend 1 hit dice as a bonus action to gain 1 vitality point.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you may select one of the fighting styles:

Defense

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

Interception

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

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.

Thrown Weapon Fighting

You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Unarmed Fighting

Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8. At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose one tank Archetype of the following: Arcane Defender, Artillery, Juggernaut and Warden. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th and 18th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, 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. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

At 5th level, when you make the attack action, you can make an additional attack.

Guardian's Reaction

At 7th level, you may make a reaction for each creature within 10 feet of you. Once you have used a reaction for a specific creature, you may not use a reaction against that creature until the start of your next turn.

Heart of Iron

At 14th level, you gain proficiency in Wisdom and Charisma saves, as you have trained to resist mental attacks.

Body of Steel

At 15th level, you gain a damage threshold against non magical attacks equal to your level. Damage threshold means any damage below the number is completely ignored; but damage above the threshold is unreduced. This damage threshold is applied before resistances and forms of damage reduction. As a reaction, you may gain a damage threshold against magical attacks equal to half your level, starting until the beginning of your next turn.

Unstoppable

At 20th level, you refuse to die. While you still have allies alive and fighting within 30 feet of you and you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may come back with half your maximum hit points. When you do so, you gain the effects of the invulnerability spell until the start of your next turn.

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

Vitality Technique

Vital Enhancement

You gain an increase in physical strength and endurance. You gain the following benefits:

Adrenaline State

Also at 2nd level, you can spend 2 vitality as a bonus action to enter in a state of improved physical strength, endurance and agility. For the next minute, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain 10 temporary hit points.
• You are considered a Large creature, if you are smaller.
• You gain the benefits of the Dash action when you enter in the Adrenaline state, and can Dash again as a bonus action in each subsequent turn.

Menacing Brute

At 2nd level, you gain proficiency in the Athletics and Intimidation skills if you don't already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies.

Instinctive Ability

Starting at 5th level, you can temporarily enhance your instincts, muscles and sense, by channeling vitality through your body. As a bonus action, you can spend up to 6 vitality points to give yourself proficiency in the one of the following skills per 2 vitality points spent: Acrobatics, Perception, Stealth, Survival. The bonus lasts for 10 minutes.

Exceptional Athlete

At 9th level, your movement speed increases by 5 feet, and you can jump an additional amount of feet equal to your Constitution modifier.

Movement Surge

Starting at 13th level, you gain advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check you make during the adrenaline state.

Adrenaline Surge

At 17th level, you can spend additional 5 vitality points when you enter in the Adrenaline State to also gain the benefits of haste for the duration. This is not considered a magical ability, and doesn't require concentration.

Vital Empathy

You gain a bond with another person or creature. Maybe you love this person, are their paid body guard, or you have sworn to protect them. You gain the following benefits:

Restoring Care

At 2nd level, when you finish a long rest, you can choose a friendly creature you can see within 60 feet and form a bond with that creature. You can make Wisdom (Medicine) checks or use the healer's kit on the bonded creature as a bonus action.

In addition, during a short rest, you can tend to the wounds of your bond. The creature regain 5 additional hit points for each hit dice spent to regain hit points during a short rest, when you are tending to their wounds.

Rook Swap

At 2nd level, you can spend 1 vitality point using your bonus action to swap places with your bonded creature. You and that creature teleport, swapping places. You must be within 10 feet of your bonded creature to use your Rook Swap.

Vitality Shield

At 5th level, when you rook swap with your bonded creature, they gain resistance to all damage but psychic until the start of their next turn.

Reflexive Swap

At 9th level, your bonded creature take damage from an attack or effect, you can spend 1 vitality as a reaction to swap places with it. When you do so, you take the damage instead.

In addition, your rook swap distance increases to 15 feet.

Bonded Revenge

At 13th level, when your Bonded is reduced to 0 hit points, you gain advantage on attack rolls against the creature that reduced them to 0 hit points, and gain a bonus to damage equal to half your tank level. This bonus immediately ends after a minute, that creature is reduced to 0 hit points, or when you bonded comes back to 1 hit points.

Bonded Fusion

You can use 7 vitality using an Action to bond further with your bonded. When you are within 15 feet of your Bonded, you may start this bond. You are both reduced to 0 hit points, and gain a single hit point pool equal to both your hit points. This pool of hit points resists all damage. You will both maintain consciousness as long as this pool isn't reduced to 0 hit points. Any spells that effect you or your bond affect the other.

After 1 minute or you and the bonded are separated over 30 feet away from each other, the pool is split into two, healing each pool of hit points by half the remaining combined hit points. If this would heal over one of the creatures maximum hit points, the rest of the hit points is made into temporary hit points.

Vital Emanation

You gain a mystical power spanned from your sheer will. Psychic? Magic? Perhaps. Either way, you gain 2 features;

Extended Grasp

Your reach extends by 5 feet for grapples and shoves, your will extends itself beyond your body.

Emanating Aura

Expending 1 vitality, you may conjure a 5 by 5 foot shield of energy as a bonus action. This shield has a damage threshold (As a structure would) equal to half your Constitution score, which may be bypassed by psychic damage. Its' AC equals your own, and its hit points equals the roll of the hit dice plus your Constitution modifier. It hovers anywhere within 5-15 feet in front of you, and will follow your movement. If it isn't destroyed, it disappears after a minute, turning back into a hit dice. As an action, you may shove from the shields position.

At 5th level

When you use your Emanating Aura, you may conjure 6 shields in a formation to create a greater shield. This uses 1 vitality, but all shields are connected in certain configurations; a 10 foot tall by 15 foot wide wall or a cube around yourself. This greater shield has a higher hit points, gaining a bonus to its hit points equal to your level. While cubed, all attacks you make that start from yourself deal damage to the cube, and all attacks from the outside hit the cube.

Far Grasp

At 9th level, your range with grapples and shoves extends by a further 5 feet.

Pulsating Emanation

At 13th level, when you shove a creature with your shield, creatures who fail a Strength (Athletics) contested check take 1d12 bludgeoning damage, and are knocked back another 5 feet. If the creature wins the contest, it still takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.

Vital Barrier

At 17th level, you can condense your vital energy into solid form, creating a barrier of force around you. You can spend 7 vitality points to cast wall of force, without spending material components.

Tank Archetypes

Arcane Defender

As an Arcane Defender, you specialize in finding and countering magic. Maybe you have a grudge against a wizard, perhaps you don't like spell casters, or dispelling curses is your job. Either way, you slay mages and protect your allies from nasty spells.

Spell Detection

At 3rd level, you can cast identify and detect magic without material components as a ritual. You also gain proficiency in Arcana, if you don't already.

Anti-Magic Strikes

Also at 3rd level, your weapon attacks are potent, specifically with dealing against magic. Creatures hit by your weapon attacks have disadvantage on the concentration checks it imposes, and creatures within 5 feet that cast spells provoke opportunity attacks from you.

Magic Weapons

At 6th level, your weapons are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non magical attacks and damage.

In addition, you can use a bonus action and spend up to 6 vitality points to give a non-magical weapon you hold a bonus of +1 on attacks and damage rolls for each 2 points spent (up to +3).

Dispeller

At 11th level, learn a few more arcane tricks. You can cast counterspell dispel magic or remove curse. Once you cast either spell, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 5 vitality points to do so again.

Spell Breaker

At 18th, you've mastered the art of countering magic. You and all friendly creatures in a 10-foot radius have advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects, and resistance against the damage of spells and magical effects.

Artillery

As an Artillery, you use ranged weapons to keep your enemies at bay, and away from your friends. Can use crossbows or bows, but also a good archetype for those who want to use guns.

Marksman

At 3rd level, a ranged weapon, you can use your Strength modifier, instead of Dexterity, for attacks and damage rolls with ranged weapon attacks.

In addition, you ignore the loading property on weapons, and don't gain disadvantage from firing at creatures within 5 feet of you with ranged weapons.

If your DM uses the rules on firearms in the DMG, your Tank is proficient with them.

Area Strike

At 3rd level, once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.

Ranged Taunt

At 6th level, you are experienced in fighting ranged opponents. When you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, the target has disadvantage on ranged attacks against creatures other than you until the start of your next turn.

Ballista Shots

At 11th level, your ranged attacks have enormous force. Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, the creature is pushed 5 feet back.

In addition, once per turn when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, the target is pushed additional 10 feet back. If the target is Large or smaller, is also knocked prone.

Castle Keeper

At 18th level, your experience in ranged fighting has increased your reflexes and fortitude. You gain the evasion feature, you have advantage on attack rolls against creatures on lower elevation then you, and critical hits with ranged weapons reduce a creatures speed to 0.

Juggernaut

As a Juggernaut, you play the strong man of the group, breaking through enemy defenses and acting as a complete meat shield.

Bullying Strikes

At 3rd level, you can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or improvised weapons, and add your proficiency bonus in attacks with improvised weapons.

If you choose the Unarmed Fighting fighting style, your unarmed damage increase to 1d8 (or 1d10 if you have both hands free).

Pummeling Strike

At 3rd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can attempt to Grapple or Shove that creature as a bonus action.

In addition, if you start your turn with a creature grappled by you, you can make one unarmed strike or attack with an improvised weapon as a bonus action.

Overpowering Build

At 6th level, your body has adapted to your training and brute force. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

In addition, you deal double damage to objects and structures.

Tough as nails

At 11th level, you can use a bonus action to resist bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage until the start of your next turn.

Unstoppable

At 18th level, your resilience is amazing. You are immune to being stunned or paralyzed.

In addition, when you start your turn below half your maximum hit points, you regain a number of hit points equal to Constitution modifier.

Warden

As a Warden, it's your job to protect nature, or use the power of nature to protect others. Either way, you are a Rangers best friend, and a wielder of the elements.

Natural Expert

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in two skills from the following list: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Survival or Stealth.

In addition, you ignore disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks from using armor.

Elemental Strike

Starting at 3rd level, once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can deal 1d6 additional damage from one of the following types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison or thunder damage.

When you mark a creature with this attack, the marked creature is cursed by the elements. The marked creature treats moving away from you as moving in difficult terrain, and takes 1d6 damage from the chosen type whenever it attacks a creature other than you. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Natural Traveler

At 6th level, you've become accustomed to moving through nature's terrain. You ignore all difficult terrain, can swim and climb at a speed of 30 feet, and have advantage against all exhaustion saves.

Primal Resistance

At 11th level, you can cast absorb elements spell at will, at 1st-level, without spending spell slots.

In addition, you can spend vitality points to target any number of creatures of your choice within 5 feet with this spell as part of the same reaction. You spend 1 vitality point per chosen creature, and the extra damage of the spell on your next turn increase by 1d6 per point spent.

Natures Channeller

At 18th, your elemental power is truly significant. You can cast investiture of flame, investiture of ice, investiture of stone, investiture of wind, without spending spell slots.

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

Appendix: Variant Fighter Subclass

Some DMs may not except a Tank class. Luckily, I have foreseen such an outcome, and have constructed a handy Fighter Subclass as a Variant of the Tank class. This is a bit similar to the Cavalier I will admit, so if your DM doesn't allow this, just play Cavalier. With out further ado;

Marking

At 3rd level, you strive to defend others, specifically by focusing on a threat. On hit with a weapon attack, you may mark a creature. You may only have one creature marked at a time. You gain a special reaction, to use exclusively against the target of the marked or the marked themselves. For example, you may use this reaction to use "Defensive Reactions" on an ally hit by the marked, or use it to opportunity attack the marked. In addition, you may make one weapon attack, grapple or shove against a Marked creature using this special reaction when they attack a friendly creature.

Defensive Reactions

At 3rd level, you’ve learned how to protect your allies in all situations. As a reaction, you may shove or grapple a willing creature with no check involved. This would be in response to danger, like they are falling and you grab them, or a ranged attack is coming so you knock them prone.

Vitality

At 7th level, your Vitality and Strength make you excellent at what you do. You gain double proficiency in Athletics, and may lift as one size larger for one minute. You are able to do so again after finishing a short or long rest.

Athletic Power

At 10th level, you gain double proficiency with Perception or Intimidation, your choice. In addition, when you use Vitality to lift as one size larger, you may dash as a bonus action.

Improved Reaction

At 15th level, you gain an additional reaction.

Survivor

At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don't gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Tank class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Strength, 13 Constitution

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Tank class, you gain the following proficiencies: Shields

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