Verdant Vanguard (5e Subclass)

Verdant Vanguard

Fighter Subclass

In the heart of the wildest forests, where ancient trees whisper secrets of the ages and the earth pulses with a raw, untamed power, the Verdant Vanguard rises. These are the warriors who have forged a sacred pact with the natural world, guardians not just of the land, but of the very essence of life itself. With every step, they tread a path laid by the roots of mighty oaks, their resolve as unyielding as the mountains, their spirits vibrant as the verdant canopy above.

Heartwood Armor

Upon choosing the Verdant Vanguard subclass at the 3rd level, you gain the ability to call upon the ancient strength and resilience of the forest to protect yourself in battle. As a bonus action, you can summon a layer of living wood over your skin, which hardens into a tough, bark-like armor. This Heartwood Armor grants you a +1 bonus to your Armor Class and grants you resistance to bludgeoning damage. The armor remains for 1 minute or until you dismiss it as a free action.

Additionally, while the Heartwood Armor is active, you gain the ability to meld into trees, similar to the "Tree Stride" spell, but you can only use this ability once, and the meld effect lasts for up to 1 minute or until you choose to end it. You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this meld ability again.

Sylvan Strike

When you choose the Verdant Vanguard subclass at the 3rd level, you gain the Sylvan Strike feature. This feature allows you to infuse your weapon attacks with the raw essence of nature, causing additional effects based on the environment you are in. Once on each of your turns, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can invoke the Sylvan Strike to unleash one of the following effects, depending on your current terrain:

• Forest and Jungle : The target is entangled by rapidly growing vines, reducing their speed to 0 until the end of their next turn.
• Desert and Wasteland : Sand or dust whirls up around the target, imposing disadvantage on their next weapon attack roll before the end of their next turn.
• Mountain and Underground : Shards of rock burst from the ground at the point of impact, forcing the target to make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, whichever is higher) or be knocked prone.
• Plains and Grasslands : A gust of wind propels the target, pushing them 5 feet away from you in a direction of your choice.
• Arctic and Tundra : Ice forms quickly at the point of impact, granting you +2 bonus to AC against the next attack from the target before the end of your next turn.
• Swamp and Marsh : Muddy terrain erupts beneath the target, halving their speed and preventing them from taking reactions until the end of their next turn.
• Aquatic : Water swirls around the target, imposing disadvantage on any attack rolls against you until the end of their next turn.

The Sylvan Strike deals an extra 1d6 damage of the weapon’s type to the target on a hit. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Guardian’s Grove

At 7th level, a Verdant Vanguard gains the Guardian’s Grove feature, deepening their connection to the natural world and enabling them to protect and rejuvenate themselves and their allies. With Guardian’s Grove, you can invoke the sacred power of nature to create a small sanctuary of healing and resilience. Once per long rest, as an action, you can cause a burst of natural energy to emanate from you, creating a magical grove in a 20-foot radius centered on yourself. This grove lasts for 1 minute and provides the following benefits to you and your allies within its bounds :

• Healing : At the start of each of your turns, you and your allies within the grove regain hit points equal to your fighter level.
• Protection : While within the grove, you and your allies gain a +1 bonus to AC and have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.
• Empowerment : Attacks made by you and your allies within the grove deal an extra 1d4 radiant or necrotic damage (your choice when you activate this feature) to any target hit.

The grove is filled with spectral flora and fauna, and the ground becomes soft and grassy, regardless of the natural terrain. Enemies that enter the grove for the first time on a turn or start their turn there must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Verdant Vanguard spell save DC (8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier). On a failed save, they are slowed (as per the "Slow" spell) until the start of their next turn due to the entangling plants and thick underbrush, representing the forest itself rising to hinder those who would harm its guardians.

Nature's Resilience

By the time a Verdant Vanguard reaches the 10th level, their bond with the natural world has imbued them with remarkable resilience and adaptability, allowing them to thrive where others might falter. The Nature's Resilience feature is a testament to this deepened connection, offering protection against the elements and bolstering their endurance.

Adaptation : You gain the ability to adapt to various environmental conditions. As an action, you can touch yourself or another creature and grant one of the following benefits for the next 24 hours :

• Thermal Adaptation : The target gains resistance to cold damage and doesn't suffer from the effects of extreme cold climates, or resistance to fire damage and doesn't suffer from the effects of extreme heat climates.
• Aquatic Adaptation : The target can breathe underwater and gains a swimming speed equal to their walking speed.
• Mountain Adaptation : The target gains resistance to lightning damage, and they are acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet.
• Toxic Adaptation : The target gains resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against poison and diseases.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Endurance : Furthermore, your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your fighter level when you gain this feature. This bonus reflects your enhanced vitality and the robustness you've cultivated through your communion with nature.

Mastery of the Wild

By reaching the 15th level, a Verdant Vanguard has become a paragon of natural harmony, mastering the wilds to a degree that allows them to wield its power with unprecedented precision. At this level, Verdant Vanguards are presented with a choice between two paths of mastery, reflecting their affinity and approach to the natural world : Fury of the Storm or Embrace of the Earth. Once you choose your path, you cannot change it later.

Fury of the Storm

This path lets you harness the chaotic energy of storms to deal devastating damage and control the battlefield. You gain the following abilities :

Storm's Reach : As an action, you can summon a storm that lasts for 1 minute in a 60-foot radius centered on you. The storm grants you the ability to fly at a speed of 30 feet, and your melee attacks deal an extra 1d6 lightning damage. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can choose another creature within 30 feet of the first creature. The second creature takes lightning damage equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this feature once per long rest.

Thunderclap Guard : When you or an ally within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to summon a thunderclap, imposing disadvantage on the attack roll. If the attack still hits, the attacker takes thunder damage equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Embrace of the Earth

Choosing this path allows you to draw on the strength and resilience of the earth, bolstering your defenses and aiding allies. You gain the following abilities :

Earth's Shelter : As an action, you can cause the ground in a 30-foot radius centered on you to rise up and form protective barriers. For the next 1 minute, these barriers provide half cover to you and your allies within the area, and you can use a bonus action on subsequent turns to cause the earth to grasp at foes, reducing their speed by half until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature once per long rest.

Stone's Endurance : When you or an ally within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to grant the target a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d12 + your Wisdom modifier. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Apex Predator

At the 17th level, a Verdant Vanguard reaches the pinnacle of their chosen path, becoming an avatar of nature's might. Depending on the path chosen at level 15, the Vanguard unlocks an ultimate ability that embodies the full power of either the storm or the earth. These abilities mark the Vanguard as a true force of nature, feared by foes and revered by allies.

Fury of the Storm - Tempest Incarnate

As a Tempest Incarnate, you become one with the storm, unleashing its full fury upon the battlefield. You gain the following ability :

Call of the Hurricane: Once per long rest, as an action, you can transform into a living storm for 1 minute. While transformed, you gain the following benefits :

• You are surrounded by a 10-foot radius storm that moves with you. Enemies that start their turn in the storm or enter it for the first time on a turn take 2d6 lightning damage and 2d6 thunder damage.
• You have immunity to lightning and thunder damage, and you can fly with a speed of 60 feet.
• Once on each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to cast the Chain Lightning spell without expending a spell slot or material components, with the spell's DC equal to your Verdant Vanguard spell save DC.

Transforming into the Tempest Incarnate, you embody the awe-inspiring power of the storm, capable of sweeping away your enemies with unparalleled might.

Embrace of the Earth - Eternal Guardian

As an Eternal Guardian, you become an indomitable protector, drawing upon the deepest strengths of the earth. You gain the following ability :

Heart of the Mountain : Once per long rest, as an action, you can assume the form of a towering guardian of stone and earth for 1 minute. While in this form, you gain the following benefits :

• Your size doubles, and your weight increases tenfold. You gain resistance to all damage except psychic damage.
• Your melee attacks deal an extra 2d6 bludgeoning damage, and you can use a bonus action on your turn to force creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you to make a Strength saving throw (DC equal to your Verdant Vanguard spell save DC) or be knocked prone.
• You can cast the Wall of Stone spell without expending a spell slot or material components once during this transformation. The wall is permanent and cannot be dispelled.

Assuming the form of the Eternal Guardian, you stand as a bulwark against all who would harm the natural world, an unbreakable defender whose very presence fortifies the resolve of your allies.

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