Martial Warden (5e Class)

Warden

A rogue stumbles and topples to the ground, the orc above him raising an axe for the final cleave. The rogue shies away, cowering from the blow and waiting for the axe to fall, however it never does. Upon opening their eyes the rogue finds the steel plated Warden standing above them, the orcs axe embedded in the Warden's shield. With a heave the Warden shoves the orc back and braces for the impending conflict.

Creating a Warden

Warden with heavy armour and tower shield. Source

When creating a warden, think about where your character got your training. Were they trained in a military barracks, devoted to a god, taught by a seasoned mentor, or self-taught? Why did your character choose to become a warden? Do you want to become a protector, savior, or brave knight?

Quick Build

You can make a Warden quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength or Charisma if you plan on using the Secrets of the Overlord Archetype. Second, choose the Outlander or Soldier background.

Class Features

As a Warden you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: All armour and shields.
Weapons: All simple and martial weapons.
Tools: One set of Artisan's tools.
Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution.
Skills: Choose 2 from; Athletics, History, Intimidation, Insight, Medicine and Perception.

Equipment

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

• (a) A shield or (b) a greatsword
• (a) A light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a longsword
• (a) A chain shirt or (b) chain mail
• (a) A Dungeoneering Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 3d4x10 gp in funds.

Table: The Warden

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Fighting Style,Second Wind
2nd	+2	Tools of the Trade, Disorienting Strike
3rd	+2	Warden Archetype, Steadfast
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack
6th	+3	—
7th	+3	Warden Archetype Feature
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Draw Fire
10th	+4	Warden Archetype Feature
11th	+4	Honed Senses
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Taunt
14th	+5	Second Wind (2)
15th	+5	Warden Archetype Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Disorienting Strike (2)
18th	+6	Warden Archetype Feature, Draw Fire (2)
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Formidable Foe

Fighting Style

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.

Defense

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

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.

Armour Piercer

You gain a +2 bonus when rolling to hit a target that is wearing armor or has natural armor.

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.

Mobile Fortress

On your turn you may choose to reduce your movement to 5 feet, if you do; you gain a +2 AC bonus until the start of your next turn. You must be wearing armor or be wielding a shield.

Second Wind

You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d12+your Warden level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. You gain an additional use of this feature at 14th level.

Tools of the Trade

At 2nd level you may gain proficiency in a second set of Artisan tools or you can double your proficiency modifier for a set you are already proficient in.

Disorienting Strike

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, at 2nd level, you may choose to deal half damage and stun the creature until the beginning of it’s next turn. Once you use this feature you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. You gain another use of this feature at 17th level.

Warden Archetype

At 3rd level. You choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. Choose Path Of The Bulwark, Way Of The Merciless or Secrets Of The Overlord, all detailed at the end of the class description. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th level.

Steadfast

Beginning at 3rd level, whenever you would be knocked prone you may use your reaction to move 5 feet in a random direction and stay standing. This must be an unoccupied space.

Ability Score Increase

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

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once whenever you take the Attack action.

Draw Fire

Beginning at 9th level, when you move into range and open sight up to 60 feet, as a bonus action, you may force all enemies with line of sight to make a ranged attack against you, they may not use their bonus action to ready another shot if you do. At 18th level the range increases to 90 feet, and you gain an additional use of this feature

Honed Senses

At 11th level, your senses have become honed through scores of combat scenarios and finding hidden enemies, you have advantage when making a Wisdom (Perception) check to detect hostile creatures.

Taunt

At 13th level when your ally is targeted with a melee attack you may use your reaction to make the hostile creature instead direct its attack at you, instead of your ally. The creature bust be within audible range and be able to understand you. The creature uses the same attack roll

Formidable Foe

At 20th level, as a bonus action you may declare a foe to be formidable. Choose one creature you can see and can hear you, they must make an Intelligence saving throw (DC: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma Modifier). If the creature's Challenge Rating is lower than half of your Martial Warden level has disadvantage on the save. On a fail you are granted the following benefits against said creature; you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls toward that target. You may not be knocked unconscious by the creature until they have been killed, even if lowered to 0 or fewer hit points by the targeted creature. The target has disadvantage against attack rolls made against any other creatures and advantage on attack rolls made against you. Once they are defeated, being unconscious from damage takes effect and you take 1 point of exhaustion.

If you drop to a number equal to or greater than your Constitution score in negative hit points, once the enemy is defeated, you take 5 more points of exhaustion.

Path of the Bulwark

Followers of the Way Of The Bulwark have dedicated their lives to protecting those in need, from peasants to fellow adventurers. They will not budge, even when faced with astonishing odds or horrendous creatures. Eventually studying and picking up ancient, protective runes to keep themselves and their allies safe.

Meat Shield

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, when an ally within 5 feet of you is targeted by an attack you may use your reaction to push them 5 feet and become the new target of the attack, however this attack automatically hits you.

Effective Defense

Starting at 7th level while wearing armor as an action you gain resistance to one of the following: non-magical slashing, non-magical piercing or non-magical bludgeoning damage. At 18th level you can select two of the above damage types.

Protective Runes

At 10th level you gain the ability to use Rune Magic, which you may use in the following ways. You have uses of this equal to your Constitution modifier. On a short rest you regain one use, on a long rest you regain all uses.

Defensive Ward

You cast a rune at an ally within 15 ft of you as an action, that ally gains 20 temporary hit points last 1 minute, if not used the ward dissipates.

Guardian

You draw a rune on the ground as a bonus action, the rune transforms into a decoy with his points (equal to 5 times your Constitution modifier) the decoy forces enemies within 15 ft. into combat with it.

Protection

You cast a rune at an ally within 15 feet of you as an action, that ally gains resistance to a singular type of damage until the end of this encounter.

Battle Scars

You have seen your fair share of combat and have the scars to prove it, however, you take pride in them and have taken to heart the lessons they taught. At 15th level you immediately add 15 to your maximum hit points. And for every extra level taken in Martial Warden you get 1 extra hit points. You also gain advantage on any Charisma checks involving showing your scars.

Quick Recovery

Once you reach 18th level, if you are below half hit points at the start of your turn, you regain hit points equal to 5+ your constitution modifier. If you are below one fourth of your hit points this enhances to 8+ your constitution modifier. You do not gain the benefit of you are unconscious.

Way of the Merciless

Disciples that follow the Path Of The Merciless have come to the conclusion that killing all who oppose them and their allies is the best way to keep people safe, they throw all caution to the wind and rush into battle recklessly.

Raw Power

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Haphazard Fighting

Starting at 3rd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until the end of your next turn.

Throw Your Weight Into It

By 7th level, you have learned to not hold back your strikes anymore, and may add your Constitution modifier to your damage rolls from melee martial weapons. This isn't doubled by a critical hit. You may do this an amount of times equal to your proficiency modifier.

Combat Specialist

At 10th level, you may choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature.

Defending Combatant

Starting at 15th level, When you are wielding a shield and make an attack you can spend your bonus action to make a shield bash attack against the target, you gain advantage on the attack roll if your first attack missed. The shield does 1d8 bludgeoning damage.

Unequal Hatred

At 18th level you gain access to Rage, the Barbarian class feature. You may Rage a number of times equal to one fourth of your Warden level rounded down, you must finish a long rest to regain this feature. The rage damage bonus is one third on your proficiency bonus, rounded down.

Spellslinging Defender

Your allies can’t get hurt if there is nobody left to fight you, right? This must obviously be the best way to protect them. Convince your enemies that they don’t want to fight you and stop the fighting now. But there is a detriment, when you select this subclass at 3rd level you focus less energy into building your body, and more into training your spellcasting capabilities, because of this your hit dice is reduced to a d10.

Secrets of the Overlord Spellcasting

Martial Warden Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
			1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	2	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	—	—	—
6th	2	4	3	—	—	—
7th	2	5	3	2	—	—
8th	2	6	4	2	—	—
9th	2	6	4	2	—	—
10th	3	7	4	3	—	—
11th	3	8	4	3	—	—
12th	3	8	4	3	—	—
13th	3	9	4	3	1	—
14th	3	10	4	3	1	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	2	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Spellcasting Ability

You’ve witnessed paladins and clerics in battle, casting spells left and right to heal and assist their teammates. You’ve either taken the oath of a paladin or have sworn loyalty to a god. Usually the god you’ve sworn by has to do with your type of casting. The majority of those who protect fall under Helm or Torm, those who fight fall under Tempus or Tymora, and those who enthrall fall under Eldath.

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Warden spells. Your magic comes from the heart, fueled by your soul, bravery that you pour into these incantations. Or it is fueled by your strive for the betterment of others and your loyalty to a god. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Warden spell and when making an attack roll with one. You choose spells from either the wizard or paladin spell list.

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Defensive Caster

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level you can use your shield as an arcane focus. Along with this you can add your shield bonus to Dexterity saving throws unless you’re incapacitated or unconsious. Taking the Shield Master feat doubles this bonus.

Warden Magic School

By 7th level you've studied the magic you've conjured so far, either from your oath or the sworn loyalty to your god. You’ve trained and studied in one form of magic, either Abjuration, Enchantment, or Evocation. Spending gold on components and casting spells of this type are halved.

Arcane Equipment

At 10th level you gain a benefit depending on your school of magic. Abjuration: As an action you may mark an ally including yourself, for the duration they subtract your constitution modifier from any damage they take. This bonus applies for at most three rounds. Enchantment: Any creature affected by one of your enchantment spells has disadvantage on saving throws against any condition. Evocation: Any damage dealt by an evocation spell increases by your Strength modifier.

Ally Caster

When you reach 15th level, assisting your teammates gives you a sense of justice and integrity. When you cast a spell to assist a teammate, either attacking a creature engaged with them, or giving them hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to the spell slot level * half your Warden level (rounded up).

Shielding Caster

At 18th level you can touch an ally with half or less hit points, giving them temporary hit points equal to half of your hit dice, and adding your shield bonus to their AC. This bonus applies for as long as they have the temporary hit points. The AC bonus disappears after 10 minutes or until the temporary hit points are destroyed.

Nature's Guardian

In the deepest and darkest forests, these wardens wander around. Their purpose and goal of keeping the sacred lands protected and safe from any outside interference. One that wishes to become a guardian of wild nature attunes with the chaotic energies and forces present. They are allies of the fey and beasts, and fend off fiends, devils, and all those who pose a threat to their dedicated sanctums.

Wild Adept

A Nature's Guardian must know about the wilderness, and be able to traverse it easily. At 3rd level you've attuned with nature and wilderness. You gain the following benefits: -You ignore non-magical difficult terrain. -Your group cannot get lost except by magical means. In addition, you are skilled at navigating the wilderness. You gain the following benefits when traveling for an hour or more: -Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger. -If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. -When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would. -While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

Innate Fey Spells

When you select this subclass at 3rd level, the creatures of the Fey bless you with innate spell casting abilities. You know the Druidcraft and Primal Savagery. You also have access to the Speak with Animals spell, you can cast this twice per day, and regain the uses after a short or lock rest. At 10th level you gain access to the Barkskin spell on yourself and can cast in once per day, regaining the use after a short or long rest. Finally at 15th level you gain access to the Conjure Animals spell, and can cast it once per day, you regain the use of this after a long rest. These spells can be cast using spell slots from multiclassing.

Rooted Defender

Your body can sprout roots and bark from its body. At 7th level you have an unarmored defense equal to 10+your Constitution modifier+your Wisdom modifier. Additionally as an action, you can extend roots from your body and into the ground. While active your movement is equal to 0, you can add your proficiency modifier to your AC. Attacks against you have advantage. You can't be moved from your spot. You can uproot yourself as an action.

Wild Smite

Your attacks are benefited by Fey magic. At 10th level you can grant your attacks with this blessing as an action. You recite ancient feywild words and for one minute all of your ranged and melee attacks deal an additional 4d4 radiant, force, or lightning damage (your choice). This benefit doesn't apply to spell attacks. You can do this a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier. This also applies to anyone, except yourself, effected by your Barkskin spell, but only giving them 2d4 damage.

Vine Travel

You can extend the reach of the wild from your body. At 15th level, As a bonus action you extend a series of fines from your body in a 45ft (radius) sphere. This area counts as difficult terrain for enemies, grasping at their legs feet as they travel through it. You travel through the area faster, when moving through the vine area your speed is increased by 20ft. This lasts for 2d6 hours, or until you pull them back, a process that takes one minute to do.

Feywild Admin

One of the most advanced form of nature's protection, the Feywild Admin, is a rank you've been assigned. At 18th level you can speak with plants nd animals, conveying simple commands, phrases or suggestions. Along with this you can understand them, plants and animals can talk back to you, you understand any language spoken by a beast or plant. On a long rest you can choose to attune to one weapon or shield, while attuned, the object has three charges. Each charge can be spent to cast a 1st level spell from the Druid or Ranger, you can expend three charges to cast a 2nd level spell from the Druid or Ranger spell list. You can also expend three charges for an additional use of your Wild Smite.

Multiclassing

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

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Warden class, you gain the following proficiencies: Medium armor, heavy armor, martial weapons, one set or Artisan's tools, shields.

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes