Warden (5e Class)

Warden

A clan of orcs charge up a set of stairs, planning to kill or enslave the women and children above, but stop when they have a sense of unnatural fear. Suddenly a tiefling falls inside of the group, screaming. Some orcs run away, as the warden tears them apart with steel, flame, and rage. He then changes his stance, and swiftly gives chase. Finally, he channels his power into a massive burst of flame and burns the remaining orcs to a crisp.

Wardens are durable melee fighters who develop an array of spellcasting abilities. Over time they gain control over their own soul and the souls of others. They can use these powers the shield their comrades from harm, to forge weapons out of magic and their own soul, or even to take another soul's control over their body away from them.

Creating a Warden

Warden in heavy armor. Source

When creating a warden, think about where your character got your training. Were they trained in a monastery, devoted to a god, taught by a mentor, or self-taught? Why did your character choose to become a warden? Do you want to become a protector, savior, or brave knight? Also think about what your primary power is and how you got it. Finally, Is your primary power source divine or arcane?

Quick Build

You can make a warden quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength followed by Charisma then Constitution should be your highest scores. Second, choose the Soldier or Hermit background.

Class Features

As a Warden you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Warden level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Warden level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple melee weapons and martial melee weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution
Skills: Choose 2 from the following; Arcana, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, and Religion.

Equipment

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

• (a) Two martial weapons or (b) A martial weapon and a shield
• (a) A scholar's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
• (a) A light crossbow and 20 bolts and leather armor or (b) 5 javelins and scale mail armor or (c) Chain mail

Table: The Warden

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
			1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	Fighting Style, Resilience	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Spellcasting, Soul Hammer	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Warden Focus	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Soul Hammer Improvement	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	Warden Focus Feature	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	Reinforced Body	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	—	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	Warden Focus Feature	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	Spell Shield, Soul Hammer Improvement	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	—	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	Warden Focus Feature	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	Meticulous Observer	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	Fortitude of Steel, Soul Hammer Improvement	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	Warden Focus Feature	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	Magic Body	4	3	3	3	2

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 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.

Resilience

At 1st level, when you finish a short or long rest, you gain temporary hit points equal to your warden level.

Spellcasting

By 2nd level, you have learned to draw on both divine magic and arcane magic to cast spells.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Warden table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your warden spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

You prepare the list of warden spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the paladin spell list and the sorcerer spell list. When you do so, choose a number of warden spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your warden level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 5th-level warden, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 16, your list of prepared spells can include five spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of warden spells requires time spent in prayer or meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your warden spells, since their power derives from the strength of your convictions. 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 you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use your weapon as a spellcasting focus for your warden spells.

Soul Hammer

Beginning at 2nd level, you gain the ability to charge your attacks. You may deal 1d6 + your Charisma modifier(minimum 1) additional force damage for a melee attack. At 5th level, this improves to 2d6, at 11th level it improves to 3d6, and at 17th level this improves to 4d6. You can declare a use of soul hammer after the attack hits. You regain use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.

Warden Focus

At 3rd level you may choose one of three Warden Focus': Aegis, Assault, and Soul.

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

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

Reinforced Body

Beginning at 7th level, you gain resistance to necrotic damage and are now immune to disease.

Spell Shield

At 11th level, you have gained resistance to some magical effects. When you are targeted by a spell and fail a saving throw, you can reroll it. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Meticulous Observer

At 15th level, you gain proficiency in the Insight or Investigation skill, if you already have proficiency in it, you can double your proficiency bonus.

Fortitude of Steel

At 17th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.

Magic Body

At 20th level, your body becomes enchanted, giving you proficiency in all saving throws.

Aegis Warden

Self Preservation

When you reach 3rd level, your Constitution score increases by 1. Your Constitution can not go above 20 with this feature. As a reaction to making a Constitution saving throw, you may gain advantage on all Constitution saving throws for 1 minute. You regain use of this feature after you finish a long rest.

Protector

At 6th level, as an action, you may summon a floating shield made of magic next to yourself or a creature that you touch for 1 minute. This shield gives a +1 bonus to AC and resistance to lightning, fire, or cold damage. You regain use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.

Arcane Ward

At 10th level, as an action, you can touch a creature to create a magical ward around it, granting it double your warden level in temporary hit points. You regain use of this feature after you finish a long rest.

Transference

At 14th level, as an action, you may touch a creature affected by a curse or disease, or that is blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned, and transfer the condition or effect to you. If the condition or effect had a saving throw, you may make a saving throw to avoid gaining the effect. An effect or condition gained this way may not be transferred away with Transference.

Life Link

At 18th level, as an action, you may touch a creature and make half the damage it takes instead deal damage to you and make half the amount of hit points you restore instead heal the target of life link for 1 minute. You regain use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.

Assault Warden

Soul Hammer Enhancement

At 3rd level, you may now use Soul Hammer twice, and regain all expended uses after you finish a short or long rest.

Blitz

At 6th level, as an action, you can charge toward a chosen target with a range of 30 feet, with the charge you don't trigger opportunity attacks from anyone. This feature deals 1d10 + your warden level bludgeoning damage and knocks Large or smaller creatures prone if they were in the way towards your target or are the target. All creatures hit by this must make a Dexterity or Strength(their choice) saving throw equal to DC 8 + proficiency modifier + your Strength modifier. If they succeed, they take half damage and are not knocked prone. You may use this feature twice and regain all uses of this feature after you finish a long rest.

Fearless Strikes

By 10th level, you have learned to not hold back your strikes anymore. Your damage rolls from melee weapons now deal 1d6 additional damage.

Savagery

At 14th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Formless Sword

At 18th level, you have learned how to channel a small amount of magic into a invisible magic blade to strike your foes. This blade deals your Charisma modifier(minimum 1) of force damage to the target of your attack whenever you make an attack roll and they are within 10ft of you.

Soul Warden

Fortify Soul

At 3rd level, whenever you are damaged, you may use your reaction to gain resistance to one of the damage types that damaged you until the start of your next turn. You regain use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.

Soul Warp

At 6th level, you may attempt to slightly warp a creature's soul in one of two ways.

Soul Influence As an action, you may touch a creature and have them make a Wisdom saving throw versus your spell save DC to not be affected. On failure, you make the creature more or less accepting about any single topic of your choice. This feature is effectively a weaker, but undetectable version of the suggestion spell with a much more limited scope.

Temporary Madness When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you may attempt to warp their soul as a bonus action. The target must succeed a Wisdom saving throw versus your spell save DC or gain a short term madness until the end of your next turn. Once you use this effect, you may not use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Control of Death

At 10th level, you learn the animate dead spell. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can have prepared in one day, and you may use this spell once without using a spell slot. You regain use of this feature after you finish a long rest.

Soul Stop

At 14th level, as an action you can attempt to stop time for a creature within 30 feet of you. On a failed Wisdom saving throw verus your spell save DC, the creature can not take damage, attack, or move until the start of your next turn. You regain use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.

Soul Bound

At 18th level, when you make a death saving throw, you return to 1 hit point instead of remaining unconscious. You may only use this feature once, after which you must finish a short or long rest to regain use of this feature.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the warden class, you must meet these prerequisites:13 Strength and 13 Charisma.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the warden class, you gain the following proficiencies: medium armor and a martial weapon.

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