Warden
While the study of the flow of energy within the body has been mainly led by the monks, there was one subgroup that saw its potential in a more militaristic way. These people came to be known as Wardens, as they often guarded the shrines of the land. Most fight with honour to protect the weak, but a few over the years use their skills for selfish reasons.
Inner Energy- Locus
Within each warden are eight loci. These are centralised stores of energy that can be used to improve the warden's physical abilities. These are Green (life) Blue (Water), Cyan (Cold), Brown (Earth), Red (Fire), Purple (Air), Yellow (Thunder) and Grey (Metal).
Junior Warden can shift slowly between which loci they can harness, while veterans can shift in a fraction of a second. Wardens do not normally harness their Loci constantly, as they can run out and it takes time for them to refresh. Most harness loci in short bursts as needed.
While they are distinct from Ki, they are closely linked in that one may affect the other. Loci often originate from Alumentum, though these take different forms depending on the world. In Aralaemia, Alumentum take the form of Blessed Sugars that are ingested, though in other worlds, they are herbs. Wardens are normally skilled at developing their own alumentum, so it is rare for one to run out of it.
The Art of the Blade- Combat Stances
In addition to using their Loci, Wardens also train in how to use their Ki in combat. These take the form of combat stances, which are movements empowered by Ki to cause more damage. As a side effect of using their Ki this way, certain Loci become more powerful, called ascendant loci.
In some worlds, Wardens are known to use firearms with their combat stances. These weapons are often covered with runes which allows the Wardens Ki to channel their Ki through their weapon.
Creating a Warden
When you create a warden, contemplate why did you train to become a warrior? Do you fight for others, or yourself? Why did you train in a particular Combat Stance?
Quick Build
To quickly make a Warden make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score depending on how you wish to fight. Next make Wisdom your second highest ability score. Next, Choose the artisans tools that most accurately creates alumentum in this world. Lastly take the Nomad background.
Class Features
As a Warden, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Warden level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your constitution modifier per Warden level after 1st
| Level | Prof. Bonus | Ki Points | Loci Dice | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | D4 | Loci, Fighting Style | |
| 2 | +2 | 2 | D4 | Combat Stances, Ki |
| 3 | +2 | 3 | D4 | Ascendant Loci |
| 4 | +2 | 4 | D4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5 | +3 | 5 | D4 | Extra Attack |
| 6 | +3 | 6 | D4 | Greater Attunement, Ki Steal |
| 7 | +3 | 7 | D6 | Combat Stances Feature |
| 8 | +3 | 8 | D6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9 | +4 | 9 | D6 | Aetheric Loci |
| 10 | +4 | 10 | D6 | True Attunement |
| 11 | +4 | 11 | D6 | Combat Stances Feature |
| 12 | +4 | 12 | D6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13 | +5 | 13 | D6 | Reactionary Shift |
| 14 | +5 | 14 | D8 | Ki Surge |
| 15 | +5 | 15 | D8 | Burn/Reform Locus |
| 16 | +5 | 16 | D8 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17 | +6 | 17 | D8 | Combat Stances Feature |
| 18 | +6 | 18 | D8 | Improved Ascendant Loci |
| 19 | +6 | 19 | D8 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20 | +6 | 20 | D10 | Warden Mastery |
Proficiencies
Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Heavy Armour, Shields
Weapons: Martial Melee Weapons, Firearms (Optional)
Tools: One type of artisan’s tools of your choice
Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana, Insight, Perception, Persuasion, Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Leather armour or (b) chain mail
- (a) A martial melee weapon and a shield (b) two martial melee weapons (c) A martial melee weapon and a firearm (optional)
- (a) Alchemist’s supplies or (b) one type of artisan’s tools of your choice
- (a) A dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorers pack
- Alumentum pouch
Multiclass Requirements
To multiclass, you must have at least 13 in either Strength or Dexterity, and at least 13 in Wisdom.
- Profiencies gained:
Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Heavy Armour, Shields
Weapons: Martial Melee Weapons, Firearms (Optional)
Tools: One type of artisan’s tools of your choice
Loci
1st Level Warden Feature
You have a number of Loci Points equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all Loci Points at the end of a long rest if you use your alumentum. This is contained in your alumentum pouch, or you can use any artisan's tools you have proficiency with to create some.
Each Loci Dice is a D4, increasing to D6 at level 7, D8 at level 14 and D10 at level 20. You must roll every time you apply the modifier.
At the end of a long rest, you may choose one Locus to be Attuned. As a bonus action, you can spend a Loci Point to harness an Attuned Locus, and check the effect below. You can only harness one Locus at a time, and each lasts for 10 minutes, unless you stop it early (which can be done at any time). Using the effect of a Loci does not stop it early.
- Green (Life): You gain darkvision with a range of 60ft, or double your darkvision range if you already have it. In addition, add your Loci Dice to any wisdom checks (and passive perception) and wisdom saving throws.
- Blue (Water): You are immune to the charmed condition. Add your Loci Dice to any charisma checks and charisma saving throws.
- Cyan (Cold): You are immune to Psychic Damage. You may also add your Loci Dice to any intelligence checks (and passive investigation) and intelligence saving throws.
- Brown (Earth): You are immune to the prone condition unless intentional. In addition, you may add your Loci Dice to any constitution saving throws and death saving throws.
- Red (Fire): For all melee attacks, or attacks with a Warden Weapon, add your Loci Dice to damage. You can also add your Loci Dice to any strength checks and strength saving throws.
- Purple (Air): Add your Loci Dice to any dexterity checks and dexterity saving throws.
- Yellow (Thunder): Add 5ft x your Loci Dice to movement and double your jump height.
- Grey (Metal): Subtract your Loci Dice from each damage type taken. Roll for each damage type seperately. This may not be harnessed until Level 3.
Magic users within 10ft may detect the Locus being used with a DC 20 Arcana check or DC 15 if they also use Loci. If passed, the colour of Locus used is known.
Fighting Style
1st Level Warden Feature
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your speciality. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
- Blind Fighting. You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
- 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.
- 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.
- Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
- 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.
- Archery (Optional). You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Combat Stances
2nd Level Warden Feature
You choose what stance you will train in, improving your combat technique via arcane means. Choose Thunder Stance, Flame Stance, Earth Stance or Water Stance. The Stance you choose grants you features at 2nd, 7th, 11th and 17th level.
A Warden Weapon can be a martial melee weapon, unarmed attack or firearm (optional).
Some of your Stance features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Stance Ability Modifier = your strength or dexterity modifier
Stance Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your strength or dexterity modifier + other attack roll bonus
Stance Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your strength or dexterity modifier + other attack roll bonus
Ki
2nd Level Warden Feature
Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your Warden level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Warden table. You share your ki points with the monk class.
You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start by knowing 2 such features: Channel Loci and Empowered Strike. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class, though most are spent on Combat Stances.
When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.
Optional for Warden/Monk: You may add your proficiency bonus to the maximum number of Ki points you have.
- Channel Loci: As a bonus action instead of spending a Locus Point, you can spend 1 Ki point to harness a Locus.
- Empowered Strike: When you do damage with a Warden weapon, you may spend 1 ki to roll one extra damage dice and pick the highest.
Ascendant Loci
3rd Level Warden Feature
For two Loci, add 1 to the Loci Dice, and they can be harnessed for 30 minutes. When not being Harnessed, you gain the effect of the Locus, but as if the Loci Dice was 1. You may not have Ascendant Aetheric Loci (See level 9 feature). Your Ascendant Loci are determined by your Combat Stance:
- Thunder Stance: Yellow, and one other
- Flame Stance: Red, and one other
- Earth Stance: Brown, and one other
- Water Stance: Blue, and one other
In addition, you get resistances determined by your Combat Stance:
- Thunder Stance: Thunder and Lightning
- Flame Stance: Fire and Radiant
- Earth Stance: Bludgeoning and Poison
- Water Stance: Cold and Force
Ability Score Improvement
4th Level Warden Feature
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.
Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to Wardens.
Extra Attack
5th Level Warden Feature
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Greater Attunement
6th Level Warden Feature
You may choose an additional Attuned Locus. In addition, you may change you Attuned Loci at the end of a short rest, in addition to the end of a long rest.
Ki Steal
6th Level Warden Feature
If an enemy with a Challenge Rating at least 1 is slain within 10ft, you may regain 1 Ki. If you kill them with a Warden weapon, you gain +1 Ki. You may do this a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), but you can do so no more than once on a round. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Aetheric Loci
9th Level Warden Feature
You gain access to two additional Loci.
- Black (Moon): As an action, you may pull or push any object telekinetically to and from you within 15ft. This moves 15ft directly towards or away from you and cannot be heavier than you. If this is held by a creature, they can resist a strength saving throw against your Stance Save DC. If you use this to attack within 15ft, it counts as a warden weapon attack, uses your Stance Attack Modifier and does d8 + Stance Ability Modifier force damage, as you pummel your target with debris, etc. If you push an object (including ground/ buildings) greater than your weight, you move a distance equal to 15ft directly away from it.
- White (Sun): You can sense all magic with line of sight a radius equal to your 15ft. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any. Likewise, you can tell what every spell cast is, and what level.
True Attunement
10th Level Warden Feature
All loci are Attuned Loci. Your Loci Points equals your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom Modifier (minimum of 1)
Reactionary Shift
13th Level Warden Feature
When you are hit by an attack or fail a saving throw skill check, you may use your reaction to spend 1 Ki to change your harnessed Locus to one associated with the attack/check/saving throw.
Ki Surge
14th Level Warden Feature
Once per turn, when you make an attack action, you may spend 2 ki to make a single additional attack.
Burn/Reform Locus
15th Level Warden Feature
As a bonus action, you may burn a Locus to gain Ki energy. Choose one of the Loci that you would be able to harness. This cannot be harnessed again until you complete a long rest. You regain 5 Ki points but cannot increase above the maximum.
As a bonus action, you may reform a Locus from Ki energy. You can spend 5 Ki points to choose a Loci that cannot be used. This can be used again.
Improved Ascendant Loci
18th Level Warden Feature
For your Ascendant Loci, add 2 to the Loci Dice instead of 1, and they can be harnessed for 1 hour. In addition, you gain the immunities dictated by Ascendant Loci Feature.
Warden Mastery
20th Level Warden Feature
Instead of spending a reaction or bonus action, you can harness Loci once per turn without spending bonus actions or reactions, and you have unlimited Loci Points.
Combat Stances
Flame Stance
By using the Flame Stance, the user harnesses their inner fury, allowing them to unleash it in the form of a fiery sword.
Core Stance: Flame
2nd Level Flame Stance Feature
- When you do damage using a warden weapon, you may spend ki points up to your proficiency bonus. If you do, the attack does an extra d6 fire damage for each Ki point spent.
- When using a Warden Weapon, you may replace all weapon damage dealt as fire damage.
- You can only use one form per turn.
First Form: Enraged Flurry
2nd Level Flame Stance Feature
When you make an attack action using a Warden weapon against a creature, you may spend 1 Ki points and adopt Flame Stance: First Form. If you do, you may make an extra attack as part of the same action, but at disadvantage.
Second Form: Flare Strike
7th Level Flame Stance Feature
When you make an attack action using a Warden weapon against a creature, you may spend 2 Ki points and adopt Flame Stance: Second Form. If you do, as a bonus action, any creature you choose within 5ft of one of your targets, including the target, must pass a dexterity save, or take fire damage equal to your warden weapon damage.
Third Form: Final Embers
11th Level Flame Stance Feature
If you miss an attack using a martial melee weapon, you may spend 2 Ki points to adopt Flame Stance: Third Form. If you do so, you may make an extra attack, with advantage.
Fourth Form: Blade of the Flame Dragon
17th Level Flame Stance Feature
When you attack using a martial melee weapon, you may spend 4 Ki points to adopt Flame Stance: Fourth Form. If you do so, you attack at advantage, and each attack does d6 extra fire damage, and anyone hit must pass a successful wisdom save or become frightened until the end of your next turn.
Thunder Stance
Adopting the legendary Thunder Stance allows the fighter to shunt forward and slash at their target with an electrified blade. Some of these forms allow the fighter to move so fast, it looks like they have teleported.
Core Stance: Thunder
2nd Level Thunder Stance Feature
- As a bonus action, you may spend ki points up to your proficiency bonus. If you do, you may move an extra 5ft for every ki point spent, and do not evoke opportunity attacks.
- When using a Warden Weapon, you may replace all weapon damage dealt as lightning damage.
- You can only use one form per turn.
First Form: Thunderclap
2nd Level Thunder Stance Feature
When you do damage with a Warden Weapon, you may spend 1 Ki points and adopt Thunder Stance: First Form. If you do so, if the enemy moves at least 5ft in their next turn, they take thunder damage equal to double your Warden Weapon damage.
Second Form: Chaining Lightning
7th Level Thunder Stance Feature
As an action, you may spend 2 Ki and adopt Thunder Stance: Second Form. If you do, every enemy within a 15ft cone must take a dexterity saving throw. On a fail, they take lightning damage equal to your weapon damage, and half damage on a success. You must then teleport 15ft to the edge of the arc to an unoccupied space. If you cannot, move the maximum distance staying within the arc.
Third Form: Blink Strike
11th Level Thunder Stance Feature
When you make an attack action using a martial melee weapon, you may spend 2 Ki points and adopt Thunder Stance: Third Form. If you do, you may Teleport up to 30ft away to an unoccupied space that you can see, and gain advantage on your attack.
Fourth Form: Avatar of Thunder
17th Level Thunder Stance Feature
As an bonus action, you may spend 4 Ki and adopt Thunder Stance: Fourth Form. If you do, every enemy within a 15ft radius must take a dexterity saving throw. On a fail, they take 2d12 lightning damage, and take half damage on a success. Until your next turn, any enemy that ends its turn within 15ft must roll the dexterity saving throw again, and take 2d12 lightning damage, or half on a success. In addition, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed +10ft if you don’t already have it this turn.
Earth Stance
Users of the Earth Stance are able to become as hard to kill as a mountain, their blade becoming a wall of steel.
Core Stance: Earth
2nd Level Earth Stance Feature
- As a bonus action, you may spend ki points up to your proficiency bonus, and you may increase your AC by the same number.
- When you use an Earth Stance Feature, regardless of whether you spent ki, you can cause all attacks against a creature within 5ft of you to be made at disadvantage, as long as you are within 5ft of the creature making the attack.
- When using a Warden Weapon, you may replace all weapon damage dealt as magical bludgeoning damage.
- You can only use one form per turn.
First Form: Stoneguard
2nd Level Earth Stance Feature
When you make an attack action using a martial melee weapon, you may spend 2 Ki points and adopt Earth Stance: First Form. If you do so, you gain resistance to all damage.
Second Form: Unyielding Iron
7th Level Earth Stance Feature
You take damage, you can spend at least 1 Ki to adopt Earth Stance: Second Form. If you do, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by d8 x the number of Ki spent.
Third Form: Patient Strike
11th Level Earth Stance Feature
When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to spend 2 Ki and adopt Earth Stance: Third Form. If you do, make a Warden Weapon attack against the creature with advantage.
Fourth Form: Impregnable Shield
17th Level Earth Stance Feature
If you are hit by an attack, you may use your reaction to spend 4 Ki points and adopt Earth Stance: Fourth Form. If you do, you cannot take any damage this turn, and are immune to all conditions or forced movement.
Water Stance
Many say the Water Stance is both the most support focused of all the stances, with the users assisting their companions as much as attacking their enemy.
Core Stance: Water
2nd Level Earth Stance Feature
- As an action, you may spend at least 1 Ki to heal a creature that you can touch d8 hit points per Ki spent
- When using a Warden Weapon, you may replace all weapon damage dealt as cold damage this turn.
- You can only use one form per turn.
First Form: Shimmering Strike
2nd Level Water Stance Feature
When you do damage using a Warden Weapon, you may spend 1 Ki point to adopt Water Stance: First Form. Your target must pass a constitution save or be blinded until the start of your next turn.
Second Form: Cleansing Attack
7th Level Water Stance Feature
When you do damage using a Warden Weapon, you may spend at least 1 Ki point to adopt Water Stance: Second Form. If you do so, the attack does an extra d4 Cold damage for each Ki point spent (to a maximum number equal to your PB), and you heal the same amount of hit points as the extra damage.
Third Form: Precision Flow
11th Level Water Stance Feature
When you make a Warden Weapon attack roll against a creature, you can spend at least 1 Ki point to adopt Water Stance: Third Form. Add 1d4 for each Ki point spent to the hit roll. You can use this Form before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.
Fourth Form: Torrential Fury
17th Level Water Stance Feature
When you attack using a Warden Weapon, you may spend 4 Ki points to adopt Water Stance: Fourth Form. If you do so, you attack at advantage, you may make an extra attack as a bonus action, and anyone hit must pass a successful constitution save or become stunned until the start of your next turn.
Feats
Combat Stance Initiate
Prerequisite: Proficiency with a martial melee weapon
- You gain the 2nd level features of any of the Warden Combat Stances.
- If you already have access to that feature, you gain the next Form. You cannot have any Form of a higher level than you are currently.
- You gain 2 Ki. This is regained at the end of a short or long rest.
Ambidextrous
You master fighting with two weapons, gaining the following benefits:
- You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand. You gain +5ft movement while you are wielding a seperate ranged weapon in each hand. If you are wielding one of either, you can choose +1 AC or +5ft when you choose this feat, or at the end of a long rest.
- You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one handed weapons you are wielding aren't light. You can use two-weapon fighting with ranged weapons.
- You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one. You can also reload weapons one-handed.
Firearm Skirmisher
Some soldiers have gained experience fighting with firearms in enclosed spaces.
- +1 Dex to maximum of 20
- Gain proficiency with firearms.
- Neither being within 5 feet of a hostile creature, nor attacking a prone creature imposes disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
- You can roll your weapon damage again when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a firearm.
Firearm Engineer
Knowledge of the inner workings of firearms can be life saving in the middle of a firefight.
Prerequisite: Proficiency with firearms.
- +1 Dex to maximum of 20
- When you use firearms, you count their misfire score as being 1.
- You may reload or fix firearms using a bonus action
Ki
Loci
Death
The Warden is an entirely new class based on resource management and player agency. The core of the class is highly customisable, as the Loci can be used in whatever situation you get in. The subclasses, on the other hand, are specialied to suit each players playstyle.
While it is still in playtesting and development stage, I have found it to be reasonably balanced thus far, and will update it as necessary with more playtesting.
Art by MidJourney AI and Microsoft Designer
Also, thank you to FellstarDM for the front page and back page.