Bulwark
Bulwarks utilize armor and shields to their fullest extent, mastering the use of them on both defense and offense. They slam into enemies with armored Battle Forms and can hold their own against creatures much larger then them.
Fighting a Bulwark is an unwinnable battle as blows galnce of their armor and they instill panic in their foes. Bulwarks are sought after warriors, their skills valuable as bodygaurds, frontline soldiers, and escorts for valuable people and cargo. They clash with powerful forces and their enemies find them to be nearly invincible.
Each Bulwark has its own teachings, with their own style of armored figting. Many Bulwarks use their abilities for good, protecting allies from what would be fatal attacks, or slowing the advances of incoming armies. Other Bulwarks set their aims at brutal conquest, to advance their own power throught their dominating might.
Core Bulwark Traits
| Primary Ability | Strength |
| Hit Point Die | D12 per Bulwark level |
| Saving Throw Proficiencies | Strength and Constitution |
| Skill Proficiencies | Choose 2: Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception Religion, and Survival |
| Weapon Proficiencies | Simple and Martial weapons |
| Tool Proficiencies | Smith's Tools |
| Armor Training | Light, Medium, and Heavy armor and Shields |
| Starting Equipment | Choose A or B: (A) Splint Armor, Shield, Warhammer, 4 Light Hammers, Dungeoneer’s Pack, and 5 GP; or (B) 250 GP |
Becoming a Bulwark...
As a Level 1 Character
- Gain all the traits in the Core Bulwark Traits table.
- Gain the Bulwark’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Bulwark Features table.
As a Multiclass Character
- Gain the following traits from the Core Bulwark Traits table: Hit Point Die and training with Light, Medium, and Heavy armor and Shields.
- Gain the Bulwark’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Bulwark Features table.
Bulwark Class Features
As a Bulwark, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Bulwark levels. These features are listed on the Bulwark Features table.
Level 1: Battle Form
You have specialized in a particular Battle Form, a technique you can preform in combat to dominate the battlefield. You gain one Battle Form of your choice from “Battle Form Options” later in this class’s description.
Whenever you gain a Bulwark level, you can replace one of your Battle Forms with one you don’t know. You gain one more Battle Form at Bulwark level 9.
Bulwark Features
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Class Features | Ward AC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Battle Form, Weapon Mastery | ─ |
| 2 | +2 | Armored Ward, Unmoving | +3 |
| 3 | +2 | Bulwark Subclass | +3 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | +3 |
| 5 | +3 | Extra Attack, Specialized Ward | +3 |
| 6 | +3 | Subclass Feature | +3 |
| 7 | +3 | Bull Rush | +3 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | +3 |
| 9 | +4 | Battle Form | +4 |
| 10 | +4 | Prepared Defenses | +4 |
| 11 | +4 | Subclass Feature | +4 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | +4 |
| 13 | +5 | Mighty Ward | +4 |
| 14 | +5 | Unbreakable | +4 |
| 15 | +5 | Ward's Power | +4 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | +5 |
| 17 | +6 | Subclass Feature | +5 |
| 18 | +6 | Glancing Blows | +5 |
| 19 | +6 | Epic Boon | +5 |
| 20 | +6 | Invincible | +5 |
Level 1: Weapon Mastery
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of two kinds of weapons of your choice with which you have proficiency, such as Warhammers and Heavy Crossbows.
Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change the kinds of weapons you chose. For example, you could switch to using the mastery properties of Greataxes and Flails.
Level 2: Armored Ward
You have learned to deflect attacks against you and your allies. If you or a creature you can see within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can interpose your Shield if you're holding one, or your armor if you're wearing Light, Medium, or Heavy armor as a Reaction. When you do so the target’s AC has a bonus against the triggering attack that increases as you gain levels as a Bulwark, as shown in the Ward AC column of the Bulwark Features table.
Level 2: Unmoving
You gain the ability to resist moving when you don't want to. You have Advantage on Strength saving throws unless you have the Incapacitated condition.
Additionally, when you’re subjected to an effect that causes you to move without the use of your Bonus Action, Reaction, or one of your speeds, such as the Thunderwave spell, you can choose to halve the distance that you are moved by the effect.
Level 3: Bulwark Subclass
You gain a Bulwark subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bulwark levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Bulwark level or lower.
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement
You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Bulwark levels 8, 12, and 16.
Level 5: Extra Attack
You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Level 5: Specialized Ward
You’ve developed specialized ways to use your Armored Ward. When you cause an attack roll to miss using your Armored Ward, you can add one of the following Specialized Ward effects.
If a Specialized Ward effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus.
Frighten. The attacker that triggered your Armored Ward must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Frightened condition until the end of your next turn.
Punish. You have Advantage on attack rolls against the attacker that triggered your Armored Ward until the end of your next turn.
Shove. If the attacker that triggered your Armored Ward is Large or smaller and within 5 feet of you, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet directly away from you. You can then move up to half your Speed straight toward the attacker without provoking Opportunity Attacks.
Level 7: Bull Rush
You gain the ability to dive in the way of attacks that threaten your allies. If a creature you can see within 15 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can move up to half your Speed straight toward the target as a Reaction. If you end this reactive movement within 5 feet of the target you can use your Armored Ward as a part of this Reaction.
Level 10: Prepared Defenses
You can spend time to prepare your armor to protect you from certain dangers. Choose one damage type, other than Psychic, whenever you finish a Short or Long Rest. While you’re wearing Light, Medium, or Heavy armor you have Resistance to that damage type until you choose a different one with this feature.
Level 13: Mighty Ward
You’ve learned new ways to specialize your Armored Ward. The following effects are now among your Specialized Ward options.
Disarm. If the attacker that triggered your Armored Ward is within 5 feet of you, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or drop one object of your choice that it's holding, with the object landing in its space.
Rattle. If the attacker that triggered your Armored Ward is within 5 feet of you, it has Disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
Shield. The target you protect with your Armored Ward has a bonus to AC equal to your Ward AC bonus until the start of your next turn, if the target is a creature other than you and you remain within 5 feet of the target.
Level 14: Unbreakable
Your armor is extremely difficult to break through, even with spell effects. While you’re wearing Light, Medium, or Heavy armor, you have Half Cover.
Level 15: Ward's Power
When you cause an attack roll to miss using your Armored Ward, you can make one attack with a weapon against the attacker that triggered your Armored Ward if the attacker is within your weapon's range.
Level 18: Glancing Blows
Your armor protects you even when foes have an upper hand against you. While you’re wearing Light, Medium, or Heavy armor, no attack roll can have Advantage against you.
Level 19: Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.
Level 20: Invincible
Your armor is nearly impossible to break through, even with spell effects. While you’re wearing Light, Medium, or Heavy armor, you have Three-Quarters Cover.
Battle Form Options
Battle Form options appear in alphabetical order.
Armor Training
You ignore the disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and the Strength requirements of armor.
Fighting Style
You have honed your martial prowess and gain a Fighting Style feat of your choice.
Whenever you gain a Bulwark level, you can replace the feat you chose with a different Fighting Style feat.
Gauntlet Strikes
While you’re wearing Heavy armor you can wield your Gauntlets as weapons. When you do so they have the following traits:
- Weapon Category: Martial Melee
- Damage on a Hit: 1d4 Bludgeoning plus the ability modifier used for the attack roll
- Properties: Light
- Mastery: Nick (you can use this property, and it doesn't count against the number of properties you can use with Weapon Mastery)
Shield Bash
You can wield a Shield as a weapon. When you do so it has the following traits:
- Weapon Category: Martial Melee
- Damage on a Hit: 1d6 Bludgeoning plus the ability modifier used for the attack roll
- Properties: Light
- Mastery: Push (you can use this property, and it doesn't count against the number of properties you can use with Weapon Mastery)
Spiked Armor
You can create specialized Spiked Armor, granting you the following benefits.
Crafting. Whenever you finish a Long Rest while holding Smith's Tools, you can modify a set of Heavy armor, turning it into Spiked Armor. Spiked Armor grants the same AC as the Heavy armor it was made from.
Impaling Grapple. At the end of each of your turns while you’re wearing Spiked Armor, each creature Grappled by you takes Piercing damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
Spiked Retribution. If a creature hits you with a melee attack roll while you’re wearing Spiked Armor, the creature takes Piercing damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
Weapon Master
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery property of one kind of Simple or Martial weapon of your choice, provided you have proficiency with it. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change the kind of weapon to another eligible kind.
Weapon Versatility
Your experience with armored combat has taught you to use weapons in ways beyond their intended function, utilizing pommels, flats, and crossgaurds to their fullest extent. Whenever you deal damage with a Melee weapon, it can deal your choice of Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage, or its normal damage type.
Bulwark Subclasses
A Bulwark subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bulwark levels, as specified in the subclass.
Teachings of the Juggernaut
Combine Unbreakable Defense With Hard Hitting Offense
Bulwarks who have undergone the Teachings of the Juggernaut have taken the unstoppable might that all Bulwarks possess to the next level. Juggernauts deliver devestating blows with massive weapons and push through even the strongest of attacks.
Level 3: Sword and Shield
Foes crumble under your crushing might. You gain the following benefits.
Battle Ready. When you roll Initiative, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Constitution modifier plus your Bulwark level (minimum of 1 Temporary Hit Point).
Greater Critical. When you score a Critical Hit, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the extra damage the target takes.
Level 3: Crushing Presence
You gain Expertise in Intimidation. Additionally, whenever you make an Intimidation check, you can make it as a Strength check.
Level 6: Warrior's Pin
You gain the following Specialized Ward option.
Pin. If the attacker that triggered your Armored Ward is within 5 feet of you, it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have the Grappled condition until the end of your next turn.
Level 11: Additional Battle Form
Your fighting capabilites have reached new heights. You gain another Battle Form of your choice.
Level 17: Bruiser
You hit foes with an unrivaled force that breaks through their defenses. The Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage you deal always ignores Resistance.
Teachings of the Spell Shield
Enspell Your Shield With Arcane Enhancements
The Teachings of the Spell Shield originates from the magic of giants who used enchanted shields in tandem with arcane magic. Bulwarks who have undergone these same teachings create Spell Shields, powerful relics that they use to channel arcane magic for the destruction of those that oppose them.
Level 3: Shield Wielder
You can wield a Shield as a weapon. When you do so it has the following traits:
- Weapon Category: Martial Melee
- Damage on a Hit: 1d6 Bludgeoning plus the ability modifier used for the attack roll
- Properties: Light, Thrown (range 20/60 ft)
- Mastery: Push (you can use this property, and it doesn't count against the number of properties you can use with Weapon Mastery)
Level 3: Spell Shield
You learn to wield a Spell Shield, a powerful weapon that you empower with Arcane Flares.
Creating a Spell Shield. You learn a ritual that imbues arcane power into one Shield. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a Short Rest. The Shield must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the Shield and imbue the energy. The ritual fails if the Shield is a magic item to which someone else is attuned.
Once you have enhanced a Shield in this way, it returns to your hand immediately after you use it to make a ranged attack roll. If you attempt to create a second Spell Shield, you must extract the magic from your current Spell Shield.
Arcane Flare Options. You learn two Arcane Flare options of your choice from the “Arcane Flare Options” section later in this subclass’s description.
You learn an additional Arcane Flare option of your choice when you reach Bulwark levels 6, 11, and 17. Each time you learn a new Arcane Flare option, you can also replace one option you know with a different one.
Using Arcane Flares. Once per turn when you make an attack using a Spell Shield, you can apply one of your Arcane Flare options to that attack. You decide to use the option when you hit a creature and deal damage to it unless the option doesn’t involve an attack roll.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Ward AC bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Short or Long Rest.
Saving Throws. If an Arcane Flare option requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 plus your Intelligence modifier and Proficiency Bonus.
Level 6: Arcane Protector
You gain the following Specialized Ward option.
Arcane Retribution. If you are holding a Spell Shield the attacker that triggered your Armored Ward must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take Force damage equal to 1d6 plus half your Bulwark level (round down).
Level 11: Arcane Shield
You have learned to protect your allies by intercepting attacks made against them with arcane energy. While you are holding a Spell Shield you can use your Armored Ward if a creature you can see within 60 feet of you is hit by an attack roll.
Level 17: Magical Defenses
Your defenses are built to protect you from magic. You gain proficiency in Intellegence saving throws and you have Resistance to Force damage.
Arcane Flare Options
The Arcane Flare options are presented here in alphabetical order.
Acidic Flare. You imbue your Spell Shield with burning acid. Immediately after you deal damage to the creature, your target and each creature other than you within a 20-foot Emanation originating from the target makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking Acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. To determine the Acid damage, roll a number of d4s equal to your Ward AC bonus, and add them together.
Flaming Flare. You imbue your Spell Shield with arcane fire. Immediately after you deal damage to the creature, your target and each creature other than you within a 10-foot Emanation originating from the target makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking Fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. To determine the Fire damage, roll a number of d6s equal to your Ward AC bonus, and add them together.
Icy Flare. You imbue your Spell Shield with biting cold. Immediately after you deal damage to the creature, your target and each creature other than you within a 5-foot Emanation originating from the target makes a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes Cold damage and its Speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage only. To determine the Cold damage, roll a number of d4s equal to your Ward AC bonus, and add them together.
Poisoning Flare. You imbue your Spell Shield with choking poison. Immediately after you deal damage to the creature, it makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes Posion damage and has the Poisoned condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the Poisoned target repeats the save, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage only. To determine the Poison damage, roll a number of d4s equal to your Ward AC bonus, and add them together.
Shocking Flare. You imbue your Spell Shield with crackling lightning. Immediately after you deal damage to the creature, your target and each creature of your choice within a 10-foot Emanation originating from the target makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking Lightning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. To determine the Lightning damage, roll a number of d4s equal to your Ward AC bonus, and add them together.
Solar Flare. You imbue your Spell Shield with blinding light. Immediately after you deal damage to the creature, your target and each creature other than you within a 5-foot Emanation originating from the target makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes Radiant damage and has the Blinded condition until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage only. To determine the Radiant damage, roll a number of d4s equal to your Ward AC bonus, and add them together.
Thunderous Flare. You imbue your Spell Shield with rolling thunder and a thunderous boom is audible within 300 feet. Immediately after you deal damage to the creature, it makes a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes Thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage only. To determine the Thunder damage, roll a number of d8s equal to your Ward AC bonus, and add them together.
The Bulwark
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