The Warden Soldiers are a varied sort. Sometimes bloodthirsty and hungry for battle. Sometimes reluctant, but highly skilled. And then there are the those that are gifted with power. On rare occasions, people have an incorruptible soul, and such a powerful thing creates a physical manifestation in the form of glowing chains. Armed with these magical chains, they cover their comrades and stop foes dead in their tracks. Whether they wield heavy, cumbersome chains, finely crafted or wicked light chainwhips, they excel at displacing, interrupting, or sometimes punishing their foes. Arcanely Infused They say that the strength of a warden is represented by a number of links wrapped around thier beating heart. The chains of a warden manifest in all sorts of ways. Some wardens have an intricate chain tattoo magically appear on thier body, peeling off into physical form when summoned. Some simply manifest out of the aether, but if there is one thing that is true. The warden's chains, are unbreakable. Credit: Female Warden by u/quardri Remarkably Rare Wardens are few and far between. The potential can be observed from an early age. Children with this potential are often troubled and display their steadfast resolve in childhood brawls. Standing up for a friend or in some cases simply themselves, those with the potential always make the hard choices, swiftly and often ferociously. Quick Build You can make a Warden quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Constitution, followed by Strength. Finally, choose the soldier background.

The Warden Level Proficiency Bonus Arcane Links Features 1st +2 - Warden Archetype 2nd +2 3 Close the Gap 3rd +2 4 Archetype Feature 4th +2 5 Ability Score Improvement 5th +3 6 Shackle, Extra Attack 6th +3 7 Archetype Feature 7th +3 8 Strength of Will 8th +3 9 Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 10 Spell Ward 10th +4 11 Challengers Chains 11th +4 12 Archetype Feature 12th +4 13 Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 14 Creeping Iron 14th +5 15 Shackle Improvement 15th +5 16 Relentless 16th +5 17 Ability Score Improvement 17th +6 22 - 18th +6 23 Archetype Feature 19th +6 24 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 25 Unbreakable 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 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per warden level after 1st.

Proficiencies Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields

Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Choose two skills from Animal Handling, Arcana, Intimidation, Nature, Perception and Survival Equipment You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your background: • (a) leather or (b) chain mail • (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) a simple weapon and a shield • (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment from your class and background, and start with 4d4 x 10 gp. Incorruptible Soul At 1st level, you develop an incorruptible soul. You hold to your beliefs and they cannot be changed by magical means, only you yourself can truly decide to change or alter what you believe in. Your alignment cannot be magically changed. Warden Archetype At 1st level, you choose an archetype that reflects your fighting style: Guardian, Peacekeeper, Scourge, or Vengeant, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 1st level, and again at 3rd, 6th, 11th, and 18th level. Starting at 2nd level, you may tap into the arcane powers slumbering in your chains. Your access to this power is represented by a number of enchanted links in your chain. Your warden level determines the number of links you have, as shown in the Arcane Links column of the warden table. You may spend this power on various warden features listed below. Your chains recharge after a long rest. Some of your warden features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Chain save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier Close the Gap Starting at 2nd level, you may cast your chains onto your opponent. You may take an action to yank an enemy towards you using 1 link. To do so, make a weapon attack roll at a large or smaller creature up to a range of 20 feet. You have disadvantage on this attack roll if the target is within 10 feet of you. If your attack hits, the enemy may be placed in any unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, and you may roll the damage for that attack. You may use a bonus action to push a creature 10 feet away after using this feature. This feature prevents attacks of opportunity on the target and it's range increases to 30 feet at level 13. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you may increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you may increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Shackle Starting at 5th level, you may spend 1 link to shoot your chains from the ground to coil around your foe as a bonus action. Choose a target within 30 feet of you, the target's speed is halved. The target may use its action to break free, ending this effect. This feature can only effect one target at a time, unless otherwise stated. Extra Attack Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Strength of Will Starting at 7th level, your fortitude expands beyond your body, and strengthens your mind. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. Spell Ward Starting at 9th level, you hold fast when danger flies your way. If a spell requires you to make a Dexterity saving throw or if a spell requires an attack roll against you, you may spend 5 links to attempt to block it as a reaction. To do so, make a Constitution check. The DC is 10 + the spell's level. Upon success, the spell is blocked, and you take no damage. Upon failure, you suffer half damage. Challengers Chains Starting at 10th level, you may use your action to spend 3 links, binding yourself to a target you can see within 60 feet using your chains. As long as you can see the target, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you. While bound to a target, you must make a Constitution check for each instance of damage you take. The DC equals half of the damage or 10, whichever is higher. Upon failing this check, you lose your connection with the target. You can only use this feature on one target at a time. Creeping Iron Starting at 13th level, the range of your Close the Gap increases to 30 feet. Additionally, you may use the Shackle feature without spending a link on a target you pulled towards you. Shackle Improvement Starting at 14th level, targets affected by Shackle have their move speed reduced to 5 feet. Additionally, all attack rolls made against the target have advantage. Relentless Starting at 15th level, your determination and arcane fortitude urges you to push forward. Whenever you take a short rest, you may recharge 1d8 arcane links. Unbreakable At 20th level, you are empowered by untold resilience. If damage would reduce you to 0 hit points, you may spend 3 links to make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + half the damage taken. On a success, you remain at 1 hit point instead. Archetypes Wardens can be powerful allies. Their capabilities are varied and are sure to gain them many favors or enemies. Depending on their archetype, they may be a vengeful protector, or vicious attacker. They can choose between four seperate styles of combat and need to choose upon reaching 1st level. Guardian Wardens who seek to offer physical protection to their allies, often tread the path of the Guardian. Thick and heavy chains offer them and their allies massive amounts of protection at the cost of speed and offensive power. Duty Calls Starting at 1st level, your hard training provides you with proficiency in heavy armor. Bastion Starting at 3rd level, you may use 1 link to anchor yourself the ground as a bonus action, reinforcing your stance with magical chains. While anchored, you cannot move or be moved, and you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. You count as a solid obstacle and provide total cover for any medium or smaller creature behind you. You may choose to end this anchor as a bonus action. True Grit Starting at 6th level, whenever you take a critical hit, you may spend 3 links to turn it into a normal hit. Any effects triggered by a critical hit are cancelled. Auric Impediment Starting at 11th level, you may spend 3 links to emanate an aura for 1 minute as an action. Your chains burst out of the ground around you upon activation, forcing creatures within a 10 foot radius to make a Dexterity saving throw, or be put under the effects of the Shackle feature. This can effect multiple creatures. Should you have a creature under the effects of the Shackle feature already, the effect ends. For the duration, the ground 10 feet around you is considered difficult terrain, and any targets effected by your Shackle feature that are also within your difficult terrain are considered stunned. Rampart At 18th level, when you use your Auric Impediment feature, each friendly creature of your choice in a 30 foot radius only takes half damage from all sources. You take the other half of the damage.

Peacekeeper You cannot always trust to avoid conflict, but must always hope to. Peacekeepers weave in and out of combat situations with thier grapple like chains. Keep the Peace Starting at 1st level, you can use your action to touch a willing creature other than yourself to give it advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks. This effect lasts for 1 hour or until you use this feature again. Retaliate Starting at 3rd level, if an enemy makes the first attack roll against you to begin combat, whether it is a surprise or out of initiative, you and your allies have advantage on their first attack roll against that enemy for the first round of combat. Hookshot Starting at 6th level, you may use your bonus action to spend 1 link and fire a spiked arcane chain towards a creature under the effects of the Shackle feature within 60 feet, rapidly pulling you within 5 feet of the creature. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Zipline Starting at 11th level, you learn to create anchorpoints. You may choose a point within 60 feet, creating a magical anchor at that point using 2 links as an action. If you are within 60 feet of an anchor, you can use your bonus action to use your Hookshot feature to travel to it without expending additional links. You are able to create two anchorpoints at once, and they persist for one hour. Pacify A 18th level, your chains begin to bend to your slightest whim. You can use your Hookshot feature on any creature in range using 2 links, even if they are not affected by your Shackle feature. If you follow up with an attack and hit, you may automatically place the target under the effects of the Shackle feature. Scourge Chains often imply punishment and suffering. Those that seek the path of the Warden are not all devoted to defense, and Scourges attack ruthlessly. Scourges don't use the same arcane chains as others of their ilk, they wield the wicked and spiked chains of the lower plains, bringing punishment and pain to those that oppose them. Fear not the Dark Starting at 1st level, you know the Produce Flame cantrip. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Flagellant Starting at 3rd level, your chains become barbed and vicious. You may use your chains as a melee weapon that deals 1d10 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier slashing damage and has the reach and two-handed properties. Your chain's attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Additionally, when you use the Close the Gap feature, you may spend 1 more link to make an additional attack as a bonus action. Branding Fetters Starting at 6th level, when you use the Shackle feature, you may spend an additional 2 links mark the target. The mark lasts until your Shackle feature ends. While marked, the target suffers an additional 1d4 fire damage from each of your attacks. Ichor Siphon Starting at 11th level, blood runs up through your chains and into you. You may spend 3 links after you hit a target with a melee attack, but before damage is dealt, to heal by half the amount of damage dealt by that attack. This feature can only be used once per turn. Tormenting Spears Starting at 18th level, you may use an action to impale a target using 4 links. Make a ranged attack at a target within 30 feet of you. upon hitting, infernal chains burst out of the ground, shooting through your foe and enveloping them in searing iron, dealing 3d12 piercing damage and restraining the target. Vengeant To protect often also means to sacrifice. The Vengeant are the epitome of that idea. Linking their soul and life with other creatures. They take the pain of others onto themselves, or make their enemies feel it. What it Takes At 1st level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Insight, Investigation and Medicine. Perseverance Starting at 3rd level, each time you expend one or more links you gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier. Chained Effigy Starting at 6th level, if you target a creature 5 feet away from you with the Shackle feature, you may choose to magically bind the creature to you using 2 additional links. The target cannot move more than 30 feet away from you. If the creature is medium or smaller you can move away from it at half speed, dragging it with you at the 30 foot mark. If the creature is larger than you, you cannot drag them. The creature you are bound to suffers half of any damage you take.