Homebrew Legionnaire: A Homebrew Fighter Subclass for 5.5e

[Lord_of_the_Mourning]

Legionnaire​

Martial Archetype for Fighter

The greatest armies of history are not remembered for the prowess of any single warrior, but for the discipline of the formation. Legionnaires train to fight as a unified whole, sheltering allies behind locked shields and presenting an unbreakable line to the enemy. Whether defending a narrow pass, weathering a dragon's assault, or advancing beneath a rain of arrows, a Legionnaire knows that victory belongs to those who stand together.

Level 3: Shield Mastery​

You gain the Shield Master feat.

If you already possess the Shield Master feat, choose one of the following Fighting Styles instead:

• Defense
• Interception
• Protection

Level 3: Shield Wall​

While you are wielding a shield and within 5 feet of a willing creature wielding a shield, the two of you form a Shield Wall.

The Shield Wall can have no more than two members.

The Shield Wall possesses a number of Wall Points equal to the number of creatures in the Shield Wall plus 1.

Expended Wall Points are restored at the start of your turn.

When a creature in the Shield Wall is targeted by a melee attack, you can expend 1 Wall Point. Until the end of the turn, a creature in the Shield Wall gain a +2 bonus to AC against melee attacks.

---

Level 7: Advanced Shield Wall​

The maximum number of creatures that can be part of the Shield Wall increases to three.

Brace​

When a creature in the Shield Wall is targeted by an attack, you can expend 2 Wall Points to grant that creature three-quarters cover against that attack.

Shelter Behind the Line​

When a creature within 5 feet of the Shield Wall is targeted by an attack, you can expend 4 Wall Points to grant that creature full cover against that attack.

---

Level 10: Perfect Formation​

The discipline of your formation allows it to withstand assaults that would scatter lesser warriors.

While you are part of a Shield Wall:

• Creatures in the Shield Wall can't be knocked prone against their will.
• Creatures in the Shield Wall have advantage on saving throws against effects that would push, pull, or otherwise forcibly move them.
• Opportunity attacks against creatures in the Shield Wall are made with disadvantage.

---

Level 15: Arcane Deflection​

Once per turn, when a cantrip or ranged spell attack created by a spell of 3rd level or lower misses a creature benefiting from the Shield Wall, you can expend 1 Wall Point to deflect the spell.

Choose a new direction between 45 and 85 degrees from the spell's original path. The spell continues from the point where it was deflected, using the original attack roll.

---

Level 18: Grand Shield Wall​

The maximum number of creatures that can be part of the Shield Wall equals your Fighter level.

A creature wielding a shield is considered part of the Shield Wall if it is within 5 feet of another creature in the Shield Wall, to a maximum number of creatures equal to your Fighter level.

Creatures in the Shield Wall have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Aegis of the Legion​

Whenever a creature in the Shield Wall succeeds on a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, it instead suffers no effects from that spell or effect.

Additionally, when a spell of 6th level or lower targets only creatures in the Shield Wall, you can expend 4 Wall Points as a reaction to cause the spell to fail.

Shared Burden​

When a creature in the Shield Wall takes damage from an attack, another creature in the Shield Wall can use its reaction to take that damage instead.

Damage transferred this way can't be reduced or prevented.

Turn the Dragon's Fire​

Once per long rest, when a line, cone, or breath weapon would affect one or more creatures in the Shield Wall, you can redirect the effect. The new direction must originate from the effects original point of origin and otherwise follows all normal rules for the effect.


This subclass has not been playtested, and any and all criticism is encouraged, though I ask you to be polite and respectful.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

Cool. I actually made a Legionnaire subclass a few years back for a 5e clone I was working on, so I definitely like the idea.

Some criticisms:

-I don't like giving a feat with a subclass. They are a Fighter, they are already going to get extra feats.

-I'm unclear if you can spend multiple wall points to stack +2s.

-I think the fundamental problem with the subclass is it all keys off having more party members join a shield wall, and my luck is always that if I chose such a thing in 5e era D&D I would invariably end up with a party that consisted of non-shield users. Half the classes don't even get to use shields, I'd say only Fighters, Paladins, and maybe Clerics typically use them, and the Paladin is the only one where it seems like the most common build. And even if you get another PC who's a shield user, do they want to Shield Wall up with you? Maybe having one shield brother is not so unlikely, but the subclass progression seems to imagine more and more. Unless the idea is to use hirelings I don't think this is how 5.5 games run.

My own legionnaire's core ability, by the way was:
Shieldwall
As a Legionnaire you are skilled in getting the most out of shield tactics. Whenever you have a shield equipped allies within 5 feet of you gain +1 to their ACs. If one or more allies within 5 feet of you has a shield equipped you gain +1 to your AC as well.
Also when you have a shield equipped, if an enemy within 5 feet of you makes an attack you may use your reaction to reduce their attack roll by a 1d4 disfavor die. You must do this before you know their roll.

I would say it's far weaker than yours would be when actually successfully implemented, but since you get some value without needing another player to actually cooperate with the strategy it is more likely to see use and less likely to cause frustration, while still being reasonably evocative. You are using your shield to protect your neighbor even if they do nothing for you.

 

[Lord_of_the_Mourning]

The + 2 to AC does stack, but requires a second attack to activate it.

Joining the shield wall only requires that the creature have a shield out. It does not require them to have proficiency, However, there is a point where hirelings are required, and it is probably a class where you should check with the other players first.