D&D 5E Thoughts about the Protection Fighting Style

[Esker]

I like @Undrave 's solution pretty well, but from a fiction perspective it's hard for me to imagine how the fighter is protecting more than one person at the same time, all without even using a reaction. I think I would leave it mostly alone but have it scale better: Something like,

"When you have a shield equipped and 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 that attack roll and any subsequent attacks made by that enemy against that target until the start of your next turn."

 

[Stormonu]

I don’t like the Defend portion; the plate-wearing fighter getting hit on the robe-wearing wiz’s AC doesn’t sit well with me, even if the hp are coming off the fighter instead of the wizard. I’d prefer the target of the attack changes to the fighter - new AC and all.

Overall though, I think it would be better if when the protection fighter gets extra attacks they can protect an extra ally or against an additional attacker/attack.

 

[Fenris-77]

Providing disadvantage on multiple attacks is a pretty good debuff, even if the range is limited.

 

[Worrgrendel]

Cunning Action doesn't grant Dodge. Just Dash, Disengage, or Hide. A monk could do it that way, but need to spend a ki point each time.

Gah, you are right. I mixed them up. Definitely not worth it as a monk. You'd be out of Ki in 2 rounds.

 

[Undrave]

I like @Undrave 's solution pretty well, but from a fiction perspective it's hard for me to imagine how the fighter is protecting more than one person at the same time, all without even using a reaction. I think I would leave it mostly alone but have it scale better: Something like,

"When you have a shield equipped and 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 that attack roll and any subsequent attacks made by that enemy against that target until the start of your next turn."

It's a good solution, could used to be worded a bit better but I think protecting from 1 enemy and not just 1 attack is fine.

 

[NotAYakk]

Protection:
When you take the Dodge action, until the start of your next turn if an enemy attacks an ally of yours and either is within your reach, you can make an attack roll with your weapon. If it beats the attack roll, the attack's damage is reduced by your weapon damage. If reduced to 0, the attack is considered to have missed.

You can do this a number of times equal to how many attacks you could make with your extra attack feature. If you are using a shield, you get a bonus to your attack rolls equal to your shield AC bonus.

 

[Don Durito]

Isn't Interception style already a basic replacement for protection style?

 

[Xeviat]

I like that you're putting thought into this. I think fighting style would have been a great opportunity to build in 4E style roles and bake them into the bonus action economy (thereby not letting someone get two and then do two roles at once).

Where did you show your work on TWFing?

 

[GlassJaw]

"When you have a shield equipped and 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 that attack roll and any subsequent attacks made by that enemy against that target until the start of your next turn."

I like it! Slightly tweaked wording:

Protection
When a creature you see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that attack roll, and on any subsequent attack rolls, made by that creature against the target until the start of your next turn. You must be wearing a shield.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I like that you're putting thought into this. I think fighting style would have been a great opportunity to build in 4E style roles and bake them into the bonus action economy (thereby not letting someone get two and then do two roles at once).

Where did you show your work on TWFing?

I don't remember where I posted it, but this is what I settled on:

Two-Weapon Fighting Style
When you take the attack action wielding two weapons and miss with your main weapon attacks, you may make one weapon attack with your off-hand weapon for each missed attack. If you hit with your off-hand weapon attacks, you do not add your ability modifier to the damage.