Aegis
While many consider shields simply as a defensive tool, a select few train to master the shield in a unique fighting style. An Aegis knows a good offense comes through a good defense, surprising opponents by bashing them senseless. They strives to protect their allies, using themselves as protection for when situations are most dire.
Bonus Proficiency
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Athletics, Acrobatics, Insight, Perception, or Persuasion.
Alternatively, you learn one language of your choice.
Defensive Offense
Starting at 3rd level, you are proficient in using shields both for defense and offense. You can don or doff a shield as a free object interaction. You also treat shields as martial weapons with the Aegis property. These new item blocks are detailed at the end of this subclass description.
Body Shield
Also at 3rd level, you can put yourselves in harms way to protect your allies. When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to move up to half your speed towards them. If you finish this movement within 5 feet of them, you force the attack to target you instead. If the attack still hits, you have resistance against the attacks damage.
You can perform this special reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses after a long rest. Once per long rest, you can regain all expended uses after using your Second Wind feature.
You must be holding a shield in order to use this feature.
Ricochet Shield
At 7th level, you learn to better defend with two shields in hand, as well as give ranged attackers a taste of their own medicine. Donning a second shield grants you a +1 bonus to your AC, rather than none. You also add half the AC bonus of your shields (minimum of +1) to each of their damage rolls.
Additionally, you can perform ranged weapon attacks with your shields, with a range of 30/90. You can doff a shield as part of throwing it. When using your shield in such a manner, it returns to your hand on a hit, and you immediately don it on its return. On a miss, the shield returns to you but lands at your feet.
Bloody Counter
Starting at 10th level, you can use your shield to block enemy attacks before striking back. Whenever you use your Body Shield feature, you can make one weapon attack against the attacker if they are within range. If you would be hit by their attack, this attack deals extra damage equal to your levels in this class. You can also move up to your speed when using your Body Shield feature.
Additionally, you can use your Body Shield feature with creatures who would be affected by a spell you can see. Doing so causes you to be affected by the spell, while the affected creature is now unaffected. If you would already be affected by the spell prior to this, you have automatically fail its saving throw (if any), but still gain resistance to the damage it deals.
Battle Ram
At 15th level, you are an expert of bashing creatures with your shield. Once on each of your turns, one of your attacks with a shield forces the target to make a Strength saving throw, if they are no more than two size larger than you or smaller. The DC for this save is 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Strength or Dexterity modifier + your shield's AC bonus. On a failed save, the creature is knocked prone and must spend their full movement to stand up, or they are pushed up to 15 feet away from you (your choice).
Mirror Guard
At 18th level, the range of your Body Shield feature increases to 60 feet, and you double your movement speed when using this feature.
You are also capable of reflecting back ranged attacks. Any time you are affected by Magic Missile, a line spell, or a ranged attack roll, you can choose to roll a 1d4. On a 1 to 3, you are unaffected by the effect and block it from continuing. On a 4, you manage to reflect the attack back towards the attacker as though the attack originated from you. You must be holding a shield in order to use this feature, and you can use the attackers attack modifier, or their spell-casting modifier if targeted by a spell, when reflecting the attack.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
