Principle of the Vanguard
Those who follow the principle of the Vanguard are deeply respected by their troops, fighting alongside them on the frontlines. Capable of performing their tactics on their own, they can become a one-man army when the situation demands it, striking down enemies with force and will.
Brain for Brawns
When you choose this principle at 3rd level, you know how to use your knowledge for when it comes to physical work. You gain proficiency in Acrobatics or Athletics. Each time you make a Strength check, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
Stalwart Commander
Also at 3rd level, you can target yourself for tactics that can only target creatures other than yourself. If you perform a tactic, a friendly creature of your choice within 10 feet of you to gain temporary hit points equal to half your level in this class.
Wary of Danger
Starting at 6th level, you add your Intelligence modifier to checks and saving throws against two of the following conditions of your choice; blinded, deafened, grappled, prone, or restrained.
Self-Led Soldier
At 10th level, you have an easier time giving yourself orders than to others. Whenever you would choose yourself to perform a combat tactic that involves attacking a creature and miss, you do not expend a combat strike.
Moreover, if a friendly creature would miss an attack done through a tactic, you can spend a reaction to perform the tactic as if you targeted yourself for it. Once you have done so, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Master Stratagem
Starting at 14th level, you learn one of the following stratagems, which you can perform once per long rest.
- Become a Whirlwind of Death! As a bonus action, choose a willing creature that can see or hear you and is within 30 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, whenever the target of this tactic would take the attack action, they can forgo up to one of their attacks and instead make a melee weapon attack against any creatures within range. These attacks use half of the creature's attack and damage modifiers for the attack and damage rolls.
- Strike at their very Being! When you take the attack action on your turn or ready the attack action, you can forgo one of your attacks and instead choose a willing creature that can see or hear you and is within 30 feet of you. That creature can immediately make a weapon attack. On a hit, the target of the attack has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and can't take reactions, until the end of your next turn.
- An Eye for an Eye! As a bonus action, choose a willing creature that can see or hear you and is within 60 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, whenever another creature would attack the target of this tactic, the target can immediately make a weapon attack against their attacker.
Vanguard Tactics
Come at Me
Prerequisite: Principle of the Vanguard
As a bonus action, choose a willing creature that can see or hear you and is within 30 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, the area 15 feet around them is considered difficult terrain to hostile creatures, and any hostile creature that starts its turn in this area has its movement halved.
At 11th level, this area increases to 30 feet.
No Escape
Prerequisite: Principle of the Vanguard
When you take the attack action on your turn or ready the attack action, you can forgo one of your attacks and instead choose a willing creature, other than yourself, that can see or hear you and is within 40 feet of you. That creature can immediately make a weapon attack. Hit or miss, that creature can then move their movement away from their target. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the target of the attack.
At 11th level, the range of this tactic increases to 120 feet.
Shield-breaker
Prerequisite: Principle of the Vanguard
When you take the attack action on your turn or ready the attack action, you can forgo one of your attacks and instead choose a willing creature that can see or hear you and is within 30 feet of you. That creature can immediately make a weapon attack. Hit or miss, the target’s AC is reduced by 1 until the end of your next turn.
At 11th level, this AC reduction increase to half your proficiency bonus.
Crippling Blow
Prerequisite: Principle of the Vanguard
As an action, choose a willing creature that can see or hear you and is within 40 feet of you. That creature can immediately make a weapon attack. On a hit, the target of the attack must make Constitution saving throw (DC = 10 + your proficiency bonus + the willing creature's Strength or Dexterity modifier, or your Intelligence modifier [whichever is highest]). On a failed save, it is stunned until the end of its next turn, or until it next takes damage.
At 11th level, the target has disadvantage on this saving throw.
Ward Area
Prerequisite: Principle of the Vanguard
As a bonus action, choose a willing creature that can see or hear you and is within 30 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, they can use their reaction to make a melee weapon attack against a creature that enters their reach. If they choose to not add their attack modifier to the attack roll, they do not consume their use of a reaction.
At 11th level, this tactic’s range increases to 90 feet.
