Warden of Thorns - Martial Archetype

Fighters who follow the path of the Shwazen-blessed Warden of Thorns stand as unbreakable bastions of nature’s will. Unlike druids or rangers, they do not wield spells—instead, they are shaped by the resilience of ancient oaks, the precision of apex predators, and the relentless grasp of creeping vines. Whether defending sacred land, striking down defilers, or leading warriors into battle, Wardens of Thorns embody the raw strength and cunning of the wild.   Those who take up this path may be devoted followers of the Angshire Spirits, inheritors of the traditions of the Old Shwazen Ancestors, or warriors who fight under the banner of the Shwazen Faith. Regardless of their allegiance, all Wardens of Thorns carry the will of nature into battle, where the roots rise, the thorns bite, and the wild endures.  

Awakening of the Wilds

At 3rd level, nature fortifies your body and guides your strikes.  

Verdant Fortitude

When you roll initiative, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your proficiency bonus.

While standing on unworked natural terrain (such as grass, dirt, sand, or unworked stone), you regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier at the start of your turn if you are below half your hit point maximum.

Thornpiercer Strikes

Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can cause vines to lash out from your weapon, dealing piercing damage equal to your proficiency bonus. The target’s movement is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. A creature can only be affected by this movement reduction once per turn.  

Shwazen’s Boon

Your melee weapon attacks count as magic for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks.

Your AC increases by 1 while wearing armor.

You ignore nonmagical difficult terrain.

You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks related to plants, animals, or natural terrain.

Vines of the Warden

At 7th level, nature itself intervenes in your battles, entangling foes and shielding allies.  

Thornpiercer Strikes

When you use this feature, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier) or be restrained until the start of your next turn. The damage increases to 1d4 per proficiency bonus.  

Verdant Shield

When a creature within 10 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to summon vines, imposing disadvantage on the attack roll. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.  

Thorns of Retaliation

At 10th level, your bond with nature punishes those who dare strike you or escape your grasp.  

Thornpiercer Strikes

The damage increases and becomes d6s.  

Retaliating Thorns

When a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack, thorned vines burst from your body, dealing 1d8 magical piercing damage. If the attacker is Large or smaller, their movement speed is halved until the end of their next turn. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.  

Verdant Snare

When a creature within 15 feet of you moves, you can use your reaction to cause vines to erupt from the ground. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Strength or Dexterity modifier). On a failure, they are either knocked prone or restrained (their choice) until the start of their next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.  

Nature’s Endurance

At 15th level, your connection to the wild grants you unmatched resilience.  

Nature’s Fortitude

You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.

When you use Second Wind, you add your Fighter level to the healing amount.

Verdant Aegis

As a bonus action, you call upon nature’s power for 1 minute, choosing one effect:

Thorned Carapace: When an enemy misses an attack against you, they take 1d8 magical piercing damage (max once per creature per turn).

Ancient Roots: You cannot be moved against your will, and your AC increases by 1.

Feral Momentum: If you take the Dash action, you can make one weapon attack as part of that movement.

You can use this feature once per short or long rest.  

Shwazen’s Wrath

At 18th level, you unleash the full power of the wild, making the battlefield an extension of your will.  

Verdant Domain

As an action, you cause the battlefield to become an overgrown nightmare for 1 minute in a 30-foot radius around you. While this effect is active:

Allies in the area gain half cover and regain 1d10 hit points at the start of their turns.

Enemies treat the area as difficult terrain. If an enemy moves more than 10 feet on their turn, they must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + proficiency bonus + Strength or Dexterity modifier) once per turn or become restrained until the beginning of their next turn.

Each time an enemy in the area takes damage, vines lash at them, dealing 1d8 magical piercing damage (once per enemy per turn).

You can use this feature once per long rest, or expend Second Wind to activate it again.