Shieldbearer

The bulwark of any front line, Shieldbearers thrive in the heart of combat, protecting allies and anchoring positions. In ELDRA, the Shieldbearer’s value compounds as the party grows — they make everyone else harder to kill.

Root Node · 1 CLA

Shieldbearer

+1 to Fortitude for wielding a shield. Equipping or removing a shield costs 0 AP.

Path of the Guardian

T1 · 1 CLA

Sentinel

When you use your shield's Reaction ability, extend its effect to one ally within your reach. If an ally within reach is attacked and you are adjacent to the attacker, take the hit as a Reaction using your own defense.

Interception

Once per round, when an ally within 3m is targeted by a ranged attack, interpose your shield as a Reaction. The attack targets you instead.

Protective Aura

Allies within 3m gain +1 to Physical Defense as long as you are conscious and wielding a shield.

T2 · 1 CLA

Taunt

Spending 2 AP, taunt enemies within 20m using Influence, Fight, or Fortitude (your choice), opposed by each enemy's Resolve. On success, taunted enemies suffer minus 2 to attacks not targeting you and cannot willingly move away from you if another valid target is within your reach. Duration equals margin of success in rounds.

Cover Fire

When you use Interception, allies within 5m may use their Reaction to move 2m away from the attacker without triggering opportunity attacks.

Shielded Advance

Protective Aura radius increases to 5m and the bonus increases to +2 Physical Defense.

T3 · 1 CLA

Wall of Iron

While wielding a shield, gain +2 to all defend rolls against physical attacks. Shield Reaction may be triggered twice per round. Once per scene, declare Shield Stance for 2 rounds: immune to forced movement and Prone, shield defense value doubles, melee attackers must make a Fortitude defend roll against your Fortitude or be pushed 2m.

Fortress

During Shield Stance, Protective Aura extends to 8m and also grants allies Resistance to one damage type you choose at the start of the stance.

Iron Curtain

While Shield Stance is active, Taunt automatically applies to all creatures that can see you within 10m without requiring a roll or AP.

Path of the Bulwark

T1 · 1 CLA

Shield Wall

While you are adjacent to at least one ally, you and those adjacent allies gain +1 to melee defend rolls. Once per turn after you successfully defend, you may move 1m without provoking opportunity attacks as long as you remain adjacent to an ally.

Lock Step

Allies benefiting from Shield Wall cannot be moved by forced movement less than 2m.

Wall Push

Once per scene, after you successfully defend against a melee attack, push the attacker 2m.

T2 · 1 CLA

Planted Guard

Once per scene, spend 2 AP to plant yourself for 3 rounds. While planted, your shield's Physical Defense is doubled against ranged attacks, enemies treat spaces adjacent to you as difficult terrain, and allies moving from one space adjacent to you to another do not provoke opportunity attacks.

Advancing Wall

Once per round while Planted Guard is active, one ally adjacent to you may move up to 2m as a free action and remains protected by Shield Wall during that movement.

Overlapping Cover

Allies adjacent to you gain Half Cover against ranged attacks while Planted Guard is active.

T3 · 1 CLA

Phalanx Master

Once per session, spend 3 AP to form a phalanx for 3 rounds. Allies within 5m gain +2 to Physical Defense against ranged attacks and +1 to melee defend rolls. In addition, when an enemy enters your reach or an allied reach within the phalanx, you may use your Reaction to stop its movement unless it succeeds on a Fortitude defend roll against your Fortitude.

Advance as One

Once per scene during Phalanx Master, all allies in the phalanx may move up to half speed as a free action while keeping the phalanx bonuses until the end of that movement.

Hedge of Steel

Enemies that fail to enter the phalanx due to your Reaction also take 1d6 Bludgeoning damage from shield impacts and weapon hafts.

Solid required progression · Dashed optional node requires the one above it