Crusader

A mail-clad combatant wielding a morningstar and shield stands in front of her allies as the undead shambles closer. She steels herself, ready to face whatever horrors comes, the rock in the stream against the oncoming horde. As the din of battle comes over her, the intensity of her attacks only grows. When the enemy has been defeated, she immediately kneels down and says a prayer, thanking her deity for watching over her this day.

The crusader is a fighter in service of a cause or deity, able to shrug of mighty blows and retaliate in kind. Unlike the Paladin, they do not wield divine magic, nor are they bound by an oath. Instead, they rely on an innate drive, purity of spirit, honed skill, and an adamantine will.

Crusaders are bastions on the battlefield, letting their allies rally around them as they anchor the front line without giving an inch. They usually wear heavy armor and a shield, but some prefer a more skirmishing style.

In the Estian Islands, most Crusaders are found among the ranks of the Spears of the Pilgrim Knights. Others are hedge knights, bodyguards, or serve as shrine guardians. Regardless, they fight for their cause with great fervor. The most famous crusader is Octavian Caldesor, First Sword of Tec. He served as bodyguard to Empress Herminia Casta, wielding the Blade of the First Sword in her defense on several occasions.

Steely Resolve

3rd-level Crusader feature

Your iron will lets you ignore blows that would flatten any other combatant on the battlefield. When you take damage, you can delay some of it to a special pool, your Resolve. Your Resolve starts at 0, and can hold up to twice your level in this class of damage.

Whenever you expend Resolve, you take damage equal to half the amount spent (minimum of 1). This damage cannot be reduced in any way. Most effects allow you to choose any amount of Resolve to expend. If you do not attack for 1 minute, you automatically expend all your Resolve.

You learn two ways of using your Resolve:

• Reckoning: Once on your turn when you hit with an attack, you can expend your Resolve to retaliate, dealing the same damage to the target. The target also has disadvantage on attacks against targets other than you until the start of your next turn.
• Push the Limit: You can use a Bonus Action to expend Resolve, increasing your walking speed and jump distance on that turn by a number of feet equal to the amount spent.

Additionally, when you use your Second Wind, you can reset your Resolve to 0 without taking any damage.

Protectors of the Earth

7th-level Crusader feature

When an ally within your reach takes damage, you can use your reaction to redirect up to half the damage taken to yourself as Resolve. You cannot redirect more damage than would fill your Resolve.

Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against the Charmed and Frightened conditions.

Invincible

10th-level Crusader feature

When you use Indomitable, you can expend Resolve to gain a bonus to the number rolled equal to the amount spent. You choose how much to expend before you roll the dice. If you use this against an effect that deals damage to you, you cannot redirect that damage to your Resolve, even if you succeed on the saving throw.

Additionally, when you use Action Surge, you can choose to fill your Resolve completely.

Strength of a Thousand Men

15th-level Crusader feature

When you completely fill your Resolve, you can use your Reaction to make an opportunity attack against the creature who dealt the damage to you. You can also make this attack as part of Protectors of the Earth if that fills your Resolve, striking the creature who damaged your ally.

Heart of Courage

18th-level Crusader feature

While you are at full Resolve, you have advantage on your attacks. If you expend your entire Resolve on a single maneuver, the damage you take is halved. You still use the unmitigated damage to determine the magnitude of effects such as Reckoning.