As mountains stand fast against the buffeting wind and trees bend but do not break in the storm, wardens are stalwart protectors who draw on the primal spirits of nature to defend the natural world from those who would corrupt or destroy it. Some wardens use the power of earth and stone to shield their allies from harm, whereas others summon the primal strength within themselves to increase their ferocity and tenacity.
As a warden, you might be the staunch defender of a tribe, chosen by the spirits to be your people's champion. Perhaps you were visited by spirits at a sacred grove and charged with protecting it against a spreading corruption. You might have been raised by a bear or nurtured by dryads, chosen from infancy to stand fast against nature's enemies.
Primal power waits in the ground beneath your feet, surges with every beat of your heart, and flows through your lungs with every breath. The world cries out to you, calling for a champion to defend it. Will you heed its call?
Class Traits
Role: Defender. You are sturdy and resilient, and you can assume bestial or treelike forms to destroy your foes. Depending on your choice of class features and powers, you lean toward either controller or striker as a secondary role. Power Source: Primal. You are a primal champion, a guardian of the natural world and custodian of all living things. Key Abilities: Strength, Constitution, Wisdom Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide; light shield, heavy shield Hit Points at 1st Level: 17 + Constitution score Trained Skills: Nature. From the class skills list below, choose three more trained skills at 1st level. Build Options: Earth Warden, Wild Wareden |
Creating a Warden
You can choose any warden powers you like for your character, though many wardens focus on powers that complement their choice of Guardian Might. All wardens rely on Strength. Wardens also benefit from a high Constitution or Wisdom, depending on which expression of warden they favor.
Earth Warden
You draw primal power through a link with the land, and the power of the earth strengthens and sustains you. Make Strength your highest ability score, followed by Constitution, which increases your AC as well as your hit points if you choose the Earthstrength version of Guardian Might. Select powers that channel primal energy through the land around you, hindering your foes' movement or knocking them prone. You lean toward controller as a secondary role.
Suggested Class Feature: Earthstrength
Suggested Feat: Crushing Earthstrength
Suggested Skills: Athletics, Heal, Nature, Perception
Suggested At-Will Powers: earth shield strike, strength of stone
Suggested Encounter Power: thunder ram assault
Suggested Daily Power: form of the willow sentinel (What is this, Exalted?)
Wild Warden
Your blood is a medium of primal power; nature's vigor pulses in your veins. Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom, which increases your Armor Class if you choose the Wildblood version of Guardian Might. Select powers that awaken the primal power within you, turning you into a vicious predator. You lean toward striker as a secondary role.
Suggested Class Feature: Wildblood
Suggested Feat: Wildblood Cunning
Suggested Skills: Athletics, Intimidate, Nature, Perception
Suggested At-Will Powers: thorn strike, weight of earth
Suggested Encounter Power: wildblood frenzy
Suggested Daily Power: form of the relentless panther (Seriously, WTF?)
Warden Class Features
Wardens have the following class features.
Font of Life
At the start of your turn, you can make a saving throw against one effect that a save can end. On a save, the effect immediately ends, preventing it from affecting you on your current turn. If you save against being stunned or dazed, you can act normally on your turn. If you save against ongoing damage, you avoid taking the damage.
If you fail the saving throw, you still make a saving throw against the effect at the end of your turn.
Guardian Might
Wardens connect with the natural world in a variety of ways to augment their fighting abilities. Choose one of the following options.
Earthstrength: While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use your Constitution modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier to determine your AC. In addition, when you use your second wind, you gain an additional bonus to AC equal to your Constitution modifier. The bonus lasts until the end of your next turn.
Wildblood: While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier to determine your AC. In addition, when you use your second wind, each enemy marked by you takes an additional penalty to attack rolls for attacks that don't include you as a target. The penalty equals your Wisdom modifier and lasts until the end of your next turn.
Nature's Wrath
Once during each of your turns, you can mark each adjacent enemy as a free action. This mark lasts until the end of your next turn. In addition, you gain the warden's fury and warden's grasp powers. You can use these powers against enemies to prevent them from harming those you protect.
Warden's Fury | Warden Class Feature |
You lash out with nature's wrath at a foe that has attacked your ally and diminish its defenses. |
At-Will ✦ Primal, Weapon |
Immediate Interrupt | Melee weapon |
Trigger: An enemy marked by you makes an attack that does not include you as a target |
Target: The triggering enemy |
Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude |
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target grants combat advantage to you and your allies until the end of your next turn. |
Level 21: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. |
Warden's Grasp | Warden Class Feature |
Spectral vines clutch at a foe that has attacked your ally, impeding your enemy's movement. |
At-Will ✦ Primal |
Immediate Reaction | Close burst 5 |
Trigger: An enemy marked by you that is within 5 squares of you makes an attack that does not include you as a target |
Target: The triggering enemy in burst |
Effect: You slide the target 1 square. The target is slowed and cannot shift until the end of its turn. |
Warden Powers
Your powers, called evocations, channel primal energy through your body. Some draw their strength from the earth, others call on primal beast spirits, and still others evoke the spirits of trees and other plants.
Character Classes |
Player's Handbook | Cleric ✦ Fighter ✦ Paladin ✦ Ranger ✦ Rogue ✦ Warlock ✦ Warlord ✦ Wizard |
Player's Handbook 2 | Avenger ✦ Barbarian ✦ Bard ✦ Druid ✦ Invoker ✦ Shaman ✦ Sorcerer ✦ Warden |
Player's Handbook 3 | Ardent ✦ Battlemind ✦ Monk ✦ Psion ✦ Runepriest ✦ Seeker |
Setting-Specific | Artificer (Eberron Player's Guide) ✦ Swordmage (Forgotten Realms Player's Guide) |
Character Classes |