Protect your allies and endure your enemies with Daggerheart’s Guardian
In Daggerheart, the Guardian class stands on the front line, ready to take the hits other characters can’t afford to. If you’re looking to build a character who can soak up punishment with confidence, this Guardian build is for you. Its similar to D&D’s fighter, but with a little more focus on durability and taking hits for others,
Concept: The Immovable Wall
This build focuses on survivability and protection. With full plate armor, a tower shield, and multiple ways to reduce or negate damage, this Guardian is built to take the brunt of enemy aggression and stay standing. You’re not here to dodge or sneak, you get in front of your companions and draw enemy fire.
Starting Choices
Legacy: Drakona (Recommended)
- Grants +1 to all your damage thresholds via the Scales ability.
- This bonus applies passively and stacks functionally with other defenses
- Ideal for early-game durability
Alternate Legacy: Galapa
- Add your Proficiency to your Armor score (so +1 at level 1)
- If unarmored, your shell becomes active armor with a score equal to your Proficiency (would suggest taking armor at this point, the shell isn’t too strong just yet)
- While this doesn’t scale early as well as Drakona’s thresholds, it becomes more effective over time (eventually scaling to +6 Armor at max Proficiency)
- Great for campaigns with long progression, you won’t see the best of it in a low level one shot.
Heritage: Ridgeborn
- Grants a free armor slot at character creation
- Perfect synergy for a tank build—lets you start fully armored without spending extra gear slots
Equipment: Tower Shield & Full Plate Armor
- Tower Shield: Adds +2 to armor score (-1 to evasion). 1d6 physical damage.
- Full Plate Armor (base armor score of 4, plus the highest damage thresholds available (8/17). Comes at a cost to maneuverability (-2 evasion, -1 agility), but we aren’t worried about that with this build
Attributes
| Stat | Value | Notes |
| Strength | +2 | Core stat for damage reduction and physical control |
| Presence | +1 | Will be useful in intimidating and commanding others if the party face fails to persuade NPC’s to take your side |
| Agility | +1 | Not essential, but negates the penalty from the plate armor to avoid the character becoming too slow or having difficulty in making leaps or climbing |
| Knowledge | -1 | Dump stat |
| Finesse | 0 | Neutral |
| Instinct | 0 | Neutral |
Class:Guardian
Sub-Class: Stalwart
Stalwart is the ideal subclass for absorbing more hits. The Unwavering ability gives a permanent +1 bonus to your damage thresholds, again adding more layers of protection beyond armor and resistance. As if that wasn’t enough Iron Will allows your guardian to mark an additional armor slot to reduce the severity of physical damage.
Key Feature: Unstoppable (Once per Long Rest)
- The Unstoppable die is a 1d4 that starts at 1 and increases by 1 for each turn as you cause damage. When activated, you become Unstoppable for a short time:
- Add the unstoppable die’s value to your damage die
- Gain Resistance to Physical Damage (reduce incoming physical damage by half before comparing it to their Hit Point Thresholds
- Increase your Armor score by your Proficiency (+1 at level 1)
- The Unstoppable Die increases by 1 each turn you deal damage (1d4 → 2d4 → 3d4, etc.).
Key Level 1 Domain Cards
I Am Your Shield
- When a very close ally is about to take damage, you can take it instead
- You reduce that damage by your Strength score
- This card becomes more powerful as your Strength increases over time
Forceful Push
- Deals minor damage, but the key feature is knocking an enemy prone
- Prone enemies are easier to hit, making this a strong setup move for you or your allies
- Excellent battlefield control and combo potential
Stalwart
- Increases your Damage Threshold by +1 passively
- Effectively reduces incoming damage without consuming armor
- Can be combined with armor use to reduce even more damage
How it all comes together
This Guardian doesn’t move quickly but they take a hit like a champ. Your armor and thresholds combine to reduce most damage significantly. Your class feature, Unstoppable, gives you both offense and defense in a single escalating mechanic. Your domain cards let you protect allies, control enemies, and survive where others would be squashed flat.
Key Strengths:
- Multiple Layers of Damage Reduction: Thresholds, armor, resistance
- Party Protection: Cards like I Am Your Shield ensure your squishier allies stay safe
- Control and Presence: Use Forceful Push to create openings for your team
Things to Watch Out For:
- Low Evasion: You’re not dodging anything. Your defenses come from mitigation, not avoidance
- Limited Speed: Heavy armor can restrict mobility so position carefully
- One Big Cooldown: Unstoppable is once per long rest, so time it well
