Templar's Defender

Armor (shield), paragon (requires attunement by an Oath of the Templar Paladin)

This large rhomboid shield is emblazoned with the full emblem of the Pilgrim Knights, an amber cross on a blue field, with a string of amber beads below. This style of shield is given to the commanders of the Pilgrim's heavy cavalry units.

Dormant

  • The shield gains an additional +1 bonus to AC, and can be used as a holy symbol. Any creature you are riding also gains the shield's full bonus to its AC.
  • As a bonus action, you can toggle an orange light from the gems in the middle of the shield. When active, the shield sheds bright light in a 15-foot cone, and dim light for an additional 15 feet. Creatures in the light do not benefit from being Invisible, and the light illuminates magical darkness with a level equal to your proficiency bonus and below.
  • Once per long rest, you can use your Channel Divinity feature without expending one of that feature's uses.

Awakened

  • Your spell save DC increases by 1.
  • The light from the shield becomes sunlight, and when a creature in the shield's bright light makes an attack, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that attack.
  • When you cast one of your Smite spells, you gain temporary hit points equal to your paladin level.

Exalted

  • The shield's bonus to AC and DC increases to +2.
  • Blessing of Protection: As a reaction when a creature within 30 feet of you take damage, you can project a barrier of divine light around them, completely negating that damage. You can only do this once per long rest. The shield's light must be active in order to use this.
  • If you deal a critical hit against a creature in the shield's bright light, they are Blinded until the end of your next turn.