Defender

A Defender is a sword allowing its wielder to sacrifice some offensive power for greater protection against attacks in any given round of combat.

Description[]

Defenders may be any kind of sword: greatswords, longswords, rapiers, scimitars, or shortswords. They provide their wielder a base +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with the weapon.^[1]

On the first attack with the sword on each of the wielder's turns, the wielder can transfer some or all of the sword's bonus to their attacks to their Armor Class (AC), instead of using the bonus on any attacks that turn. For example, the wielder of a Defender could reduce the bonus to their attack and damage rolls from +3 to +1 and gain a +2 bonus to AC. The adjusted bonuses remain in effect until the start of their next turn, although the wielder must hold the sword to gain the AC bonus from it.^[3]

History[]

Nydas Okiro used his Defender scimitar in his final battle, and used it to boost his AC as he dipped close to unconsciousness.^[4]

References[]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 See D&D: Dungeon Master's Guide (2014), 5^th ed., p. 164.
↑ See "Fire and Ruin" (E3x04) at 4:34:49.
↑ See D&D: Dungeon Master's Guide (2014), 5^th ed., pp. 164–165.
↑ See "Fire and Ruin" (E3x04) at 4:55:14.

Art:

↑ Depiction of a Defender sword from D&D Dungeon Master's Guide, 5th ed., p. 165. This page contains unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Magic Items

Armor	Armor of resistance • Coldsnap Leather Armor • Dragon armor • Obsidian Flint Dragon Plate

Potions	Potion of Acid Resistance • Potion of Invulnerability • Potion of Fox's Cunning • Potion of Giant Strength • Potion of healing • Potion of Fire Breath • Potion of Flying • Potion of Scrying • Potion of Speed • Potion of Water Breathing

Rings	Band of Shrouds • Ring of Invisibility • Ring of Mind Shielding • Ring of protection • Ring of Spell Storing • Ring of Telekinesis • Ring of the Ram

Rods	Immovable rod • Rod of Mercurial Form

Scrolls	Scroll of Telescription • Spell scroll

Vestiges of Divergence	Cabal's Ruin • Deathwalker's Ward • Fenthras • Mythcarver • Plate of the Dawnmartyr • Spire of Conflux • Titanstone Knuckles • Whisper

Wands	Wand of Fireballs • Wand of Magic Missiles

Weapons	Aberration Bane longsword • Animus • Arrow of Slaying • Bloodaxe • Bloodseeking Bow • Dagger of Life-Stealing • Dagger of Venom • Dancing sword • Diplomacy • Dragon Slayer Longsword • Dusk hammer • Dwarven Thrower • Craven Edge • Fane-Eater • Firebrand Warhammer • Flametongue Dagger • Frost Brand • Greatsword of Frenzy • Javelin of Lightning • Keen Dagger • Longbow of the Sky Sentinel • Mace of Disruption • Moonhammer • Scimitar of Speed • Singing Dawnblade • Sword of Kas • The List

Wondrous Items	Alchemy Jug • Amulet of the Shield • Bead of Force • Belt of Dwarvenkind • Blazing Bowstring • Blinkback Belt • Boots of Elvenkind • Boots of Feral Leaping • Boots of Haste • Boots of Levitation • Boots of Spider Climbing • Bracers of Archery • Bracers of Defense • Cape of the Mountebank • Carpet of Flying • Chain of Returning • Cincture of the Stone King • Circlet of Concentration • Circlet of Golem Control • Circlet of Wisdom • Clarota's helmet • Cloak of Elvenkind • Cloak of Displacement • Cloak of the Scuttling Rat • Death from Above • Decanter of Endless Water • Deck of Illusions • Deck of Many Things • Dust of Tracelessness • Earring of Whisper • Gate stone • Gauntlets of Ogre Power • Gloves of Missile Snaring • Hand Cone of Clarity • Hand of Vecna • Hat of Disguise • Headband of Initiative • Helm of Brilliance • Horn of Fog • Horns of Orcus • Ioun Stone of Reserve • Iron Bands of Bilarro • Magic Choker • Mantle of the Tempest • Manual of Quickness of Action • Mending Wheel • Oil of etherealness • Onyx Mastiff Statuette • Pearl of Power • Periapt of Wound Closure • Philter of Love • Phylactery • Prosthetic limb • Raven's Slumber • Robe of Flaying • Robe of Infinite Twine • Robe of Shielding Shadows • Rope of Entanglement • Scrying Eye • Serpent belt • Skysail • Soul Anchor • Spark stone • Sphere of Annihilation • Sprinter's Boots • Tea Set of Envenoming • Threshold crest • Tome of Leadership and Influence • Ziggurat sphere

Armor	Aeorian Protective Chestplate • Elven Chain • Glamoured Studded Leather • Green Beetle Breastplate • Mariner's Armor • Shield of Retribution • Tuskborn Breastplate of Reprisal

Potions	Potion of Giant Strength • Potion of healing • Potion of Maximum Power • Potion of Possibility

Rings	Ring of Evasion • Ring of Fire Resistance • Ring of protection • Ring of Spell Splitting • Ring of Telepathy • Ring of Warding • Ring of Water Walking

Rods	Blast Scepter • Rod of Absorption • Rod of Fear • Rod of Hand Warming • Rod of the Solitary Scout

Scrolls	Scroll of Protection from Aberrations • Spell scroll

Staffs	Belabor • Blightstaff • Staff of Power • Staff of Withering

Vestiges of Divergence	Dwueth'var, the Star Razor

Wands	Wand of Smiles

Weapons	Aeorian Security Cannon • Cataclysm Bolt • Corecut Dagger • Dagger of Denial • Holy Avenger • Inescapable Lash • Magician's Judge • Moon-Touched Greatsword • Skingorger • Summer's Dance • Sword of Fathoms • Tinkertop Bolt Blaster 1000 • Waste Hunter Blade

Wondrous Items	Abyssal anchor • Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location • Arcane Cannon • Arcane Field Generator • Bag of Holding • Bead of Force • Bead of Nourishment • Boots of the Vigilant • Bracers of Defense • Cape of the Mountebank • Celebone • Charm of Plant Command • Chuckle dust • Cloak of Billowing • Cloak of Displacement • Cloak of Elvenkind • Cloak of protection • Collar of Silence • Coat of the Crest • Dispelling Stone • Driftglobe • Dust of Deliciousness • Echo Stone • Elemental gem • Fantastic Haversack • Flask of Perpetual Booze • Gemstone tattoo • Glove of Blasting • Goggles of Night • Headband of Intellect • Heirloom Sphere • Intuit charge • Ioun Stone of Fortitude • Luxon beacon • Maelstrom Gloves • Manacles of Stasis • Mantle of Spell Resistance • Manual of Gainful Exercise • Mirror of Infinite Transpondence • Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments • Oops-stone • Pearl of Power • Periapt of Proof against Poison • Periapt of Wound Closure• Prosthetic limb • Quaal's Feather Token • Sending stone • Sovereign Glue • Stone of Good Luck • Stormrider Boots • Threshold crest • Wind Fan

Armor	Battering Shield • Demon shell armor • Gloomscale Breastplate • Sentinel Shield • Truthbearer • Zephyr Armor

Potions	Potion of Gaseous Form • Potion of healing • Potion of Heroism • Potion of Speed • Reef moss balm • Slickshimmer oil • Vial of cleansing flame

Relics of the Red Solstice	Ring of Remembrance • Seedling

Rings	Ring of Life Awareness • Ring of protection • Stonky's ring • Ring of Temporal Salvation • Ring of Volcanic Flesh

Scrolls	Scroll of Mass Nondetection • Spell scroll

Staffs	Staff of the Adder • Staff of Dark Odyssey • Staff of Healing

Weapons	Blink spear • Dagger of Venom • Dusk Hunger • Gambler's Blade • Gambolcleft, the Vortex Blade • Graz'tchar, the Decadent End • Ishta, the Summit Blade • Moon Sickle • Moon-Touched Scimitar • Poison Pen • Scream Needle • Turmoil • Whip of Warning

Wondrous Items	Amulet of Cursed Life • Amulet of Health • Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location • Bag of Holding • Belt of Momentum • Bloodwell Vial • Boots of Elvenkind • Boots of Haste • Boots of Speed • Boots of Striding and Springing • Brood Pit • Brumestone • Butcher's Bib • Chromatic Rose • Circlet of the Hidden Eye • Cloak of Protection • Coin of the Changebringer • Coin of delving • Eversmoking Bottle • Eyes of Charming • Feywild shard • Gloves of Thievery • Goggles of Object Reading • Harp of Valor • Harrowcall Veil • Hat of Disguise • Horn of Silent Alarm • Immovable rod • Mask of the Matron • Message Bloom • Monocle of True Essence • Moontide Crown • Occultus Thalamus • Pinion of Service • Pipe of Remembrance • Portable hole • Quintessence Array • Raito charm • Robe of the Midnight Rune • Rope of Climbing • Scarf of Intrusive Intent • Sending stone • Screech plume • Skysail • Soul Anchor • Weave Lens • Weavepiercer Gloves • Winged Boots • Yore mirror

Weapons	Pariah Blades

Wondrous Items	Stone of Nightsong

Staffs	Lloy Staff

Armor	Armor of Psychic Resistance • Sentinel Shield

Rings	Ring of Greater Invisibility • Ring of Honor • Ring of Mind Shielding • Ring of protection • Stonky's ring

Staffs	Staff of the Adder • Staff of Power

Vestiges of Divergence	Circlet of Barbed Vision • Condemner • Hearth's Hammer • Honor's Last Stand • Infiltrator's Key • Moon's Mirror • Stormgirdle

Weapons	Defender scimitar • Holy Avenger • Mace of the Black Crown • Moon Sickle • Moon-Touched Scimitar • Vicious Whip

Wondrous Items	All-Purpose Tool • Belt of Giant Strength • Bloodwell Vial • Boots of Striding and Springing • Canaith Mandolin • Cloak of Disguise • Gloves of Thievery • Immovable rod • Orb of Avalir • Pearl of Power • Shiftweave • Spell Gem • Winged Boots

Arms of the Betrayers	Blade of Broken Mirrors • Grovelthrash • Lash of Shadows • Mace of the Black Crown • Ruin's Wake • Silken Spite • The Bloody End • Will of the Talon

Armor	+1 armor • +2 shield • Battering Shield • Hunter's Coat • Last Stand Armor • Ruidium armor • Ruidium shield • Shield of Expression

Potions	Adreenis Sap • Philter of Freedom of Movement • Potion of Animal Friendship • Potion of Lesser Restoration • Potion of Mind Reading

Rings	Fracture • Ring of Free Action • Ring of Obscuring • Ring of Red Fury • Ring of Shooting Stars • Ring of Swimming • Ring of Telepathy • Ring of the Ram

Rods	Rod of Alertness • Rod of Retribution

Scrolls	Spell scroll

Staffs	Despoiler of Flesh • Staff of Dunamancy • Staff of the Ivory Claw

Vestiges of Divergence	Agony • Armor of the Valiant Soul • Condemner • Danoth's Visor • Grimoire Infinitus • Hide of the Feral Guardian • Honor's Last Stand • Infiltrator's Key • Jewel of Three Prayers • Kiss of the Changebringer • Pyremaul • Stormgirdle • Verminshroud • Wraps of Dyamak • Wreath of the Prism

Wands	Quick Coil Wand • Wand of Magic Detection • Wand of Secrets • Wand of Wonder

Weapons	+1/+2 Weapon • Acheron Blade • Corpse Slayer • Duskcrusher • Exalting Blade of Favor • Fang of the Spire King • Gambler's Blade • Graz'tchar • Oceanic Weapon • Ruidium weapon • Scaldsaber • Sword of Vengeance • Vorpal sword • Weapon of Certain Death

Wondrous Items	Amulet of the Drunkard • Athtiri-Mentaal • Breathing Bubble • Brooch of Living Essence • Brooch of Shielding • Crimson Sphere of Generosity • Doublet of Dramatic Demise • Dust of Disappearance • Dust of Dryness • Earring of Message • Earthboard • Ersatz Eye • Eyes of the Eagle • Figurine of Wondrous Power • Flamefriend Lantern • Folding Boat • Gloves of Swimming and Climbing • Goggles of Night • Graviturgy Boots • Hidden Haven amulet • Mirror of Translation • Necklace of Prayer Beads • Needle of Mending • Nightfall Pearl • Orb of the Veil • Phylactery • Pipes of Haunting • Prosthetic limb • Reincarnation Dust • Robe of Stars • Shield Guardian's Amulet • Spell Bottle • Teleportation tablet • Vox seeker