Arboreal Guardian

In Yú'é there is a quiet place known as the Spirit Wood and this is where the departed souls of the Elven peoples gather. The Arboreal Guardians are the protectors of this wood, and defend the wood against any and all threats to it, as well as guiding the spirits to the place of their final rest. Each Guardian is bound to a specific tree within the wood, and whenever a spirit is drawn there so too is the Guardian. Many remain within the Spirit Wood, but there are some who take up the mantle in order to draw power from the oath, which allows them to help the wood by exterminating outside threats. Arboreal Guardians are heavy spellcasters that can take a lot of punishment, while also ensuring the safety of those around them.

### Prerequisites

* **Race**: Elf or half-elf, the only exception is made for those who undertake a great test by the guardians, fulfill a great deed for the Wood, or are chosen by one of the spirit trees.
* **Stats**: 15 Wisdom, 13 Dexterity
* Skills: Proficiency in Nature
* Spells: Can cast Entangle or Spike Growth
* Gods: No gods of undeath like Orcus may be followed and no enemies of the elves may be followed.

#### Proficiencies

Weapons: Shortbows

Skills: Survival, Animal Handling

##### **Spellcasting**

The Arboreal Guardian is still a student of their previous classes, and every 2 levels they gain a spellcasting level of their original class. For spells they are treated as a caster of an additional level, gaining any additional cantrips, spell slots, or learned spells from the next level of caster, but do not gain any other benefits (Divine features, Circle features, etc.).

#### The Green Bond

The guardian becomes permanently linked to a specific tree telepathically and the tree will occasionally reach out to communicate. Your bond is instantly recognizable to any other guardians, and to nature clerics and druids. You will be called upon to fulfill tasks for the tree from time to time, and being too far from the tree for two long could lead to an excommunication and loss of all powers of the guardian. One who is excommunicated is ostracized by all other guardians.

#### Bond's Call

Once every ten seconds the guardian may sense the direction of their tree in relation to themselves.

#### Forestwalk

When inside of a forest the guardian gains an additional 10 feet of speed.

#### Nature's Water

The guardian gains the ability to create potions by having trees filter the materials through their roots. Not only may this lower the cost of potions for the party, but there's no telling the effects some potions may have on trees.

#### Natural Armor

The skin of the guardian begins to grow more rough and eventually takes on a coloration that is identical to the bark of their spirit tree. Their skin becomes a hearty natural armor that raises their AC.

#### Unhindered Charge

A guardian can pass through plants as though they weren't there, running through trees and brush as if they were nothing.

#### Wood Speech

At third level, the guardian can telepathically communicate with their spirit tree, allowing them to relay information back between the other guardians. Previously the trees could communicate but the guardians could not reach out.

#### Hunter's Mercy

Once per day the guardian can will an attack with a bow to be an automatic critical hit. Enemies killed by the attack will be filled with the seed of a new tree which will grow where the body falls. This tree will function identically to the guardian's home spirit tree and will allow messages, sights, and spirits to return to the original tree back in the Spirit Wood.

#### Blindsight

Once per day, for a length of time equal to one round/levels in Arboreal Guardian, the guardian receives blindsight for 30 feet, allowing the guardian to fight without needing to see their enemy. They gain the sensation of growing roots and can physically feel their presence without needing to see.

#### Nature's Defender

A guardian gains +1 to all rolls and checks when within one mile of their bonded tree or a tree created with Hunter's Mercy.

#### Quench

Twice per day at 7th level the caster gains the ability to use the water in the air itself to instantly smother and extinguish fires. Any nonmagical fires in the affected 30 foot area are instantly snuffed, while magical fires and fire spells can be dispelled. As a reaction the guardian can cancel out a fireball or similar fire spell. It is possible to use the spell to disenchant a fire related magic item, although it may only work temporarily or require several uses of the spell.

The spell can be used offensively against fire creatures, dealing 8d6 cold damage to them on a failed dex save and half as much on a successful one.

#### Tree Stride

The guardian can use the spell Tree Stride once per day at 9th level. If the starting tree is their bonded tree, or one created by Hunter's Mercy, the guardian does not use their cast for the day.

#### Great Awakening

At level 10 the guardian can enchant a tree or shrub to awaken it, inspiring the plant to fight for them, once per week. If the enchanted plant is a tree created by Hunter's Mercy, all previous benefits are sustained by the tree or trees in question. Enchanted trees may develop personalities of their own, potentially becoming more ent-like or shambling mound-like as time goes on. Guardians must remember to be kind to their awakened spirit trees and protect them as they would the main tree, to avoid any unforeseen circumstances.