Defender Fighter Archetype Homebrew

[Inigo]

Hi! I'm trying to come up with a fighter who doesn't attack and specialises only in defending his allies. So I created this homebrew. I'm looking for suggestions on how to make it more balanced. So, here is the Defender Archtype.

SPELLCASTING
Cantrips: you learn the Blade Ward cantrip and can cast it without doing the somatic component of the spell as a bonus action on your turn.
Spells Known: you know three 1st level spells of your choice that must come from the abjuration spell school. You learn one additional spell for every level you gain in the class, that must be from the abjuration spell school.
Spell Slots: you have the half-caster spell slot progression (same as eldritch knight). You regain spell slots every long rest.
Spellcasting Ability: Constitution is your spellcasting ability for your spells. You use your Constitution whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.
Spell save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution mod.
Spell attack mod = proficiency bonus + Constitution mod.

FIERCE RIPOSTE
At 3rd level, when a creature misses a melee attack against you, as a reaction, you can deal bludgeoning damage with your shield equal to 1d6 + your Strenght modifier to that creature.
Alternatively, when a creature misses a ranged weapon attack or spell attack against you, as a reaction, you can redirect the attack to a creature up to 60 feet from you. Use the original attack roll for the redirected attack.

WAR CALLING
At 3rd level, you can use your action to taunt up to a number of creatures you can see equal your Constitution modifier + 3. They must succeed in a Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage in attack rolls against your allies for 1 minute. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

DEFENSE IS THE BEST ATTACK
Starting at 7th level, in combat, you get a number of special reactions per round equal to the number of attacks you can make in your attack action. You can use the action surge feature once a turn to double your number of reactions this turn. You can't use this ability if you made a weapon attack since the start of your previous turn.

FOCUSED DEFENSE
At 10rd level, you can add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to your armor class until the end of your next turn. You must chose to do this in your turn without using an action. If you do so, you can't make weapon attacks until the end of your next turn.

DOUBLE DEFENSE
At 15th level, you can benefit from a shield's AC bonus twice if you wield one on each arm.

ULTIMATE RESILIENCE
At 18th level, you are immune to the extra damage from critical hits.

[DanyBallon]

Can I ask you why you want to give them spellcasting? Just giving them the cantrip and a few specific spells at given level usable once per rest (twice after a certain level) wouldn't be better?

War Calling is a bit too strong if you allow Con mod number of use every rest. Either a fix number of use per rest or Con mod number of use per long rest.

Fierce Riposte is thematically strong, but what incite you from not using your weapon during your turn before bashing with your shield as a reaction?

Focused Defense: Can you dash, help or disengage with your action instead of attacking?

Also, usually at 7th level, fighter archetypes provide something not combat related. Your subclass would benefit getting one.

[Spectrulus]

SPELLCASTING
Cantrips: you learn the Blade Ward cantrip and can cast it without doing the somatic component of the spell as a bonus action on your turn.

That's pretty darn overpowered right there. A barbarian would have two 1 minute intervals of that level of defense only, and doesn't have access to heavy armor. May be okay if it was a reaction Con/turns per long rest.


Spells Known: you know three 1st level spells of your choice that must come from the abjuration spell school. You learn one additional spell for every level you gain in the class, that must be from the abjuration spell school.
Spell Slots: you have the half-caster spell slot progression (same as eldritch knight). You regain spell slots every long rest.
Spellcasting Ability: Constitution is your spellcasting ability for your spells. You use your Constitution whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.

Eldritch Knights are actually one-third casters, not half.
Learning 20 abjuration spells is a lot. That's more spells than Sorcerer or Warlock gets and they're full casters.
Using constitution for spells is very powerful, probably over powered, even if only for abjuration spells. This would already be far more potent than most Eldritch Knights.


FIERCE RIPOSTE
At 3rd level, when a creature misses a melee attack against you, as a reaction, you can deal bludgeoning damage with your shield equal to 1d6 + your Strenght modifier to that creature.
Alternatively, when a creature misses a ranged weapon attack or spell attack against you, as a reaction, you can redirect the attack to a creature up to 60 feet from you. Use the original attack roll for the redirected attack.

One of these at third is okay, not both. One should be a higher tier ability.


WAR CALLING
At 3rd level, you can use your action to taunt up to a number of creatures you can see equal your Constitution modifier + 3. They must succeed in a Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage in attack rolls against your allies for 1 minute. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

This one also gets in the way of Totem and Ancestral Barbarian, but more powerful and at lower level. Also a lot of level 3 options. Maybe compelled duel one-third level, rounded down/short rest?


DEFENSE IS THE BEST ATTACK
Starting at 7th level, in combat, you get a number of special reactions per round equal to the number of attacks you can make in your attack action. You can use the action surge feature once a turn to double your number of reactions this turn. You can't use this ability if you made a weapon attack since the start of your previous turn.

Just add Tunnel Fighter style and call it good.


FOCUSED DEFENSE
At 10rd level, you can add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to your armor class until the end of your next turn. You must chose to do this in your turn without using an action. If you do so, you can't make weapon attacks until the end of your next turn.

If they already have access to Shield spell, this seems redundant. Probably have one of those 3rd levels pop up now.


DOUBLE DEFENSE
At 15th level, you can benefit from a shield's AC bonus twice if you wield one on each arm.

This reminds me of the "Why don't people like shields as weapons" thread from last month.

Seems like a lot of trouble. Maybe something against dominate or illusion spells would help more.



ULTIMATE RESILIENCE
At 18th level, you are immune to the extra damage from critical hits.

Treating criticals as regular is good, but I don't know if that's a good capstone. Maybe swapping this with a revised 15 would help.

Overall this feels like an Eldritch Knight but more ridiculous. Hopefully side of these ideas help you tame it a bit.