Thanks for your feedback! It´s very helpful to get a 2nd opinion on the features!

Quote Originally Posted by Zhorn View Post
Perhaps as a way of locking down some of the other questions, have the new abilities tied into the existing fighting styles? examples:
Improved Fighting Style
At 7th level, your martial skill is unmatched, being able to utilize your chosen fighting style to greater effect. You gain the following benefits based on your chosen fighting style.
  • Return Fire (Archery). You react at lighting speed when attacked at range. When a creature makes a ranged attack at you, you can use your reaction to make a single ranged attack towards them at the same time, ignoring any benefits of cover they may have. Both you and the creature resolve the damage rolls of your respective attacks at the same time. [note: just an example, didn't spend too much thought on it. Just took small bits from the mage slayer and sharpshooter feats to make something akin to a sniper duel. Enemy pops around from cover and you treat that as an opening]
  • ? (Defense). ?
  • ? (Dueling). ?
  • Parry (Great Weapon Fighting). (insert your parry ruling here)
  • Shield Bash (Protection). While wielding a shield, whenever you take the attack action you can make a single attack using your shield as a bonus action. You are proficient with this attack and it deals 1d4 + your strength modifier as bludgeoning damage for common shields. If a shield has relevant alterations or magical enhancements, shield bash can benefit from those effects. [note: by tying into the fighting style, the initial dueling question is dodged. Unless a character multiclasses into paladin or ranger for 2 levels, but then the power trade off is losing out on the ability score improvement at 19, Extra Attack (3) at 20, and the potential delay in level progression]
  • ? (Two-Weapon Fighting). When a creature provokes an attack of opportunity from you, you may attack once with each weapon you currently wield [wording is a bit loose, but the idea being you wield a weapon in each hand, and each one is used to make an attack roll in that single opportunity attack].

Would also make the subclass more versatile than just two-handed weapons or sword and board.
Improved fighting style would for sure be cool. My initial thinking was that a knight is thematically (at least usually) seen with either sword and board or with a two-handed weapon. Wielding a bow is not very chivalric (no honor in killing enemies from afar) and two-weapon fighting is perhaps a bit too savage or barbaric. But then again I am very much in favor of letting the player decide rather than railroading them in certain direction. I´d have to think more on this.