Guards and Wards

Basically, wards are temporary hit points with attitude.

Aside from resistance to certain damage types, wards could also grant various other benefits, depending on which class is granting the ward.

For instance, a ward granted by a ranger might grant a bonus to movement or Stealth checks, while a ward granted by a paladin might cause undead and fiends to have disadvantage on attacks against the recipient.

Ward of Resistance

1st-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, M (a piece of armor)
Duration: Until dispelled
Classes: Cleric, Wizard

A thin, glowing layer of protective magic encases a friendly creature of your choice, warding it from harm.

Choose bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage. The target gains a ward with 10 hit points that has resistance to the chosen damage type.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the ward's hit points increase by 10 for each slot level above 1st.

When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can also choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage.

When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can also choose radiant or necrotic damage.

When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 7th level or higher, you can also choose force damage.

Ward Rules

• Wards are temporary hit points that grant additional benefits to the recipient while they persist. They do not stack additively with other temporary hit points, but any additional benefits granted by the ward will persist as long as the target has any temporary hit points.
• This also means that benefits granted by different wards can stack on the same target.

Artist: Chase Stone