Shield of Yggdrasil (Patreon)

 Armor (shield), very rare (requires attunement)

You must have a Strength of 17 or higher in order to wield this massive, magical tower shield. The shield is of dwarven make and functions as a small battlement, granting you an additional +1 bonus to your AC while you wield it. This bonus is in addition to the shield’s normal bonus to AC.

Shield plant. As a bonus action, you can plant this shield on the ground to barricade yourself behind it, granting you half cover against ranged attacks from the direction you’re facing. While you wield the planted shield, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage you take from nonmagical weapons is reduced by 3, but your movement speed becomes 5 feet. You can uproot the shield to end this effect as an action.

You can doff the shield when planting it by using an action to do so instead of a bonus action. The shield magically remains upright and in place and can be used as half cover to any creature standing immediately behind it in the space it was left in. The shield falls down when you fall unconscious or when knocked over following a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. You can move the shield while it’s planted by donning the shield again.

This shield has 3 charges and regains all expended charges each day at dawn. You can expend 1 charge when you plant this shield or later on a subsequent turn as a bonus action to send out metal roots along the ground in a 10-foot radius, centered on the shield. Enemy creatures treat this area as difficult terrain. Moving the shield also moves the roots. The roots remain until you uproot the shield or it falls over. 

You can choose to use an action instead of a bonus action in order to plant the shield while doffing it. While planted on the ground and unworn, any magical roots around the shield remain in place, and any creature immediately behind the shield has half cover from incoming projectiles.

You can uproot the shield as an action. The shield falls down and withdraws its magical roots early if you either fall unconscious or it is knocked over following a successful DC 20 Strength (athletics) check.

Fletcher Strel, ironclad and stalwart, rushed forward into the fray. He could hear his comrades behind him nocking their arrows and beginning incantations. He knew that their talents would be lost if he let the horde break through the line.

Dropping to one knee, he planted the enormous shield he carried in the ground and unfastened the straps that held it firmly on his arm. He could hear the arrows clattering against it already as he finally loosened his left forearm.

Roots sprung forth from the the base of the shield standing before him. They wove their way outward, stretching all around in a net-like tapestry.

Using both of his hands, he gripped his warhammer ever more tightly. This was where he would stop them. This was where he would stymy their assault.

This was where they would win.