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Rawrawrawr
2014-12-05, 05:59 PM
The Warlord

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/092/2/6/warlord_by_sancient.jpg

The Warlord was one of my favorite classes from 4e, and I was pretty disappointed when it didn't get a 5e update (Yeah, yeah, there's the fighter's maneuvers, but those just aren't the same). So, without further ado, here's my take on the 5e Warlord:



Level
Prof
Features


1st
+2
Warlord's Favor


2nd
+2
Inspiring Word (1/ short rest), Fighting Style


3rd
+2
Commander's Style

4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement

5th
+3
Extra attack

6th
+3
Commander's Style feature

7th
+3
Inspiring Word (2/short rest)

8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement

9th
+4
Heroic Resolve (1/long rest)

10th
+4
Commander's Style feature

11th
+4
Commanding Presence

12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement

13th
+5
Inspiring Fervor

14th
+5
Knight's Move

15th
+5
Heroic Resolve (2/long rest)

16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement

17th
+6
Mass Inspiration

18th
+6
Commander's Style feature

19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement

20th
+6
Crescendo of Violence





Class Features

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per warlord level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per warlord level after 1st

Proficiences
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields.
Weapons: All simple weapons, martial weapons.
Tools: None.
Saving Throws: Charisma, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two skills from Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidate, Medicine, Persuasion, and Survival.

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
• (a) a chain shirt or (b) leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) a martial weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer's pack

Warlord's Favor
Your attacks help to point out the flaws in an enemy's defenses. Once per round when you hit with an attack, you can choose to use this feature. If you do, you forego adding your ability modifier to the damage roll. One ally who can see and hear gains advantage on the next attack roll he or she makes against the creature you hit.

Inspiring Word
At 2nd level, you can inspire allies to fight on, no matter what the odds. You can spend your bonus action to allow an ally who can hear you to expend a number of hit dice up to half your Warlord level. That ally also gains a number of temporary hit points equal to half your Warlord level.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
At 7th level, the number of temporary hit points gained equals 5 + half your Warlord level, and you may use this feature twice before taking a rest.

Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Commander's Style
At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that emulates the your leadership style. Your style grants features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th, and 18th levels.

Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Heroic Resolve
At 9th level, you can use this feature to provide one of the following effects. Once you use this feature, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.
Keep Going! When an ally that can see and hear would suffer a level of exhaustion, you can spend your reaction to delay your ally from suffering that level of exhaustion for 1 hour.
Only Thing to Fear... When ally that can see and hear you fails a saving throw against being frightened, you can spend your reaction to allow that ally to reroll that saving throw. All allies that can see and hear you have advantage on saving throws against the frightened condition for 1 minute.
Snap Out of It! When ally that can see and hear you fails a saving throw against being charmed, you can spend your reaction to allow that ally to reroll that saving throw. All allies that can see and hear you have advantage on saving throws against the charmed condition for 1 minute.
Stay With Me! When ally within 5 feet of you fails a death saving throw, you can spend your reaction to allow that ally to reroll that saving throw. For up to 1 minute, that ally has advantage on death saving throws as long as you remain within 5 feet of him or her.
At 15th level, you may use this feature twice before completing a long rest.

Commanding Presence
At 11th level, you may use your bonus action to command an ally to make a single attack against a creature you've attacked this round.
In addition, when you use your Inspiring Word, you may command one ally affected by your Inspiring Word to make a single attack against a creature you've attacked this round.

Inspiring Fervor
At 13th level, if you have no uses of your Inspiring Word when you roll initiative, you regain 1 use of Inspiring Word.

Knight's Move
At 14th level, when you use your Commanding Presence on an ally, that ally can move up to 10 feet before making the attack.

Mass Inspiration
At 17th level, your Inspiring Word affects all allies that can hear you.

Crescendo of Violence
At 20th level, your Warlord's Favor affects all allies that can hear you.

Rawrawrawr
2014-12-05, 06:00 PM
Commander's Styles



Icon of Victory
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs27/i/2008/089/0/8/Knight_by_PigeonKill.jpg

Inspirational Surge
At 3rd level, add your Charisma modifier to the number of temporary hit points granted by your Inspiring Word.

Indomitable Inspiration
At 6th level, the target of your Inspiring Word gains advantage on all saving throws until the end of your next turn.

Bastion of Defense
At 10th level, all allies who can see and hear you gain a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws.

Stand Invincible
At 18th level, when an ally who can see and hear you and is reduced to 0 hit points and not killed outright, you can spend your reaction to allow that ally to drop to 1 hit point instead.
Once you use this feature, you must take a short or long rest before you can use it again.



Guerrilla Commando
http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/4new/galleries/PlayersHandbook_art/img/111111_CN_GL.jpg

Brutal Ambush
At 3rd level, you and your allies gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against creatures that haven't acted in the encounter yet.
In addition, when you roll initiative, enemies have disadvantage on attacks of opportunity against you and your allies until the end of your next turn.

Coordinated Ambush
At 6th level, you gain proficiency in the Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Whenever your allies make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, they may use the better of their result or yours.

Covering Fire
At 6th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, one ally who can see and hear you can move up to 10 feet. This movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.

Press the Advantage
At 10th level, when an ally hits a creature that has not yet acted in the encounter, you can spend your reaction to make a single weapon attack against that creature. If you hit, all attacks made against that creature until the end of the triggering ally's next turn deal 1d6 extra damage.

Paint the Bulls-Eye
At 18th level, when you use your Commanding Presence on ally, that ally deals 1d6 extra damage on the granted attack.



Bravura Chieftain
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/101/8/7/alduin_and_the_dragonborn_by_ignis_et_ultio-d618ns7.jpg

Reckless Inspiration
At 3rd level, your inspiring word can whip allies into a frenzy. When you use your inspiring word on an ally, that ally can forego gaining temporary hit points to instead deal and equal amount of extra damage on the next attack he or she makes before the end of his or her next turn.

Brash Assault
At 6th level, when you grant your Warlord's Favor to an ally, you can choose for that ally to also deal extra damage equal to your Charisma modifier if he or she hits with his or her next attack. If you do so, the enemy you hit has advantage on attacks rolls against you until the end of your next turn.

Forced Respect
At 10th level, when an enemy within 5 feet of you starts its turn, you may spend your reaction to give that enemy disadvantage to any attack roll that targets anyone but you until the end of its turn. If it chooses to attack you this turn, it has advantage on the attack roll, and all of your allies have advantage on attack rolls against it until the end of its next turn.

Bravura Warcry
At 18th level, when you roll initiative, every enemy that can hear you must make a Charisma saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. If it fails, it is frightened for 1 round. Every ally that can hear you gains 15 temporary hit points.



White Raven Warblade
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs6/i/2005/022/8/5/Champion_by_JasonEngle.jpg

Lead the Attack
At 3rd level, when you hit an enemy with an attack, all allies that hit the target deal extra damage equal to half your proficiency bonus until the start of your next turn.

Tactical Inspiration
At 6th level, when you use your inspiring word on an ally, you can also apply one of the following effects to that ally:

That ally has advantage on the next attack roll he or she makes before the end of your next turn.
That ally deals 1d6 extra on the next attack he or she makes before the end of your next turn.
That ally can move up to 10 feet. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Wolf Pack Tactics
At 10th level, when you're within 5 feet of an enemy, allies have advantage on attack rolls against that enemy.

White Raven Tactics
At 18th level, you may grant an ally an action as a bonus action.
Once you use this feature, you must take a short or extended rest before you can use it again.



Fated King
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/342/3/a/king_arthur_by_genzoman-d34hawp.jpg

This Land is My Land
At 3rd level, space within 5 feet of you is difficult terrain for enemies.

Destined to Rule
At 3rd level, you are fated to rule a realm. Work with your DM to decide which realm you are destined to rule.
You are nowhere near ruling your realm yet, but even now the fates are working on your destiny. People in your realm are predisposed to like you. NPCs in your realm are more likely to be friendly towards you and your allies.

Royal Decree
At 6th level, you can spend your action to use one of the following effects:

You can cast Command on each enemy in your This Land is My Land feature. All creatures are affected by the same command.
You can cast Heroism on each ally in your This Land is My Land feature.
You can cast Compelled Duel.
Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Charisma.
Once you use this feature, you must take a short or extended rest before you can use it again.
In addition, the aura of difficult terrain created by your This Land is My Land feature increases to 10 feet.

Your Reputation Precedes You
At 6th level, news of your exploits seems to reach and spread around your realm supernaturally fast. Most people in your realm are aware of who you are and what you've accomplished.

Kneel Before Thy King
At 10th level, you can spend an action for force any creature in your This Land is My Land aura to make a Charisma saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus, or fall prone. Creatures that are immune to being charmed are immune to this effect. Once a creature succeeds on this saving throw, it can't be affected again for 24 hours.
Once you use this feature, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again.
In addition, the aura of difficult terrain created by your This Land is My Land feature increases to 15 feet.

People's Champion
At 10th level, if you are attempting to become a just ruler of your realm, you have advantage on Persuasion checks made against citizens of your realm. If you are on the path to becoming a tyrant, you have advantage on Intimidate checks made against citizens of your realm.

Living Legend
At 18th level, three times per day, when you would fail a saving throw, you can choose to automatically succeed on that saving throw.
In addition, the aura of difficult terrain created by your This Land is My Land feature increases to 20 feet.

The True King
At 18th level, the people of your realm have come to see you as their true ruler. If you are trying to be a just ruler and are already in power, the people embrace your rule. If you are not in power, they see you as the true king and will help to overthrow the current regime. If you are trying to be a tyrant, the people are too intimidated by you to plan open rebellion.



Bael Turathi Champion
http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/206252/Tiefling_Fire.jpg

Infernal Power
The following table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of your spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. Your spellcasting ability is Charisma.
In addition, you may use your Warlord's Favor ability when an enemy fails a saving throw against one of your spells, in addition to when you hit with an attack.
You know the following spells:

Cantrips - Firebolt, Friends
1st - Burning Hands, Command, Hellish Rebuke
2nd - Darkness, Flame Blade, Scorching Ray, Suggestion
3rd - Fear, Fireball
4th - Fire Shield, Wall of Fire



-Spell Slots per Spell Level-


Level
1st
2nd
3rd
4th


3rd
2
-
-
-


4th
3
-
-
-


5th
3
-
-
-


6th
3
-
-
-


7th
4
2
-
-


8th
4
2
-
-


9th
4
2
-
-


10th
4
3
-
-


11th
4
3
-
-


12th
4
3
-
-


13th
4
3
2
-


14th
4
3
2
-


15th
4
3
2
-


16th
4
3
3
-


17th
4
3
3
-


18th
4
3
3
-


19th
4
3
3
1


20th
4
3
3
1



We Are Legion
At 6th level, you and your allies gain resistance to damage from spells cast by you.

Silver Tongue
At 6th level, when you use your Inspiring Word feature, one creature that can hear you must make a Charisma saving throw, with a DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. If it fails, it is either charmed or frightened for 1 round.

Hellfire Assault
At 10th level, once per round, when you deal fire damage to a creature with a spell of at least 1st level, an ally who can see and hear you can make an attack against a creature that took that damage.

Infernal Command
At 18th level, you may spend your bonus action to force one creature who can hear you to succeed on a Charisma saving throw, with a DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus, or make an attack against a creature of your choice.

Triclinium
2014-12-05, 07:54 PM
I love it. I loved the flavor of the warlord, and I think you've done a good job capturing the feel of the class.
Inspiring word might be a bit hefty, but it's hard to tell without testing. Stand invincible seems like it could use clarification to make it more like the half-orc racial trait that works similarly.
And is we are legion meant to be allies gain resistance to spells cast by you, or allies gain resistance to spells you can cast? Because one is a lot stronger than the other.

MReav
2014-12-05, 08:48 PM
I'll admit, I might have made Warlord a Fighter archetype, but this seems decent enough, especially since you keep the various different kinds of Warlord intact.

That said, I don't like the mundane healing by shouting. I prefer the Warlord granting temporary HP with his or her Inspiring Word with likely an increasing number of dice, though you might include a feat that implies the Warlord is gifted with supernatural abilities that makes his healing real. Also, just have more Inspiring Words between short/long rests, instead of making it something that only happens after an encounter, something I feel is a little artificial in 5E.

Stand Invincible probably should either be a one time deal, or need like a saving throw, because otherwise, your allies can't die.

Human Paragon 3
2014-12-05, 09:03 PM
The extra attacks you grant should take up your allies' reactions. I also dislike the +1 bonus that the archery style grants allies since adding small, static bonuses is something 5e has been avoiding. You could have it grant advantage on ranged attacks within 30 feet maybe? Or have it grant a d4 inspiration die like bless to a # of allies = your cha bonus?

Rawrawrawr
2014-12-06, 10:01 AM
I love it. I loved the flavor of the warlord, and I think you've done a good job capturing the feel of the class.
Inspiring word might be a bit hefty, but it's hard to tell without testing. Stand invincible seems like it could use clarification to make it more like the half-orc racial trait that works similarly.
And is we are legion meant to be allies gain resistance to spells cast by you, or allies gain resistance to spells you can cast? Because one is a lot stronger than the other.

Thanks! :smallbiggrin: Good to know I've earned the seal of approval from another Warlord fan.

I'm still not 100% on Inspiring Word; I'll probably end up tweaking it a bit over the next few days.

And We Are Legion is definitely meant to only work on spells cast by you. I'll have to clean that up a bit.



I'll admit, I might have made Warlord a Fighter archetype, but this seems decent enough, especially since you keep the various different kinds of Warlord intact.

That said, I don't like the mundane healing by shouting. I prefer the Warlord granting temporary HP with his or her Inspiring Word with likely an increasing number of dice, though you might include a feat that implies the Warlord is gifted with supernatural abilities that makes his healing real. Also, just have more Inspiring Words between short/long rests, instead of making it something that only happens after an encounter, something I feel is a little artificial in 5E.

Stand Invincible probably should either be a one time deal, or need like a saving throw, because otherwise, your allies can't die.

Fun fact: this started out as a series of class archetypes (White Raven = Fighter, Icon of Victory = Paladin, Bravura Chieftain = Barbarian, Guerrilla Commando = Ranger), but eventually I wound up with so many archetypes I just decided to consolidate them into one class.

Like I said to Triclinium, I'm probably going to continue tweaking Inspiring Word a bit - I'll probably end up removing the straight d10 + Cha healing (mundane healing, and healing that can be used often, like once per encounter, seem to go against 5e's design philosophy).

Stand Invincible is probably too strong; I'll probably tone that one down.



The extra attacks you grant should take up your allies' reactions. I also dislike the +1 bonus that the archery style grants allies since adding small, static bonuses is something 5e has been avoiding. You could have it grant advantage on ranged attacks within 30 feet maybe? Or have it grant a d4 inspiration die like bless to a # of allies = your cha bonus?

I disagree that it should take up your allies' reactions. It's essentially the Warlord's extra damage feature - if you compare it to other classes, it's not really that powerful. The Paladin, for example, is adding 1d8 extra damage to two attacks, for no action cost. The Fighter gains an extra attack, for no action cost. The Warlord's Commanding Presence is more versatile than either of those, but it also costs your bonus action, so I think overall it works out to be about the same.

I see what you mean about Paint the Bullseye. I'll probably make a change to that soon, too.

MagnusExultatio
2014-12-08, 05:56 AM
That said, I don't like the mundane healing by shouting. I prefer the Warlord granting temporary HP with his or her Inspiring Word with likely an increasing number of dice, though you might include a feat that implies the Warlord is gifted with supernatural abilities that makes his healing real.


Hit points represent a combination of physical and mental durability, the will to live, and luck.
Taken directly from the PHB. There is no way that Warlord healing is out of line.

FadeAssassin
2014-12-22, 12:51 AM
Would it be possible for you to make this into a Google Doc or something along those lines? I'd like to use it more often but won't always have the internet connection.

Ziegander
2014-12-22, 05:48 AM
I think this might be GitP's first truly great 5e homebrew. Really well done.

Shadow
2014-12-22, 07:46 PM
Inspirational Attacker is crazy ridiculously Overpowered (to be honest I think the entire class is).
You attack, and someone gets advantage on their next attack AND temp hit points.
At 7th level he also gets bonus damage (and 3 temp hp/rd).
At 15th level he gets all of that on every attack (and 7 temp hp/rd).
Every single round.
Just because you attacked.
At mid-to-high levels that's like the equivalent of a free cure wounds spell plus a free bless spell, plus a free bardic inspiration die to damage.... every single round.
Just because you attacked.
Dude, that's way way WAY too much, and any level, let alone 2nd.
As a bonus action a number of times equal to your Cha mod per short rest might be reasonable. At will is broken beyond repair.

ReturnOfTheKing
2014-12-23, 07:18 PM
I dunno, I like Mike Mearles' explanation for why the Warlord wasn't brought to 5e and I'd rather play a Fighter with a knack for military strategy than add a pointless class which seems to restrict options for other classes, roleplaying-wise. It looks rather well-done, though :smallsmile:

Aviose
2015-03-25, 03:42 PM
I know I am a little late to the game for critiquing this class, however, I have some notes that may assist you (or at least observations and opinions).

The saves are kind of wrong. Every class in 5e has one "strong" save and one "weak" save. The strong saves are the more common ones to be thrown (Con, Dex, and Wis), and the weak are the less common saves.

I suggest keeping the Strength save, but changing Charisma to Wisdom. This gives a decent save that makes sense for a warlord.


Inspiring Word is too clunky and healing doesn't rely on HD the way it did in 4e.

I suggest either leaving making it at will (bonus action) and heal a base of 1 point per tier per round, or making it grant far more temp hit points, but giving a limited number of uses per short rest (look to the way healing word is written for inspiration on how to balance it). Either way, ensure it only functions in battle.



The class is deceptively well balanced, as the damage output of the character is going to be *far* lower than a comparable fighter, but the advantages that your warlord gives basically equal out to the advanced extra attacks of the fighter or the damage capacity of the rogue.

It seems a bit too powerful overall at first glance, but the lack of any real damage output brings them down a few notches. I prefer the BattleMaster Fighter to duplicate the Warlord overall, but if I saw a Warlord built as you did in the PHB, I wouldn't have complained further than I have about the small specific corrections.

Wartex1
2015-03-25, 04:38 PM
This is really well done.

My main problem with this is that it becomes extremely powerful in large groups at later levels. Even if you can't hurt others by yourself very well, those extra attacks from allies is brutal. Imagine you had a minionmancer in your party. That's scary.

It would work perfectly fine in groups of 3-4 though. Also a DM could easily deal with a dangerous one in non-ridiculous ways by isolation, silencing, and even an enemy with this class.

I might actually end up using this in a campaign if you want/need playtesting.

Giant2005
2015-03-26, 02:00 AM
Honestly, this is what I consider to be the most OP homebrew I have ever seen. Sure it looks interesting and fun but then think about how this stacks up to every other class and you will quickly come to realize that none come even close to what it is capable of.
Inspiring Word seemed okay but it kept creeping up in power until about level 14 when I just had to shake my head at how far out of control it managed to get.
Warlord's Fervour however was never okay. If it was usable perhaps once per short rest or even three times it would be okay but as a constant spammable it is far too powerful.
Commanding Prescence, while a little powerful isn't all too crazy until you get to level 20 of course. Then it becomes so obscenely powerful that even Druids become envious of your capstone. Giving up a bonus action so an ally can attack is pretty powerful but giving up a bonus action so any ally within earshot can attack is supremely far beyond anything resembling balance - it doesn't just abuse action economy, it kills it along with any offspring and erases its ancestors from the history books. It then grinds up whatever is left of the action economy and its offspring and feeds it to sharks and then proceeds to launch nuclear missiles at those sharks just to ensure nothing remains.
From what I read of the subclasses, they too have some increasingly broken abilities that enhance the originals far too much.
Inspirational Attacker doesn't sound too out of control until you consider that it is something that occurs every single round. That craps all over every other source of temp HP in the game. It is less of a crime than what the class did to the poor action economy but the temporary HP mechanic would still be cowering in its boots, fearful of what the class is doing to it.
Crescendo of Violence is equally guilty of amping up that already powerful spammable ability to extreme degrees. Although the fault really lies in the hands of Warlord's Favor for being spammable. It really, really needs a limiting mechanic - if it had one things like Crescendo of Violence wouldn't be crazy OP, just ranging somewhere between extremely good to marginally OP.

I didn't read any of the other subclasses - by the point I made it that far, I already knew that the class was in an unplayable state and didn't want to waste any more time.

Ceiling009
2015-03-26, 03:27 AM
I think it's pretty spot on, but a little on the strong side as compared to the expectations of 5e.


Inspiring Word should probably be cut down to a number of times per day equal to 1 + Charisma modifier (ie recharge all charges after a long rest like the Domain abilities of most clerics).

Warlord's Favor needs to be changed:

Channel Divinity Model: 1 per rest, then 2 per rest, and 3 per rest a la channel divinity - just space it out better; and attach it to an valid attack (ie when you hit with an attack)

At-will cantrip like ability (thus taking an action) that has the range of the weapon and requires your charisma modifier to hit (alternatively, you could just make it a Wisdom Save) and deal only weapon damage without any modifier.

The Ki model: you could just give Warlord's Favor a limit equal to level per short rest - so at level 20 you could do it 20 times in between a short rest; have it attach to a valid attack (ie when you hit with an attack)

I think the level per short rest is the ideal, versus the channel divinity model - attaching it to a triggered attack, but limiting once per target makes it so that if you do decide to use more than once a round it can affect more creatures, but you're burning it faster.
Drop the 7th level feature entirely.
Rousing Inspiration should just end a condition on the target.
Commanding Presence needs to take up the reaction of the creature - so the limits are easy to deal with; so that allies that have taken reactions can't be valid targets.
the 13th level feature should be just part of 3rd level feature, no need to write it out again.
Mass Inspiration needs be moved to level 17; and should be replaced with something like Inspiring Fervor, ie when ever you roll initiative and you have no more uses of of Inspiring Word, gain 1 use of inspiring word.
That 17th level feature needs to be dropped.
The 20th level feature is good, as long as it follows the change earlier.

Following those changes, I think it's more agreeable to the power level of somewhere near the cleric and the fighter; but you are missing some utility, in a sense with lack of emulation of things like Calm Emotions, and spells of that nature which I feel are in purview of the Warlord; which can be part of an archetype I think.

Great Work - I haven't really looked too closely at the archetypes yet.

Wartex1
2015-03-26, 01:21 PM
I agree with most of Ceiling's recommendations, and having looked at the Fated King, Kneel Before Your King is a bit overpowered.

Ralanr
2015-03-26, 02:11 PM
I really like how this class was developed and I want to try. Though I feel it could do without the fated king subclass, seems like a lot of fluff roleplaying abilities (Which is a major focus in 5e, but this one feels too specific to a character. Or the power will go to their heads). If you had to drop a subclass then fated king would be the easiest to drop.

Otherwise it looks really fun.

Rawrawrawr
2015-04-03, 12:40 PM
This got a lot of suggestions since I've been away - as a lot of you noticed, this was made before I got a better feel for the system, and had a lot of kinks to work out.

So, here's what has/hasn't been changed, with a bit of commentary on why I made the choices I did:

Saves changed to Wisdom and Charisma: As Aviose pointed out, classes in 5e get one "good" save (Dex/Con/Wis) and one "bad" save (Str/Int/Cha). Since the Warlord is all about force of personality, I figured a strong Wisdom save made the most sense.
Warlord's Favor overhaul: Warlord's Favor was too powerful before - it granted free advantage on your ally's next attack if you hit, later adding your Charisma modifier to their damage roll and then affecting all attacks they made in the round. It's now been toned down significantly. You lose your ability modifier to use it, and it doesn't get upgraded until level 20, when it affects all your allies.
Inspiring Word overhaul: Inspiring Word had a lot of fiddly and/or powerful bonuses added to it as you leveled up to fill out dead levels. I took away most of those to prevent its power creep. Some people objected to the use of an ally's HD, but I like it that way - I think it captures the flavor of inspiring your allies to call upon their own reserves better than just granting that ally some hit points.
Added Heroic Resolve: I had to add something to fill out the dead levels that resulted from taking away so much from Inspiring Word, so I added an ability based on the Fighter's Indomitable with a bit of Warlord flair.
Added Knight's Move: To be perfectly honest, I just needed something to fill out a dead level...
Changed Lamb to the Slaughter to Crescendo of Violence: Before, the 20th level capstone let every ally affected by Commanding Presence make an attack, which is... terrifying, when allied with a Minionmancer - now Warlord's Favor is applied to all allies instead.
Didn't make Commanding Presence use that ally's reaction: This is something a couple of people have brought up, so I just want to point out why I'm not doing it: this is essentially a third attack (similar to what a Fighter gets at this level). It's a bit more versatile because you can let any ally attack, instead of it having to be you, but on the flip side a Fighter gets it automatically, instead of requiring a bonus action, and the Fighter can also use it to attack anyone, instead of it having to target a creature you've attacked. I think these things balance it out, so I'm not going to require it to use an ally's reaction on top of that.

Wartex1
2015-04-03, 01:26 PM
I like all the changes much more than my own edits, except for one.

Royal Decree makes Kneel Before Thy King completely obsolete, even though Royal Decree is gained earlier. Now that Kneel is an action, using Royal Decree to use Command (Kneel) is better in pretty much every way. Perhaps you should change it back to a reaction.

Ilorin Lorati
2015-04-03, 01:31 PM
Minor typo: Guerrilla Commando gains Brutal Ambush a level before they gain the Style feature.

AslanC
2016-09-03, 07:00 PM
Sorry to cast raise thread, but I was wondering has this ever been made into a PDF? It's just wonderful!

jeffh
2016-09-05, 12:19 AM
This actually looks really cool to me. I, too, felt like this was a gap in the selection of PCs available for 5E. Every edition brings in something that becomes iconic to the game in in 4E's case it was the warlord.

I don't immediately see any obvious balance problems but I'll try and find the time to go over it more carefully and let you know about any observations I have. I don't think I'm likely to have a chance to see it in play soon, but if I do I certainly won't turn it down.