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Stratovarius
2018-04-02, 02:38 PM
Warcraft
You are knowledgeable in the ways of organized warfare. Some of the aspects of warfare this skill covers are: supervising construction of defenses, supervising construction of siege weaponry, logistics, commanding siege weapon operations, commanding operations of military units, teaching the use of weapons, and communication through signals and messengers (including the relevant terminology).

Military Knowledge: Answering a warfare-related question has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions, such as identifying troop types or formations, assessing logistics and supplies, or establishing camps and simple patrols), 15 (for basic questions, such as identifying favorable or unfavorable terrain, deploying simple offensive or defensive troop formations, or establishing scouting parties), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions, such identifying or establishing ambushes, deploying complex troop formations, or coordinating several levels of interlocking strategy). In many cases, you can use this skill to identify tactics, armies, and battle formations. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that particular army, weapon, logistical operation, tactic, or battle formation. For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information. A Military Knowledge check to answer a question doesn’t take an action — you simply know the answer or you don’t.
Coordinate Allies: You can also use Warcraft to coordinate allies. Each creature to be affected must be able to see and hear you, and able to pay attention to you. To coordinate, make a Warcraft check with a DC equal to 20 + 2 * the number of allies affected. If the check succeeds, all affected allies gain a single teamwork benefit (Heroes of Battle, p115). The benefits last for 1 round. You cannot use this ability on yourself. Coordinate allies does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A Warcraft check made to coordinate allies is a standard action.
Commanding Presence: Sometimes the best use of your skills is to take personal command of a situation. Make a DC 15 Warcraft check. If you succeed, you gain one commander aura (Heroes of Battle, p75). For every 5 points by which you beat the check, you gain another commander aura. The aura(s) lasts for 1 minute. You can attempt this check once per hour as a standard action. You ignore any racial or type requirements of auras (they apply to all allies within range who meet any non-race/type requirements).
Lead from the Front: A good commander is often the man at the front, inspiring his allies to greater actions. Once per round as a free action, after you have made a successful attack, you can make a DC 20 Warcraft check. If you do, all allies within 30 feet who could see your actions gain a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls and saves for one round.
Lead from the Rear: On the other hand, a good commander is often the man at the rear, shifting his units with masterful precision. Once per round as a move action, if you are neither threatened by nor threatening an opponent in melee, you can make a DC 20 Warcraft check. If you do, a single ally within 30 feet does not generate attacks of opportunity from movement for one round.

Try Again: No, for all uses. You can attempt to Coordinate Allies again in the next round.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (History), you get a +2 bonus on Warcraft checks. If you have 5 or more ranks in Warcraft, you get a +2 bonus on Knowledge (History) checks. If you have 5 or more ranks in Warcraft, you get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks related to dealing with troops.
Untrained: An untrained Warcraft check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, you know only common knowledge (DC 10 or lower) and cannot use any other aspect of this skill.
Ability: Warcraft relies upon the Intelligence of its user.

Warcraft Feats

Coordinator Supreme [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Coordinate Allies from the Warcraft skill, the benefits last for one minute instead of one round, and you may apply one additional teamwork benefit.

Enduring Command [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Commanding Presence from the Warcraft skill, the benefits last for one hour instead of one minute, and all numerical benefits provided by your commander aura are increased by +1.

Leading the Charge [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Lead from the Front from the Warcraft skill, the competence bonus increases to your charisma modifier.

Overseeing the Fight [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Lead from the Rear from the Warcraft skill, all allies within 30 ft do not generate attacks of opportunity from movement.

Warleader [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Warcraft is always treated as a class skill, and any allies under the effects of a benefit from your warcraft skill are immune to fear effects (including morale checks) as long as they remain under its effects. This immunity to fear does not apply to you.

Into Glory Ride [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Two other Warcraft feats
Benefit: You have gone above and beyond what it takes to be a leader of men, and are supreme on the battlefield.
Leadership Enhanced: When using the Commanding Presence feature of warcraft, you also gain the benefits of a single Minor Aura from the Marshal class.
Tactical Understanding: At the beginning of each encounter, you may reroll an initiative check you have just made. You may use the better of your two rolls. Allies who are under the effect of a benefit from your warcraft skill gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against any flat-footed or flanked enemy.
Glorious Charge: Allies who are under the effect of a benefit from your warcraft skill deal an extra 1d8 points of damage (if they are Medium) on a charge attack. For Large creatures, the extra damage is 2d6; for Huge, 3d6; for Gargantuan, 4d6; and for Colossal, 6d6. These benefits do not apply when the ally is mounted. If an ally has the ability to make multiple attacks on a charge, he applies this extra damage to only one attack in a round.

redwizard007
2018-04-02, 08:01 PM
Warcraft
You are knowledgeable in the ways of organized warfare. Some of the aspects of warfare this skill covers are: supervising construction of defenses, supervising construction of siege weaponry, logistics, commanding siege weapon operations, commanding operations of military units, teaching the use of weapons, and communication through signals and messengers (including the relevant terminology).

Military Knowledge: Answering a warfare-related question has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions, such as identifying troop types or formations, assessing logistics and supplies, or establishing camps and simple patrols), 15 (for basic questions, such as identifying favorable or unfavorable terrain, deploying simple offensive or defensive troop formations, or establishing scouting parties), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions, such identifying or establishing ambushes, deploying complex troop formations, or coordinating several levels of interlocking strategy). In many cases, you can use this skill to identify tactics, armies, and battle formations. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that particular army, weapon, logistical operation, tactic, or battle formation. For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information. A Military Knowledge check to answer a question doesn’t take an action — you simply know the answer or you don’t.
Coordinate Allies: You can also use Warcraft to coordinate allies. Each creature to be affected must be able to see and hear you, and able to pay attention to you. To coordinate, make a Warcraft check with a DC equal to 20 + 2 * the number of allies affected. If the check succeeds, all affected allies gain a single teamwork benefit (Heroes of Battle, p115). The benefits last for 1 round. You cannot use this ability on yourself. Coordinate allies does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A Warcraft check made to coordinate allies is a standard action.
Commanding Presence: Sometimes the best use of your skills is to take personal command of a situation. Make a DC 15 Warcraft check. If you succeed, you gain one commander aura (Heroes of Battle, p75). For every 5 points by which you beat the check, you gain another commander aura. The aura(s) lasts for 1 minute. You can attempt this check once per hour as a standard action. You ignore any racial or type requirements of auras (they apply to all allies within range who meet any non-race/type requirements).
Lead from the Front: A good commander is often the man at the front, inspiring his allies to greater actions. Once per round as a free action, after you have made a successful attack, you can make a DC 20 Warcraft check. If you do, all allies within 30 feet who could see your actions gain a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls and saves for one round.
Lead from the Rear: On the other hand, a good commander is often the man at the rear, shifting his units with masterful precision. Once per round as a move action, if you are neither threatened by nor threatening an opponent in melee, you can make a DC 20 Warcraft check. If you do, a single ally within 30 feet does not generate attacks of opportunity from movement for one round.

Try Again: No, for all uses. You can attempt to Coordinate Allies again in the next round.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (History), you get a +2 bonus on Warcraft checks. If you have 5 or more ranks in Warcraft, you get a +2 bonus on Knowledge (History) checks. If you have 5 or more ranks in Warcraft, you get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks related to dealing with troops.
Untrained: An untrained Warcraft check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, you know only common knowledge (DC 10 or lower) and cannot use any other aspect of this skill.
Ability: Warcraft relies upon the Intelligence of its user.

Warcraft Feats

Coordinator Supreme [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Coordinate Allies from the Warcraft skill, the benefits last for one minute instead of one round, and you may apply one additional teamwork benefit.

Enduring Command [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Commanding Presence from the Warcraft skill, the benefits last for one hour instead of one minute, and all numerical benefits provided by your commander aura are increased by +1.

Leading the Charge [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Lead from the Front from the Warcraft skill, the competence bonus increases to your charisma modifier.

Overseeing the Fight [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Warcraft 6
Benefit: When you succeed on a check to use Lead from the Rear from the Warcraft skill, all allies within 30 ft do not generate attacks of opportunity from movement.

Warleader [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Warcraft is always treated as a class skill, and any allies under the effects of a benefit from your warcraft skill are immune to fear effects (including morale checks) as long as they remain under its effects. This immunity to fear does not apply to you.

Into Glory Ride [Warcraft]
Prerequisites: Two other Warcraft feats
Benefit: You have gone above and beyond what it takes to be a leader of men, and are supreme on the battlefield.
Leadership Enhanced: When using the Commanding Presence feature of warcraft, you also gain the benefits of a single Minor Aura from the Marshal class.
Tactical Understanding: At the beginning of each encounter, you may reroll an initiative check you have just made. You may use the better of your two rolls. Allies who are under the effect of a benefit from your warcraft skill gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against any flat-footed or flanked enemy.
Glorious Charge: Allies who are under the effect of a benefit from your warcraft skill deal an extra 1d8 points of damage (if they are Medium) on a charge attack. For Large creatures, the extra damage is 2d6; for Huge, 3d6; for Gargantuan, 4d6; and for Colossal, 6d6. These benefits do not apply when the ally is mounted. If an ally has the ability to make multiple attacks on a charge, he applies this extra damage to only one attack in a round.

I like it.

You took some of the neat stuff from Heroes of Battle and made it much easier to get into play. My concern, is that you also made a skill that is going to be a dominant choice for many players. That usually indicates balance issues.

Commanding Presence and Coordinate Allies are both overpowered for a skill use.

To Commanding Presence, add a caveat about needing to meet all prerequisites for the Aura. Also, consider changing the refresh to once per encounter and not more than _____ per day. (Int or Cha bonus maybe.) I'd also probably reinstate the limitations on creature type, alignment, etc.

To Coordinate Allies, I would add that the character making the check must meet all Task Leader Requirements for the teamwork benefit, and that all affected allies must meet the Team Member Prerequisite.

I don't think that does enough to nerf these, but it is a good start.

Also, all these feats need to qualify as fighter bonus feats and might be worth adding a minimum BAB requirement. That would be less for balance, and more to push them towards martial characters instead of bards.

Stratovarius
2018-05-17, 07:10 AM
I think you mean underpowered for a skill use, given what Diplomacy, Hide/MS, and Intimidate, among others, can do on the battlefield. But if you think an occasional +1 or 1d6 that applies to highly restricted circumstances is too powerful, then I'm a little worried for your understanding of D&D.

And reinstating the race/type limits is reinstating one of the primary reasons commander auras are never used in the first place - they don't cover the party, since it's all but guaranteed that some members of the party don't meet the requirements. The same is true for teamwork benefits - not forcing people to meet overly restrictive requirements is one of the primary points of the skill.

Generally, I make Warcraft a class skill for martial characters (Warblade, Crusader, Hexblade, etc.) only, so bards would have to spend extra to get the benefits.

redwizard007
2018-05-20, 03:53 PM
I think you mean underpowered for a skill use, given what Diplomacy, Hide/MS, and Intimidate, among others, can do on the battlefield. But if you think an occasional +1 or 1d6 that applies to highly restricted circumstances is too powerful, then I'm a little worried for your understanding of D&D.

And reinstating the race/type limits is reinstating one of the primary reasons commander auras are never used in the first place - they don't cover the party, since it's all but guaranteed that some members of the party don't meet the requirements. The same is true for teamwork benefits - not forcing people to meet overly restrictive requirements is one of the primary points of the skill.

Generally, I make Warcraft a class skill for martial characters (Warblade, Crusader, Hexblade, etc.) only, so bards would have to spend extra to get the benefits.

If you are allowing skills like diplomacy to set your baseline then by all means. Go ahead, Timmy.

Stratovarius
2018-06-29, 06:16 AM
Warleader

"We shall sweep out of the hills and swallow your kingdom whole!"
– Karlat, Yn Gyntaf Warleader

A warleader is the general of his people, whether he leads a primitive, aggressive tribe or the remains of a once great noble army. The warleader calls on his indomitable presence and expert leadership to spur his soldiers to feats of great courage and sacrifice. Guided by his steady and forethright hand, warleaders and their men can be found at the forefront of almost every conflict in Arhosa.

Becoming a Warleader
Warleaders are self-made leaders, more often than not reaching their elevated status by hard and bloody labour in combat. The martial classes are most likely to become warleaders.

Table 1: The Warleader
Hit Die: d10


Level BAB Ref Fort Will Special Abilities Martial Fusillades
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1 +1 +0 +2 +2 Warleader's Guidance, Fight As One +1 fusilier level
2 +2 +0 +3 +3 Close That Gap!, Bonus Feat +1 fusilier level
3 +3 +1 +3 +3 Warleader's Guidance, Hold the Line +1 fusilier level
4 +4 +1 +4 +4 Close That Gap!, Bonus Feat +1 fusilier level
5 +5 +1 +4 +4 Warleader's Guidance +1 fusilier level

Class skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all but Arcana, Religion, The Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex), Warcraft (Int)

Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Feats: Any two Warcraft feats
Skills: Warcraft 7, Knowlege (Geography) 7
Special: Must be appointed to a position of military authority

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the warleader.

Martial Fusillades: The warleader increases all fusilier features as if the character had gained a level in the appropriate class at each indicated level.
Warleader's Guidance (Ex): The warleader exerts an effect on allies in his vicinity. He can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. Projecting an aura is a swift action, and he can only project one aura at a time. An aura remains in effect until he uses a free action to dismiss it or he activates another aura in its place. He can have an aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of an encounter even before he takes his first turn. Unless otherwise noted, his aura affects all allies within 10 feet per class level (including himself) with line of effect to him. His aura is dismissed if he becomes unconscious or is slain, but otherwise it remains in effect even if he is incapable of acting. The bonus granted by the aura is equal to the warleader's charisma modifier or his class level, whichever is less. A 1st-level warleader knows how to project three auras chosen from the list below. At every odd-numbered level after that, he learns one additional aura. At 5th level, he can activate a second aura.

Energy Shield: Any creature striking the warleader or his ally with a natural attack or a nonreach melee weapon is dealt 2 points of energy damage for each point of his aura bonus. The energy type is chosen when creating the aura from acid, cold, electricity, or fire.
Power: Bonus on melee damage rolls equal to his aura bonus.
Presence: Bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks equal to his aura bonus.
Resistance: Resistance to acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage equal to 5 Χ his aura bonus.
Senses: Bonus on Listen and Spot checks, as well as on initiative checks, equal to his aura bonus.
Toughness: DR 1/magic for each point of his aura bonus.
Vigor: Fast healing 1 for every 2 points of his aura bonus, but only affects characters at or below one-half their full normal hit points.
Attack: Bonus on melee attack rolls equal to his aura bonus.
Care: Bonus to armour class equal to his aura bonus.
Urgency: Allies’ base land speed is increased by a number of feet equal to 5 Χ his aura bonus.
Resilient Troops: Bonus to all saves equal to his aura bonus.
Steady Hand: Bonus on ranged attack rolls equal to his aura bonus.
Accuracy: Bonus on ranged damage rolls equal to his aura bonus.
Alliance: If an ally makes an attack of opportunity against an enemy, one other allied creature per two points of aura bonus in melee range of the enemy may make a free attack against that creature with a -4 penalty.
Dogpile: If an ally successfully critical hits an enemy, one other allied creature per two points of aura bonus in melee range of the enemy may make a free attack against that creature with a -4 penalty.
Transfer of Power: Allied casters in the aura receive a +1 bonus to caster level (or appropriate) for every 4 points of aura bonus.
Resist the Inevitable: Allies in the aura gain spell resistance equal to 10 + 2 per point of aura bonus.
Countering Blows: All allies in the aura are treated as if they had the Combat Reflexes feat, except the number of Attacks of Opportunity is one half the aura bonus.

Fight As One (Ex): When the warleader uses the Coordinate Allies option of Warcraft he applies a number of teamwork benefits equal to the warleader's charisma modifier or his class level, whichever is less.
Close That Gap! (Ex): Reacting to the changing nature of the battlefield is the highest skill a warleader can have. Once per day, as an immediate action, he may grant an extra move action to one ally within 10 feet per class level. The affected ally takes this extra move action immediately. This extra action does not affect the ally’s initiative count; the round continues normally. At 4th level, a warleader can use this ability twice per day.
Bonus Feat (Ex): At 2nd and 4th levels, the warleader gains a bonus Warcraft feat. He must still meet all the prerequisites.
Hold the Line (Ex): Sometimes, the strength of a warleader is in persuading his troops that they stand where they are. He gets the ability to make a DC 20 Warcraft check as a move action to command his allies to Hold Ground. If he succeeds, all allies within 10 feet per class level gain a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground, gain DR 2/-, and gain a +1 bonus to armour class for each ally adjacent to them (to a maximum of the warleader's class level).