Wait until you look at Sanguine Knot and you realize like all of the 1st and 2nd degree manuvers are just grappling and knocking creatures prone. Woo, really needed 5 ways to do that. Definitely didn't want combo manuvers.
Yeah I get you 100% and having played the 4E Warlord for 30 levels I just am let down by this take on one of the best things that wonderful edition had going for it. The are some bright points that some people have pointed out like Mark Foe and Rallying Surge. I really like those abilities...
Most games won't reach that point. A class should do what it's going to do by 5. When you get Combat Directives should be when you're enabling your allies to use their manuvers. That way you finally get some pay off for giving up your attacks.
For all the Martial characters you just described that would be pretty great if that's how the Marshal worked. You give a cantrip or they can "make one weapon attack" they cannot in fact use their manuvers with your granted attack.
When it comes to Combat Directives they can only use a Sanguine...
I just don't care for being pigeon holed into basically only giving attacks to certain classes because of those edge case interactions that are goofy powerful. My 4E Warlord could give an attack to anyone with Commander's Strike and everyone got to add my Int to their damage. I didn't hit people...
I'm surprised the Marshal did not make your losers list. All of it's measurable strength is tied up in the Social and Exploration pillars in ways that other characters should they really wish to involve themselves with Strongholds, Followers, and Being Famous can also achieve. You are dependent...
If I may make a request it would be for the first couple of pages for the Feats chapter (Not the feats themselves but the initial rules pertaining to them) or the first set of pages for the Spellcasting Chapter. I wanna see that rules text.
I've been reading through these conversions to run as a part of my Trip Down Memory Lane for my 5E group and they look outstanding and much more interwoven than the baseline. I was wondering if you'd be so kind and able to send me a PM Myrhdraak so I could drop you and email address for those...