D&D 5E Lets design a Warlord for 5th edition... using only preexisting classes

[LuisCarlos17f]

I imagine the warlord class like a martial adept from 3.5 Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords with maneuvers from the school of the white raven, and I would add the monster subtype "squad" with a gameplay close to the swarn monster subtype.

 

[BookBarbarian]

In my idea of a warlord, I would combine Bardic Inspiration Dice and Superiority dice. You could then use it to directly buff an ally on the roll of their choice or pull off a sweet maneuver. I think that would give me a lot of what I would want out of a Warlord.

So a Bard/Battlemaster mix (maybe some Mastermind too) would be my choice for an existing class build that gets the job done.

 

[FrogReaver]

Be a battle master fighter. Prioritize charisma. Use inspiring leader and the rally maneuver and the positioning maneuver and the maneuver that lets an ally attack in place of you. That covers most things the 4e battlemaster could do.

You can’t do them as often. Throw on 2 levels of mastermind rogue if desired and that should cover the concept though it’s still not as satisfying as if the concept was built from the ground up to really enable using those types of abilities most turns.

 

[AkaKageWarrior]

valor bard / battlemaster fighter

Choose the right spells and make them fluff-wise "un-magic" (if needed).
Heroism is a short command like "you can go on".
Vicious Mockery is some military scolding of the enemy.
Hypnotical Pattern is some bad "stand-and-deliver" gaze & gesture,
....

 

[FrogReaver]

Alternatively you could homebrew a few feats that would allow some very warlords abilities and the fighter could focus on them.