Wait... so did you mean PDK specifically as opposed to any of the other warlord-esque classes and feats?
that post is very, *very*, clearly taking each attempted warlord stand-in and commenting on them individually. I'm not sure how you could possibly miss that.
Strange I've seen it suggested on this very forum along with other options...
fair enough. Perhaps I'm wrong in thinking you were the first in a thread I've tracked on the subject, in this recent spat of warlord threads, to suggest it.
I'll reword, just in case. Until this recent spat of warlord discussions, I've never seen anyone, online or irl, (and without being sarcastic) suggest the Bard as a serious warlord stand-in.
So it isn't a satisfactory replacement for your friend... Cool. That said others find a class that can grant attacks, grant movement and grant (temp) hit points very warlord-esque...
The Eldritch Knight is very Wizard-esque, as is the Arcane Trickster. Doesn't mean the game would still have a wizard without the full wizard class. Indeed, the Cleric and Bard are very Wizard-esque.
And the wizard is so broad in capability that it's hard to balance. And it has less distinct identity than most classes. Certainly less than the warlord, imo. Maybe we shouldn't have a wizard class!
Again can't dispute what you've seen. But I disagree that the mastermind must be a criminal leader.
Agreed!

<thumbs up>
Good thing I never said that the MM "must" be a criminal leader.
What I did say, is that the subclass is built to be a criminal leader. We can quibble over ideas like a rebel leader, and whether that counts, but I literally couldn't care less about nit picking.
I think you mean unsatisfying to two people... your friend and yourself. At least that's all you've presented in the quoted passages above.
LOL I don't think that there is a number of people that would convince you. A Gallup poll with 1 million respondents could come out with 90% agreeing with me, and you'd deny its relevance somehow.
I kid, but only a little. And only in the form of light hyperbole.
Maybe you think that literally only the people who get online to talk about the continued need for an actual warlord class, are unsatisfied with the "half or less of a warlord" options the game presented thus far?
Huh? I could have sworn they are both characters capable of buffing and healing their allies... both are not full fledged warriors... both inspire their companions... and both can debuff enemies. Or did you mean nothing to do with the warlord except for all of those things?
Ah yes, of course. The full caster support class with abilities centered around the Bardic theme is exactly the same as a Captain, Tactician, etc.
guess we are back to the false arguement of redundancy that always leads threads to divert into arguments about whether clerics and Druids are necessary or really add to the game.