D&D 5E (2024) How should the Warlord be implemented in 1DnD?

[dave2008]

A spellless bard could be a good place to start

 

[dave2008]

Personally I thought the 4e warlord was great and would love to see a halfway faithful implementation of it in 6e, but I doubt it will happen.

IDK, maybe by 6e, but definitely not for the 2024 5e revision!

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I'd mix the classic features of the Warlord with the rather bland fighter chassis, giving us a real master of combat, being the class to pick to be the best at fighting and making your group fight.

For starter I'd go with:

Put the support features of the Banneret and the improved help features of the Expert sidekick. (maybe to replace the bonus feats with actual features).

I do like this general idea.

My own take has been a monk-chassis class I call the Captain, that has a “Presence” aura that starts at 10ft and expands with levels, and gives a boost to Allie’s and debuff to enemies, depending on what presence you choose, and then you have manuvers you can do that usually involve your allies in some way.

Either you set someone up by using the help action as part of the attack action, or as a bonus action you can help multiple allies in your aura, or enemies have to save against frightened in your aura and your allies deal extra damage against frightened targets, etc

Or, you lead the strike, making an attack and then giving up the other to let an ally attack. (Requires level 5) or you could charge as an action, only making one attack but all allies within presence can move thier speed and gain a beefy damage buff to their next attack as a reaction.

You spend mettle to do this stuff, and your mettle die step increases with levels.

But a fighter chassis might could do all that with less fiddliness…

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Yeah I've got no clue which class group I think it should go into. Both expert and warrior seem to make some sense.

Still easier to classify than the psion/mystic though...

Is the psion not just very obviously a Mage?

Like, they’re a Jedi consular. All force powers all the time.

That’s a mage.

 

[the Jester]

It should be a full class with subclasses that enable multiple warlord playstyles, including those not achievable by the battlemaster, such as the lazylord.

 

[Vael]

How should the Warlord be implemented: in multiple ways.

I know, it was weird that to play a vampire in 4e, it was both a species, class and theme, so it was possible to play a triple vampire. But that allowed different approaches and amount of vampiricism, lol

So, while I think a full class should be an option, additional classes will take awhile. I would also want a Fighter subclass in the 2024PHB that has some Warlord elements. The more magical Warlord is already the Bard, moving Bardic Inspiration to a reaction will actually make that more so.

 

[mellored]

Fighter.

3: you can give your ally your action surge.
you can give your ally your second wind.
6: you can give an ally your multi-attack.
10: you can give an ally your indomitable.
14: you can give an ally your feat.

*ally must be able to see and hear you, or be within reach.

I mean, a full class would also work. But this is the best way I can come up with that might actually see the light of day.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Is the psion not just very obviously a Mage?

Like, they’re a Jedi consular. All force powers all the time.

That’s a mage.

All three mages use the arcane power source from what we know. Psion wouldn't.

Hell the psion might not even be a caster.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

It should be a full class with subclasses that enable multiple warlord playstyles, including those not achievable by the battlemaster, such as the lazylord.

Yeah the lazylord end of the spectrum isn't covered in 5e.

 

[cbwjm]

I'd like to see it as a single subclass able to be taken by all classes (perhaps with some modular design to it), or as subclasses unique to each class like what @Mirrorrorrim said above. I much prefer the concept being spread around the other classes.