D&D 5E An attempt at a 5e Warlord

[Garthanos]

I'm currently going with a warcry 1/long rest that for the next five minutes lets people gain advantage until the start of next turn on attack rolls at the cost of enemies attacking them also having advantage until the start of their next turn (may decide every turn).

I will say that advantage seems a dime a dozen thing... so I was going with a Berzerk attack being if you spend 2 attacks from your attack action your attack may damage all adjacent creatures (allies included) but with no attribute damage bonus - but that is sort of the full on Berserk meta maneuver not necessarily what a War chieftain might enable in an ally so thereis that. Wild attacks either allow affecting many more enemies but weaker Or less accuracy with more damage (like that feat)

 

[Undrave]

Now that I'm not working on mine at the moment (shameless plug ) I have time to reflect on yours. I mostly feel like you need to reword your stuff so it is more in line with the rest of 5e. In particular, you need to use the second person 'you' instead of 'the warlord'. Also you need a ribbon ability early on and possibly a tool proficiency.

The warlord must be interacting with either the ally using their reaction or their target (often as a distraction) to use this ability.

What does 'interacting with' means in this case?

Inspiration
The Warlord may use their bonus action to enable an ally to dig deep into their reserves and grit through things. One ally they are interacting with (including shouting at) may spend a hit dice plus a further one for every four full levels they have, and the hit points recovered are maximised. This ability is recharged on a short rest.

This is another case of messy wording. The 'four full levels' thing in particular is needlessly fiddly. Just say at which level they can spend an extra hit dice.

Fighting Style
The Warlord can choose any fighter fighting style. In addition they may pick from the Warlord fighting style list:

• Spotter: When the warlord uses Set-Up allies may use ranged attack against foes distant from the warlord.
• Mystical Set-up: Cantrips may be cast as a response to set-up. Note that ranged cantrips also require the Spotter style unless the target is in melee with the warlord
• Smooth teamwork: When benefiting from Set-Up actions that do not involve spellcasting no longer use up reactions. An ally may not get two extra actions from Set-Up on the same turn however.

I think the Warlord shouldn't get ALL the Fighting styles. They should get Defensive, Protection, maybe Archery, the one that grants maneuvers from the UA, maybe one of the cantrip granting ones and then the new ones for Warlord. You're also missing the bit about not getting a fighting style twice.

Spotter is a bit messy, wording wise, but it's a good principle. Mystical Set-up seems unnecessarily long, just say that in response to set-up the ally can use a Cantrip in place of a ranged attack and let the rules of Set-Up apply as normal.

Smooth Teamwork feels more like a later feature than a fighting style.

Bastion
Beginning at 9th level, as a reaction you can allow all allies who failed a save against one effect to reroll their saving throws. If they do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.This has no effect on what you rolled.

You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level.

At what range exactly? Do you also have to be the target of the effect to allow your allies to benefit from it? It's a good support effect but could use further clean up of the wording.

Delegation
At level 20 the Warlord is sufficiently legendary that they don’t even need to be physically present to run combat like a well oiled machine. Any group of close allies that the warlord trusts (current or former adventuring comrades are close enough to qualify) may treat the warlord as if they were physically present and using an action on Set-Up every round on Initiative 15 as long as they are either (a) following a plan the Warlord contributed significantly to or (b) working directly in the best interests of their warlord ally.

The idea is fantastic in terms of concept but I'm not sure on how it would work out in play. It seems a bit too limited since it hinges on splitting the party.

I'll check the subclasses later.

 

[Undrave]

The last ounce of strength
When you choose this archetype at third level add your charisma modifier to any hit dice allies spend, both as a result of your Inspiration and during a short rest.

I like it!

Protected by Panache
When an inspiring warlord is wearing no armour and not carrying a shield they can add their Charisma modifier to their armour class. When they are wielding a simple or improvised weapon they may use their Charisma modifier in place of their strength modifier on to hit and damage rolls.

It's cool, but I'm not sure it really matches with the general flavour of the Warlord when even the Bard doesn't get to pull that off. It also doesn't really work if the subclass is obtained at lv 3 because then you either invest in a stat you won't be using past lv 3, or you end up with a subpar build.

Maybe just ave Charisma replace the shield bonus and add some other Charisma rider.

Good at what you do
At 7th level gain Expertise (double your proficiency bonus) in any two skills

Not sure how that really lines up with the Inspiring Warlord concept. It could be in the base class and I wouldn't bat an eye, even if its a bit boring to just copy expertise.

An inspiration to all
At 10th level all allies who can see you gain advantage on Wisdom saves.

Simple and effective, but I think it would be even better if instead the Warlord granted their Charisma to the ally's Wisdom save. That way the boost could stack with any advantage they might have from another source!

They shall not fall
At 15th level, when you are reduced to or below 0hp your allies may, as a reaction, take a move action and a standard action. These actions must be taken to either protect or heal you or to immediately attack the foe that took you down.

If you are actually killed your allies may choose to gain advantage on attacks against the foe or foes that took you down. If they took the bonus you are revived (as, for example from Revivify) before a short rest at the minimum your allies take disadvantage to all attacks from emotional whiplash.

Taking a move action in 5e only grants you movement speed, you should say 'move their speed' instead. The emotional whiplash cause is weird and could use a better wording.

 

[Garthanos]

I think the Warlord shouldn't get ALL the Fighting styles. They should get Defensive, Protection, maybe Archery, the one that grants maneuvers from the UA, maybe one of the cantrip granting ones and then the new ones for Warlord.

The UA has something that allows one to grant maneuvers to an ally?
Archery of some sort is obligatory ... tbh it needs to be Strength based archery.
(Although it would also be cool if you could have a maneuver which allows you to steady aim and grant advantage to nearby enemies and gain damage bonus based on Int or Wis)

I will investigate more thoroughly both of these a bit later btw.

 

[Undrave]

The UA has something that allows one to grant maneuvers to an ally?

It was in the alternate class feature UA. There's a new Fighting Style that grants you one Battlemaster maneuver and 1d6 Superiority Dice. I forgot the name... Let me check.. Ah! Superior Technique.

 

[Undrave]

Tactical Superiority
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called superiority dice. You get four superiority dice, which are d8s. You can use one after the roll to:

• Add to an attack roll by an ally you can interact with
• Subtract from an attack roll by an enemy you have interacted with in the past two rounds
• Add to a saving throw by an ally
• Subtract from a saving throw by an enemy you have interacted with in the past two rounds

I think you should take the time to codify your maneuvers in a similar format to the Battlemaster. You should probably increase the number of superiority dice you have at later levels and maybe add level-gated maneuvers.

Student of the battlefield
When wearing light or no armour you may replace your strength or dex modifiers with your int modifier when calculating AC and making attack rolls.

I'm a big fan of being able to use INT instead of DEX for your AC, but should also work with Medium Armor. This also runs into the problem I highlighted with the Inspiring Warlord.

Read the environment
Starting at 7th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with an ongoing or unfolding situation you may ask the DM two of the following questions, and the DM will reply truthfully based on what you could plausibly know:

• Where’s the best escape route / way in / way past I am aware of?
• Which enemy is most vulnerable to us?
• Which enemy is the biggest threat I am aware of?
• What should I be on the lookout for?
• Who’s in control here?

Note that this will provide clues but is not intended to short circuit entire adventures.

Really nice ribbon there, I like it.

 

[Undrave]

Bravura Assault
When making an attack a Bravura Warlord can, from third level, make a Bravura Assault, seemingly offering a gap in their defenses. It’s a trap but the gap is real or it wouldn’t work so well. When the Bravura Warlord makes a melee attack they can declare it a Bravura Assault and after they make their attack the enemy may make an attack back against them (they must use their reaction if they have it but if they don’t the Bravura Warlord can be even more obvious).

• If they accept then the target gets an attack - but the Bravura Warlord gets to Set Up one ally for free.
• If they don’t take obvious gaps in the Warlord’s defenses then they get disadvantage on attacks against the Warlord until the start of the Warlord’s next turn, and the Warlord gets advantage on saving throws against them.

I like it, but I dunno how often you'd want to pull it out with Rogue HP and low armour.

Sheer Panache
The Warlord may use Charisma rather than Dexterity for their armour class.

This doesn't have the same restriction as the others that limit the use of Medium Armour and Shields. I think you should add that the Bravura gains HP equal to their Charisma at every level to make them hardier.

Turn the Ambush
Many foes have been caught by surprise by a Bravura Warlord’s quick and decisive approach to ambushes and even more by having their own ambushes turned back with an unexpected speed and ferocity that leaves people wondering who ambushed whom. From level 7:

• If the party containing the Bravura Warlord is ambushed the warlord may still roll for initiative on the surprise round. Enemies who roll lower than the warlord do not get the surprise round as the ambush is turned. The warlord does get to act and must move towards the enemy (as long as they are not in melee) and make an attack.
• If the party containing the warlord is not ambushed then the warlord and allies get advantage on attack rolls against foes with lower initiative than the warlord who haven’t acted so far in this combat.

Love the concept, execution feels messy and you need to recheck the rules on surprise rounds. And 'the party containing the Bravura Warlord' is messy wording as well. I think it should be something along the way of 'Surprised allies who can see you and act after you in the initiative order are no longer surprised". It works with the rules and is a simpler wording.

Chieftain's Warcry

Whenever the warlord or an ally they are directly interacting with makes an attack they may choose to gain Advantage on the attack roll. If they do all attacks made against them until the start of their next turn gain Advantage.

Again with the interacting bit. Advantage is a bit cheap to get and this Reckless Attack alike feature isn't worth whatever level it's on (it's unclear). Especially without the bonus damage from rage. Maybe they also get a bonus to damage roll equal to the Warlord's Charisma?

????? Level 15

At level 20 Chieftain's Warcry is a permanent option for allies of the warlord.

Level 15 or 20? Also lacks a range of effect.

 

[Garthanos]

I like it, but I dunno how often you'd want to pull it out with Rogue HP and low armour.

Yeh Bravura is almost definitely a sub archetype with the better armor and hp.

 

[Undrave]

Rough Audience

At level 3 the Skald is proficient with improvised weapons and fists. Fists and thrown or finesse weapons do d4 damage, one handed improvised weapons d6, and two handed d8. They may also use anything vaguely appropriate as a shield. Any enemy reduced to 0hp by these weapons may, at the Skald's option, be knocked out rather than killed.

Cool... but why tho?

Tales from a far away land

At level 7 the Skald gains proficiency in two languages. They also gain proficiency in pidgins and creoles and are generally able to make themselves understood to people they don't share languages with.

Why calling out pidgins and creoles?? Might as well call out Druidic and Thieves Cant. And if they can make themselves understood to people they don't share a language with, why lean languages at all? I think just granting 3 languages outright would be simpler.

Flyting

At level 10 the Skald learns Vicious Mockery or any other Bard cantrip if they already knew it. If they use a Set-Up as part of their main action they may use Vicious Mockery as a bonus action.

I think they should just learn Vicious Mockery at level 3 outright, wether they know it from else where or not (too bad if it stacks!). Then at level 10 you get to use it as a bonus action after using Set-Up. It's a good concept.

No Foul Sorceries

At level 15 the Skald has stories of foul magics - and stories of how they were countered. They may use any level slot to Counterspell or Dispel Magic and add the slot's level to their spellcasting ability modifier and gain advantage on the roll, but they may only do this once. They also add Remove Curse to their spells known.

This is a bit complicated and I think you could find a more streamlined way to add a bonus... if I understand correctly this means they can counter spell and dispel magic with a level 1 slot? You should also have them add Greater Restoration.

 

[Garthanos]

4. I get that it is a capital S support class, but it still has way more buff others and not yourself abilities than any other class. I'd make the Warlord themself a valid target/beneficiary for most the abilities.

Probably the only exception might be the LazyLord

Yeh Bravura is almost definitely a sub archetype with the better armor and hp.

The Bravura should also be triggering opportunity attacks for enemies in order to soup up. Basically they spend that extra buff ... to generate the ummm Warlordy stuff