D&D 5E Class Mechanics Idea: The Warlord

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

It's not that you're wrong here, but wouldn't these options be better if these abilities were available to all groups using an advanced tactical module, regardless if one of the players is playing a Warlord?

Now, perhaps it might work like the fighter and combat maneuvers. A module is going to let everyone do it, but the fighter does it best.

Maybe, but then, one could argue: "Wouldn't it be better if everyone can cast spells?" That's kinda the Earthdawn approach - pretty much every class there uses magic in some form. Just because you're a Fighter or a Craftsmen doesn't mean you're mundane - everyone casts spells that augment his own abilities. There may still be room for an "spellcasting exclusive" class like the Wizard.

This reminds me that I never got around to check the D&D 4E based version of Earthdawn...

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

It's not that you're wrong here, but wouldn't these options be better if these abilities were available to all groups using an advanced tactical module, regardless if one of the players is playing a Warlord?

Now, perhaps it might work like the fighter and combat maneuvers. A module is going to let everyone do it, but the fighter does it best.

When you're looking at the individual Drills and Tactics I've included here, none of them let you do anything narratively that a martial character can't already do (carefully weave past enemies, fight defensively near your allies, etc.). It just provides extra bonuses or more streamlined ways to do them - much like fighter maneuvers.

Some of the ideas here could be adapted to work as feats, but I think there's enough (when combined with the healing focus) to serve as the core of a class.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

The Commander Spec and Tactician Spec on my homebrew RPG works like the OP's idea. Oddly the Willpower Charisma based Commander had encounter based Inspirations and the Intelligence based Tacticians had group stances called Tactics like the 3.5 Marshal. My friend says using them turn you into a Zenith Exalt.



Inspirations:
Inspiring Words- A weak heal.
Incite Riot- Makes every into raging barbarians
Command respect- Forces the target to listen to you
Heartstring Pull- Makes the target sad
Face me!- Prevents an enemy from fleeing... well
No Bugglegum- Paralyzes enemy for a short time
You have my sword- Makes friend cowards fight, removes fear
Shake it off- Removes mental issues
Wartime Lie- Makes lies using stressful times believable.
Your mmoma so fat- Makes enemy unable to do complicated actions due to anger.
Gruesome kill- Makes your kills scare enemies
No Sell- Delay damage
BS Confidence- Inspire ally with false or exaggerated praise

Tactic
Run away- Boosts run speed of allies
Lead the Arrows- Boost archery bonuses of allies
Stomping party- Double flanking bonuses
Do it Again- Grants extra action

Thanks for the ideas!

Looking through them, Do It Again could work as a Drill (warlord gives up his next action to grant an extra one to an ally), as could the rest of your Tactics.

I'd call Stomping Party "Swarm Tactics": When three or more of your allies are adjacent to the same enemy, they all gain combat advantage against that enemy.

I'll think on the others...

 

[Minigiant]

If you have any Exalted books, you could use some of the less ridiculous Presence, Performance, and War Charms for idea.

 

[Kobold Stew]

There are some really fun ideas in this thread, and I'm taken with the connection with the Bard as a support character.

Both classes use Charisma as a primary stat. Both have spell-like effects that are conceptually best seen as non-magical (or semi-?). I wonder if there's a way to reinforce this. I can't think of an umbrella term that would embrace both classes clearly, but one could use the Rogue (Thief/Thug) as a parallel of how both could be incorporated under the same mechanics.


Bard (Charisma, Int secondary)
* light armour
* musical abilities, incl. healing effects and inspiration.
* knowledge abilities (like the rogue sill bonus [however that eventually shakes out] for all Lore skills)

Warlord (Charisma, Str secondary)
* medium armor
* commanding presence, incl. healing effects and inspiration.
* tactical abilities

Just thinking like this makes me like the Warlord more than have before.

 

[Vikingkingq]

There are some really fun ideas in this thread, and I'm taken with the connection with the Bard as a support character.

To use an old SAT analogy (so sad those aren't used anymore):

Bard:Warlord::Wizard:Fighter

 

[Kobold Stew]

Bard:Warlord::Wizard:Fighter

So you disagree? Fair enough -- but the thread makes a compelling case otherwise.

 

[Paraxis]

I imagine a 5E warlord would look like the 3.5 marshal from the miniatures handbook with maybe some ideas from the 3.5 dragonshaman from players handbook 2.

They had aura type effects that provided buffs, including h.p recovery in some form.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

So you disagree? Fair enough -- but the thread makes a compelling case otherwise.

The flavor of a Warlord and a Bard seem very different. The Bard is singing or playing music and casting spells, the Warlord is giving orders and advice. Both are supporting the party, but it feels different to me...

 

[cmbarona]

Quick show of hands: Who has both played a Warlord (or been in a group with one) across the 4e level tiers and also thinks they can be incorporated into a specialty rather than a whole class?

I ask because I have a sneaking suspicion that the number of people who answer yes to both of those questions is less than the number of people who have not played one (or played with one) and think it can be incorporated into a specialty.

I think people are oversimplifying the complexity that a Warlord provides. They do more than offer extra attacks and non-magical healing. They buff allies' offense and defense, help them shake off conditions, and move them around. And they can do so in a variety of situations and combinations of single allies or the whole party. And they could do some combination of these from level one. I think the 4e class concept, when considered from levels 1-30 and spread out on the table, is too complex to contain in a single 5e specialty.

This is not to say that I think there should not be a Leader specialty. Like Magic User or Acolyte, it could be the sort of thing that would reinforce a Warlord, but allow anyone else to dabble a little.