Commander’s Strike

[Vayden]

Quoted from D&DI Compendium for clarity:

At-Will Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: An ally of your choice makes a melee basic attack against the target
Hit: Ally’s basic attack damage + your Intelligence modifier.

Quoted for additional clarity:

Weapon: Many martial powers, as well as several
divine powers, can be used only if you’re wielding
a weapon. (You can use an unarmed attack as your
weapon.) A weapon’s reach or range determines the
reach or range of a power it’s used with.

Melee weapon: A melee attack power that has a
range of “weapon” allows you to attack a target within
the reach of the weapon you’re wielding. Some weapons
extend your reach beyond adjacent squares.

Nowhere in the weapon descriptor does it imply that you get to add the bonus from the warlord's magic weapon/feats/etc. That all gets added on "damage rolls" aka anything with x[W] in the dmg descriptor.

The power is extremely clear if you bother to learn the keywords. You, the warlord, get into melee range with your target. The keywords clearly define that. Once you are in range, you activate your power, giving an ally a chance to make a melee basic attack, with all the limitations inherent in that, and give a bonus to his/her dmg.

Fluff-wise, I agree with whoever it was above who called it "creating an opening" - you hook the enemies weapon with your own, pulling it out of position for your ally to make an advantageous attack. It's like aid another on steroids. It's also super-awesome and fun to use, based on my time playing as an Eladrin tactical warlord.

 

[Mengu]

[offtopic]How about Bolstering Strike or Enfeebling Strike from the Paladin? They're both Cha vs. AC, which seems to me to be the best fit stat-wise, and gives your warlock a little melee punch. Put that pact blade to use![/offtopic]

[offtopic]Enfeebling Strike would be great if it worked on any target, unfortunately, it only gives the penalty for marked targets, which the Warlock has no way of doing, unless you also pick Soldier of Faith (not likely since you won't have Str 13). Bolstering Strike gives you bonus HP's equal to your Wisdom bonus, which sadly is a low priority for the warlock. In both cases, you are better off just shooting an Eldritch Blast.[/offtopic]

 

[Zaruthustran]

Hooray for rules quotes! That clearly settles things. The target has to be within melee range of the warlord, and since the ally is making the melee basic attack, the warlord's weapon proficiency and other enhancements don't apply.

Fluff-wise, I agree with whoever it was above who called it "creating an opening" - you hook the enemies weapon with your own, pulling it out of position for your ally to make an advantageous attack. It's like aid another on steroids. It's also super-awesome and fun to use, based on my time playing as an Eladrin tactical warlord.

Tactical warlord is all sorts of fun. You can even get by with a 16 Str, since many of your powers give effects even on a miss, or enable you to give free attacks for your (stronger, melee-optimized) friends. It's a whole other way to play.

 

[Gradine]

tactical warlords are a lot of fun to play, but they also highlight what I think is a minor issue with the "roles" system.

while you don't have to waste your turns healing your party as in previous editions, which is both a great and very welcome change, it seems to be that if you're a tactical warlord or battle cleric but also your party's only leader, you've still got to waste a few of your power choices on healing powers, because two free healing surges +xd6 a battle usually isn't enough to cut it. anyone else running into these problems?

 

[Mengu]

tactical warlords are a lot of fun to play, but they also highlight what I think is a minor issue with the "roles" system.

while you don't have to waste your turns healing your party as in previous editions, which is both a great and very welcome change, it seems to be that if you're a tactical warlord or battle cleric but also your party's only leader, you've still got to waste a few of your power choices on healing powers, because two free healing surges +xd6 a battle usually isn't enough to cut it. anyone else running into these problems?

I came to the same conclusion as well. It's difficult to be the sole party leader if you are a Tactical Warlord. Being a Tiefling helps. Your party needs at least a wise Paladin for supplemental healing.

 

[Gradine]

our wizard multiclassed cleric (of raven queen, no less) so we have one extra healing word a battle, but we have no paladin so I ended up taking Inspiring War Cry instead of something like Steel Monsoon or Hold the Line

 

[Tony Vargas]

I read the power the more restrictive way - Warlord choses a target in melee, an ally, gets a basic melee attack against the target - and I'm still looking forward to it. Sure, it'd be even cooler if it were range or Close Burst affecting one ally and giving them a free basic attack, but that'd also probably be a bit much - especially with a Warlock or Wizard with MM in the party.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I'm sure a future book will have a similar power that works with ranged attacks. Or a higher level power that works with either.

 

[LostSoul]

The warlord is all about empowering others. So he runs into battle, gets flanking, and gives the rogue the sneak attack he couldn't get on his own turn. Or a big bad guy is threatening the mage and the fighter's nearby. Unfortunately, the bad guy will go before the fighter will and so will hit the mage. So you give the fighter an attack so he can mark the bad guy, thus protecting the mage.

That is sweet. I never realized how Warlords work with the Fighter's Marking ability.

 

[2eBladeSinger]

I have an inspiring warlord, and despite my 12 INT, I still chose Commander’s Strike for one of my at-wills, Furious Smash being the other. Even though none of my at-will powers deal direct weapon damage, since I am often flanking an enemy with the party rogue I use CS quite often to give him the opportunity to sneak attack. If he has already used his sneak damage that round, I use Furious to buff his next attack. The combination works quite effectively. I was initially skeptical of Commander’s Strike after WotC_Miko confirmed the ‘nerf’. But I am quite satisfied with the RAW in this case.