Commander's Strike clarified: Ask Wizards

[jaelis]

How do you read that as the target of the power being the ally?

By attempting to operate from memory

 

[Christian]

Yeah, it really can rock, as long as you stay close to the fighter instead of wandering off and doing your own thing. Tactical warlord rule #1: stay close to the fighter!

 

[garyh]

Agree on the shield, but a reach weapon no longer only attacks two squares away. All reach weapons can now attack one or two squares away, like spiked chains in 3e.

I realize reach weapons now hit adjacent enemies. I simply meant that once that enemy is adjacent (since there's not much you can do to keep them from closing), it doesn't do you much good that the longspear can hit two squares away. You want a shield at that point.

 

[Storminator]

If someone else is getting the Righteous Brand bonus, you definitely want to give them the Commander's Strike as well.

PS

 

[boolean]

If someone else is getting the Righteous Brand bonus, you definitely want to give them the Commander's Strike as well.

PS

It's also good when combined with other Warlord powers, like Warlord's Favor.

My turn: Attack enemy with Warlord's Favor. Hit, giving the Fighter +5 to hit with his attacks until the end of my next turn.
His turn: Attack enemy. Maybe spend an action point to attack again.
My turn: If the enemy is still alive, use Commander's Strike on it to let the Fighter attack it again. Sure, it's only a basic attack, but it's at +5 to hit and +4 to damage. (If it's _still_ around, maybe spend an action point to Commander's strike again.)

 

[kaomera]

(If it's _still_ around, maybe spend an action point to Commander's strike again.)

Dibs on your Warlord for the next party I get to play in.

 

[Mengu]

For a taclord, it can be handy depending on party composition and equipment. My favorite use is giving the bloodied dragonborn greatweapon fighter with dragonborn frenzy and bracers of mighty striking, an extra attack, and watching him maul the target with something like a 2d6+13. Too bad he doesn't have power attack. But when the brawny rogue misses during his turn, or the two-weapon ranger misses both twin strike attacks, it's handy to give them the extra attack too.

 

[Tikigod]

Our party has an artful dodger rogue...basic melee attack uses strength most the of the rogue's attacks are based on dex. The warlord's commander's strike doesn't get used on the rogue very often...but the party's fighter does deal decent damage.

Another use for the Commander's Strike: the warlord ties up a monster by moving next to it, but the group really wants to finish off the monster the fighter is attacking. Moving away from the warlord will cause an AoO.

 

[James McMurray]

Dibs on your Warlord for the next party I get to play in.

Don't Forget to get Tactical Assault. If there's a wizard in the party (or a nuke cleric) they'll love you for it. +2 to hit and +4 damage with action points is amazing. Our wizard is a human with Action Surge, so he's getting +5/+4. If we make it to 11th level he'll be picking up a class that gives +4 on action points, so he'll be getting +7/+5. That doesn't include if a Warlord's Favor, Warlord's Smite, or Lead the Attack lands.

Our party has an artful dodger rogue...basic melee attack uses strength most the of the rogue's attacks are based on dex. The warlord's commander's strike doesn't get used on the rogue very often...but the party's fighter does deal decent damage.

Ours is a Brutal rogue, and his strength is higher than his dex. Otherwise I'd rarely hit him with it either. Even thne it doesn't happen often. I think he's only missed his sneak atack once or twice and been in a position for me to let him try again. Usually he gets the buff from Warlord's Favor instead.

 

[DracoSuave]

The power has the Weapon keyword, because the weapon you use does factor into one variable of the power: the range. The range is Melee weapon, and without the Weapon keyword, that would become undefined and therefore the power would be unusable from a rules standpoint.

No, it doesn't add the proficiency mod to the attack, notice the lack of Attack: line, and no it does not add it's enhancement bonuses, due to lack of Attack: line, nor randomly rolled damage. It simply allows a specific sort of action which is only modified by one thing.