Excerpt: The Warlord

[lutecius]

A 3eCOD? Don't you mean a 38DDD?

that too. if they get any bigger, Ivy will need a wheel barrow by 5e.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

Until the end of the encounter: whenever an ally is within 5 squares of you, they get a +X power bonus to attack rolls.

It's an aura, basically. Works like the old Marshal "Motivate Attack" thing.

IF "Leading the Attack" has been used AND You are currently within 5 squares of the Warlord.
THEN Gain a +X power bonus on attack rolls.
ELSE No bonus.

If the Warlord activates Leading the Attack and you move more than five squares away, you lose the bonus. If you later (during the same encounter) move into the radius again (or for the first time) you gain the bonus.

-TRRW

 

[Jack99]

Warlords like yours are bound to get caught in "friendly fireball" ('oops I forgot! I didn’t take that golden wyvern adept power...hated the name...my bad')
Obnoxious characters might provide great roleplaying opportunities and all but in my experience, they tend to do funny things to team spirit

I am the DM, so my NPC's have an easier time being "slightly" obnoxious...

Even if a player is like that, it's never an issue that transcends the game, ie, the other characters (players) merely sees it as role-playing, and play along. The type that turns off our group, is the annoying halfling that runs around thinking he is a gnome (prankster roguish type). Those characters (and their players) often attract friendly fire, for some reason.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

I'll have you know that "grell warlord" inspired DOZENS of vivid images, none of which were satisfied by the actual picture.

Really?

http://images.google.ca/images?q="grell+warlord

 

[bramadan]

My only objection to Warlord name is that it implies great power and expertise. It is as if wizard class was renamed Archmage. I think the class should have been called "Captain" or "Commander" with "Warlord" being saved for a paragon path.

 

[Mercule]

Actually, that's ranger, Texas Highway patrol are called the Texas Rangers. But we've managed to always deal with that one.

Indeed. Marshals are responsible for finding fugitives, witness protection, following up on judicial papers (serving them, etc.), and things of that nature. They don't usually go in for the "detective" work, by my understanding. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marshals_Service

 

[Quickleaf]

You can probably cope without a wizard, too, but it seems like you'll be missing out on the BEST area-effect abilities, which can certainly make a difference in, say, a combat full of minions, or one with a highly mobile enemy.

I came to the same conclusion about controllers - as long as they are highly effective against swarms of minions and mobile foes, they don't need to top the wizard's AoE powers.

Some schizophrenia is good, but too much means that I don't know how to tinker with the game. Is a game without a second controller working As Intended? What would a different controller look like? Can I ban wizards without making my party feel weaker? Etc.?

I agree, a second controller should be in the PHB, especially given that the warlord class explicitly reveals HP can be increased through the warlord's inspiration powers. Thus, it stands to reason that a martial controller might demoralize the enemy and reduce their HP.

 

[FadedC]

My only objection to Warlord name is that it implies great power and expertise. It is as if wizard class was renamed Archmage. I think the class should have been called "Captain" or "Commander" with "Warlord" being saved for a paragon path.

Ironically I've always thought the name wizard implied great power and expertise, and that first level characters who could only throw magic missiles twice a day shouldn't be called wizards. But I got used to it. Warlord on the other hand sounds to me like somebody less impressive then a commander....like some local leader of a bunch of armed men.

Anyway it's funny how different names mean different things to different people. My impressions of wizard are probably colored by a number of other games (including 1e) where you only got the title of wizard when you had become really powerful. Your perception of warlord could easily be flavored by something like that too (for example in WOW it's the highest military rank in the horde).

 

[Zaruthustran]

I agree, a second controller should be in the PHB, especially given that the warlord class explicitly reveals HP can be increased through the warlord's inspiration powers. Thus, it stands to reason that a martial controller might demoralize the enemy and reduce their HP.

I imagine a barbarian would fit the martial controller role. Close burst shouts that demoralize the enemy (reduce hp directly, or debuff), blade-whirling charges that damage and knock back groups of foes, feral stances that make the surrounding squares count as difficult terrain, barrages of arrows or thrown weapons that do ranged AoE damage, wide clears with a long two-handed weapon that do close blast weapon AoE, and gruesome finishing moves ("with a savage cry you cleave your foe's head from his shoulders, showering his comrades in gore") that work as close blast fear AoE effects.

 

[Dausuul]

My only objection to Warlord name is that it implies great power and expertise. It is as if wizard class was renamed Archmage. I think the class should have been called "Captain" or "Commander" with "Warlord" being saved for a paragon path.

I'd be inclined to use "Leader," myself. Or, being that it's WotC, "Warleader." Use something else to describe the role.