Favorite Warlord Moments?

I recall a quote regarding warlords I read here a long time ago. To paraphrase somewhat:

"Sure, a fighter can wield a huge axe or sword. I can wield an entire party. My weapon's bigger than yours."

My experiences with warlords have all been very enjoyable. The trick was, for me anyway, how to flavor your powers. My warlord had a penchant for obnoxiously shouting obvious commands. Had a habit of running around shouting things like "Stop falling down!" "Hit him your sword!" "Not there, there!" My group, at least, got a kick out of it.

Don't know if it would be something I could play over a long haul, though.
 

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One of the more important things is to maximize your chance to hit. A lot of your powers require a hit to work. Always take accuracy over more damage in a weapon. High strength is also very important, for the increased hit chance.

the warlord player in my group was amazingly effective as a healer, and really hit the big time at level 6:
stand the fallen(L5) + stand tough(L6) + exalted armor. The whole party could spend 1 surge and gain 2d10+18 hp+surge. She only needed the whole thing once, but combined the exalted armor with one or the other many times.

As an inspiring warlord the +3-6 hp with every action point added up at the early levels. The Resourceful warlord's temp hp & damage is nice too.

The Brauva warlord only works if everybody at the table really maximizes basic attacks. (Hint count the number of exotic weapons used in the party if more than 50%, it might work.)

Tactical warlords used to get a lot of good press here for the amount of to hit bonuses they could give, but to me this is less satisfiying than healing or the # of extra attacks provided by other types.

Lead the attack (L1 daily) is incredible for warlords with int, use it as soon as you identify a "boss" monster.

the feat improved tactics/resources/insperation is nearly always a good bet.
weapon expertise while not sexy, is far more useful than anything that boosts your own damage.
 

One of the most awesome moments I've seen, aftering DMing a warlord for about two years, was the warlord and the monk going up against a dragon (downgraded to an elite) by themselves. The swordmage was off being killed by a second elite dragon.

The warlord first uses Hammer and Anvil, which gives an ally an MBA on the target. So he and the monk both get MBAs. He action points (which deals damage to the dragon), then uses a level 13 encounter Death From Two Sides, which gives the monk another MBA, but this time, if the warlord's and the ally's attack hit, the ally's attack is automatically a critical hit.

Needless to say, the warlord hit with the attack, and the monk crit (he actually rolled a natural 20, and didn't need the power). The dragon went from about 120 HP out of 250, to 20 in a single turn. Since the monk crit, I just hand-waived it and said that he punches the thing's head off, and killed it out-right. Was too awesome to not do so.

Warlord's are my favorite leaders, since they don't feel like the healbot that most leaders eventually turn into. Like bards, they give out plenty of bonuses, along with quite a few bonus attacks that can really add up.
 

In an early-Paragon-tier campaign we'd just started, I built a Warlord dedicated to hampering opponents and creating openings for the two party rogues. He had a feat that caused opponents he charged to grant Combat Advantage, could knock enemies prone with several attacks, and took dailies dedicated to blocking movement.

About the best moment for him was when we were up against a black dragon in a high-ceilinged cave. In classic inexperienced-player style, most of the party lacked decent ranged powers - the fighter and one of the rogues hadn't even bought ranged weapons as backup - and my character was the only one with a reach weapon.

After a couple of rounds of us getting hammered by breath weapons and reach attacks, my warlord managed to bring down the dragon with a readied attack that knocked it prone. The rest of the party swiftly surrounded it, and on my next turn I used an Action Point to burn through two of my dailies - Pin the Foe and Villain's Nightmare. I don't think I actually hit with either, but nevertheless the damage was done (metaphorically speaking), as both attacks' effects occurred even on a miss.

Pin the Foe stops an enemy from shifting if at least two party members are adjacent to it, and Villain's Nightmare lets me cancel an opponent's Walk or Run action as an immediate action.

The only way this dragon - who, it turned out, the DM had planned as a recurring foe - could now escape was by making a double move (one to be cancelled by my interrupt, another to actually move), which would provoke OAs from the entire party. In desperation, as we wore it down towards death, the DM tried exactly that tactic - only for the fighter to connect with his Opportunity Attack, stopping it in its tracks. Next round, we took it down.

My warlord only actually hit once or twice in that entire combat - the dragon was one very tough customer - but without him, it would have been us trying to flee from that cavern, not the dragon.
 

I've played an Orc Taclord/Battle Captain from lvl1 to 11. The group is stalled for now. Playing the taclord was really nice even so I like handing out big red numbers to my enemies. He can give the fighter an additional mark with commander's strike. Taclords have the potential to setup big novas if your allies are capable of those. Having reach is awesome, you can stay out of some auras or whatever and can attack from a save spot. I suggest to check wether your allies have strong MBAs or not - strong MBAs make warlords even better.

But you have to keep in mind you are an enabler most of the cool things will be done by your allies. If you can live with that play a warlord.

I like to mention that I killed our first solo monster a young white dragon.
 

Something I posted in an earlier thread:

I played an eladrin tactical warlord multiclassed swordmage with the Spiral Tactician paragon path (from Martial Power) in a paragon campaign (from 11th to 20th level) and I loved it. It had just the right mix of support and offensive capability for me. Of course, YMMV.

Some highlights:

To be frank, the swordmage multiclass boosted the offensive capabilities of the character quite significantly. Eladrin Swordmage Advance (from Arcane Power) allows you to make a melee basic attack as a free action against an enemy that you fey step adjacent to. This is boosted by the Spiral Tactician ability to regain fey step when you spend an action point. At 13th level, you can use a power swap feat to get hypnotic swordplay (from Arcane Power), which allows you to stun an enemy for one round, and at 16th level, you can use another power swap feat to get borrowed confidence (from Arcane Power), an encounter utility which allows you to roll twice whenever you make an attack roll or saving throw and use either result until the start of your next turn. If you fey step and spend an action point, that's three (or more - if you use a multiattack power) times you can make double attack rolls in a round.

However, the character also had access to some offensive abilities as a warlord. One of my favorite powers is provoke overextension (Warlord encounter 7, from Martial Power) which allows you to work very well with the party defender. The target you hit is forced to make a basic attack against you, which triggers the defender's mark. Then, if the enemy's attack misses, an ally (usually the defender, or the striker if he is also in range) may make a melee basic attack against the enemy. With good rolls, the enemy may be hit up to three times with a single use of the power: once for the initial hit, once for the defender's mark, and one more time if the enemy's attack missed. This tactic was extra effective in my specific case since the defender was a Champion of Order paladin, so when an enemy attacks me, it takes automatic damage from divine challenge and an opportunity attack from the paladin as well. Apart from that, the Spiral Tactician's fey step assault (Spiral Tactician encounter 11), which is an accurate Weapon attack that targets Reflex, and thunderous fury (warlord encounter 17), which dazes an enemy and (for a Tactical warlord) grants an attack bonus against it to your allies, are also good offensive powers.

A tactical warlord really shines when it comes to giving out attack bonuses. Apart from thunderous fury (mentioned earlier), allies get a bonus equal to half your Intelligence bonus (your full Intelligence bonus at 16th level with the Spiral Tactician paragon path) on attack rolls when they spend an action point. You can also boost damage by taking the Tactical Assault feat. And of course, once per day (or twice per day if you have salve of power from Adventurer's Vault) you can use lead the attack. With unintended feint (warlord daily utility 10, from Martial Power) you can also allow an ally to reroll a missed attack once per day.

In addition to attack bonuses, eladrin tactical warlords can enhance a party's mobility considerably. The Spiral Tactician encounter utility convey ally allows you to teleport an ally, the Fey Command feat (from Martial Power) allows an ally to teleport one square before or after an attack that he makes when using an action point, and the paragon-level Fey Tactics feat (from Martial Power) allows you to teleport an ally whenever you use fey step (this also benefits from the Spiral Tactician ability to regain fey step). In addition, opening shove (warlord at-will 1, from Martial Power) allows an ally to shift a number of squares equal to your Intelligence bonus (or make a melee basic attack) if it hits (and it is likely to, since it is a Weapon attack against Reflex).

Of course, as others have mentioned, try to ensure that you hit, especially when you're using attacks that grant bonuses! Borrowed confidence (mentioned earlier) helps a lot, and try to get hold of a luck blade or couters of second chances (both from Adventurer's Vault) if you can.
 

Something I posted in an earlier thread:

I played an eladrin tactical warlord multiclassed swordmage with the Spiral Tactician paragon path (from Martial Power) in a paragon campaign (from 11th to 20th level) and I loved it. It had just the right mix of support and offensive capability for me. Of course, YMMV.

Some highlights:

To be frank, the swordmage multiclass boosted the offensive capabilities of the character quite significantly. Eladrin Swordmage Advance (from Arcane Power) allows you to make a melee basic attack as a free action against an enemy that you fey step adjacent to. This is boosted by the Spiral Tactician ability to regain fey step when you spend an action point. At 13th level, you can use a power swap feat to get hypnotic swordplay (from Arcane Power), which allows you to stun an enemy for one round, and at 16th level, you can use another power swap feat to get borrowed confidence (from Arcane Power), an encounter utility which allows you to roll twice whenever you make an attack roll or saving throw and use either result until the start of your next turn. If you fey step and spend an action point, that's three (or more - if you use a multiattack power) times you can make double attack rolls in a round.

However, the character also had access to some offensive abilities as a warlord. One of my favorite powers is provoke overextension (Warlord encounter 7, from Martial Power) which allows you to work very well with the party defender. The target you hit is forced to make a basic attack against you, which triggers the defender's mark. Then, if the enemy's attack misses, an ally (usually the defender, or the striker if he is also in range) may make a melee basic attack against the enemy. With good rolls, the enemy may be hit up to three times with a single use of the power: once for the initial hit, once for the defender's mark, and one more time if the enemy's attack missed. This tactic was extra effective in my specific case since the defender was a Champion of Order paladin, so when an enemy attacks me, it takes automatic damage from divine challenge and an opportunity attack from the paladin as well. Apart from that, the Spiral Tactician's fey step assault (Spiral Tactician encounter 11), which is an accurate Weapon attack that targets Reflex, and thunderous fury (warlord encounter 17), which dazes an enemy and (for a Tactical warlord) grants an attack bonus against it to your allies, are also good offensive powers.

A tactical warlord really shines when it comes to giving out attack bonuses. Apart from thunderous fury (mentioned earlier), allies get a bonus equal to half your Intelligence bonus (your full Intelligence bonus at 16th level with the Spiral Tactician paragon path) on attack rolls when they spend an action point. You can also boost damage by taking the Tactical Assault feat. And of course, once per day (or twice per day if you have salve of power from Adventurer's Vault) you can use lead the attack. With unintended feint (warlord daily utility 10, from Martial Power) you can also allow an ally to reroll a missed attack once per day.

In addition to attack bonuses, eladrin tactical warlords can enhance a party's mobility considerably. The Spiral Tactician encounter utility convey ally allows you to teleport an ally, the Fey Command feat (from Martial Power) allows an ally to teleport one square before or after an attack that he makes when using an action point, and the paragon-level Fey Tactics feat (from Martial Power) allows you to teleport an ally whenever you use fey step (this also benefits from the Spiral Tactician ability to regain fey step). In addition, opening shove (warlord at-will 1, from Martial Power) allows an ally to shift a number of squares equal to your Intelligence bonus (or make a melee basic attack) if it hits (and it is likely to, since it is a Weapon attack against Reflex).

Of course, as others have mentioned, try to ensure that you hit, especially when you're using attacks that grant bonuses! Borrowed confidence (mentioned earlier) helps a lot, and try to get hold of a luck blade or couters of second chances (both from Adventurer's Vault) if you can.

Nice summary of your adventures as a eladrin taclord. But the salves of power (AV) no longer affect dailies but encounter powers.
 

How does this look? I'm far from a mastery of the old trade with 4e characters.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Adoben Wyvernjack of the Dusk, level 8
Half-Elf, Warlord
Build: Inspiring Warlord
Warlord: Combat Leader
Commanding Presence: Resourceful Presence
Background: Waterdeep (Waterdeep Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 19, Con 14, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 17.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 12, Dex 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14.


AC: 24 Fort: 21 Reflex: 18 Will: 20
HP: 66 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 16

TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +12, History +9, Diplomacy +16, Heal +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Arcana +4, Bluff +7, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +5, Insight +6, Nature +4, Perception +4, Religion +4, Stealth +4, Streetwise +7, Thievery +4, Athletics +7

FEATS
Level 1: Improved Inspiring Word
Level 2: Human Perseverance
Level 4: Toughness
Level 6: Saving Inspiration
Level 8: Combat Medic

POWERS
Dilettante: Astral Seal
Warlord at-will 1: Rousing Assault
Warlord at-will 1: Viper's Strike
Warlord encounter 1: Shielded Assault
Warlord daily 1: Bastion of Defense
Warlord utility 2: Aid the Injured
Warlord encounter 3: No Gambit Is Wasted
Warlord daily 5: Stand the Fallen
Warlord utility 6: Encouraging Stance
Warlord encounter 7: Lion's Roar

ITEMS
Dragonslayer Longsword +2, Shared Valor Finemail +2, Amulet of Elegy +2, , Adventurer's Kit, , Light Shield
 

I've just started playing in a large group (6-8 PCs per session) and we have the luxury of having an INT based warlord and a CHA based warlord. I'm playing the tactical warlord and having a blast with it. Commander's Strike makes you everyone's best friend and in just two sessions has really made the difference in several combats. In fact, I have yet to use my other at-will. Each time a non-warlord character uses an AP they get a boost to hit from my warlord and free healing from the other one. My favorite tactic so far is to use my genasi racial power to flank a tough-looking off of the rogue or one of the defenders and then use my daily or encounter to give them bonuses to hit him. Combat advantage combined with my INT means that my allies are often getting a +5 to hit and sometimes as much as a +7.

Other posters are right - it is about handing out the awesome. At least for the tactical warlord, you're like the point guard with 8 points and 20 assists per game.
 

While I look at your build I have to ask myself what is your goal?

Ability Scores:
Starting with a 17 makes only sense if you end your game somewhere in the paragon tier.
Spending 1 point on DEX is a waste, get armor profs. if you want more AC. You're weakening your riders.

Feats:

The only feat I'd take for sure is Saving Inspiration (if EPG stuff is legal take Mark of Healing) - toughness maybe.

Powers:
Dilletante: Get one that is a) a weapon attack and b) based on STR
At-wills: I would recommend things like Intuitive Strike, Commander's Strike or Direct the Strike.

I suggest you read one of the Warlord Guides on the WotC Boards. Checking all your E/D/U powers w/o DDI takes too long. So have fun reading the one I linked is really excellent.
 

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