Zardnaar
Legend
Tell Mike that.
Maybe feats don't count?
Maybe gear doesn't count?
A lot of things don't seem to count in 5e's design principles - afterall, it's all just a starting point, and we're'll going to change it anyway.
Seems I understand 5E design principles better than a few people lol. I know roughly how they scale things, I can see patterns in the spell design and short rest vs daily powers and sustained damage vs nova damage.
You also over rate spells in 5E, cantrips are comparable to martial attacks (which warlord gets) and if they have a healing word ability at level 1 that is better than than the healing word spell (1d8 vs 1d4 and it scales).
You can also find non magical abilities i the MM that would make good options for the WL. A 1/3rd caster WL would get cantrips at level 3. Low level spellcasters are not that great in 5E, 2 or 3 daily spells to cover 6-8 encounters do not go far.
Most classes get a few abilities level l. Healing word X3 and 2 minor abilities is not that bad for level 1. Tactical Warlord int to initiative and damage or damage granting.
It would be funny here if one of the 4E fans makes a warlord so front loaded you can have a better warlord by dipping 1-2 levels onto the battle master than taking more levels in Warlord.At will attack granting level 1 lol, say hi to Bob he is a Warlrod 1/Battlemaster 3+.