A support character is generally going to be short range, in terms of combat positioning. Some will push forward into the front lines, and some will move back, but generally you'll sit just behind the front lines, in order to facilitate healing, buffing, debuffing the enemy, etc. Typical stat combo is a mental stat plus Constitution. If you make the Tactical Focus idea fundamental, the Warlord becomes a long-range supporter, and has freedom to work from pretty much anywhere in the battlefield.
Given the
concept of the Warlord, Int is pretty much a required stat. Its complementary stat must be Dex, Con, or Wis (the 'big three' defense stats). Every single class has proficiency in one of the 'big three', and one of the other three; never two of the same type. If Int is a given, then the complementary stat must pretty much be Con. This benefits concentration checks, assuming concentration becomes a component, as well as the frontliner Icon/Vanguard types. Even if you discount the Tactical Focus and concentration, I have a hard time seeing the Warlord fitting a Dex or Wis proficiency.
So an Int/Con support class. Of course, there are various concepts that go with it that draw on all of the other four stats. Str on the vanguard, Chr for inspiration, Dex for the ranged version, or Wis for the diplomatic or guerilla version. It's a very MAD class.
[MENTION=996]Tony Vargas[/MENTION] came up with a lot of subclass concepts. My own approach is much more concise.
- Icon - Inspirational focal point. Shonen hero (or protected princess). Minimum tactics, maximum guts (or luck).
- Commander - Focuses on tactics that can be executed by allies. Mix of working to gain advantage, and reactions.
- Strategist - Plots and schemes and creates elaborate strategems. Anticipates the enemy and preemptively counters.
- Defender - Tactician shaping the battlefield. Affects movement, hindering the enemy, and traps.
Tony's Bravura, Inspiring, Hector, and Icon all wrap together into the same general concept (be a focus, inspire to heal, temp hp), which I call Icon. Protector might also fall in here.
His Tactical/Commander, Combat Veteran, and Artillerist all fall under what I have as Commander, though I like the extra flavor he added about the cynical world view.
His Resourceful and Skirmisher both roughly map to my Defender.
His Insightful/Watcher is my Strategist.
Marshal stands as separate from the other concepts, but also difficult to make stand on its own without breaking things. I do like the concept, but it's definitely something that needs its own specific focus time.
* Caveat: I approach this as a class that splits at level 3 to each take unique approaches, but with some common fundamentals. [MENTION=996]Tony Vargas[/MENTION] approaches it as a class that specializes immediately at level 1, and all subclasses draw from the same base mechanics. Thus we will have very different views on what constitutes a subclass.
While I agree with pretty much all of what [MENTION=37579]Jester David[/MENTION] said about role and healing, the Warlord doesn't have to be a "healer", per se. Since the HP pool is an abstract concept, it can as easily be considered a mental thing as a physical thing. If the Cleric is healing cuts and bruises, the Warlord can be boosting determination and willpower. The Cleric's side is, "How long can your body keep functioning?" The Warlord's side is, "How long can you keep fighting without giving up?"
So I think it's fine to make it a class that helps restore HP as a baseline, even if I agree it shouldn't be a "healer" class. The description of its abilities should be more along the lines of Second Wind than Inspirational Healing.
Anyway, here's what I would put together. Usual caveat that balance and level-appropriateness is nowhere near guaranteed, and I likely went a bit overboard. Too much combat stuff, and not enough general subclass stuff.
Proficiency in Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields, Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons.
1st Level:
– Tactical Focus: Each turn you may choose a set of contiguous combat spaces within 100' of you. This is your Tactical Focus. It remains as you set it as long as you focus on it (as if concentrating on a spell), change it, or until you become incapacitated. The total number of combat spaces you can focus on is 3 + your current Warlord level.
– Willpower Boost: You provide inspiration or motivation to your allies which restores their ability to fight. If allies within your Tactical Focus regain hit points due to a spell or ability in excess of their maximum hit points, the excess becomes temporary hit points.
– Teamwork: When you use the Help action to assist on an ability check, you may affect anyone in your Tactical Focus.
– Encouragement: You may grant an ally in your Tactical Focus twice your level in hit points.
– Gambits: You have a few tricks up your sleeve that may help turn the tables on enemies. A gambit lasts for as long as your Tactical Focus is maintained, or until you use another gambit.
– – Baiting: You may cause an enemy to head towards any selected ally (including yourself) within your Tactical Focus, if the enemy is not currently engaged.
– – Distraction: If you hit an enemy within your Tactical Focus, the next attack made against it is made with advantage.
>> Mechanism and use of gambits and moving the Tactical Focus uncertain. Sometimes they stumble over each other.
2nd Level:
– Fighting Style: Archery, Dueling, Defense, Two-weapon Fighting, Great Weapon Fighting, Protection
3rd Level:
– Warlord Archetype:
– – Icon
– – Commander
– – Strategist
– – Defender
4th Level:
– ASI (and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th)
5th Level:
– You may use an additional reaction each turn. Only one reaction may be used for an opportunity attack.
Miscellaneous minor gambits:
10th Level:
13th Level:
18th Level:
20th Level: Capstone
Icon Archetype
3rd Level:
– Attention Grabber: Everyone notices you, for good or ill. Your Tactical Focus is, by default, an aura around you that reaches 10 feet from you. This size increases by 5 feet every 5 levels.
– Inspiring: Any abilities you use that grant hit points add your Charisma modifier to the total (minimum 1).
– Rally: Shout a rallying cry, give an inspirational speech, or mock your enemy. All non-hostiles in your Tactical Focus are granted a number of hit points equal to twice your level, and have advantage on their next saving throw before the end of your next turn.
– Cry for Aid: As a reaction to being attacked, you may ask for the aid of a nearby companion. An ally in your aura may move to position themselves in your location, pushing you back 5 feet, and take the attack for you. If the ally has a higher AC, the attack may miss.
5th Level:
– Extra attack: When you make an attack with the Attack action, you may make an additional attack.
– Not on My Watch: When an ally has been reduced to 0 hit points, you can automatically stabilize them if you are within 5 feet of them.
7th Level:
– Unstoppable: You gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing attacks.
– Eyes on Me!: As all enemies in your aura focus on you, your allies have advantage on all attacks against those enemies until the start of your next turn.
9th Level:
– My Hero: When an ally answers your Cry for Aid, they gain a bonus of +5 to their AC until the end of the turn.
– Save the Day: As a reaction when an ally in your aura is attacked, you may act as a shield, imposing yourself between the enemy and your ally in order to take the attack on yourself.
– Hold!: As a reaction when an enemy moves through your aura towards an ally, you may move to block its movement. The enemy loses half of its movement speed.
11th Level:
– Turning Point: When using Rally, allies in your aura gain advantage on their next attack.
15th Level:
– Big Damn Hero: When you Save the Day, you gain advantage on all attacks until the end of your next turn.
– Gain profiency in Wisdom saves.
Commander Archetype
Gain Proficiency in Heavy Armor.
3rd Level:
- Coordinated Assault: You may have two gambits active at the same time.
– Formation: Gambit: All allies in your Tactical Focus gain +1 AC.
– Careful Movement: Gambit: Enemies may not make opportunity attacks against allies in your tactical focus.
– Strike!: You may use one of your attacks to direct an ally to make an attack as a reaction.
5th Level:
– Wolf Attack: Gambit: When an ally attacks a hostile creature in your Tactical Focus, that creature is knocked prone.
– Giant's Push: Gambit: When an ally attacks a hostile creature in your Tactical Focus that is no more than one size larger than the ally, the creature is knocked back 5 feet.
– Dive for Cover: As a reaction to an area effect ability or spell, you shout a warning, and all allies within your Tactical Focus may move up to half their movement before the spell takes effect.
– Charge!: Using an attack, you can direct an ally to make a charge attack. As a reaction, they may move up to half their speed towards a target and make an attack.
7th Level:
– Ambush: Gambit: When an enemy enters your Tactical Focus, you may use your reaction to allow your allies to move up to half their speed towards the enemy.
– Reposition: An ally may use half their movement in order to swap positions with any other ally in your Tactical Focus.
9th Level:
– Group Strategy: You may have up to three gambits active at the same time.
11th Level:
– Burst of Speed: Gambit: An ally who starts their turn in your Tactical Focus increases their speed by 10 feet until the end of their turn.
15th Level:
– Proper Training: Gambit: Once per turn, an ally in your Tactical Focus who misses an attack may reroll that attack.
Strategist Archetype
3rd Level:
– Crafty: You may use gambits from any archetype.
– I Know What You Were Planning: Roll two d20's at the end of each long rest and record the values. You may use a reaction to use one of those rolls to replace any attack rolls, saving rolls, or ability check rolls that have not yet had their effect resolved, as long as the relevant creature is within your Tactical Focus.
5th Level:
– Ready: All allies who can see you may add your Intelligence modifier to their Initiative rolls, and have advantage on Perception checks to avoid being surprised.
– Instigate: You can instigate a rage within enemies that are in your Tactical Focus. The enemy acts as if they were under the effects of Reckless Attack until the end of your next turn.
– Pile On: Gambit: If more than one ally is within 5 feet of an enemy in your Tactical Focus, they each get a bonus to their damage rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier.
7th Level:
– Fear Me: If you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points, you may do so in such a way as to frighten any enemies that can see you, as in the Fear spell. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
– Interrupt: You may use a reaction to use an attack against a spellcaster casting a spell within 60 feet of you. If the attack hits, it acts as the spell Counterspell.
9th Level:
– Mastermind: You add your proficiency bonus to all Intelligence or Wisdom ability checks.
– Expectation: An ally of your choice may start an encounter in a hidden position.
11th Level:
– Brazen Approach: You may approach the leader of a hostile group without provoking opportunity attacks, or being otherwise hindered.
– Brazen Presence: You have advantage on Charisma ability checks against the leader of a hostile group.
15th Level:
– Fake: When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you are instead reduced to 1 hit point. You appear somewhere else within your Tactical Focus, while a facade crumbles before your attacker.
Defender Archetype
3rd Level:
– Planning Area: You already expected this would happen. You may define an area for your Tactical Focus that is triple the default number of combat spaces, but cannot be moved, and must include your current position. You have resources and traps set up within this area.
– I've Got One of Those: You've got a variety of mundane items stashed away for a rainy day. Up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) mundane items may be found stashed in places in your planning area for you or your allies to pick up. Your DM determines where any given item is located. At the end of the battle, the items are returned to your "rainy day" box.
– Trap Card: You have up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) traps planted within your planning area. You may activate one as an action on your turn to incapacitate it until the end of your next turn. (limits? other effects?)
5th Level:
– Secret Passages: Any ally in your planning area who is out of the line of sight of any enemies may use half their movement to move to any other unoccupied location in the planning area.
– Explosions: After setting off a trap, the area within 10 feet of the trap space becomes difficult terrain, and is heavily obscured until the start of your next turn.
7th Level:
– Cover!: Your planning area is filled with odds and ends that can be used to befuddle an enemy. An ally in your planning area is always considered to have at least half cover.
9th Level:
– Trapdoors: Gambit: Allies in your planning area may use the Hide action regardless of whether enemies can see them.
– That Hurt: Your traps now stun the enemy until the end of your next turn.
11th Level:
– I See You: Enemy units in your planning area may not gain any benefit from half cover.
15th Level:
– Eternal Maze: Any enemy that attempts to leave your planning area must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check. If it fails, it instead re-enters the area at a random location along the outer edge. The DC of the check is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
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The subclasses need a lot of refining. I threw in a bunch of ideas that felt appropriate for the general concept of each archetype, even if expressed in different ways (eg: the hero vs the damsel for the Icon archetype), but may have gone overboard. Also, the whole Tactical Focus/Gambit mechanism is subject to "not working quite right".
Icon: hero, damsel, vanguard
Commander: tactician, veteran
Strategist: manipulator, trickster, social handler
Defender: trapper, ambusher, movement specialist
Didn't expect the Strategist to go that way, but it is what it is. Blame Kanki. On the other hand, the mechanics of Icon really match well with each of those character concepts (though the ability names may need tweaking).
I didn't work much on determining how much healing is viable, as the entire power balance is at an unknown level right now. I figure that's something that can be tweaked until it feels right.
It's late. I'm sure there are plenty of problems. Will deal with them later.
