Marshal port (+warlord)

[FrogReaver]

Fair. But I didn't want it to be too punishing if your in melee, paticularly without Con saves.

I'll bump it to a full action, and add in some kind of concentration bonus.

It depends on how you look at it.

For instance, bless gives you 3 buffs.
+1d4 to attack rolls.
+1d4 to saving throws.
+1d4 to abilities checks.

Haste gives you 4 buffs.
+Double speed
+2 AC
+advantage on Dex saves
+an extra attack.

Greater invisibility has 5 buffs.
+adantage to hit.
+disavantage to be hit.
+don't provoke OA's.
+can't be targeted by many spells.
+can hide anywhere.

Foresight is 3 buffs and doesn't take concentration.
And paladin's, who can both bless (3 buffs) and has auras (3 buffs, maybe 8 buffs if you count each bonus to save as seperate).


Thus 4 flexible buffs at higher levels seem about right. Possibly a bit weak. Hard to say without actual playtesting.

Good idea, but that's a big bonus to any multi-classing wizard /bard/sorcerers/warlock.
Probably best to keep it simple and just not having Concentration saves on damage.

Exactly. Most Buffs give multiple effects. We just normally overlook such effects because we don't generally carefully scrutinize published official works the same as we do homebrew. It's kind of interesting. Then again, most Homebrew needs scrutinized because it falls terribly in the balance department. Yet most of the time the scrutinization isn't about balance but about not following some unwritten, unknown, possibly make believe design principles.

Anyways, rant over. I'm just glad someone else sees the value in multiple smaller buffs used to make a buff ability interesting.

 

[FrogReaver]

I'll probably comment on each ability separately as it's easier for me to do that way.

Level 1:
Helpful: The range of any Martial feature and your help action is 5' times your Int + Cha modifiers. For example, +3 Int and +3 Cha would give you 30'. You must be able to clearly communicate with the target to have any effect. The DC for any Martial feature is 5 + Int + Cha + proficiency bonus.
In addition, you can use the When you Help with your action or a Martial feature, the target can reroll one of the d20 if it rolls is equal or lower to your INT or CHR modifier. You must use the new roll.

The class isn't magical. I can't see how either Int or Cha would affect the range at which you are able to help an ally? Maybe if a good explanation is given. But I think it's most likely that you are trying to "round peg square hole" riders into places they really don't need to be.

EDIT: I originally liked this ability a lot but I've become a little concerned with an all purpose ranged help action and how that works without magic.

 

[FrogReaver]

@mellored

Skill Focus (sub-class): You gain expertise in a skill. Based on your choice, you will gain additional features at level 3, 6, 14, and 18.

I have a love-hate relationship with expertise. I like the ability to make a character that's good at a skill. I dislike that characters that are proficient in a skill kind of feel like they aren't good at out of combat stuff without having expertise in skills.

More importantly, I don't think expertise is needed on a general warlord base, but possibly in a few subclasses where there may be some driving ability that makes sense for it. Insight or Persuasion make the most sense for charisma or wisdom based subclasses. I can't think of an Int skill that really fits the tactician well enough to have expertise in it.

I think 4 known skills and no expertise may be the best way to go. Warlords should generally be better at a few additional out of combat things than a typical fighter but expertise I don't think fits for a general warlord (maybe some more specific subclasses though)

 

[FrogReaver]

[MENTION=6801209]mellored[/MENTION]

Overwatch:

I like the concept of the overwatch ability. I'm not sure if I like it better than my Rally concept from my warlord thread (though maybe I'll steal the name...) But regardless it has a lot of potential. I'll have to check whether it's balanced or not at some point, but my initial reaction is that it's very promising.

 

[FrogReaver]

Level 9: Extra Helpful: When you Help with your action or a Martial feature, the target can reroll one of the d20 if it rolls is equal or lower to your INT + CHR modifier. You must use the new roll.

I like how this is designed. I don't know how much I like the feature but I like the design and agree with you that since your class gets a help action action buff early that at some point it probably needs buffed again.

This does have me wondering some about help and whether I can help an ally push a rock out of the way from range as the first ability gives me. I'll have to think on that.

 

[FrogReaver]

Level 10: Well Rounded: Increase your lowest 3 abilities scores by 1.

I'd change this to +2 instead of +1 to make sure the player gets at least a few +1 from it.

Once that change is made I actually really like this ability. It's not perfectly fitting a warlord but I also have no problem with it being added in as I really like the ability and it probably fits a warlord as well as it could any other class.

EDIT: just seen you give well rounded again at level 13. I wouldn't give this ability twice. It's a good solid ability but not downright thematic for the warlord. Using 1 level worth of abilities for it sounds good. Using 2 is a little rough.

Maybe you thought giving +2 to 3 stats would be a little much? I don't think is too much but if you are concerned then have it give +2 to the lowest 2 stats and find a replacement for the level 13 ability?

 

[Tony Vargas]

Also, what do you think of this?

Guileful Strike: When you make a weapon attack roll with a ranged or finesse weapon, you can use Int in place of Dex for the to-hit roll and Cha in place of Dex for the damage roll.


Reduces MAD a bit.

Reasonable idea.

'Realistically,' a number of stats can help you successfully use a weapon to harm an enemy. D&D initially simplified that to just STR, then DEX for ranged, STR for ranged with special weapons, then DEX for melee with a feat, then WIS for ranged with a feat, then any stat for melee with a feat, then STR or DEX based just on weapon, no feat.

Still, using just one stat, even if it can be any stat, is a profound simplification. But, it can be rationalized, the mist important stat for the weapon & techniques employed can 'govern' it's resolution. It's just a question of emphasis. If you swing for the bleachers, STR. If you depend on speed, DEX. If you wear your foes down, CON. If you intimidate or trick them, CHA. Etc...

 

[FrogReaver]

15: Predict Ambush: You can no longer be surprised.
Expertise: You gain expertise in a third skill.

#1. That's too much expertise for a warlord. I'm all for out of combat things but I think you cover that with a broad skill set (4 starting skills) and a useful buffed ranged help action.
#2. I generally dislike abilities that may invalidate earlier choices. Like if you had chosen the Alert feat early in character progression this ability isn't very useful.
#3. I really wish they had written the "cannot be surprised" abilities differently. I wish they had said, when you are surprised you suffer no effects from being surprised. It gives a much different feel and flavor. Fast reaction and preparadeness instead of how the current ability feels which is like super magic perception right before a fight is to begin. Not anything you did wrong as you are just using the language present but I wish they had done a better job on that language to begin with.

 

[FrogReaver]

Reasonable idea.

'Realistically,' a number of stats can help you successfully use a weapon to harm an enemy. D&D initially simplified that to just STR, then DEX for ranged, STR for ranged with special weapons, then DEX for melee with a feat, then WIS for ranged with a feat, then any stat for melee with a feat, then STR or DEX based just on weapon, no feat.

Still, using just one stat, even if it can be any stat, is a profound simplification. But, it can be rationalized, the mist important stat for the weapon & techniques employed can 'govern' it's resolution. It's just a question of emphasis. If you swing for the bleachers, STR. If you depend on speed, DEX. If you wear your foes down, CON. If you intimidate or trick them, CHA. Etc...

Only issue I have is that if a warlord being mundane can attack with charisma or int, why can't anyone else that's mundane do the same?

 

[mellored]

A Warlord isn't magical so shouldn't be messing with attack stats. He's mundane and if Int or Cha helps him attack better then Int or Cha should help everyone attack better

Fair. So let's let it work for anyone.

New feat:
Tactical Acumen.
*When you use the help action, the target can reroll 1 die if that is below your Int or Cha modifier.
"You can use Int in place of Dex for finesse attack rolls, and Cha in place of Dex for damage.

The class isn't magical. I can't see how either Int or Cha would affect the range at which you are able to help an ally? Maybe if a good explanation is given. But I think it's most likely that you are trying to "round peg square hole" riders into places they really don't need to be.

it works the same way the rogue mastermind range help works.

And Int let's you be more aware of the situation, while Cha helps you convey the information.
Or something like that.

I have a love-hate relationship with expertise. I like the ability to make a character that's good at a skill. I dislike that characters that are proficient in a skill kind of feel like they aren't good at out of combat stuff without having expertise in skills.

I'm not entirely sold on using skills as the sub-class either. But it seems like an idea worth exploring, but it's a bit restrictive.

Hmmm... actually, skills as prestige class would work great.

[/QUOTE]

I'd change this to +2 instead of +1 to make sure the player gets at least a few +1 from it.

there us another +1 later.
But maybe.