D&D 5E (2024) Subclassing the Warrior Veteran

[Minigiant]

One of the rolling villianous enemies I use when I DM is a planar, multiversal Warrior Guild of warriors who travel the planes and settings, collecting impressionable warriors and magic equipment, and competing with the party for loot.

(pretend to roll on a Random Encounter table)
Me: Suddenly the silver coin on your person glows white and hot. A beam of light shines from it toward a point 50 feet away. A portal encased in purple and silver lightning appears at that point and a quarter of armored humaniods step out before you.

But I'd like to make a fight with 2-5 random Warrior Veterans and Infantry have a little bit more flavor.

So my idea is to give the Warrior Veteran alternate attacks that and traits that feel like the Fighter subclasses. And color code it on their armor flair.

So 2 questions

1) What are some simple optional traits, actions, and traits that you could see for a monster that would make if feel like a member of a Fighter subclass without bogging down the DM's mental load

2) What color would you associate with each Fighter subclass? If the Fighter Guild warrior has a red helm and cape, are they an Eldritch Knight or Battlemaster?

 

[UngainlyTitan]

One of the rolling villianous enemies I use when I DM is a planar, multiversal Warrior Guild of warriors who travel the planes and settings, collecting impressionable warriors and magic equipment, and competing with the party for loot.

(pretend to roll on a Random Encounter table)
Me: Suddenly the silver coin on your person glows white and hot. A beam of light shines from it toward a point 50 feet away. A portal encased in purple and silver lightning appears at that point and a quarter of armored humaniods step out before you.

But I'd like to make a fight with 2-5 random Warrior Veterans and Infantry have a little bit more flavor.

So my idea is to give the Warrior Veteran alternate attacks that and traits that feel like the Fighter subclasses. And color code it on their armor flair.

So 2 questions

1) What are some simple optional traits, actions, and traits that you could see for a monster that would make if feel like a member of a Fighter subclass without bogging down the DM's mental load

Do not add the selected traits in as additional things one can do. Build them into the base actions.
If you take the martial manoeuvres from the battlemaster as an example; do not bother with the superiority dice pool. Just incorporate a selection of manoeuvres into the basic attacks, actions or bonus actions as appropriate.
Same with something like Spirit Shroud, just make it a stance and incorporate the effect directly in to the statblock. Makes it much easier to run.

2) What color would you associate with each Fighter subclass? If the Fighter Guild warrior has a red helm and cape, are they an Eldritch Knight or Battlemaster?

Dunno, maybe look up the Power Rangers.

 

[aco175]

Do they need to be human? Make them all or mostly a race not part of the playing world. If there are no hippofolk in your world, then a group shows up demanding treasure from the PCs, they can have any power you want like pistols and hand grenades.

You can also look back to 4e powers for special abilities that do not bog down DM minds. A recharge power that lets you attack everyone in 5ft as part of your action is cool and easy. Then you need not worry about it for a while. There are other easy 'powers' grant weapons to deal a higher die of damage or an extra die of damage like brutal.

For colors of dress, I would separate them by rank and not class. Military or quasi-military elements need a chain of command and identifying features while all looking the same. A leader may wear a different color cloak or have a helmet with a feather plume or something to allow their soldiers to identify them. Attachments may also have something like a medic or mage being identifiable. Then again, once the enemy starts to identify them and target them, they all may just dress like the rest to blend in.

 

[Minigiant]

Do they need to be human

Humaniods

Most of the Eldritch Knights and Arcane Archers are elves.

You can also look back to 4e powers for special abilities that do not bog down DM minds. A recharge power that lets you attack everyone in 5ft as part of your action is cool and easy. Then you need not worry about it for a while. There are other easy 'powers' grant weapons to deal a higher die of damage or an extra die of damage like brutal.

Well I was just going to change their attacks.

Like the Champion would be the standard 2 attacks Greatsword/Longbow

Eldritch Knight would get Greatsword/Cantrips

Arcane Archer would have a weaker 1d10 Longbow but be able to boost it with limited 2d10 Arcane shots.