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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aldarc" data-source="post: 6736693" data-attributes="member: 5142">Re: Known/Prepared Maneuvers: Yeah, clerics, druids, and wizards do not operate on a 'known' spells mechanic. They prepare a list of spells used in a given day equal to your Casting Stat plus their Class Level. I personally would probably prefer such a mechanic for the Warlord's maneuvers. The Battle Master, however, does only know a set list of maneuvers, though they do not 'prepare' maneuvers. Having the Warlord 'prepare' maneuvers would help further distinguish the Warlord from the Battle Master. The Warlord effectively knows all the maneuvers, but can only 'prepare' so many tactical maneuvers in a given day. Think of them as the Point Guards or Quarterbacks who are running game plays from the play book. This is why I proposed having the Warlord having a list of 'prepared maneuvers' similarly equal to their Intelligence plus their Warlord Level. I would suggest Intelligence over Charisma, since that would emphasize the tactical nature of the maneuvers. A number of their maneuvers or sub-classes, however, would work off of Charisma. Would that make them MAD? Not necessarily anymore MAD than the Battle Master, which has a number of maneuvers linked to Strength, Wisdom, and Charisma. A more 'inspiring' Warlord would thereby be more inclined to invest their stronger stat in Charisma over Intelligence and pick Charisma-based maneuvers. That in itself would thereby help distinguish a Cha-based Warlord from an Int-based Warlord. The Int-based Warlord knows more tactical maneuvers, while the Cha-based Warlord knows less maneuvers, but has a more 'inspiring/commanding presence.' Other sub-classes may even work off of Charisma, which provide further rewards for the Cha-based Warlord or the Int-based Warlord. This was essentially how many of the 4e powers worked anyways. The tactical Warlord picked Int powers, while the inspiring Warlord picked Cha powers. Aside: There was a reason why I proposed the known/prepared mechanic. The maneuvering precursors to both the Warlord and Battle Master - the Warblade/Crusader/Sword Sage (Book of Nine Swords) - also used a known/prepared maneuver mechanic. Each of these classes featured a column for known maneuvers and a separate one for the maneuvers prepared in a given day (as well as one for stances known). I'm inclined to think that we need to look beyond simply the 4e Warlord for determining the shape of the 5e Warlord. IMHO, it should also look back to the 3e Warblade (and its disciplines), the 3e Marshal, and other 1e-3e classes that effectively provided 'martial support.' Brainstorming: This also makes me wonder whether 'stances' could effectively be the 'cantrips' used by Warlords. I.e., a Warlord adopts a 'stance' that provides small combat bonuses/buffs that could be changed mid-combat and that also supplement their maneuvers. Unlike maneuvers, the Warlord may be limited by their list of known stances. Stances may even require 'concentration' to maintain. Or there could be a small list of 'known' cantrip-like maneuvers that the Warlord could use without expending whatever their maneuvers per short/long rest mechanic may be. Again, just brainstorming here. Re: Superiority Dice: Regardless of one's feelings about whether the Warlord should have 'superiority dice,' it is necessary to talk about 'superiority dice' when discussing a hypothetical Warlord. People view the BM Fighter as the 'spiritual successor' of the Warlord while others see the BM Fighter as "a lesser Warlord in a Fighter's body" and the core basis for a Warlord class, and 'superiority dice' are part of that BM Fighter package. I tend to agree, however, with both you and Tony Vargas on this issue. I have little desire to take the BM Fighter's 'superiority dice' mechanic, as it seems oriented primarily towards DPR. In many ways, 'superiority dice' are akin to the Warlock's pact casting: it effectively casts their limited 'casting mechanic' at its highest level. (And then recharges their 'spells' on a short or long rest.) I do see the BM Fighter's combat maneuvers, or at least a small subset thereof, as a meaningful starting point for the Warlord. The challenge, however, will be in determining what that mechanic for triggering/limiting Warlord maneuvers would be, since the BM Fighter's maneuvers are triggered, limited, and powered by 'superiority dice.'</blockquote>

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