D&D 5E Support oriented Fighting Styles

[Xeviat]

Hi everyone. I'm rather late to the party, but I finally started watching Mike Mearls's "Happy Fun Hour". It's a great series on YouTube to get insight into the early stages of the design process. In a set of episodes, he worked on a Warlord as a Fighter subclass (and incidentally, talked about why we didn't get a Warlord full class: because they couldn't imagine making a dozen subclasses for it, which I now agree with). One part of his steps on the design was mentioning that it was a shame the Fighter had to wait till 3rd level to get their subclass, as it made it so a Warlord Fighter would be "just a regular fighter" until 3rd level. He mentions that Fighting Style could offer an opportunity to give the 1st level Fighter a more leader/support focus.

Then he doesn't end up talking about it.

Now, we've seen in the recent UA article some new fighting styles. Most of them were offense oriented (striker role!), but we did get one defense oriented one (that I like more than the Protection style in the PHB), and some basically non-combative cantrip ones. What we haven't gotten was a support/leader oriented fighting style. But what could one be?

The first idea that comes to mind is this:

Lead the Attack
When you make an attack against a target on your turn, your allies gain a +1 bonus to attack until the start of your next turn.

I'm not 100% sold on it, but if bless's +1d4 doesn't bog down the game, then I don't think a +1 to hit bonus will.

What do you think? What are your ideas?

 

[Garthanos]

Lead the Attack
When you make an attack against a target on your turn, your allies gain a +1 bonus to attack until the start of your next turn.

I basically thought of the same exact one and the affects all allies part is the right flavor for a Warlord.
That said I did consider one that affected only the next attack including your own but that one was Int or Wis bonus damage? Bigger number being more noticeable just like the d4 die is more noticeable

That he didnt follow through is almost as annoying as the decided lack of imagination with regards to possible types of Warlord.

 

[Xeviat]

I basically thought of the same exact one and the affects all allies part is the right flavor for a Warlord.
That said I did consider one that affected only the next attack including your own but that one was Int or Wis bonus damage? Bigger number being more noticeable just like the d4 die is more noticeable

That he didnt follow through is almost as annoying as the decided lack of imagination with regards to possible types of Warlord.

I only didn't want to do something with like +Int to something because it would be unbalanced compared to the other fighting styles. Remember, we have +2 damage (duelist), +Stat damage (two-weapon), and +1.33 damage (great weapon) ... wait a minute. Two-Weapon gives +Stat to damage, and it's your prime stat. So +Int to an ally's damage wouldn't be unbalanced, if it only applied to their next attack.

As for lack of imagination with regards to possible warlords ... which would you make? Just copying the 4E, we'd have Tactical, Inspiring, Insightful, Brave, and Artillery?

 

[Garthanos]

I only didn't want to do something with like +Int to something because it would be unbalanced compared to the other fighting styles. Remember, we have +2 damage (duelist), +Stat damage (two-weapon), and +1.33 damage (great weapon) ... wait a minute. Two-Weapon gives +Stat to damage, and it's your prime stat. So +Int to an ally's damage wouldn't be unbalanced, if it only applied to their next attack.

Yes only one next attack whoever makes it... Int or Wis (though wis is a strong save) are not even primes so much more possible than it first looks. (heck it could be next two attacks without being imbalanced)

@Tony Vargas made a post which included a good number of examples not very long ago.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I basically thought of the same exact one and the affects all allies part is the right flavor for a Warlord.
That said I did consider one that affected only the next attack including your own but that one was Int or Wis bonus damage? Bigger number being more noticeable just like the d4 die is more noticeable

5e scales damage more than attack, so you could add any 'more noticeable numbers' there.

That he didnt follow through is almost as annoying as the decided lack of imagination with regards to possible types of Warlord.

Lack of imagination would be failing to come up with a 9th potential warlord sub-class after the Inspiring, Tactical, Bravura, Resourceful, Skirmishing, Insightful, Archery, and "Lazy" versions we already had in 4e. Y'know, like wrecan's Hector, which would no longer need be held back to avoid stepping on the controller role.

 

[Garthanos]

The sad bit is that the Warlord could be going further and doing more than it did in 4e, and yes I rather like the Happy Fun Hour idea. There might be more doable with a base class and some seem certain of it but I do have a bit of nostalgia for the the tactical/strategic Warrior being the Fighter as given a nod to by 2e. And Mearles Happy Fun Hour implementation I certainly would like to see fully finished even if a specialist class was done for say Birthright campaign book I am not holding breath.

 

[Garthanos]

5e scales damage more than attack, so you could add any 'more noticeable numbers' there.

Lack of imagination would be failing to come up with a 9th potential warlord sub-class after the Inspiring, Tactical, Bravura, Resourceful, Skirmishing, Insightful, Archery, and "Lazy" versions we already had in 4e. Y'know, like wrecan's Hector, which would no longer need be held back the need to avoid stepping on the controller role.

Its 5e D&D how about a Mage Lord... with a minor specializes in support of magical archetypes.

Perhaps a Berserker Lord who was able to drive his allies into a group psychosis at one point

These subclasses are so narrow really they are pretty much just a build.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Its 5e D&D how about a Mage Lord... with a minor specializes in support of magical archetypes.

A faux-MC warlord/wizard. As legit as an EK or AT

Perhaps a Berserker Lord who was able to drive his allies into a group psychosis at one point.

Thaneborn, sure.

 

[Garthanos]

Thaneborn, sure.

Its been a huge amount of time but I seem to recall the very intelligent martial type and bearer of the Sword of Truth had some sort of bloodline gift associated with that make a whole squad of followers berserk. (not even thinking it related to the sword as much as him personally) but my memory is fuzzy wuzzy and the excuse magic did it was readily available.

 

[Garthanos]

A faux-MC warlord/wizard. As legit as an EK or AT

Actually designed a hybrid mage warlord reflavor the Warlord moves as using magic too... is actually pretty interesting.