Warlord

[F4NBOY]

Could the warlord be close to the Iron Heroes' Hunter?
The hunter has a lot of tactical abilites that enhances other players actions throughout the combat.
The name hunter is not that good, he is more lika a captain.

 

[Pyrex]

I could see it a combo of Knight, Marshal, Bard, Dragon Shaman, etc. A charismatic leader-type with a good set of fighting abilities.

cheers,
--N

Don't forget Paladin.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

My prediction -- given he's been tied to the "leader" role -- is that the "leader" role character is the one who is essential to keeping the group going, and has the most abilities that improve the group as a whole. The leader will have the ability to fill secondary roles, though not as effectively, but in supporting the reast of the party he'll be unmatched.

So if you look at today's cleric: he's a decent fighter, but not the best; he's a decent defender, but not the best; he's got some blasting/controlling magic, but not the best; he's got spells that mimic some skills (but not ideal); he's best at providing for the entire group: healing, buffs, turning undead.

So my prediction is that leader types will have abilities that benefit the whole group while having second-line abilities in otheer areas. The cleric will accomplish that through his deity, spells, and turning undead (or equivalent mechanic). The warlord will have something like an inspriting presence, auras that might boost group saves or ability scores (killed bard, took some stuff), or perhaps something like the knight's challenge ability.

The cleric will be primarily magic-based where the warlord will have inherent (possibly non-magical) abilities, so you'll have two classes that fill the same role but have distinctly different flavor.

 

[Cadfan]

My hope, my sincere hope, my desparate hope that I hope WOTC reads and incorporates, is that if the Warlord is designed to be a sort of leader archetype, he has abilities which require ACTIVE USE.

TOO LONG have we had "leader" characters in D&D who are chronically incapable of leading because all of their abilities are just passive bonuses. No one listens to them because what you really need them for is standing around and shutting up.

 

[Kaodi]

Now that we have a warlord base class, all we need is a new Birthright.

 

[Korgoth]

Shouldn't you have to take levels in "Warrior" and "War Boss" before you can be a "Warlord"? I mean, you should at least have to be lord of something.

"Hi, I'm Wesley the Warlord."
"Oh, where's your army?"
"I don't have one."
"Then where is your regiment?"
"I don't have one of those, either."
"Ah. Your brigade?"
"Nope."
"Then your battalion?"
"No."
"Your company?"
"Haven't got one."
"Your raiding party, then?"
"Also no."
"Then how do you propose to wage war?"
"Well, I suppose I'm still building up to that."
"I see. So what're you lord of, then?"
"I'm sorry?"
"You said you're a warlord. But you don't wage wars. So over what do you lord it?"
"Well, I suppose I'm not technically a lord."
"So you're a general, then?"
"No."
"A captain?"
"Afraid not."
"A member of any military organization whatsoever?"
"Not exactly."
"Not exactly?"
"Well, not at all, then."
"So then you're a landholder?"
"No."
"A mayor or burgomaster perhaps?"
"No and no."
"Do you have any title, then?"
"Peasant."
"Peasant? How on Earth can a Peasant be a Warlord?"
"Listen you, I'll pick my job title and you pick yours, alright?"

 

[drothgery]

Shouldn't you have to take levels in "Warrior" and "War Boss" before you can be a "Warlord"? I mean, you should at least have to be lord of something.

Let's just hope that Warlord is, in fact, a 4e PH1 core class, arguments about this won't devolve as much as ones on the WotC's Star Wars boards about 'Jedi' did for the first month or two after Saga. (Quick synopsis -- the Jedi base class is for any force-sensitive guy with a lightsaber, member of the Jedi Order or not; because of the way the Force mechanics work, it's possible for members of the Jedi Order to have no levels in the Jedi class -- there have been various posters who quite vehement that this either wasn't the case or shouldn't be, despite the developers of the game chiming in).