Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lord Twig" data-source="post: 6824022" data-attributes="member: 31754">I would like to point out that the problem with the Warlord is not a mechanical issue, nor is it one of player agency. It is purely thematic.Mechanics are pretty easy to balance, or at least strait forward enough.Player agency also is not much of a problem. In my experience players are usually consulted before buffs are placed on them. "Did you want a  Haste spell? Yes? Okay, I cast Haste on you." After a while it might become standard practice. "The fight has started, so I will cast Haste on the Barbarian as usual." No need to ask since it is expected. The same would be done with Warlord abilities I'm sure.The problem is the inspirational nature of the Warlord's powers.Consider the example of the Lawful Good Paladin of Bahamut working with a Cleric of Wee Jas. First they are going to need a good reason for working together, but we'll assume they have a common goal. Maybe the partnership is temporary. If the Paladin casts Bless there really is no problem with the Cleric accepting it. All he is doing is channeling his god's power to make a magical effect. Likewise if the Cleric cast Bless on the Paladin. It doesn't require the target to have any particular feeling towards the caster or his god. He could actively hate the caster and the spell would still work.There really isn't such a thing as "pagan" gods in D&D. A Bahamut worshiper has no doubt that Wee Jas and dozens of other gods and goddesses exist. He might even respect some of the others. He has just decided to revere Bahamut above all of the other deities out there. The only thing required of the target is to accept that magic exists (it does) and to accept the spell being cast on him. He doesn't have to like, respect, or fear the caster or have his emotions manipulated in any way for the effect to be gained.The Warlord is different. In order for his powers to work the target must be inspired by the Warlord or motivated in some other way. So the target the target must like, respect, or fear the Warlord or have his emotions manipulated somehow. So if I don't really know the Warlord (Maybe we just met), he is not my commander or leader, I don't respect him (Remember we just met?), I don't fear him (I'm a tough adventurer! I fear no man!), that leaves emotion manipulation (Do I get a save against that?). I don't know about you, but I don't appreciate being manipulated.So the problem is distasteful fluff to explain how the Warlord's abilities work.</blockquote>

Verification