Who Are the Generals in D&D?

[Chrisling]

In another thread, one of the guys was talking about a character idea he had and, tangentially to that, he mentioned something that's gotten under my skin a bit, too: who are the generals in D&D? Who is it sitting on a horse on the hill telling everyone where to go and what to do to win big fights?

Since there is no skill for it, and I don't really care to suggest adding skills to the game in the first place, I suspect if it came up I'd base a particular character's skill at running battles on base attack bonus, plus either Int or Wis in planning battles and Cha is executing them on the field.

Anyone else have ideas?

 

[Crothian]

The Generals are the ones with 10 levels of War MAster Prestige Class from S&F.

 

[Darkness]

The Generals are the ones with 10 levels of War MAster Prestige Class from S&F.

Or Warrior/Experts with Knowledge (War) - from S&F - and Skill Focus in it.

Most of them are probably Aristocrats, too... (As their first class, of course.)

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

The Generals are the ones with 10 levels of War MAster Prestige Class from S&F.

No dice. We've been specifically told that ONLY the Core Books are necessary to run a game.

So, I'm not letting them off that easy

To get to the question... How do you make generals?

Unlike Chrisling, I think a skill makes sense here, the Knowledge skill.

So who are your Generals? Fighters who've been taking Knowledge: Tactics & Knowledge: Military History as cross-class skills? The Educated feat (again we're getting outside the core books) could ease this somewhat, but still, at 2+int mod per level, they better have 18 intelligence if they want to have any other skills.

So, how do people handle this? Or do you even bother?

 

[Chrisling]

I'm of a mind with Canis about keeping it with core books.

I'd let a person with Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) or something similar get a +2 synergy bonus to their BAB to fight battles.

 

[Crothian]

Okay, core books. Profession General, Knowledge Combat and Tactics, Arristicat/expert with a few level of fighter would make the most sense.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Okay, core books. Profession General, Knowledge Combat and Tactics, Arristicat/expert with a few level of fighter would make the most sense.

Aristocrat makes sense for some cultures. But what about paladins? Paladins are based on a form of knight, and knights often became generals. But there's no way in the Nine Hells a paladin's got access to the skills we're talking about.

 

[Crothian]

Aristocrat makes sense for some cultures. But what about paladins? Paladins are based on a form of knight, and knights often became generals. But there's no way in the Nine Hells a paladin's got access to the skills we're talking about.

Okay, Paladin/Expert. Or a high level Paladin. They knoiwledge skills are cross class, but you can still use them. Or you can alter the class skills of the Paladin. That is suggested in the DMG to help fit character concepts.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

...Or you can alter the class skills of the Paladin. That is suggested in the DMG to help fit character concepts.

D'OH. That's grotesquely obvious.

I need to play with people who remember there's flexibility in the system. The rules-mania of my last group is starting to rub off on me.

I still think it should be possible for a PC fighter to become a general. And even if you tweak their class skills, it's going to be tough for someone with so few skill points to do this effectively.

I know there were a few people here working on large-scale combat. I'm assuming you guys addressed this. If so, are any of you getting published soon?

 

[Crothian]

I still think it should be possible for a PC fighter to become a general. And even if you tweak their class skills, it's going to be tough for someone with so few skill points to do this effectively.

Well, someone who becomes a general is going to have a greater then average Int. So, he will get bonus skill points. Also, a General will place his skill points into Knowledge tactics and not climb. They don't need that many skills to be a General. Also, with all the bonus fighter feats, that leaves them room to take skill focus as a reguliar feat.