D&D 5E Why is There No Warlord Equivalent in 5E?

[Mirrorrorrim]

One of the things I didn't like about the narrative aspect of the Warlord/Commander class was the inherent idea that your class made you the Leader of the team and you shouted at them, bossing them around. I saw lots of people role-playing drill sergeants. Subservient soldiers may take orders, but commanding other heroes and non-soldiers to do as you say? Go ahead. Roleplay that. Allied peers who are heroes of their own stories don't often like being told what to do. Backseat driver much?

That said, imagine a Feat that 1/round allowed you to give 1 member of your group Inspiration/Heroic Advantage on their next attack roll IF you hit with your own attack. And if your attack was a crit, it gives that Inspiration/Heroic Advantage to up to 5 allies instead. (Of course, it wouldn't stack if they already had Inspiration/Heroic Advantage.)

Such a feat would allow ANY combatant to take on one of the core functions of a Warlord, rather than limit it to one class. And it isn't bossy.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

why do we need half the classes? sorcerer and warlock? we've got wizard! get rid of em! bard? just give a rogue a musical instrument! druid? nah, nature cleric's right there! just throw them all in the trash, our classes don't need nuance or distinct playstyles, get rid of all the spells and feats too we don't need all those rules cluttering up the place.

Yeah. I stop if you are discussing on this level.

I just say, that since many people said, the fighter is so universal that it lacks identity, giving all warlord abilities to them gives them that. Heck, call them warlord if you want. I really don't care. But don't make a class with a sword that is just ornamental.

 

[Minigiant]

im sure we could trim out enough spells for three pages of space for the warlord, and the game would probably be better for them being gone.

Trim out 3 whole pages?

Never gonna happen.

 

[Minigiant]

One of the things I didn't like about the narrative aspect of the Warlord/Commander class was the inherent idea that your class made you the Leader of the team and you shouted at them, bossing them around. I saw lots of people role-playing drill sergeants. Subservient soldiers may take orders, but commanding other heroes and non-soldiers to do as you say? Go ahead. Roleplay that. Allied peers who are heroes of their own stories don't often like being told what to do. Backseat driver much?

This is usually an error in imagery.

In media, The Warlord is often the Brains, the Heart, the Mascot, or the Crazy. These archetypes are rarely the groups leader.

 

[Undrave]

im sure we could trim out enough spells for three pages of space for the warlord, and the game would probably be better for them being gone.

Don't forget some of the EIGHT WIZARDS SUBCLASSES.

You say toe-MAY-toe...

Paragon Path kick in at a precise level and usually have much MUCH simple prerequisite than a Prestige Class and usually have three features and three powers and fit on one page. Fairly concise package that would be less intimidating than some Prestige Classes could be.

 

[Reynard]

Don't forget some of the EIGHT WIZARDS SUBCLASSES.


Paragon Path kick in at a precise level and usually have much MUCH simple prerequisite than a Prestige Class and usually have three features and three powers and fit on one page. Fairly concise package that would be less intimidating than some Prestige Classes could be.

The best prestige classes were 5 level prestige classes that weren't necessarily designed for you to take all 5 in a row.

 

[TwoSix]

The best prestige classes were 5 level prestige classes that weren't necessarily designed for you to take all 5 in a row.

Base classes that weren't 20 levels, and prestige classes with staggered level requirements (you could take PrC 1 at level 5, but can't take PrC 2 until level 8, frex) were design spaces 3.5 and PF1 sadly left unexplored.

 

[Reynard]

Base classes that weren't 20 levels, and prestige classes with staggered level requirements (you could take PrC 1 at level 5, but can't take PrC 2 until level 8, frex) were design spaces 3.5 and PF1 sadly left unexplored.

We built a bunch of setting specific ones, some just 3 levels. It's a really great design space that would be much better for 5E than endless subclasses no one can play unless they start a new character every time they want to try something.

 

[Undrave]

One of the things I didn't like about the narrative aspect of the Warlord/Commander class was the inherent idea that your class made you the Leader of the team and you shouted at them, bossing them around. I saw lots of people role-playing drill sergeants. Subservient soldiers may take orders, but commanding other heroes and non-soldiers to do as you say? Go ahead. Roleplay that. Allied peers who are heroes of their own stories don't often like being told what to do. Backseat driver much?

That's just people taking 'leader' too seriously. They were more a sage adviser or a cheerleader.

 

[Undrave]

Base classes that weren't 20 levels, and prestige classes with staggered level requirements (you could take PrC 1 at level 5, but can't take PrC 2 until level 8, frex) were design spaces 3.5 and PF1 sadly left unexplored.

I feel like that's not something you can just slap onto a system after the fact?