Wanting to get away from that, I tried going back on what a fighter is, at it's core, and what he becomes when he's not the ultimate weapon-master but instead a leader of men.
The following is the first draft of, I feel, a more of more historical Warlord concept, as a leader of mercenary bands and the like.
Edited
- (02/18/2014) Clarified proficiency for Personal Retinue
- Corrected a mistake in All around Defense (Infantry) Tactic
Path of the Warlord
(Fighter sub-class, level 3)
Warlord Features
- (3) Personal Retinue
- (5) Simple Tactics
- (9) Specialized Troops
- (12) Leader of Men
- (15) Advanced Tactics
- (19) Master of Armies
(3) PERSONAL RETINUE
As a Warlord, you can find the men with potential for greatness, train them and make sure that they perform in battle, at your side, and under your command.
- Your Personal Retinue consists of a number of men up to your Proficiency Bonus. These can be hired and replaced in any city or village you find yourself in for at least a day. They can be of any race and gender available and are modified according to the Races rules. The GM can limit the availability of some races, depending on your current location.
- Each member of your personal retinue has a Base Type: Infantry Solider or Artillery Soldier. There are different specialization for each Base Type, available at different level range. You can choose the Base Type and Specialization when you hire them.
- Each member of your personal retinue has a monthly expenditure cost that must be paid, in full, at the beginning of every month. Unpaid men will remain under your command up to a number of months equal to your CHA modifier, but will expect back pay as soon as able. This cost is 5 gp per Hit Dice, Per Month, per Member of the retinue.
- Members of your personal retinue can be ordered around by you but the GM controls their behavior, feelings, reactions to what is happening and the like. In combat, you can control them fully in regards to their Move and Actions.
- Members of your personal retinue will use their salary to replace equipment and handle their daily life as they see fit, unless ordered otherwise. You can decided to upgrade their equipment as you wish (and at your own expenses), though for their Specialization to work, you must stay within the base concepts of each and therefore keep their Specialized Gear.
- Every time you reach an even level (4, 6, 8, etc), members of your personal retinue will also gain a level. They otherwise have no special classes but their Base Type, nor any special abilities but the ones listed here.
- Once members of your personal retinue reach level 3 and every 3 level afterwards, you can distribute 1 bonus attribute points to them, as you gain a level, or as you hire them.
Infantry Soldier - Shield-Bearer
Armor Class 13 (15 w/ Shield)
Hit Dice 1/2 your current Hit Dice, rounded down
Hit Points d6+1 per Hit Dice
STR(12/1) DEX (10/0) CON(12/1)
INT(10/0) WIS(10/0) CHA(10/0)
Skills Athletics
Proficiency Simple weapons, Up to Medium Armor, Shields
Specialized Gear Shield
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Studded Leather, Weapon (Mace or Hand-axe)
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Studded Leather, Weapon (Mace or Hand-axe)
Artillery Soldier - Crossbowman
Armor Class 12
Hit Dice 1/2 your current Hit Dice, rounded down
Hit Points d6+1 per Hit Dice
STR(10/0) DEX (12/1) CON(12/1)
INT(10/0) WIS(10/0) CHA(10/0)
Skills Athletics
Proficiency Simple weapons, Light Armor
Specialized Gear Light Crossbow
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Leather Armor, Weapon (Mace or Hand-axe)
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Leather Armor, Weapon (Mace or Hand-axe)
(5) SIMPLE TACTICS
At level 5, as a Warlord, you can order your troops around during battle, granting them abilities via special tactics that you put in play. Using a Tactic is an Action and requires you to be able to take an Action and Speak in a language they understand.
If you declare one of the following Actions, you can use a Tactic as part of that Action: Charge, Coup de Grâce, Dodge, Disengage, Help, Hinder, Use an Item.
To be affected, members of your personal retinue must be within 60' of you, able to hear you and able to take Actions.
- All around Defense (Infantry) Designate one friendly creature for each Infantry Soldier affected by your Tactic. This creature gains +1 AC until the beginning of your next turn as long as it remains within 5' of his designated Infantry Soldier.
- Volley Fire (Artillery) Until the beginning of your nex turn, All Artillery Soldiers under your command, able to take Actions, gain Advantage on he's next Ranged Attack but cannot use a Move Action during his turn.
- Shield Wall (Shield-Bearer) Until the beginning of your next turn, Shield-Bearers gain +1 cumulative bonus to Armor Class, to a maximum of +3, for each friendly Shield Bear that is within 5' and able to perform the Shield Wall tactic.
- Supporting Fire (Crossbowman) Designate one friendly Crossbowman and one target. This crossbowman can make an immediate Ranged Attack against the designated target as a Reaction. If the Crossbowman's Ranged Attack hit, this target cannot take Opportunity Attacks until the beginning of your next turn.
(9) SPECIALIZED TROOPSAt level 9, your own experience allows for a better training of your personal retinue and specialization.
For each members of your personal retinue, you can choose a different specialization if you want to, according to it's Base Type. This can usually only be done in cities or where basic equipment are available.
Infantry Soldier - Halberdier
Armor Class 14
Hit Dice 1/2 your current Hit Dice, rounded down
Hit Points d6+1 per Hit Dice
STR(12/1) DEX (10/0) CON(12/1)
INT(10/0) WIS(10/0) CHA(10/0)
Skills Athletics
Proficiency Simple weapons, Halberd, Up to Heavy Armor
Specialized Gear Halberd
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Ring Mail, Dagger
Infantry Soldier - Skirmisher
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Ring Mail, Dagger
Infantry Soldier - Skirmisher
Armor Class 14
Hit Dice 1/2 your current Hit Dice, rounded down
Hit Points d6+1 per Hit Dice
STR(10/0) DEX (12/1) CON(12/1)
INT(10/0) WIS(10/0) CHA(10/0)
Skills Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth
Proficiency Simple weapons, Short Sword, Up to Medium Armor
Artillery Soldier - Scout
Hit Dice 1/2 your current Hit Dice, rounded down
Hit Points d6+1 per Hit Dice
STR(10/0) DEX (12/1) CON(12/1)
INT(10/0) WIS(10/0) CHA(10/0)
Skills Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth
Proficiency Simple weapons, Short Sword, Up to Medium Armor
Specialized Gear Two Light weapons (Short Swords)
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Studded Leather, 10 darts
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Studded Leather, 10 darts
Artillery Soldier - Scout
Armor Class 14
Hit Dice 1/2 your current Hit Dice, rounded down
Hit Points d6+1 per Hit Dice
STR(10/0) DEX (12/1) CON(12/1)
INT(10/0) WIS(10/0) CHA(10/0)
Skills Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth
Proficiency Simple weapons, Longbow, Up to Medium Armor
You also gain the following Tactics:
Hit Dice 1/2 your current Hit Dice, rounded down
Hit Points d6+1 per Hit Dice
STR(10/0) DEX (12/1) CON(12/1)
INT(10/0) WIS(10/0) CHA(10/0)
Skills Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth
Proficiency Simple weapons, Longbow, Up to Medium Armor
Specialized Gear Longbow
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Studded Leather, Dagger
Equipment
Adventuring kit, Studded Leather, Dagger
You also gain the following Tactics:
- Flanking Maneuver (Skirmisher) Until the beginning of your next turn, Skirmishers gain +1 cumulative bonus to Hit, to a maximum of +3, for each friendly creature that is within 5' of the target.
- Take Aim (Scout) Designate a Scout that can be affected by your Take Aim tactic. This Scout gains Advantage to it's Ranged Attacks and ignores any Half or Three-Quarter cover until the beginning of your next turn.
- Brace (Halberdier) Until the beginning of your next turn, Each Halberdier affected by your Brace tactic gain the Reaction: Brace, that can be used against any creature that moves into a 10' radius of the Halberdier, granting them an immediate Attack against it, with Advantage. On hit, the creature must stop moving for the rest of the turn.
(12) LEADER OF MEN (TODO)
Most likely something that allows the Warlord to assign Types/Specialization to other PCs so they are included when using tactics.
(15) ADVANCED TACTICS (TODO)
Probably more extra available Reactions here, maybe Saving Throw stuff as well.
(19) MASTER OF ARMIES (TODO)
Thinking of keeping this for some kind of Warfare rules that might come in future D&D Next rules.
Anyway, lots to do still, but you get the idea. I'll do update posts as I test it out and come back to it.
Based on what they wrote recently about Bards, I expect the War College Bard to be closer to the healer parts of the 4e warlord (via magic), and the military tactics similar to what you came up with here. Good stuff. It's just too stupid to make a fighter subclass who gets both full attacks and really good healing, with tactical / action economy benefits as the cherry on top. Much better to give them some benefit on their team's use of hit dice, or perhaps a first aid proficiency. (which needs to be substantially weaker than magical healing, and not useable at range, ever).
ReplyDeleteYea, not sure where they'll take the various sub-classes but that sounds right.
DeleteThe idea I was trying to pursue was instead of just adding stuff to the fighter himself and just make him a "buffer, support" (of which there are many already), fully embrace the Warlord aspect (as in, Leader of Men) and use this Retinue idea to expand his options.
It's a lot more convoluted than usual sub-classes though, less mechanical than what you'd usually find, but I liked the idea so went with it. Haven't tried it yet in an actual campaign however.