Class: Warlord

The Warlord
						Maneuvers
Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Maneuvers Readied	Maneuvers Known	Max Maneuver Level
1	+0	+1	+1	+1	Born Leader, Command Bonus (+2), Presence	3	2	1st
2	+1	+2	+2	+2		3	3	1st
3	+2	+2	+2	+2		4	4	2nd
4	+3	+2	+2	+2	Always Prepared	4	5	2nd
5	+3	+3	+3	+3	Command Bonus (+4)	5	6	3rd
6	+4	+3	+3	+3	Leadership	5	7	3rd
7	+5	+4	+4	+4		6	8	4th
8	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4	Tactical Assistance	6	9	4th
9	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4		7	10	5th
10	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Warlord Talent, Command Bonus (+6)	7	11	5th
11	+8/+3	+5	+5	+5		8	12	6th
12	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Warlord Talent	8	13	6th
13	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6		9	14	7th
14	+10/+5	+6	+6	+6	Warlord Talent	9	15	7th
15	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+7	Command Bonus (+8)	10	16	8th
16	+12/+7/+2	+7	+7	+7	Warlord Talent	10	17	8th
17	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+8		11	18	9th
18	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+8	Warlord Talent	11	19	9th
19	+14/+9/+4	+8	+8	+8		12	20	9th
20	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+9	Warlord Talent, Command Bonus (+10)	12	21	9th

 

Warlord

Agrias, iconic warlord

"Heed my words, and know victory!"

Trinity has, many times in its history, known war. And though the presence of powerful individuals often tips the scales of balance, the actions of those select groups are often made possible by the actions of armies, whose purpose in this world is not to be the primary force, but the secondary: an alternative should those with significant personal power fail in their endeavors.

In the course of warfare as it is known in Trinity, tactics and stratagems were slow to come to the fore, progress made in fits and spurts by individuals who saw opportunity in taking command of troops in mass combat. Those strategies, it was later found, were equally applicable to those small elite forces: warlords became known as force multipliers, whether on the field of battle or in the depths of dungeons, whether they commanded a thousand men or directed the actions of a select few.

Warlords forgo the specialization in equipment that most other combat-oriented classes acquire; instead, they specialize on learning how to identify openings, how to direct others, and how to improve morale. Warlords learn the basics of weapons and armor, and are able to hold their own against most others, but their martial training falls short of those more focused on taking direct action themselves. Thus, while it is not uncommon for warlords to lead the charge, most take on a support role, leading from the rear and giving direction without getting directly involved themselves.

There are many styles of leadership, and different warlords take advantage of different schools of thought. Exposure to new strategies and different sorts of engagements encourages budding warlords to study other tactics, as well, giving them increasing versatility on the battlefield.

Game Rule Information

Warlords have the following game statistics.

Force Alignment: None.

Force Resistances: None.

Abilities: Intelligence and Charisma are most important for warlords, though some who lead from the front of the fight may also want to focus on Strength and Constitution.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills: The warlord's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Martial Lore (Int), Presence (Cha), Reason (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Per), Swim (Str), and Vitality (Con).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Age: Simple.

Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10gp.

Favored By: None.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the warlord.

Proficiencies

A warlord is proficient with all simple weapons, a number of martial weapons equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier, and light and medium armor. She is proficient with bucklers and light shields, but not heavy shields or tower shields.

Presence

Warlords come from a variety of different backgrounds, with diverse schools of thought regarding battlefield tactics. Often these differing styles have a very strong impact on how a given warlord approaches combat, especially in how they comport themselves on the field of battle: thus, these are referred to as presences.

Each presence has a number of effects: you automatically learn a 1st-level warlord maneuver (this maneuver does not count against your maneuvers known), which can be readied additional times; you gain a presence ability modifier, which is used for some of your maneuvers; you gain bonus class skills; and may have effects on some maneuvers.

 

Warlord Presences
Presence	Ability	Class Skill	Description	Base Maneuver
Bravura	Str	Brawn (Str)	You lead through a combination of daring attacks and aggressive tactics.	inevitable wave
Insightful	Per	Search (Per)	You lead through careful observation and a knack for predicting your enemies' actions.	brash assault
Inspiring	Cha	Perform (Cha)	You lead by exhortation, encouragement, and inspiration.	inspiring word
Resourceful	Con	Survival (Wis)	You adapt to the mistakes and openings your enemies provide and endeavor to create opportunities.	opening shove
Skirmishing	Dex	Tumble (Dex)	You help allies by sharpening their timing, directing their maneuvers, and pointing out targets.	paint the bullseye
Tactical	Int	Bluff (Cha)	Your leadership takes the form of quick commands, cunning strategies, and tactical superiority.	wolf pack tactics

 

When you ready your presence's base maneuver, you can place it an additional time on your strategy wheel (see below); at 10th level, you can place it two additional times (for a total of three). If you have multiple presences, this applies to all of your presences' base maneuvers.

At higher levels, you may have the opportunity to learn new presences; if you do, all their effects stack.

Your presence impacts your access to maneuvers: your presence ability score must be at least 10 + maneuver level in order to use a maneuver. If you have multiple presences, you can use any of your presence ability scores.

Maneuvers

A warlord is an initiator, and gains maneuvers as she progresses in her knowledge of the ways of war. Her initiator level is equal to her class level.

Warlords have access to a number of maneuver subtypes that are not used by other initiators, namely [Command] and [Tactic] maneuvers. These new descriptors are described below.

Unlike other initiators, who primarily focus on their own movements, warlords are concerned with the battlefield as a whole: themselves, their allies, and their foes. As such, warlords are trained to keep a keen eye, watching for any and all opportunities to put their knowledge to use. To represent this, warlord maneuvers are somewhat more random than other initiators - you cannot control the flow of battle, only react to it, and not all tactics will be usable all the time.

When you ready your maneuvers, you must build a strategy wheel, numbered 1 through 6. You assign your readied maneuvers as you see fit to each number, individually referred to as a strategy, on the wheel; in addition, your presence (see above) may impact your strategy wheel. If a maneuver you have readied is of a maneuver level lower than your highest maneuver level you can access, you can assign it to additional strategies on the wheel equal to the difference. A given maneuver cannot be assigned to the same strategy more than once.

At the beginning of your turn, all of your maneuvers become expended, and you roll a strategy die, which is 1d6. You recover all the maneuvers on your strategy wheel associated with the result.

As a full-round action, you can survey the battlefield, attempting to put together a strategy that will work in the moment. If you do, at the start of your next turn you instead roll two strategy dice, and recover maneuvers associated with both strategies (if a maneuver is listed on both strategies, it is only recovered once).

Some specific types of maneuver follow different rules regarding how they interact with the strategy wheel.

Maneuvers of the Tactic and Stance types are exceptions to this rule; these maneuvers do not go on the strategy wheel, are always available to you if readied, and cannot be expended. Command maneuvers also do not go on the strategy wheel, but can be expended; they are automatically recovered at the beginning of your turn.

Maneuvers with the Strategic descriptor interact uniquely with the strategy wheel. Strategic maneuvers are placed in strategies as normal. However, when you recover a strategy that contains a Strategic maneuver, that maneuver remains recovered until you expend it, at which point it is expended until you take a short rest, even if you roll a strategy on which that maneuver appears.

Example: Agrias is a 1st-level warlord, and as such she knows three maneuvers - two from the class table, and one from her presence, for which she has chosen inspiring, and so gains inspiring word as her presence maneuver. For her class maneuvers, she chooses commander's strike and rousing assault. On her first day adventuring, she builds her strategies: 1 - inspiring word; 2 - inspiring word; 3 - rousing assault 4 - none; 5 - none; 6 - none. Because commander's strike is a (command) maneuver, she does not have to put it on the strategy wheel; it is always available to her.

Born Leader

The warlord adds her Command Bonus (see below) to all Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks.

Command Bonus

Many of the warlord's abilities involve the granting of bonuses to other individuals through her understanding of tactics and strategy. As the warlord gains levels, her understanding of battle improves, and she can provide greater bonuses.

Her Command Bonus at first level is +2, and increases by +2 for every five warlord levels.

Some maneuvers call upon your Command Bonus for bonuses, while other maneuvers can temporarily modify your Command Bonus.

Always Prepared

At 4th level, the warlord adds her Command Bonus to her Initiative checks and checks made to avoid surprise.

Leadership

At 6th level, the warlord learns how to integrate new tactics into how those under her command function. This ability grants a number of bonuses.

First, the warlord gains a teamwork feat as a bonus feat (she must meet the prerequisites for this feat to select it).

As a standard action, the warlord and allies within 30 feet of her can share teamwork feats that they possess with each other, acting as if they all possessed the teamwork feat that they are sharing. The warlord can only share one teamwork feat at a time, either one of her own, or that one of her allies has access to, chosen at the time when she first activates this ability.

The warlord and allies retain the use of this feat so long as the warlord maintains it; doing so is a swift action. If the warlord becomes unconscious or otherwise unable to direct her allies, they lose the benefit of this ability.

Tactical Assistance

At 8th level, the warlord's gift for helping his allies in combat improves. The character may use the aid another action for any single ally within 30 feet of her position as a move action, and she grants her Command Bonus, rather than the normal bonus for aid another.

Warlord Talent

At 10th level, every two levels thereafter, the warlord's knowledge of the arts of war improves. Choose one of the abilities below.

• Art of War (Ex): You gain access to another presence, and gain all of its benefits. You can take this talent multiple times; each time you do, select a new presence.
• Daring Defense (Ex): Bold and reckless, you use your endless nerve to avoid dangers. The warlord may add her Charisma modifier in addition to her Dexterity modifier to determine her Reflex save bonus.
  • Evasion (Ex): The warlord gains evasion. (Prerequisites: Daring Defense)
• Force of Personality (Ex): Where others use personal serenity, awareness of the world around them, or plain old sensibility, the warlord gets by with endless nerve. The warlord may add her Charisma modifier in addition to her Wisdom modifier to determine her Will save bonus.
  • Mettle (Ex): The warlord gains mettle. (Prerequisites: Force of Personality)
• Improved Leadership (Ex): You can activate your leadership ability as a move action.
  • Expanded Leadership (Ex): When you use leadership, you can share an additional teamwork feat. If you share more than one teamwork feat, the action to activate leadership is a standard action. You can take this talent multiple times; its effect stacks. (Prerequisites: Improved Leadership)
• Tactical Mind (Ex): You can maintain an additional [Tactic] maneuver with the same swift action. You can take this talent multiple times; its effect stacks.
• Feat: A warlord may take a bonus feat in place of a warlord talent.

Maneuver List

The following is the warlord maneuver list.

1st-Level Warlord Maneuvers
Maneuver Name	Action	Type	Presence Bonus	Effect
Alarm	Move	Command		Awaken all allies; they can stand from prone as a free action.
Brash Assault	Standard	Strike	Insightful	Melee attack, luring your target to hit you back; if it does, an ally can attack it.
Commander's Strike	Standard	Command		Grant an ally a melee attack against a creature you both threaten, ally deals bonus damage.
Direct the Strike	Standard	Command		Grant an ally a ranged attack against a creature.
Furious Smash	Standard	Strike		Melee attack deals light damage; grants an ally bonuses to attack and damage against the target.
Inevitable Wave	Standard	Strike	Bravura	Melee attack; allies who charge the target deal extra damage.
Inspiring Word	Swift	Boost	Inspiring	Heal an ally for potency 2 damage, or grant temporary hit points.
Intuitive Strike	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; allies who have combat advantage against the target gain a bonus to attack rolls.
Opening Shove	Standard	Strike	Resourceful	Make an attack; if you hit, no damage, but push creature and a nearby ally can move or attack the target.
Paint the Bullseye	Standard	Strike	Skirmishing	Ranged attack; if you hit, allies deal extra damage to the target.
Risky Shot	Standard	Strike		Ranged attack that deals extra damage; you become flat-footed.
Rousing Assault	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; if you hit, your next healing ability increases in potency.
To Arms	Move	Command		All allies can ready a weapon as a free action.
Viper's Strike	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; if you hit, the target provokes opportunity attacks for any movement.
Wolf Pack Tactics	Standard	Strike	Tactical	Melee attack; before the attack, an ally adjacent to you or target can shift 5 feet.

 

2nd-Level Warlord Maneuvers
Maneuver Name	Action	Type	Presence Bonus	Effect
Coordinated Offensive	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; two nearby allies can move up to 5 feet.
Cunning Adjustment	Reaction	Boost		When you hit a creature, an ally can move and gains advantage against that creature.
Guarding Attack	Standard	Strike	Inspiring	Melee attack; if you hit, adjacent ally gains bonus to AC against that creature.
Hammer and Anvil	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; if you hit, ally can make a melee attack with bonus damage.
Hammer Formation	Standard	Strike	Resourceful	Melee attack; if you hit, allies deal bonus damage on next weapon attack.
Knight's Move	Move	Command		The target can move up to his speed as a free action.
Leaf on the Wind	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; if you hit, you or adjacent ally can swap places with target.
Luring Focus	Standard	Strike	Bravura	Melee attack; if you hit, pull another enemy towards you.
Nimble Footwork	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; if you hit, you can move 5 feet, and an ally can move 5 feet.
Pin Cushion	Standard	Strike		Ranged attack; you and allies gain bonus to ranged attacks against the target.
Powerful Warning	Reaction	Boost	Insightful	When ally is attacked, you grant bonus to AC and saving throws.
Provocative Order	Standard	Command		Ally can make a charge attack, deals bonus damage.
Race the Arrow	Standard	Strike	Skirmishing	Ranged attack; an ally can charge or attack the target.
Reposition	Move	Command		Allies within 60 feet can move 5 feet.
Shake It Off	Swift	Boost		One ally can make a save against a status ailment with a bonus.
Strategist's Invitation	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; if you hit, allies who hit the target can move, slide the target, or deal bonus damage.
Tactician's Favor	Standard	Strike	Tactical	Melee attack; if you hit, one ally gains bonus on attack rolls against the target.

 

3rd-Level Warlord Maneuvers
Maneuver Name	Action	Type	Presence Bonus	Effect
Adaptive Stratagem	Swift	Boost	Resourceful	Grant an ally a bonus to attack rolls or saving throws.
Aid the Injured	Standard	Boost		Heal a touched ally for potency 3 damage, or grant temporary hit points.
Battering Command	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; no damage, but knock the target prone, and ally can attack the target.
Create A Target	Standard	Strike [Strategic]		Melee attack; +1d6 damage, push the target, and forced movement grants allies attacks against it.
Deadly Distraction	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; +1d6 damage, the target cannot make opportunity attacks temporarily.
Forward Observer	Swift	Boost	Skirmishing	Allies ignore a designated creature's cover and concealment.
Hold the Line	Standard	Strike		Melee attack; deal +1d6 damage, nearby allies gain bonus to AC and are immune to forced movement.
Inspired Belligerence	Swift	Boost	Inspiring	An allies gain combat advantage against a creature who an ally has combat advantage against.
Leader's Instincts	Standard	Strike [Strategic]		Melee attack; +1d6 damage, and an ally can make an attack against the target.
No Gambit Is Wasted	Reaction	Strike		When an ally misses with a maneuver, make an attack against same target; if you hit, ally regains resources spent on maneuver.
Orchestrated Offensive	Standard	Strike [Strategic]		Melee attack; two allies can charge, make an attack, or shift up to their speed.
Pin the Foe	Standard	Strike [Strategic]		Melee attack; +1d6 damage; if two allies threaten the target, target is immobilized.
Reckless Opportunity	Swift	Boost	Bravura	An ally and a foe make opposed Initiative checks; the winner gains combat advantage against the loser.
Rub Some Dirt On It	Swift	Command		Grant a bloodied ally temporary hit points.
Shields Up	Swift	Boost	Insightful	Grant an ally protect.
Watch Your Back	Swift	Boost	Tactical	An ally cannot be flat-footed.

 

Design Notes

There is a little overlap between the warlord's maneuver list and the einhander's list, thus far. Not a lot, but enough to be... intriguing.

I imagine that, at some point, we may wind up also grabbing a maneuver or two off the defender's list: probably vigilance, maybe a couple other things that are specifically about allies.

Regarding new maneuver types... commands are basically boosts you use on other people, and tactics are basically stances that affect all your allies. Keeping up a stance isn't an action, but for warlords, keeping up a tactic is a swift action: they have to continue to evaluate the situation and update the battle plan, even if the overall strategy remains the same.

Old Stuff

1st-Level Warlord Maneuvers
Maneuver Name	Action	Type	Effect
Alarm	Move	Command	Awaken all allies; they can stand from prone as a free action.
Coordinated Defense	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to AC equal to your Command Bonus.
Coordinated Offense	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to attack rolls equal to your Command Bonus.
Hammer and Anvil	Standard	Strike	Make an attack, grant an ally an attack of opportunity against the same enemy.
Knight's Move	Move	Command	Grant an ally a move action.
Leaf on the Wind	Standard	Strike	Make an attack; if successful, you or adjacent ally swap places with target.
Paint the Target	Standard	Strike	Make an attack, all allies gain your Command Bonus on attack rolls against that creature.
Rallying Cry	Reaction	Command	Allies can immediately reroll a Will save against a [fear] effect.
To Arms	Move	Command	All allies can ready a weapon as a free action.

 

2nd-Level Warlord Maneuvers
Maneuver Name	Action	Type	Effect
Crushing Blow	Standard	Strike	Attack deals +1d6 damage, target is flat-footed.
Focus Attack	Move	Command	Allies' attacks against a designated creature deal bonus damage equal to your Command Bonus.
Hold the Line	Move	Command	Allies in a burst gain your Command Bonus to AC, cannot be moved.
Inspire Fortitude	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to Fortitude saves equal to your Command Bonus.
Inspire Reflex	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to Reflex saves equal to your Command Bonus.
Inspire Will	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to Will saves equal to your Command Bonus.
Pincer Strike	Standard	Strike	Attack deals +1d6 damage, target is immobilized so long as adjacent to at least two allies.
Reposition	Standard	Command	All allies can take a 5-foot step immediately.
Tactician	Standard	Tactic	Grant you and allies a teamwork feat temporarily.
Watch and Ready	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain bonus to Initiative checks equal to your Command Bonus.

 

3rd-Level Warlord Maneuvers
Maneuver Name	Action	Type	Effect
Aerial Commander	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to Fly checks, Ride checks, and charge attack rolls while airborne equal to your Command Bonus.
Agile Steps	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to Tumble checks and all checks made to avoid being tripped or made prone equal to your Command Bonus.
Cavalry Commander	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to Handle Animal checks, Ride checks, and charge attack rolls while mounted equal to your Command Bonus.
Defensive Positions	Move	Command	Allies can brace for a charge.
Forward Observer	Standard	Tactic	Allies can ignore cover and concealment for one enemy you designate.
Guard Target	Standard	Tactic	Allies can protect a creature you designate.
Kill the Wounded	Standard	Strike	Allies that attack your target deal +2d6 damage.
Siegemaster	Standard	Tactic	Allies gain a morale bonus to Profession (siege engineer) skill checks and attack and damage rolls with siege weaponry equal to your Command Bonus.
Stand Tough	Standard	Command	All allies gain the benefit of your inspiring word.
Watch Your Back	Standard	Command	Allies cannot be flanked for a number of rounds equal to your Command Bonus.