THE WARLORD Variant and Optional Features for the FIGHTER in D&D 5E by Orkish Blade

THE WARLORD
VARIANT AND OPTIONAL FEATURES for the FIGHTER in D&D 5E
by Orkish Blade

INTRODUCTION
July 18, 2015.
During a recent discussion regarding a homebrew version of the warlord class, I came up with a few of these features (some credit to /u/kekkres on
Reddit, who initiated the discussion).
The warlord is effectively a fighter that specializes in leadership, and since the Battle Master martial archetype already offers some leadership-type
abilities, these variant features are built with a fighter that selects that archetype in mind.
Design notes on rationale and balance:
- Specialization Option: Warlord gives access to a partial version of Combat Superiority at the expense of Second Wind. At 3rd level, you gain
full Combat Superiority and Second Wind features. This may make your fighter a little under-powered at 1st level, but its better to be underpowered than over-powered, especially when the full balance comes back two levels later (I really like the concept of Specialization Options and
may come up with more options for other classes/builds).
- Additional Class Skill, Battlefield Elocution, and Chain-of-Command are intended to add flavor but not to affect combat. I dont think adding
some or all of these to a fighter necessitate giving something up.
- Lead the Attack (Fighting Style) gives only a +1 bonus to damage (compared to +2 for Duelist), but it is flexible for both melee and ranged
weapon attacks, making it a useful option for a warlord who wishes to fight in melee or at range and who has allies who are melee- or rangedfocused.
- Combat Medic and Military Scholar are modest optional features to replace the tool proficiency gained with Student of War. Combat Medic is
useful in combat, but only to help keep the party alive and at the expense of your action. Military Scholar is not directly useful in combat, but it
could grant intangible benefits to planning a strategy for combat (DMs discretion).
- The new maneuvers are intended to be similar in power to existing maneuvers, the difference is that the benefit of the maneuver is conferred to
the ally instead of to yourself.
- Defensive Formation and Tactical Withdrawal maneuvers are similar in powerin one, an ally gains a bonus to AC while moving (similar to
Evasive Footwork), and in the other, an ally gains a bonus to AC while not moving.
- Direct Counterattack maneuver is similar to Riposte, but an ally makes the attack instead of you.
- Tactical Diversion maneuver is a bit different than any other maneuversthe targeted enemy saves against losing the ability to use its reaction to
attack your allies. I see this as an alternative way to make an enemy focus on you, like Goading Attack.
Thanks for reading, and a big thanks in advance to everyone who wants to offer comments and criticism. If you use this in your own game, let me
know how it goes.
I do not hold any copyright for any Dungeons & Dragons content. This is an original homebrew supplement written to be used in conjunction with
the Players Handbook published by Wizards of the Coast.
Please feel free to correspond with me at orkish.blade@gmail.com .

Update: August 2, 2015. Corrected a few typos.

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THE WARLORD Variant and Optional Features for the FIGHTER in D&D 5E by Orkish Blade

THE WARLORD

OPTIONAL FEATURES

The old dwarf in mail tosses his hammer, scattering the gang of
kobolds in all directions. Forth to death and glory! he cries
charging after them. His allies follow him as he shouts, Cut down
the foul things!
The lithe elf clad in leathers nods to her companion. She looses an
arrow at the misshapen ogre, just as her ally slashes the ogres
shoulder with his blade. The great ugly thing howls in pain, blood
pouring from the wound.
At the head of the column, a human in plate armor raises his sword
and signals the advance. As one, a thousand swords shout the name
of their lord and begin beating their weapons on their shields. The
sound of a thousand voices soon gives way to the pounding of hooves
and the clinking of armor. The battle has begun!
Each of these heroes is a warlord, a specialist fighter who is as
skilled in military tactics, command, and strategy as in the use of
arms and armor. Some warlords were born as natural leaders; others
were groomed for command; still others earn the respect and
recognition of their fellow soldiers through great deeds on the
battlefield. All warlords know the ins and outs of battle and will do
whatever it takes to make sure their allies win that deadly game.

You can choose one of the following optional features at 1st level.
These features do not affect your combat abilities, and therefore, do
not replace any of the fighters class features.
At your DMs discretion, you may choose more than one of these
features. If you do so, it is recommended that you do not gain
proficiency with heavy armor.
ADDITIONAL CLASS SKILL
Avoiding a battle can be as valuable as winning one, so some
warlords become adept negotiators. Other warlords find that keeping
wounded allies alive is as crucial as commanding them when it
comes to keeping a unit together in battle. You add either Medicine
or Persuasion to your list of available class skills.
BATTLEFIELD ELOCUTION
Your allies can always hear and understand your commands above
any noise that may be occurring around you, from clashing swords to
roaring flames and from crashing drums to crumbling battlements.
CHAIN-OF-COMMAND
You have great respect for the discipline required to maintain a
military organization, and other soldierseven enemiesrecognize
that in you. You can always secure a meeting with the ranking officer
of the local military or law enforcement force or, at the least, pass a
message to that person and receive a definitive response. Even if the
ranking officer chooses not to respond, you gain knowledge of this
choice.

CREATING A WARLORD
Presented here are optional and variant features for the fighter class
for creating a heroic warlord. Some are additional options for features
that the fighter already gains, such as Fighting Style (Players
Handbook, p72) and the Battle Master archetypes maneuvers (PHB,
p74). Others are replacements for features that the fighter gains. A
few are additional features that can be gained at your DMs
discretion. Additionally, there is a Specialization Option, allowing
the fighter to gain some of the warlords abilities at 1st level.

NEW FIGHTING STYLE

You can choose the following option for the Fighting Style class
feature in addition to those options normally available to you (PHB,
p72).

SPECIALIZATION OPTION: WARLORD

As a 1st level fighter, you can choose to specialize as a warlord,
committing to the Battle Master martial archetype. If you do so, you
gain class features as follows:

LEAD THE ATTACK

When you hit an enemy with a weapon attack, the next ally to hit that
enemy with a weapon attack before the start of your next turn gains a
+1 bonus to the damage roll.

You gain the Fighting Style feature.

You do not gain the Second Wind feature.
You gain the Battle Masters Combat Superiority feature, but you
gain only two superiority dice (instead of four) and learn only two
maneuvers (instead of three).

BATTLE MASTER VARIANT FEATURES

In place of the Student of War feature that is part of the Battle Master
archetype, gained at 3rd level. You can choose one of the following
features instead.

Then, at 2nd level, you gain class features as follows:

You gain the Second Wind feature.
You do not gain the Action Surge feature.

COMBAT MEDIC
You know how to effectively stanch a grievous wound, giving a
fallen comrade a chance to live and fight on. You have advantage on
all Wisdom (Medicine) checks made to stabilize a dying creature.

Then, at 3rd level, you gain class features as follows:

You gain the Action Surge feature.
You gain the Battle Masters Student of War feature (or either the
Combat Medic or Military Scholar variant feature).
You gain the Battle Masters full Combat Superiority feature,
gaining two additional superiority dice (to a total of four) and learn
one additional maneuver (to a total of three).

MILITARY SCHOLAR
You have spent years honing your knowledge of military tactics and
past battles. You have advantage on Intelligence (History) checks
related to military history, battlefield movements and formation, and
the siege and defense of fortified locations.

You gain all other class features as normal as you gain levels.

NEW BATTLE MASTER MANEUVERS

SPECIALIZATION OPTIONS

You can choose the following maneuvers as part of the Battle Master
archetypes Combat Superiority feature in addition to those options
normally available to you (PHB, p73).
Defensive Formation. When you take the Attack action on your
turn, you can forgo one of your attacks and use a bonus action to
direct one of your allys defenses. When you do so, you expend one
superiority die, and you choose a friendly creature who can see or
hear you and that is within 5 feet of you. You roll the die, and the

Some characters are so focused on a single pursuit or set of

techniques that they have begun to train and study along that path
before ever adventuring. A specialization option allows a character
to gain access to some of the features of a chosen archetype or
subclass at 1st level, while delaying the acquisition of one or more
1st-level features of the characters class.

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THE WARLORD Variant and Optional Features for the FIGHTER in D&D 5E by Orkish Blade

creature adds the number rolled to its AC until the start of your next
turn or until it moves more than 5 feet from its current position.
Direct Counterattack. When a creature misses you with a melee
attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to
direct an ally to strike. You choose one friendly creature who can see
or hear you and that is within 5 feet of the attacker. That creature can
use its reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacker. If
the attack hits, you add the superiority die to the attacks damage roll.
Tactical Diversion. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack,
you can expend one superiority die to attempt to divert the targets
attention away from your allies. You add the superiority die to the
attacks damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving
throw. On a failed save, the target cannot use its reaction to attack
targets other than you until the end of your next turn.
Tactical Withdrawal. When a friendly creature who can see or
hear you moves, as a reaction, you can expend one superiority die to
shout a warning to that ally of nearby threats. You roll the die, and
the creature adds the number rolled to its AC until it stops moving.

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