Whether it's bellowing out orders from across the field of battle or using their tactical acumen to navigate contentious situations, the Commander ensures that their unit always has the upper hand. Discipline and rigorous adherence to exceptionalism in each member's respective expertise is encouraged when these harden veterans of grim times involve themselves in a group and though their methods may be harsh, the ones around them are often thankful for instruction to practice that technique 'just one more time' as it meant the difference between life and death. Their enemies will pay for every inch of ground they attempt to take, and their authoritative presence won't go unnoticed when negotiating for fairer concessions, on their terms. A Commander stands resolute to all challenges and seeks to prevail despite what the odds seemingly are because an unconventional strategy can be incalculable in importance to ultimate victory.

Level 3: Stratagems

Controlling the rapidly changing conditions of an engagement requires snap decisions and flexibility. When Initiative is rolled, you gain a Stratagem point. As a Bonus Action, you may expend said Stratagem point to activate a Stratagem that you and your allies benefit from, which works indefinitely until you fall Unconscious, thus ending all active Stratagems. In order for an ally to benefit from Stratagems, you must be visible or be able to be heard. Once an ally uses the feature of an active Stratagem, you gain a Stratagem point which can be used to activate another Stratagem using subsequent Bonus Actions. You can only gain 1 point from an active Stratagem being utilized by an ally. When the encounter ends, all Stratagems become inactive, and your Stratagem points return to 0. You gain more Stratagems as you level up in Fighter.

Stratagem Options

Remember Your Training. If you falter in your methods, learn from the mistake. When an ally misses an attack roll, they gain advantage on their next attack roll.

Tactical Retreat. It's time to regroup and reassess. When an ally moves from a creature's reach and provokes an attack of opportunity, that attack is made with disadvantage.

Forward! Don't give them a moment to breathe. Allies can move an additional 10 feet on their turn so long as it's towards a hostile creature.

Grit Your Teeth. Turn your pain into vicious reprisal. Allies who are at or below half Hit Points (Bloodied) deal +2 damage with Attacks.

 

Level 3: Tactics

A Commander must be a consummate professional on and off the battlefield. They employ the use of Tactics to handle situations in which sword and sorcery are a last resort, or at least a less than desirable means to an end. Upon finishing a Long Rest, a Commander chooses a Tactic that their squad can utilize at will throughout the day. More Tactics are learned as you level up in Fighter.

Tactic Options

War Stories. recalling a harrowing event stirs the emotions of most, from rousing the spirit or commiserating in trauma. Whenever you and your allies take a Short Rest, you all can maximize one roll of expended Hit Dice, which can be done after seeing the result.

Scout Terrain. After careful consideration to the characteristics of the surrounding area, your team is on the lookout to things amiss or useful in the environment. You and your allies have advantage on Survival and Investigation checks to track a creature, object, or location, as well as on spotting natural hazards.

Conditioning. You and your allies spend ample time keeping your bodies in peak physical performance. Each of you can choose to gain proficiency in Acrobatics or Athletics if anyone doesn't already and expertise if one already has proficiency.

Beasts of Burden. Making use of domesticated and feral wildlife can alleviate the toll on soldiers. You and your allies have advantage on Animal Handling checks as well as any checks related to being dismounted.

Level 7: Officer's Orders

You have honed your teachings to the point that a mere gesture or phrase course corrects a lapse in battle efficacy. As a Reaction, you may use a feature from any known Stratagem, regardless of it is active or not, to potentially change the outcome for you or an ally. You gain a number of uses equal to your proficiency bonus and restore them on a Long Rest. You can also restore a use by expending a Stratagem point.

Stratagem Options Tier 2

Flank. Surround them to sunder their defense. If an ally is on the direct opposite side of a creature that another ally is within 5 feet of, they both gain a +1 to their melee attack rolls

Cower to None. If they sense your fear, you've already lost. Allies have advantage on saves against being Frightened and ending the Frightened condition.

Phalanx Formation. A line of seasoned warriors is tougher to break. Allies standing within 5 feet of each other gain a +1 to Armor Class if they choose to reduce their speed to 0 until the end of their turn.

Suppressive Fire.  Barrage them with missile fire to foil their offense. If an ally makes a ranged or thrown attack roll at a creature, that creature has disadvantage on their next attack roll regardless of if they were hit or not.

Tactic Options Tier 2

Calm and Collected. De-escalating the situation with a particularly cantankerous foe is easier with a level head. if a creature is Hostile to you and your allies, anyone negotiating does not have disadvantage on checks to reason with them.

Stay Frosty. Keeping your head on a swivel is imperative when entering unknown territory. If you and your allies are ambushed and Surprised, none of you roll Initiative at disadvantage, and attempts to detect man-made or magical traps (through one's senses) are made at advantage if a check is called for.

Marching Songs. Developing your own chants and music can do wonders in staving off fatigue from a long trek. Constitution saving throws for the end of each hour beyond the limit of a Forced March (8 hours) are made at advantage. Additionally, moving at a Fast Pace doesn't incur a -5 to passive Wisdom (Perception) scores.

Level 10: Martial the Men

You share your extensive knowledge of outfitting yourself in the finest arms and armor with your retinue. You and your allies gain proficiency in 2 Martial Weapons of their choosing each, Light armor and Shields, and Medium armor if they already had Light armor proficiency. Additionally, you all receive no penalties for sleeping in Medium or Heavy armor and you don and doff armor as if you had help without any.

Stratagem Options Tier 3

Steel Your Mind. Though it is taxing on the self, shake the thoughts that plague the corners of your psyche. Allies who must make a Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom saving throw at the end of their turns can choose to succeed but must decide before rolling and suffer 1 level of Exhaustion.

Hunt Them Down. Their tricks will only get them so far when dealing with deadly predators. Allies attempting to perceive a creature with the Invisible condition may Search for them as a Bonus Action.

Prey on Weakness. Vulnerability should be capitalized on - the enemy surely would do the same. Creatures that take damage from an ally suffer a -1 to the next saving throw roll inflicted upon them.

Adrenaline Rush. Dig deep and let everything and everyone you fight for give you strength for one last push. Allies who are reduced to 0 Hit Points stay standing at 1 Hit Point unless the damage would have been lethal. If they take damage again, they fail a death saving throw and fall Unconscious. On their turn at 1 Hit Point, they can act normally before falling Unconscious at the end of their turn and immediately failing 1 death saving throw. If they are healed above this 1 Hit Point before the end of their turn, they do not fall Unconscious. This does not override other features protecting against being reduced to 0 Hit Points.

 

Tactic Options Tier 3

False Flag. Infiltration is an acceptable means of subterfuge in the great game. When you and your allies attempt to pass yourselves off as a part of a certain affiliation, you all have advantage on Deception checks to avoid suspicion.

Siege Warfare. Conflicts can scale to horrific and devastating measures; be sure you know how to handle them. You and your allies gain proficiency in siege equipment and if you are in a location under siege, you can ensure supplies in that settlement last twice as long as they normally would.

Ensnare the Enemy. Guerillas, spies, ambushers - derogatorily described as such by some, but history is written by the victors. You and your allies gain advantage on Stealth checks to avoid detection. If hostile creatures are Surprised, you all gain advantage on Initiative rolls.

 

Level 15: Strategic Savant

You have all the tools; it's time to put them to the test. You can now gain 2 Stratagem points from an active Stratagem being utilized by allies and 2 Tactics can be employed after each Long Rest.

Level 18: Grandis Generalis

War is an art, and your brush strokes a painting worth a thousand men's lives. After rolling Initiative, you can choose to maintain another active Stratagem so long as you sacrifice one of your Attacks per turn, choosing instead to focus on the empowerment of your unit. If you choose to attack using the one meant to maintain the active Stratagem, the Stratagem becomes inactive, and you can no longer attempt this feature again for that encounter.