Base Class: Fighter
Note: I'm a big fan of Fighter as a class... But my goodness is the Sword Coast Adventurer's guide such a lazy entry for fighter. Do you know they don't even have a capstone ability?! Yeah go check it out. At 18th level they just get a minor buff to a previous ability or something. Super lame if you ask me.
But I think this class has a lot of potential and can fill a niche that isn't really present as far as I'm aware... So anyway, just think of this as very much along the line of a series I'm doing on subclasses like the Oath of Vengeance and Oath of the Crown I've done in the past. I've spliced down many of the fighter's other subclass features, and recombined them into what I believe to be more cohesive and thematically synergistic combinations. idk. I think they're just a little better and make more sense this way.
Warlord is a support role class that shares the benefits of his core fighter mechanics with his party. Group heals, extra actions, rerolls on saving throws. Although while all that is well and good, it is designed to work in tandem with an overhaul of fighter that gives all subclasses access to the Combat Maneuvers as a core mechanic for fighter. They just get fewer maneuvers than Battle Master does.
Warlords are battle commanders and tacticians that inspire greatness in their followers by their b their own deeds and strength of will. The mere presence of a warlord in a small hamlet is enough to give a warband of orcs or bandits pause to reconsider easier prey. A lone warlord is a skilled fighter, yes… But a warlord leading a band of allies can transform even the most poorly equipped militia into a formidable force.
A warlord prefers to lead from the front, letting deeds, not words, spur his allies into greater feats of heroism and valor. As a warlord spearheads an attack, their actions can awaken reserves of courage and conviction in allies that they never suspected they had... And might provide just enough of an edge to secure victory.
Bonus Proficiencies
When you adopt this discipline at third level, you gain proficiency and expertise in the Persuasion skill. Additionally you learn one language of your choice.
Rallying Cry
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn how to inspire your allies to fight on in spite of their injuries.
Whenever you use your Second Wind feature, you can choose up to any number of creatures within 30 feet of you that are allied with you. Each one regains hit points equal to your fighter level, provided that the creature can see and or hear you.
The range of your Rallying Cry extends to 60 ft. at 10th level, and 90 ft. at 18th level.
Know your Enemy
Starting at 7th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature or group of creatures outside combat, you can learn certain information about their capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature(s) is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice:
Strength score
Dexterity score
Constitution score
Armor Class
Current hit points
Total class levels (if any)
Fighter class levels (if any)
Inspiring Surge
Starting at 10th level, when you use your Action Surge feature, you can choose one other creature within 60 feet of you that is allied with you. That creature gains an additional action to spend immediately after the end of your current turn, provided that it can see and or hear you.
Starting at 18th level, you can choose up to two other creatures within 60 feet of you, rather than just one.
Steadfast Support
Beginning at 15th level, you can extend the benefit of your Indomitable feature to an ally. If you see an ally fail a saving throw against an effect, you can use your reaction to spend one use of Indomitable. If that creature can see or hear you, it can reroll its saving throw and must use the new roll.
Commander's Onslaught
At 18th level, your thundering battle cry manifests victory in the minds and hearts of all your allies, and spurs them on for one last glorious push for victory.
As an action, you mark any number of enemies within range of your Rallying Cry. All your allies within that same range that can see or hear you gain advantage on all their attacks against the enemies you marked until your next turn.
Once this feature is used, you must complete a short or long rest in order to use it again.
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