Warlord

Often remembered by history as great generals and beloved heroes, the Warlord focuses on controlling the battlefield. For a Warlord, battle is a complex game of chess, but the game is not always so evenly weighted or fair. The Warlord issues Commands which allow allies to make strategic moves. Careful use of the action economy and strong communication between allies is critical to the Warlord. Every second counts in the battlefield and the Warlord knows better than most how to get the most out of any opportunities. 

Many fighters who follow the Warlord Archetype spend their time outside of combat performing tasks that keep their keen minds active, such as pursuing scholarly ambitions, learning new skills and trades, or navigating the social battlefield of noble politics. While seasoned fighters in their own right, warlords set themselves apart through their ability to lift up their allies, leveraging strengths and covering weaknesses to turn the tide of battle in their favor.

Combining brains with brawn, warlords fight with unusually honed insight, carefully planned tactics, or inspirational courage that makes them a force to be reckoned with on the field of battle.

Commander

3rd-level Warlord feature

You’ve developed a keen eye for guiding allies and can quickly survey the battlefield to devise a plan of action against your enemies. When you take the Attack action, you can replace one of those attacks to perform an Order to a willing target you can see that can hear you within 30 feet. The Order can be any from the list below:

• Move. The target uses their reaction to move up to their movement speed, this movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
• Attack. The target uses their reaction to make a single weapon attack against a creature they can see in range. 
• Defend. The target uses their reaction to gain the benefits of the Dodge action.
• Ready. The target regains their spent reaction immediately. 

Leadership Style

3rd-level Warlord feature

You have adapted one of the following styles of leadership, gaining Expertise in one of the following skills below:

Gracious

You seek to inspire. You gain expertise in the Persuasion skill.

Resourceful

You are incredibly analytical. You gain expertise in the Insight skill.

Wrathful

You have a fearful reputation. You gain expertise in the Intimidation skill.

Empowering Presence

7th-level Warlord feature

You have a battlefield presence that bolsters the performance of others. You gain one of the following options of your choice. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can change your choice:

Restore

When you regain hit points from Second Wind, you can choose three allies that can see or hear you within 60 feet to regain a number of hit points equal to your Fighter level.

Synergize

When you and another ally are both within 5 feet to a hostile creature, you and your ally have advantage on attack rolls against the creature provided the ally isn't incapacitated.

Vengeance

When you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature that previously damaged you, the number allies must roll to score a critical hit on d20 tests decreases by 1 against that creature.

Rally Forward

10th-level Warlord feature

You can give an inspiring speech that helps strengthen your allies’ mettle. You can spend 1 minute giving a speech to creatures within 30 feet of you who can see or hear and understand you. You and six friendly creatures of your choice gain a bonus on their next initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1) and have advantage against being charmed or frightened for 1 hour. A creature can't benefit this feature again until it has finished a long rest.

Battle Cry

15th-level Warlord Feature

You’ve spent so much of your life at the forefront of battlefields. You know when a fight is at its most critical moment. Once per long rest, when you issue one of your Orders, you can have it issued to a number of allied creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 60 feet that can hear you. Each one may choose to follow the Order without using their reaction while gaining advantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn.

Legendary Leader

18th-level Warlord feature

You obtain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. When you or any ally of your choice that can hear you within 120 feet are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, they can drop to 1 hit point instead. Creatures can only benefit from this feature once and cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Lastly, when you use your Action Surge, you can choose to forgo your additional action and give it to an ally who can see or hear you. That creature can immediately use its reaction to take the action during your turn.