Warlord
The ironclad centaur and her allies are the only ones left standing after the kraken's devastating assault. Having calculated most possible courses of action, the centaur lets out a shout and charges forward. Using her spear to deflect as many tentacles as possible, the centaur draws the kraken's ire so that her allies can position themselves behind the kraken's weak spot. Only a moment after the centaur's signal, the kraken keels over in pain, its heart pierced with a perfectly timed barrage of arrows and steel.
Passing through a dense fog, a leather-bound shifter guides a party of adventurers through the swamps. Hearing cries of pain, the shifter approaches to find an injured man leaned against a tree. Noticing the arrow lodged in his shoulder, the shifter steadies their breath and draws their shortsword. Amidst the man's wincing and the rushing water of the nearby stream, the shifter hears the subtle twang of a shortbow being knocked. They let out a high pitched whistle, and the party immediately knows to take cover. When the party wizard stands up from their prone position, they find an arrow lodged in the tree next to where their head would have been.
Having fought for days on end, the leonin's breastplate is all but shattered. She and her soldiers are weary, and are starting to be beaten back by the hydra's relentless attacks. But the leonin refuses to accept defeat. Letting out a mighty roar, the leonin's overwhelming presence causes the hydra to recoil for a brief window of time. In this time, the leonin delivers a few short sentences that inspire hope and resolve in the hearts of her comrades. By the time the hydra shakes off the effect, it finds that the soldiers that stand before it have become even stronger than they were before the battle began.
Warlords are accomplished and competent battle leaders. They stand on the front line issuing commands and bolstering their allies while leading the battle with weapon in hand. Whether through tactical wit, sharp instincts, or unwavering courage, a warlord knows how to work with a team to win a fight.
Combat Leaders
While many warlords choose to take command of an army or some other group of combatants, a warlord leadership abilities don't require them to be in charge of anyone. The battlefield medic turned expert archer, the cowardly farmer with an uncanny intuition and sense of danger, and the soft spoken knight with a heart of gold are all examples of warlords that work with their party, rather than making the party work for them.
Skilled Warriors
The distinction between a normal general and a warlord is that a warlord will fight alongside their allies, rather than staying out of combat and directing affairs from behind the scenes. Warlords train for years to learn the skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. It is the use of these martial skills on the front lines that allow their leadership to be more effective than a normal general could ever be.
Art Credits
Art taken from Player's Handbook 1 (4th Edition).
The Warlord
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Warlord's Favor, Warlord Archetype |
| 2nd | +2 | Commanding Presence, Fighting Style |
| 3rd | +2 | Warlord Archetype feature |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Victory Surge |
| 6th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 7th | +3 | Battle Ready, Warlord Archetype feature |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | Lead by Example |
| 10th | +4 | Warlord Archetype feature |
| 11th | +4 | Banner of Command, Mind of a Leader |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | Lead by Example (2) |
| 14th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 15th | +5 | Warlord Archetype feature |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Lead by Example (No Reaction) |
| 18th | +6 | Warlord Archetype feature |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Perfect Front |
Creating a Warlord
As you create your warlord character, consider that your ability to lead others to victory is a direct result of your history. You could be a minor warchief looking to make a name for yourself, a pious knight commander on leave from your militant order, a youthful noble eager to apply years of training to life outside the castle walls, a calculating mercenary captain, or a courageous marshal of the borderlands who fights to protect the frontier. Regardless of your background, you are a skillful warrior with an uncanny knack for leadership.
Quick Build
You can make a warlord quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending on whether you want to focus on melee weapons or on archery (or finesse weapons). Your next-highest score should be Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, depending on the Warlord Archetype you want to choose. Second, choose the soldier background.
Class Features
As a warlord, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per warlord level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per warlord level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: All armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: one type of artisan's tools of your choice
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Skills: Choose any three
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
- (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Warlord's Favor
1st-level warlord feature
As a bonus action, you can call out to an ally within 60 feet of you and offer words of inspiration, warning, or tactical guidance. If the target can hear and understand you, it regains hit points equal to your leadership ability modifier + your warlord level (minimum of 1). An ally that is unconscious at 0 hit points can also benefit from this feature if it would be able to hear you while conscious.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your leadership ability modifier (a minimum of once), as defined below. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Leadership Ability
Your leadership ability is listed in the description of your Warlord Archetype. You primarily use this ability to calculate the uses and effects of your Warlord's Favor, but some of your other warlord features might reference it as well.
Warlord Archetype
1st-level warlord feature
You take on an archetype that you strive to emulate in your leadership style. Choose Knight Commander, Pragmatist, or Tactician, all detailed at the end of the class description. The archetype you choose grants you features at 1st level and again at 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.
Commanding Presence
2nd-level warlord feature
Allies within 10 feet of you that can see or hear you gain a bonus to weapon damage rolls equal to your leadership ability modifier (minimum of +1) made against targets you can see. This ability doesn't function while you are incapacitated.
The range of this ability increases by 5 feet whenever you gain a level in this class.
Fighting Style
2nd-level warlord feature
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level and higher warlord feature
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
5th-level warlord feature
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Victory Surge
5th-level warlord feature
You regain all of your expended uses of Warlord's Favor when you finish a short or long rest.
Additionally, you can target yourself with your Warlord's Favor feature, but doing so doesn't grant you any benefits from the 1st-level feature of your Warlord Archetype.
Battle Ready
7th-level warlord feature
Your combat experience has granted you an edge on initiative rolls. When you roll initiative, you can grant yourself and any number of creatures of your choice within range of your Commanding Presence a bonus to the roll equal to your leadership ability modifier (minimum of +1). This feature doesn't function while you are incapacitated.
Lead by Example
9th-level warlord feature
When you make a weapon attack, you can also choose one ally that is in range of your Commanding Presence. If the target can see or hear you, it can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Starting at 13th level, you can target two allies with this feature, rather than one.
Starting at 17th level, making an attack granted by this feature doesn't require an ally to expend their reaction.
Mind of a Leader
11th-level warlord feature
You gain proficiency in saving throws using your leadership ability.
Perfect Front
20th-level warlord feature
You have mastered the use of your Warlord's Favor. When you use your Warlord's Favor feature, you can choose to target up to five allies within range, rather than just one.
Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Warlord Archetypes
Different warlords choose different approaches to combat. Each approach can be associated with the use of one of the three mental abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. The Tactician, Pragmatist, and Knight Commander archetypes are three examples of such approaches.
Knight Commander
A knight commander leads by exhortation, encouragement, and inspiration. They prefer to lead through deeds, rather than just through words. As a knight commander spearheads an attack, their actions can awaken reserves of courage and conviction in allies that they never suspected they had.
Leadership Ability
Your leadership ability is Charisma, as you use your force of personality to help your allies find new surges of courage and endurance within themselves.
Inspiring Word
1st-level Knight Commander feature
When you use your Warlord's Favor on an ally, that ally also gains temporary hit points equal to half the amount of normal hit points regained. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.
Relentless Assault
3rd-level Knight Commander feature
Your encouragement allow your allies to strike true. When an ally that is benefiting from your Commanding Presence misses with an attack, you can use your reaction to allow the ally to repeat the attack against the same target.
Tough as Nails
7th-level Knight Commander feature
Your combat experience has hardened your resolve and bolstered your ability to stay in the fight. You gain advantage on saving throws against being charmed, exhausted, frightened, and incapacitated.
Break Their Nerve
10th-level Knight Commander feature
You dominate the field of battle to the extent that enemies find your mere presence overwhelming. Once per turn when you hit a creature within 30 feet of you with a weapon attack, if the attack had advantage on the attack roll or is a critical hit, you can force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the target is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
If the creature succeeds on its saving throw or the effect ends for it, you can't use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours.
Defensive Rally
15th-level Knight Commander feature
Any ally that is benefiting from your Commanding Presence also has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened, or incapacitated.
Stand Invincible
18th-level Knight Commander feature
When you take the Attack action, you can grant an unwavering sense of perseverance to yourself and each ally within range of your Commanding Presence. Until the end of your next turn, each target has advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Pragmatist
A pragmatic warlord doesn't limit themself to a particular combat style - they adapt to the mistakes and openings their enemies provide and endeavor to create opportunities that can be taken advantage of. They lead through a diverse selection of shouted commands, ongoing stratagems, formations, and flexible plans - any resource that they have is available for use.
Leadership Ability
Your leadership ability is Wisdom, as you use your intuition and awareness to guide your decisions in any given combat scenario.
Word of Warning
1st-level Pragmatist feature
When you use your Warlord's Favor on an ally, attack rolls against that ally also have disadvantage until the end of your next turn.
Danger Sense
3rd-level Pragmatist feature
You gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren't as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.
Insightful Gaze
7th-level Pragmatist feature
Your attention to detail allow you to excel in social situations. If you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its personality traits and characteristics. The DM tells you one of the following pieces of information about the target of your choice:
- One of its personality traits
- Which of the following abilities it is highest in: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
- The skill or skills it excels most in
- A one-word summary of its current emotional state, such as happy, confused, afraid, or focused
Instant Planning
10th-level Pragmatist feature
Your instinctive reaction to a situation can turn the tides in your favor. When you or another creature you can see within range of your Commanding Presence makes an ability check or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to add your Wisdom modifier to the roll.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Hold the Line
15th-level Pragmatist feature
Any ally that is benefiting from your Commanding Presence also gain the benefits of your Danger Sense feature. Such a creature also has advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to avoid being forcibly moved or knocked prone.
Adaptive Stratagem
18th-level Pragmatist feature
You easily adapt to any situation that might arise, causing attackers to rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't incapacitated.
Tactician
Tacticians lead by using their keen intellect to come up with strategies before and during battle. By using superior positioning and tactics, a tactician can overcome threats that brute force alone could not hope to defeat.
Leadership Ability
Your leadership ability is Intelligence, as you use your knowledge of war and combat to come up with strategies that will ensure the victory of you and your allies.
Repositioning Shift
1st-level Tactician feature
When you use your Warlord's Favor on an ally, that ally can also use its reaction to move up to half its speed. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Tactical Focus
3rd-level Tactician feature
Your tactical acumen allows you to study an area of a battlefield and provide direction to your allies that can tilt a battle in your favor.
When you take the Attack action, you can select an area on the ground that measures 15 feet on each side that you can see within 120 feet of you. This area is your tactical focus. It remains your tactical focus until you are blinded, incapacitated, or can't speak, or until you use this ability again.
When you select an area as your tactical focus, you choose one of the following tactics to apply to that area:
- Allies in the area gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls.
- Allies don't provoke opportunity attacks when they move into or within the area.
- Allies in the area that aren't incapacitated gain half cover.
The side length of your tactical focus increases to 20 feet when you reach 7th level, to 25 feet at 11th level, and to 30 feet at 15th level.
Strategic Insight
7th-level Tactician feature
You can take the Help, Search, or Use an Object action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
In addition, any ally that starts its turn in your Tactical Focus can use its bonus action to take the Dash, Search, or Use an Object action during that turn.
Tactical Maneuvers
10th-level Tactician feature
You can provide leadership that allows your allies to move in perfect harmony.
In place of moving, you can instead allow up to three allies that are benefiting from your Commanding Presence or Tactical Focus to move up to half their speed (no reaction required). The chosen allies mustn't be incapacitated in order to move in this manner. This movement is considered normal movement for the purpose of provoking opportunity attacks.
Own the Battlefield
15th-level Tactician feature
You can use your superior cunning to position your enemies exactly where you want them. As a bonus action, you can target a hostile creature that you can see within 90 feet of you. If the target can see or hear you and isn't incapacitated, you make an Intelligence check contested by the target's Intelligence or Wisdom check (its choice). If you succeed, the target must move up to half its speed to an unoccupied space of your choice (no reaction required).
The space you choose must have at least one path to it that isn't obviously harmful for the target to follow. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks, and the target controls the specific path it takes to get to the destination you chose.
Superior Tactics
18th-level Tactician feature
You have mastered the use of tactics to control the battlefield. When you use your Tactical Focus feature, you can select two areas on the ground within range, instead of one. The areas can't overlap, and you can choose the tactics that apply to each area separately.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose warlord as one of your classes.
Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score must be at least 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already an warlord.
Proficiencies Gained. If warlord isn't your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a warlord: light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, and one skill of your choice.
Optional Class Features
This section offers additional features that you can gain as a warlord. Unlike the features above, you don't gain the features here automatically. Consulting with your DM, you decide whether to gain a feature in this section if you meet the level requirement noted in the feature's description. These features can be selected separately from one another; you can use some, all, or none of them.
Fighting Style Options
2nd-level warlord optional feature
When you choose a fighting style, you can also choose from the list of options made available to fighters in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
Martial Versatility
4th-level and higher warlord optional feature
Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can do one of the following, as you shift the focus of your martial practice:
- Replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to warlords.
- If you know any maneuvers from the fighter's Battle Master archetype, you can replace one maneuver you know with a different maneuver.
Leadership Expert
9th-level and higher warlord optional feature
Your experiences as a warlord have improved your proficiency in certain leadership activities. Choose one of the following benefits, and then choose another one at 13th and 17th level.
Astute Leader
You can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check you make that doesn't already use your proficiency bonus.
You can also speak, read, and write two additional languages of your choice.
Press Onwards
Your walking speed increases by 5, and you gain a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
In addition, whenever you finish a short rest, you can decrease the exhaustion level, if any, of yourself or one ally of your choice by 1.
Skill Training
Choose one skill. You gain proficiency in the chosen skill if you don't already have it, and you can add double your proficiency bonus to ability checks using that skill.
In addition, you gain proficiency in one tool of your choice.