The Warlord

As the aging man
struggled to keep up
with his companions,
he started to regret his decision to
join the young adventurers. His days
of glory had long passed, but hearing
the poorly devised plan of the aspiring
heroes had rekindled something inside
his soul that he thought gone forever. The
old man couldn't use a sword like he used
to, but if his young companions took his
advice, they may yet be able to survive the
dangerous life an adventure for a few days.

The dwarven lord ordered his soldiers to
form ranks as the uncountable horde of horrors
poured forth from the tunnel ahead. He positioned
his platoon of elite warriors in the final tunnel before
the entrance of his clan's great city. His clan had delved
too greedily and they had freed something from the depths below. The lord muttered a final prayer and prepared to lead his men to their deaths, hopefully giving the rest of his clan time to escape the unstoppable horde of monstrosities.

A lithe wood elf quietly led her hunting party through the underbrush of the great wood. They had tracked their foe, a great two-headed troll, for almost two days. As it rested in a clearing, she gave the signal and her fellow hunters fanned out around the beast, blending in with the natural landscape. On her mark, the hunting party lunged forward with their spears, and the troll was felled before it could react.

All of these warriors are considered Warlords, martial leaders who use their knowledge of tactics and warfare to empower their allies and thwart the plans of their foes.

Class Features

Quick Build

You can make a Warlord quickly by using these suggestions. First, make Dexterity or Strength your highest ability score, followed by Charisma, Wisdom, or Intelligence, depending on
    your Leadership Style. Second, take the Noble background.

Leadership Style

At 1st level, you choose the Leadership Style of your Warlord, gaining the corresponding benefits and Leadership modifier:

Captain

You lead from the front with presence. You use Charisma as your Leadership modifier. You also gain proficiency in heavy armor and your choice of either Intimidation or Persuasion.

Mentor

You counsel others with wise insights. You use Wisdom as your Leadership modifier. Also, whenever a creature within 15 feet misses with an attack or fails an ability check you can use your reaction to roll a d4 and add the result to its roll.

Strategist

You guide others with cunning and wit. You use Intelligence as your Leadership modifier, and when you roll initiative you can switch places in initiative order with a willing creature.

Inspiring Word

Your words encourage others to fight on. At 1st level, you use a bonus action to shout an inspiring word at another creature that can hear you within 30 feet. It regains hit points equal to one roll of its Hit Die + your Leadership modifier. The target does not expend its Hit Dice as part of this ability.

You can use this feature the number of times indicated in the Inspiring Word column on the Warlord table. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a Fighting Style that best reflects your training. You cannot select a Fighting Style more than once, even if a feature allows you to select another Fighting Style.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can switch your Fighting Style for another Fighting Style of your choice.

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th,
and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of
your choice by 2, or any two ability scores of your
choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase one of
your ability scores above 20 using this feature.

Academy of Chivalry

Warlords that choose the Academy of Chivalry often hail from the ranks of nobility and are almost always formal knights. As leaders, they hold themselves and those who follow them to a lofty code of conduct. These knights stand as beacons of fair play, honor, and justice, both on and off the field of battle.

Bestial Instincts

3rd-level Academy of Ferocity feature
You learn to track and hunt as well as the great predators of the wilds. You gain proficiency with martial weapons and in your choice of either Perception or Survival.

In addition, whenever you make a Wisdom (Survival) or a Wisdom (Perception) check based on your sense of smell or hearing, you can treat a roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8.

Ferocious Exploits

3rd-level Academy of Ferocity feature
You learn certain Exploits at the Warlord levels noted in the table below. They don't count against your total number of Exploits Known and can't be switched upon gaining a level.

Packleader

3rd-level Academy of Ferocity feature
You lead your allies in the hunt. As a bonus action, you can mark one creature you can see within 30 feet as your Prey. Any creature you target with an Inspiring Word or a Tactical Exploit has advantage on the first attack it makes against your Prey before the beginning of your next turn.

The mark ends early if your Prey is reduced to 0 hit points, if you mark another creature, or if you are incapacitated.

Once you mark a creature as Prey, you must finish a short or long rest before you can mark another. If you have no uses left, you can expend an Exploit Die to mark another creature.

Primal Ambush

6th-level Academy of Ferocity feature
Under your leadership, your pack moves and hunts as one. You and creatures of your choice within 30 feet of your have advantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can travel stealthily while moving at a normal pace.

Also, while you have a creature marked as your Prey, you can issue a maneuvering order as a bonus action.

Scheming Adventurers

When playing a character with questionable morals and motivations, like a Warlord of the Academy of Schemes, it is important to remember that D&D is a team game where cooperation is expected.

Masters of schemes leverage any advantages at their disposal, including the abilities of their allies. Make sure to include the other players in any plans your Schemes Warlord may have. Remember that a Warlord is nothing without comrades to command!

Spellcasting

3rd-level Academy of Skalds feature
Your talent in poetry and music allows you to produce spells, much like the Bard does. You gain the following benefits:

Spell Slots. The Skald Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st-level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the thunderwave spell and have both a 1st and a 2nd-level spell slot, you can cast thunderwave using either spell slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the Bard spell list. The Spells Known column of the Skald Spellcasting table shows when you learn more Bard spells of your choice of 1st-level
or higher. Any Bard spell you learn through this feature must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

When you gain a level, you can replace one of your Spells Known with another spell from the Bard Spell List. The spell must also be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Focus. You can use any musical instrument you are proficient with as a spellcasting focus for your Bard spells. Skalds are known for using one-handed instruments, like war horns, while holding a weapon in their other hand.

Spellcasting Ability. You use your Leadership modifier when setting the saving throw DC or making a spell attack roll for any Bard spells you know through this feature.

                 Gallant Charge

                      6th-level Academy of Skalds feature
                     When you roll initiative, you can expend a use of
                    Inspiring Word to rally a heroic charge. You, and
                 any creatures of your choice within 15 feet that can
               hear you gain a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to
         one roll of your Exploit Die. You cannot use this feature
    if you are surprised or incapacitated when rolling initiative.

Songs of War & Peace

6th-level Academy of Skalds feature
Your music can soothe and inspire. Creatures that spend a short rest with you have advantage on their Hit Die rolls.

  Also, whenever you use your action to cast a Bard spell of 1st-level or higher or expend an Exploit Die to use a Tactical Exploit, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

Warsong

14th-level Academy of Skalds feature
You inspire your comrades to stand and fight against all odds. When you target a friendly creature with an Inspiring Word, a Rallying Cry, or Tactical Exploit, it has advantage on the first saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.

Skald of Legend

18th-level Academy of Skalds feature
The Skalds of legend were said to be able to turn the tide of the most desperate battles. When you use a Tactical Exploit you can grant one target temporary hit points equal to your Leadership modifier (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).

Also, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can cast a Bard spell in place of one of your weapon attacks.

Advanced Tactics

3rd-level Academy of Tactics feature
Your ability to learn and execute strategies in combat exceeds that of most commanders and even other trained Warlords. You gain the following benefits to your Warlord features:

Exploits. You learn two 1st-degree Tactical Exploits of your choice from the list at the end of this class. These Exploits do not count against your total number of Exploits Known.

You learn additional Tactical Exploits following the same rules at certain levels: at 5th level you learn two 2nd-degree Exploits, and at 9th level you learn one 3rd-degree Exploit.

Exploit Dice. Your total number of Exploit Dice increases by 1, and all of your Exploit Dice increase to become d6s.

At certain Warlord levels your Exploit Dice increase again; at 5th level (d8), at 11th level (d10), and at 17th level (d12).

The Art of War

3rd-level Academy of Tactics feature
You have studied the great histories of warfare and combat. You gain proficiency in History and with two gaming sets of your choice. Whenever you make an ability check with any of these proficiencies you can double your proficiency bonus.

Strategic Adjustments

3rd-level Academy of Tactics feature
You are constantly adapting to meet any challenge.
When you complete a long rest, you can replace one
Tactical Exploit you currently know with a Tactical
Exploit of your choice of the same degree.

When you reach 6th level in this class, you can
do so whenever you finish a short or long rest.

Brains over Brawn

6th-level Academy of Tactics feature
You wield your comrades as other warriors wield weapons.
If you use a Tactical Exploit as your action, or use a Tactical Exploit in place of each attack you can make, you can use a bonus action on that turn to take the Disengage action, or to use one Order Exploit (such as attack order) that you know.

Know Your Enemy

6th-level Academy of Tactics feature
You evaluate the potential of others at a glance. As an action, choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. You learn if it is your equal, superior, or inferior in one of the following areas:

1st-Degree Exploits

Tactical Exploits of the 1st-degree represent minor strategies and techniques that can be learned by a Warlord of any level.

Inquisitive Eye

Prerequisites: Intelligence or Wisdom of 11
When you make an Intelligence (Investigation) or a Wisdom (Insight) check you can expend one Exploit Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you
    roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Insightful Order

When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. The first attack roll it makes before the beginning of your next turn is made with advantage.

Lightstep

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11
Whenever you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or a Dexterity (Stealth) check you can expend one Exploit Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Maneuvering Order

When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. That creature can use its reaction to move up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Parry & Riposte

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11
While you are wielding a finesse or versatile weapon, and a creature you can see hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to expend one Exploit Die, roll it, and add
it to your Armor Class against that attack. Should this cause the attack to miss, you can make one melee weapon attack against your attacker as part of the same reaction.

Rustic Intuition

Prerequisites: Wisdom of 11
When you make an Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Animal Handling), or Wisdom (Medicine) check you can expend an Exploit Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll, but before you know the result.

Scholarly Recall

Prerequisites: Intelligence of 11
Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence (History), or Intelligence (Religion) check you can expend an Exploit Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll, but before you know the result.

Steadfast Order

When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. Until the start of your next turn, that creature can add your Leadership modifier (minimum of +1) to all Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throws.

Subtle Con

Prerequisites: Dexterity or Charisma of 11
When you make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand), a Charisma (Deception), or a Charisma (Performance) check you can expend an Exploit Die, roll it, and add it to your ability check. You can do so after you roll, but before you know the result.

Support Order

When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of one attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. That creature can immediately take the Help, Hide, Search, Study, or Use an Object action.

2nd-Degree Exploits

Exploits of this degree represent the peak of tactical skill that is achievable without a dedicated education in the art of war. They can be learned by any Warlord of 5th level and higher.

Daring Rescue

Prerequisite: 9th level
When a creature you can see within 30 feet is reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to expend one Exploit Die and move up to twice your speed. However, you must
end this movement within 5 feet of the creature.

The creature instantly regains hit points equal to one
roll of your Exploit Die + your level. It also gains temporary hit points equal to one roll of your Exploit Die for each opportunity attack you provoked moving to the target.

Inspirational Speech

Prerequisites: 9th level, Charisma of 15
You can expend one Exploit Die and spend 1 minute giving an inspirational speech to a number of creatures that can hear you equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. At the end of which, targets gain temporary hit points equal to your level.

While the temporary hit points from this Exploit last, the creatures have advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Pack Tactics

Prerequisites: 9th level, Wisdom of 15
As a bonus action, you can expend one Exploit Die to signal your allies to fight as a pack. Until the end of your next turn, creatures of your choice that can see or hear you within 30 feet have advantage on attack rolls, so long as a conscious allied creature is within 5 feet of their target.

You can use a bonus action on your next turn to extend the Exploit's effects to the end of your turn after that, though you do not need to expend an Exploit Die when you do so.

You cannot maintain this Exploit longer than 1 minute.

Perilous Gambit

Prerequisite: 9th level
As a bonus action, you can expend one Exploit Die to force a creature within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it suffers the following effects for the next minute:

• It has advantage on any attack roll it makes against you, but it has disadvantage on all other attack rolls.
• If it moves, it must end its movement closer to you.
• Any creature that you target with an Inspiring Word or a Tactical Exploit has advantage on attack rolls against this creature until the beginning of your next turn.

The creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This effect
    instantly ends if the creature cannot see or hear you.

Heroic Order

Prerequisite: 13th level
When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. Until the start of your next turn, that creature has advantage on every attack roll, ability check, and saving throw it makes and is resistant to all damage.

Revitalizing Order

Prerequisite: 13th level
When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting a creature within 30 feet that has died within the last minute. It regains hit points equal to your level + your Leadership modifier and can stand up.

This Tactical Exploit cannot return a creature to life that has died of old age, nor can it restore missing body parts.

Victory Surge

Prerequisite: 13th level
As an action, you expend one Exploit Die and drive an ally to fight as never before. Another creature of your choice within 30 feet that can see or hear you can use its reaction to move up to its full speed and take a single action or bonus action.

Contingency Plan

Prerequisites: 17th level, Intelligence of 19
At the end of a long rest, you can expend one of your Exploit Dice to put an undisclosed contingency plan into place. Until you activate this Exploit again you cannot regain this Exploit Die. You can only have one contingency plan at a time.

As an action, you can reveal your previously undisclosed plan (which you make up at the time of its reveal) and make a DC 20 Intelligence check. You may add a skill the DM deems appropriate to your plan. On a success, your secret plans and preparations take effect perfectly as you described them.

The cost to execute your plan cannot exceed the equivalent of 5,000 gp, and the effects cannot exceed a 7th-level spell.

For example, you may reveal that you secretly purchased the perfect spell scroll last time you were in a town, or that you paid a mercenary band or airship to come to your rescue.

Final Strike

Prerequisite: 17th level
As an action you expend one Exploit Die and order your allies to strike at a foe of your choice. Creatures of your choice (up your Leadership modifier) within 30 feet that can see or hear you can immediately take the Attack action (including Extra Attacks), or cast a spell of 5th-level or lower with a casting time of one action. All attacks and spells much target the foe
    that you designate when you use this Exploits.