Commander

Clad in shining armor, a gallant knight charges into battle, his loyal retinue at his heels. Hi fights with the fury of a lion, each swing of his blade a testament to the unwavering resolve he inspires in his followers. His presence on the battlefield is like a beacon, serving as a rallying point for those who stand against the encroaching darkness.

With watchful intent, a half-orc chieftain surveys the frozen wastes. Beside him, his wolf companion snarls at the biting wind, while his clan huddles behind him against the blizzard. He raises a hand, and the group falls silent, their trust in his leadership absolute. He will guide them through this harsh winter, as he has guided them through countless trials before.

A cunning pirate captain barks orders from the quarterdeck, her voice cutting through the storm like a kraken's cry. Her crew, a motley band of swashbucklers and scoundrels, scramble to obey, their fear of her wrath outweighed only by their thirst for gold and glory. She is the terror of the high seas, a force of nature as unpredictable and dangerous as the ocean itself.

Leadership is a tapestry woven from many threads. It is the unwavering resolve of the knight, the quiet confidence of the chieftain, the fierce determination of the pirate captain. It is the ability to inspire, to guide, to command, and to forge a disparate group of individuals into a unified force capable of achieving extraordinary feats.

Inspiration

Some examples of real and fictional people who inspired the Commander are below.

• Alexander the Great
• Amaya (The Dragon Prince)
• Aragorn (Lord of the Rings)
• Blackbeard
• Captain Rex (Star Wars)
• Captain Salazar (Pirates of the Carribean)
• Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
• Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)
• Elrond (Lord of the Rings)
• Headless Horseman (Sleepy Hollow)
• Joan of Arc
• King Leonidas (300)
• King T'Challa (Black Panther)
• Kuvira (Avatar)
• Sokka/Hadoka (Avatar)

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d10 per commander level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per commander level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: All armor, shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: Vehicles (all)

• Saving Throws: Wisdom and Charisma
• Skills: Choose three from Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Persuasion, Religion, and Survival.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a martial melee weapon and a shield or (b) any two melee weapons
• (a) a heavy crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
• (a) a chain shirt or (b) chain mail
• (a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• A sewing kit, a cart, and a draft horse

Instead of a draft horse, you can choose another draft animal with a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower. Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment from your class and background, and start with 5d4 x 10 gp.

At Higher Levels 7th, 14th levels

At 7th level, you can use this feature two times between rests. At 14th level, you can use it three times between rests. You regain all expended uses after a short or long rest.

You can expend these uses individually, or you can spend multiple uses simultaneously when you use your Rallying Cry. For each additional use you spend after the first, you can target up to three additional creatures.

Boons Known

The number of command boons you know depends on your level in this class, as shown in the class table, starting with two boons at 1st level. When you finish a long rest, you can replace a command boon you know with a different one, reflecting your tactical preparations for the day.

Using Command Boons

You can use a command boon as an action, issuing it to a willing creature within 30 feet of you, other than yourself. If the creature can understand you through some means, it gains the benefits of the command boon for the duration specified in its description. Unless stated otherwise, a boon with a duration of one round end at the start of your next turn.

A command boon ends early if the target dies, falls unconscious, or if either creature chooses to end the effect (no action required). If you issue a command boon to a creature already under the effect of one, the previous one ends.

You can only have a limited number of command boons active at a time. The maximum number of active boons you can have is shown in the Active Boons column of the Commander table. If you exceed this number, the first boons you issued end.

At Higher Levels 5th, 11th, 17th levels

When you take this action at higher levels, the number of command boons you can issue that turn increases respectively. You can issue two command boons at 5th level, three command boons at 11th level, and four command boons at 17th level. Each boon must target a different creature, but you can choose to issue the same boon or a different one to each target.

Bracing Stance Duration: 1 round

You gain a bonus to your Armor Class and Dexterity saving throws equal to the commander's proficiency bonus, provided you are not incapacitated.

Confidence Boost Duration: 1 round

You gain temporary hit points equal to 2d6 + the commander's proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points disappear at the end of the commander's next turn.

Deep Breathing Duration: 1 minute

Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover, and they score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. If you take damage or are unable to breathe, you lose these benefits until the end of your next turn.

Dirty Trick Duration: 1 round

The next time the target hits a creature with a melee attack, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On failure, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn. The save DC equals 8 + the commander's proficiency bonus + the commander's Charisma modifier.

Elusive Presence Duration: 1 minute

For the duration, you treat half cover as three-quarters cover and can take the Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Evasive Retreat Duration: 1 round

If a hostile creature within 30 feet of you moves closer, you can use your reaction to move up your speed without provoking opportunity attacks, provided you can see the creature. You can move in any direction as long as it takes you further from the creature.

Fancy Flourishes Duration: 1 minute

On each of your turns, you can reroll one melee weapon attack made using a finesse weapon. You must use the new roll.

Grim Determination Duration: 1 round

The next time damage would cause you to drop to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to drop to 1 hit point instead.

Hold Position Duration: 1 minute

For the duration, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against a creature that moves at least 5 feet within your reach. If the attack hits, the creature’s speed is reduced to 0 for the rest of the turn. The effect ends if you move from your current position.

Iron Hide Duration: 1 round

For the duration, you have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Mage's Focus Duration: 1 minute

For the duration, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration on spells.

Momentum Strike Duration: 1 round

On your next turn, you can use your bonus action to make a melee weapon attack against a creature you've already targeted with an attack that turn.

Nerves of Steel Duration: 1 minute

For the duration, you can add a d4 to any Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw you make. Starting at 11th level, the die is a d6 instead.

Rapid Attack Duration: 1 round

You can make one additional weapon attack during your next turn. If you take the Attack action, you gain the attack as part of that action. Otherwise, you can use your bonus action to attack

Reckless Casting Duration: 1 minute

For the duration, whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, you can reroll up to five of the spell’s damage dice. You must use the new rolls, even if they're lower.

Shatter Concentration Duration: 1 round

The next time you hit a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the Constitution saving throw made to maintain concentration.

Stalwart Heart Duration: 1 minute

For the duration, if you can see or hear the commander, you have advantage on saving throws to end effects on yourself.

Suppressing Fire Duration: 1 minute

Each time you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on its next attack roll before the end of its next turn.

Titan's Fury Duration: 1 round

The next time you use Strength to hit with a melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 2d6 damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, and the weapon is not Light, you also knock it prone. Starting at 11th level, the extra damage increases to 3d6.

Tricky Footwork Duration: 1 minute

Your movement speed increases by 10 feet for the duration, and you can take the Disengage action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Viper's Strike Duration: 1 round

If a creature that you can see hits you with a melee attack, you can immediately use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.

Warrior's Focus Duration: 1 round

For the duration, you add a d4 to your attack rolls and saving throws. Starting at 11th level, the die is a d6 instead.

New Fighting Styles

Mounted Skirmishing and Shield Fighting are also available to Fighters, Paladins, and Rangers. Strategic Command is exclusive to Commanders.

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.

Interception

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Mounted Skirmishing (New)

When you make a melee attack while mounted, the target of the attack can't make opportunity attacks against you or your mount for the rest of the turn, unless you dismount.

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.

Shield Fighting (New)

You are proficient with the use of a shield as a weapon, treating it as a martial melee weapon. When you hit with it, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, and you shove the target 5 feet back if it is no more than one size larger than you.

If your shield has a magical bonus to AC, you also add that bonus to attack and damage rolls made with the shield.

Strategic Command (New)

You learn one additional command boon, which doesn't count total your total boons known. Furthermore, your command boons have a range of 60 feet.

War Leader

In the grand theater of battle, the War Leader leads from the front as a symbol of combat mastery. The War Leader excels at both battlefield strategy and personal combat. Whether rallying troops at the gates of a fortress or heading a forwards charge, the War Leader's presence on the battlefield is a force multiplier for their army.

In Thelemia, War Leaders frequently carry personal trinkets of Bellator, Valera, or Raphael.

Chilling Presence 3rd level

You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any check you make with this skill.

Aura of Fear and Dread 3rd level

Also at 3rd level, as a bonus action, you can expend a use of your Rallying Cry to exude an aura with a foreboding presence for one minute, rather than the normal effects. The aura extends 10 feet from you and ends early if you are incapacitated or die. While the aura is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks against creatures within the aura.
• When a creature starts its turn in the aura, you can force that creature to make a Wisdom saving throw against your heroic save DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened of you until the end of your next turn. While frightened in this way, the creature’s speed is reduced to 0.
• Damage you deal to creatures within the aura ignores temporary hit points.

Dark Empowerment 6th level

Once per turn, you deal an extra 1d8 psychic damage when you hit with a melee weapon. If the target is frightened of you, you also gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.

Curse of Ruin 10th level

Whenever you activate your Aura of Fear and Dread you can force one creature in the aura to make a Charisma saving throw against your heroic save DC. On a failed save, the creature is cursed for the aura's duration.

The cursed creature takes psychic damage equal to your proficiency bonus whenever it starts its turn in your aura, and it cannot regain hit points or gain temporary hit points for the aura's duration.

Before your aura ends, you can use this ability again as a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns, but you must spend a use of your Rallying Cry each time you do so.

Deathly Dominion 18th level

Your Aura of Fear and Dread extends to a 30-foot radius. While within this aura, creatures of your choice cannot gain advantage on attack rolls or saving throws, and any immunity to the frightened condition they may have is suppressed.