War Master (5e Subclass)

War Master

Fighter Archetype

The war master is a class designed to lead others in battle, using nonmagical talents to grant combat benefits to friends and followers, place enemies at disadvantages, and use the many arts of war in all aspects of his life. A war master is designed to allow both experienced tacticians and players with no sense of strategy to play a cunning commander able to turn the tide with a quick command, clever stratagem, and strong sword-arm used in just the right way at just the right time.

The war master is a warrior, leader, and planner. As their name might suggest, typical war masters are first and foremost military commanders, able to both slay foes directly and to aid their allies by suggesting various tactics and maneuvers to maximize their allies’ gifts and minimize their drawbacks. But the art of war is far more than the ability to kill and lead killers, and war masters must also learn at least some skills of negotiation, espionage, and organization to dominate all aspects of armed conflict. Similarly, the lessons learned in battle can often be applied in less violent venues, allowing war masters to see how to gain an advantage in a wide range of situations.

Many war masters come from families of wealth and power, raised as lords as well as battle leaders. Noble families often push their junior scions to be war masters (along with clerics or wizards) to ensure the family has the skills and power needed to defend its holdings and organize its forces. Noble war masters are often younger children with little chance of inheriting major holdings, or the offspring of trusted servants who have been given an opportunity to become knights, squires, or royal guards. Almost as common are noble war masters whose families have lost their lands, forcing them to become skilled generals as they seek the skills, troops, and allies necessary to take back their homelands.

Not all war masters are from such lofty backgrounds. Standing armies exist in some lands and, whether mercenary company or formal kingdom soldiers, they require skilled leaders at every level of organization. A war master may be an experienced squire often left to command a knight’s retinue, a grizzled veteran leading large armies through a dozen border wars, or a young commoner who showed promise in training and was placed in charge of a small squad of militia spearman. Middle-class war masters are often the children of guards, craftsmen, scholars and successful businessmen. They have much of the advantage in contacts and wealth true nobles do, but have fewer eyes watching them and patrons demanding their help. Professional mercenaries often fall into this category, but so do loyal members of troubled guilds that are under attack from brigands, nobles, or opposing trade groups. While noble-born war masters often learn to apply the rules of war to business, middle-class war masters may have been taught salesmanship first, and how to rally a band of hammer-wielding blacksmiths to defend their had-earned gold second.

Lower class war masters may seem unlikely, but the denizens of the street have their own hierarchy. Tavern keepers, slum lords, crime bosses, procurers, con men, beggars and smugglers have the same needs to organize warriors, engage in negotiations and make contacts as other castes, and war masters rise to fill these roles. Many low-class war masters are crime lords, running shadow empires in back allies and basements out of sight of polite society. Others are open brigands, seeking to become bandit kings and perhaps someday claim a title through force of arms

Bonus Proficiencies

Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Cartographer's Tools.

Battle Orders

Starting at 3rd level, you can command your allies into battle with mastery. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to, instead, command an ally to move up to half its movement speed and make a single weapon attack, using its reaction.

Advanced Orders

Also at 3rd level, as a bonus action, you can command one allied creature within 30 feet to take an Action using its reaction. That action can be of any nature that creature is capable of taking.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, and regain its uses when finishing a long rest.

Battle Commander

Starting at 7th level, you start to become respect by your leadership and brilliance in commands. you gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. If you are already proficient in it, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.

Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses Persuasion. You receive this benefit regardless of the skill proficiency you gain from this feature.

Advanced Tactics

When you reach the 10th level, you increase your versatility in orders. You can use your bonus action to allow an ally of your choice to take the Dash, Disengage or Help action as bonus action on its turn.

You can also use your bonus action to take the Help action and aid an ally within 30 feet to make an attack.

Coordinated Defense

Beginning at 15th level, whenever you see an allied creature within 30 feet taking an attack, you can make a warning call. The damage of that attack is reduced to half.

Leading Charge

At 18th level, you can lead your allies in a glorious charge. As an action, you can command each ally of your choice within 10 feet to use their reaction to move up to 30 feet and make an attack. Each ally must attack a different opponent.

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