Commander (5A)

Shots ring out in the dead of night, the sergeant calls 'Stand up and fight!'

You're in the army now, oh-oo-oh you're in the army now

In The Army Now (1986), Status Quo, Ferdinand D. Bolland, Robert J. Bolland

The commander is a defensive fighter focused on teamwork rather than heroic achievements. The commander is a front-line fighter, but also a support character.

The healing-like and haste-like abilities of the commander may trouble some player's suspension of disbelief, but remember that the time scale in Dungeons and Dragons is arbitrary and hit points largely a question of morale.

Subclass Features

Inspiring Leadership

At 3rd level you gain the ability to inspire your allies. Once, as a bonus action, you can use inspiring leadership on yourself and allies within 30 ft. Targets must be able to see or hear you. An inspired creature gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma bonus + the target's Constitution bonus. These temporary hit points last for one minute. Constructs and unconscious creatures are not affected. You regain the ability to inspire leadership when you take a long rest.

Commander's Orders

At 3rd level you can spend an action to give an order to an ally within 30 ft. that can hear the order. The targeted ally can choose one of the following benefits:

Use his reaction to move up to their speed and take the attack action.
Use his reaction to move up to their speed and cast a spell with a casting time of an action or a bonus action.
Move up to their speed.

Rousing Leadership

Starting at 7th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 40 ft. You can use Inspiring Leadership twice and grant twice as many temporary hit points. When you use inspiring leadership, targets that are suffering from effects that allow a saving throw can roll a new saving throw. If they succeed, the effect expires with no effect.

Tactical Command

At 10th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 50 ft. You can use Inspiring Leadership three times, and grant three times as many temporary hit points. Commander's orders can now affect up to three allies.

Surging Leadership

Starting at 15th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 60 ft. You can use Inspiring Leadership four times, and grant four times as many temporary hit points. Affected allies can also move up to their speed. You can now use commander's orders as a bonus action, but only affect a single ally when you do so.

Eternal Leadership

At 18th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 100 ft. If you finish a short rest and have no remaining uses of Inspiring Leadership, you regain one use of the ability. Your inspiring leadership now affects even unconscious allies, rousing them if they are at zero hit points. When you use Inspiring Leadership, targets that are suffering from spells that do not allow a saving throw can still roll a saving throw against the save DC of the caster. If they succeed, the effect expires with no effect.

Designer's Notes

Inspired by the 5E Warlord, the commander is simpler, only really having two abilities, but these abilities grow very strong at high level.