Commander (5A)

This is a Fighter subclass for 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 20 ft. Targets must be able to see or hear you. An inspired creature gains temporary hit points equal to your fighter level + your Charisma bonus. Constructs and unconscious creatures are not affected. You regain the ability to inspire leadership when you take a long or short rest.

Commander's Orders

At 3rd level you can spend an action to give an order to an ally within 20 ft. that can hear the order. The targeted ally can choose one of the following benefits:

Use their reaction to move up to their speed and make a single weapon attack.
Use their reaction to take the attack action without moving.
Use their reaction to cast a spell with a casting time of one action or bonus action without moving.
Move up to their speed.

Rousing Leadership

Starting at 7th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 30 ft. You can use Inspiring Leadership twice, and when you use inspiring leadership, targets that are suffering from effects that allow a saving throw each turn can immediately roll an additional saving throw. If they succeed, the effect ends.

Surging Leadership

At 10th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 40 ft. You can use Inspiring Leadership three times. Your inspiring leadership now affects even unconscious allies, rousing them if they are at zero hit points.

Tactical Command

Starting at 15th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 50 ft. Allies affected by your Inspired Leadership can immediately move up to their speed. You can now use commander's orders as a bonus action or in place of one of your attacks when you take the Attack action.

Eternal Leadership

At 18th level, the range of all your commander abilities increases to 100 ft. You can use Inspiring Leadership four times. When you roll initiative you regain one use of the ability up to your normal maximum.

When you use Inspiring Leadership, targets that are suffering from lasting spells that do not allow a saving throw can roll a Constitution 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.