Chieftain

Darkness falls as the war-band continues moving north. The men have been on the move for over eight hours, but show no signs of fatigue. Their leader shouts orders, they follow, fearful of what may happen if they hesitate. One of the soldiers spots an enemy scout hidden on the side of the road. The scout attempts to flee, but stops dead in his tracks as a voice from behind him hits his ears, and causes his mind and body to freeze. The half-orc leader moves to the side of the scout and strikes with his sword. As the crippling blow lands, he commands one of his archers to end the scout's life.

Light pierces the darkness, illuminating the smoke trails from the incense burning next to the wood elf. She prays for guidance in the coming negotiations. Her people have finally found the long-lost lands of their ancestors, but the men who call the area home refuse to part with it. She hopes to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict before it escalates. A vision of shadow and greed flashes in her mind. The minds of the men are clouded by evil. She now knows that steel will be used before terms are agreed upon. She finishes her prayer and sets out to ready her tribe for the conflict. The next day, as she approaches the human leader, the soldiers surrounding them draw their weapons. She yells at the man standing in front of her. He recoils from the pain of her voice. His body shifts showing the devil in its true form.

The goliath roars with might, and swings his axe into the side of the warrior in front of him. Her body feels the icy sting as she is pushed backwards by the winds surrounding the goliath. The woman runs, putting distance between her and the angry behemoth. She thinks he has no way to attack her from this distance. The goliath smirks, and shouts. His voice collides with her body, rattling her bones like a powerful crack of thunder. The echoes fade, as her mind slips into unconsciousness.

Revered by Some...

Chieftains embody the power and unity of their civilization. Their words bring motivation and encouragement to the people who follow them. In battle, they bring strength to the hearts of their men by leading the charge, shouting their commands. In the meeting tents, they forge alliances with neighboring lands to crush the most immediate threat. They are venerated as living paragons by the common folk, a respect they seize and never relinquish, even after they die.

Despised by Others

In the eyes of those who oppose a chieftain, they are seen as ruthless warlords, barbaric conquerers whose words are as frightening as their sword. The defenseless are pillaged in order to sustain the war band's strength. The people who refuse to obey are rarely seen again. But the ones who are, are scarred and maimed for life. But physical strength is not the only path to victory, breaking the enemy mentally and emotionally is a powerful tactic used by the most cunning chieftains.

Creating a Chieftain

As you make your chieftain, consider the type of leadership traits your character embodies. Were you born into power, elected as an official, or did you take your title by force? Are you a ruthless despot raiding nearby lands, a noble king leading your people through a new golden age, or a superstitious leader worried about the future of your tribe?

Once you've decided how your character leads, consider why they have left their tribe. Are you on a quest to find an artifact lost by your ancestors? Are you looking for new lands to conquer? Or are you seeking revenge on those who killed your people?

Quick Build

You can make a Chieftain quickly by following these suggestions. First make Strength your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the Noble or the Outlander background.

The Chieftain

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Battle Cries Known	War Chants Known	War Chant Uses
1st	+2	Battle Cries, Unarmored Defense, Voice of the People	2	-	-
2nd	+2	Fighting Style, Warband, War Chants	2	1	2
3rd	+2	Seat of Authority	2	1	2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	1	2
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Boisterous Attack	3	1	2
6th	+3	Commanding Persona	3	2	3
7th	+3	Seat Feature	4	2	3
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4	2	3
9th	+4	Chieftain's Yell	4	2	3
10th	+4	Powerful Voice	5	3	4
11th	+4	Seat Feature	5	3	4
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5	3	4
13th	+5	War Chant Improvement	6	3	4
14th	+5	Strength of the Tribe	6	4	5
15th	+5	Tribal Ambassador	6	4	5
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	7	4	5
17th	+6	Seat Feature	7	4	5
18th	+6	Charismatic Leader	7	5	6
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	8	5	6
20th	+6	King of Men	8	5	6

Class Features

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Musical instrument (drum)

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, and Survival

Equipment

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

(a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
(a) five javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon
An explorers pack and a war drum

Battle Cries

The Chieftain uses battle cries to give quick orders to their allies, or briefly undermine their adversaries. Battle cries can be used at anytime, including during your war chant, and target one creature. Your battle cries have a range of 60 feet. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the battle cries you know and replace it with another battle cry that you could learn at that level. A level prerequisite in an battle cry refers to chieftain level, not character level. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expensed uses when you complete a short or long rest.

Saving Throws

Some of your battle cries and war chants require your target to make a saving throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

**Chieftain Save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Unarmored Defense

While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 13 + your Constitution modifier. You can use a Shield and still gain this benefit.

Not the Standard

In my own campaign, I've used 10 + Charisma mod + Constitution mod. This was my original iteration of unarmored defense for this class. This was done to make the class a little less MAD. Feel free to use this version of Unarmored defense in your game if agreed upon by the GM.

Voice of the People

A Chieftain not only leads their people in battle, they must also lead at the negotiation table. For this, understanding your enemies, and allies, is key. You learn two new languages of your choice.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a fighting style from the list of optional features. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again.

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 re-roll 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.

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.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Warband

At 2nd level you gain the ability to induct willing creatures into your warband. You may induct a number of creatures equal to your charisma modifier + your chieftain level divided by 4 (min of 1). Inducted creatures learn the language spoken by your tribe if it is not already known by them.

War Chants

At 2nd level, you learn special war chants. War chants are used by the Chieftain for long-lasting effects on the battle field. Once initiated, the war chant lasts for one minute, until the target is unable to hear you, or the target starts its turn outside the range of your war chant. You may only use one war chant at a time, and may only target one creature at a time. If you are able to cast spells, you can't concentrate on them while using your war chant. Your war chants have a range of 30 feet. Each time you learn a new war chant, you can also replace one war chant you know with a different one. A level prerequisite in a war chant refers to chieftain level, not character level. You regain all expenses used when you complete a long rest. You gain increased usages of war chant at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels.

Seat of Authority

At 3rd level, you choose a leadership position in your tribe. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 17th levels.

Ability Score Improvement

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 you can increase two Ability Scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Boisterous Attack

Starting at 5th level, when you use your action to initiate a war chant or use a battle cry, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

Commanding Persona

At 6th level, your immense presence in battle starts to show itself in your everyday personality. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation and Persuasion skills. When you make an ability check with these skills, your proficiency bonus is doubled.

Members of your warband may add your Charisma modifier to any persuasion checks they make while interacting with your tribe.

Chieftain's Yell

At 9th level, your voice carries farther on the battlefield. Your battle cry and war chant ranges are doubled.

Powerful Voice

At 10th level, your war chants fuel your strength in combat. While war chant is active, you may add your Charisma modifier to your weapon damage rolls.

If you have targeted a member of your warband with a war chant, they may add your Charisma bonus to one damage roll made on their turn.

War Chant Improvement

At 13th level, if your war chant ends early because the target can no longer hear you, or is outside the range of your war chant, you can use an action to choose a new target to continue the war chant.

Strength of the Tribe

At 14th level, you can draw strength from those around you. When you initiate your war chant, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice the number of warband members in range of your war chant.

Tribal Ambassador

By 15th level, you have experienced many negotiations. You know the intricacies of the art, and the time and patience needed to perfect them. Whenever you make an ability check using Deception, Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion, you can roll one hit die and add the number rolled to the total. You can wait until after you roll the d20 before deciding to use the hit die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

Charismatic Leader

Beginning at 18th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Battle Cries left, you regain one use.

King of Men

At 20th level, your voice expands in power. Whenever you use your War Chants feature, you can select one additional target within range to affect. If a War Chant requires the target to be an ally, you can choose yourself as the additional target.

Once per long rest, you can target a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier when you use your Battle Cries feature.

Seat of Authority

Chieftains serve an important position in their tribe. Whether that seat is that of a Spirit Walker, a Storm Caller, or a Tyrant; a chieftain is well-respected and feared by both his enemies and allies. At 3rd level, you choose a seat that shapes your role in your tribe. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Spirit Walker

For some chieftains, belief is an important aspect of their tribe's dynamics. These warrior priests lead their tribe in battle to reclaim once lost holy lands, or to purify their people from fiendish influence. Their ties to their gods or ancestors fuels them with holy power.

Spirit Guides

Starting when you choose this seat at 3rd level, you gain spiritual guides that assist you and your tribe.

As an action, you can call on these Spirits for help. A number of Spirits equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) appear within your war chant range. These Spirits cannot attack and can only take the help action. They have a movement speed of 30 feet, and you can direct them on your turn (no action required). Once these Spirits have helped you or your allies, or are targeted by an attack, they vanish back to the ethereal plane. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

You also gain the ability to cast augury and purify food and drink as rituals.

Healing Hymns

At 7th level, your words bring vitality to those you call allies. When you initiate your War Chant, you can choose a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier within your War Chant's range, that can hear you. These creatures immediately regain 2d4 + Charisma modifier HP.

Chief of the Flock

At 11th level, you gain proficiency in the Religion skill. When you make an ability check with this skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled.

You learn to speak, read, and write Celestial.

You also gain the ability to cast commune as a ritual.

Spirit Step

At level 17th level, you gain the ability to move as the Spirits who guide you do. As a reaction to being attacked, you can trade positions with one of your Spirit Guides, forcing it to be targeted instead.

When you take the Dash action, you can move through objects as if they were difficult terrain, as long as they are no larger than 10 feet wide. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before using it again.

Storm Caller

For some chieftains, the ability to bend the weather to their will allows them to provide and protect their tribe. These wind talkers use their voice to bring forth rains to water their crops, hail to punish their enemies, wind to slow their foes, and their words sound like thunder bearing down on those who choose to oppose them.

Wind at Your Back

Starting when you choose this seat at 3rd level, your control over the sky assists you in combat.

When you hit a large or smaller creature with a melee weapon while using your war chant, the winds rushing around you can shove them 5 feet. A a bonus action, you can force the target to make a strength saving throw or be pushed prone.

Any weapon with the thrown property has its normal range and long range doubled.

Armory of the Storm

At 7th level, whenever you take a short rest, you can imbue weapons with the power of the storm. The weapon's original damage type determines the new damage that it deals. Bludgeoning becomes Thunder, Piercing becomes Lightning, and Slashing becomes Cold. The creature wielding an imbued weapon gains resistance to the associated damage type. You can imbue a number of weapons equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). A weapon remains imbued until you finish a short or long rest.

Rain Bringer

At 11th level, you gain the ability to call on the sky to begin raining. To use this ability, make a Charisma (Performance) check against the rain bringer DC for the climate you are in. On a successful check, the clouds within a 1 mile radius cylinder will rain for one hour. While the sky is raining in this way, creatures attempting to track you have disadvantage on any Wisdom (Survival) checks. At the end of the hour, any physical tracks left by you and your party are destroyed by the pecipitation. You must finish a short or long rest before using this feature again.

You also learn to speak, read, and write Primordial.

Rain Bringer DCs

DC	Climate
5	Wet/Tropical
10	Marine
15	Humid/Subtropical
20	Dry
25	Arid

Downpour Ambush

At 17th level, you can call upon the elements of the storm to aid you in battle. As an action, you can summon both an air and a water elemental. The elementals are friendly to you and your companions and obey any verbal commands you issue to them. The elementals roll their own initiative. After ten minutes, the elementals returns to the sky. If an elemental start its turn unable to hear you, or outside your battlecry range, it becomes hostile toward you and your companions. You must finish a long rest before using this feature again.

Tyrant

For other chieftains, the strength of the tribe is only achieved on the battlefield. These warlords lead their tribes on endless campaigns; gaining wealth, land, and most importantly, power.

Savage Ferocity

Starting when you choose this seat at 3rd level, you can push your body to the limit to crush the weakend foes before you. When a creature within 5 feet of you takes damage, you may use your reaction to make one weapon attack against the creature. You may use ths feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expenses used when you complete a long rest.

Prepare for the Onslaught

At 7th level, you gain the ability to instill toughness in your allies. Whenever you roll initiative, and are not surprised, you can grant temporary hit points to friendly creatures within range of your battle cry. Choose a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier. These creatures gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier plus half your chieftain level rounded up.

Drums of War

At 11th level, your group can travel for 12 hours before the forced march rules are applied.

Those traveling with you may also remove one level of exhaustion on finishing a short rest. Once they have done so, they must finish a long rest before doing so again.

Pile on the Pain

At 17th level, when you use your savage ferocity feature, you can also command one friendly creature within range of your battle cry to attack. That creature can use it's reaction to make a single weapon attack against the creature you attacked with savage ferocity.

Battle Cries

Back in Position

You know that positioning in battle is always key. As a bonus action, choose a friendly creature within range. That creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Come at Me

Your words cloud the mind of the enemy, making them lose track of their position on the battlefield. As a bonus action, choose one creature within range. The creature must make an Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they must move to within 5 feet of you, or as close to you as they can using their full movement speed.

Focus on Me

You can attempt to goad a creature into attacking you. As a bonus action, choose one creature within range. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.

Marching Orders

You know how inspire quickness in your allies. As a bonus action, choose one friendly creature in range. On that creature's next turn, their movement speed is increased by 10 feet.

Reckless Abandon

Your ferocious style in combat is inspiring. As a bonus action, choose one ally within range. When they make their first attack on their turn, they can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives them advantage on melee weapon attack rolls during this turn, but attack rolls against them have advantage until their next turn.

Routing Cry

Your presence on the battlefield causes the enemy to turn tail and run. As a bonus action, choose one enemy within range. The target must make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they must move their full speed away from you on their next turn.

Up on Your Feet

You can bolster the resolve of one of your companions. As a bonus action, choose a friendly creature within range. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + half your chieftain level, rounded up.

Watch Your Back

You are always watchful of your allies in combat. When a creature you can see attacks one of your allies within range, you can use your reaction to call out the attack, giving your ally a bonus to their AC equal to your Charisma modifier against the triggering attack. You may use this after seeing the roll but before the result has been determined.

Break Their Will

Prerequisite: 5th level

Your shouts physically shakes your enemies. As a bonus action, choose a hostile creature within range. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated until the start of your next turn.

Crack of Thunder

Prerequisite: 5th level, Seat of the Storm Caller

Your yells echo like rolling thunder. As an action choose one creature within range. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d10 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed. The damage increases to 3d10 at 10th level and 4d10 at 17th level.

Cull the Weak

Prerequisite: 5th level, Seat of the Tyrant

Your shouts damage the psyche of those too weak to survive your brutality. As an action, choose one creature within range. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d10 psychic damage and has diadvantage on its next attack roll. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and doesn't suffer disadvantage. The damage increases to 3d10 at 10th level and 4d10 at 17th level.

Curse the Wicked

Prerequisite: 5th level, Seat of the Spirit Walker

Your words sear the souls of the evil and depraved. As an action, choose one creature within range. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d10 radiant damage and its speed is halved until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and its speed is not reduced. The damage increases to 3d10 at 10th level and 4d10 at 17th level.

Jarring Words

Prerequisite: 5th level

You can attempt to break a creature's concentration using only your voice. As an action, choose one creature in range. The target must make a constitution saving throw. On a failed save they lose concentration.

Drop Your Guard

Prerequisite: 10th level

You wreak havoc wherever you go on the battlefield. As an action, choose one creature within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be distracted by you. The next time the creature is forced to roll a saving throw, it does so at disadvantage.

War Chants

Brace Yourself

Your bravado in combat inspires your allies to be tough and diligent. You can use an action to choose one friendly creature within range to fortify with your chant. The creature gains a bonus to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier.

Hold the Line

Your experience in battle has shown you how important it is to control the enemy's movement on the battlefield. You can use an action to choose one friendly creature within range to command. For the duration of your chant, the area adjacent to the creature is considered difficult terrain for enemy creatures, and the target gains advantage on any opportunity attacks they make.

Steel your Mind

Your words reinforce your ally's mental fortitude. You can use an action to choose one friendly creature within range to fortify with your chant. The creature gains a bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier.

Battle Cadence

Prerequisite: 6th level

The beating of your heart swells within you like the drums of war, and you begin to chant rhythmically, inspiring your allies to attack more efficiently. As an action, choose a creature within range. For the chant's duration, the target gains advantage on its first attack on each of its turns. If both rolls would hit, they may make one additional attack as a part of their attack action.

I am Your Fear

Prerequisite: 6th level

Your rage-fueled shouts cause your enemies to lose their will to fight. You can use an action to choose one hostile creature within range to scare with your chant. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the effect ends on the target. If you have damaged the target in the previous round, it makes the save at disadvantage.

Quick Movements

Prerequisite: 6th Level

Your rhythmic shouting assists your ally's movements in combat. As an action, choose a creature within range. For the chant's duration, the targeted creature's movement speed increases by 10 feet and if the target provokes an opportunity attack by moving out of a creature's range, the attack is made with disadvantage.

Hymn of Victory

Prerequisite: 14th level, Seat of the Spirit Walker

Your war chant bestows holy strength in your ally. As an action, choose one friendly creature within range. The target gains a +2 bonus to AC and they are imune to being charmed, frightened, or possessed. If the target is already charmed, frightened, or possessed, the condition ends. Their weapon attacks also deal an additional 1d8 radiant damage. Once you use this war chant, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

Join or Die

Prerequisite: 14th level, Seat of the Tyrant

Your war chant breaks the hearts and minds of your enemies. As an action, choose one hostile creature within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the duration. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw.

While the target is charmed, you can issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can cause the target to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object actions. If the creature completes the order and doesn’t receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability. Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the war chant. Once you use this war chant, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

Tempest's Fury

Prerequisite: 14th level, Seat of the Storm Caller

Your shouting forces the winds around your enemies to incredible speeds. As an action, choose one hostile creature within range. A whirlwind howls down on top of them. The whirlwind flls the space occupied by the creature. A creature must make a Dexterity saving throw the first time on a turn that it enters the whirlwind, including when the whirlwind first appears. A creature takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition, a creature that fails the save is shrouded in the whirlwind until the chant ends. While shrouded, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ranged attacks made against the creature are made with disadvantage. The whirlwind moves with the target. A shrouded creature can use an action to make a Strength or Dexterity check against your war chant save DC. If successful, the creature is no longer shrouded by the whirlwind. Once you use this War chant, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

Change log

Chieftains strike been replaced with Powerful Voice
Font of Leadership has been scrapped and replaced with Boisterous attack
Tribal Ambassador is the new 15th level feature
Pile on the Pain has now been changed to reflect the removal of Chieftain's Strike
Charismatic leader now grants a battle cry when initiative is rolled with 0 battlecries remaining.
Unarmored Defense is now 13+Con
Warband added as a class feature with extra effects gained through other features contained in Commanding Personna, Powerful Words and Strength of the Tribe
Strength of the Tribe added as a feature

Credits

Created by redditor tables-r-us

Template provided by GM Binder