Commander
An Orc clad in full half plate stands in the front lines. With axe in hand we runs into the fray, commanding his men to charge with him, storming the enemy's position and cutting through them. As he comes upon their commander he swings his axe down, cutting through him and his armor.
While surveying the battlefield, a she sees her mark. Far off in the distance there is unprotected infantry. As she looks down upon, she recites an incantation and unleashes a fireball. Soon after she draws her blade and slides down, preparing to join her allies in the fray.
Stalwart and unmovable, the dwarf stands, surrounded by allies and waving a banner. As he does so a spark of arcane energy flies off it tip, and his ally's wounds heal. As he sees the tide of battle turn, he his banner shifts to a deep red, and his ally's blades are infused with energy, easily cutting through the enemy ranks.
Combat Strategist
A commander shines most when in the midst of battle, as their abilities revolve around disabling opponents, and maneuvering allies. How each commander does this though is unique, as a commander can cast spells, use a standard to elevate allies or simply run in with the rest of their group.
Yet a commander always excels at combat, using their weapon to push or disarm a foe, and occasionally even shatter their armor. This causes commanders to be more capable in terms of adapting to moment to moment strategy and battlefield changes.
Enhancers
Unlike most other warriors, a commander focuses not on their own abilities, but rather improving their allies. This is done both by directly moving them around the battlefield, as well as using magic to better their weapons or even heal them.
Quick Build
You can make a Commander quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the soldier background. Third, choose two Combat Maneuvers.
Commander
| Level | Proficiency | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Combat Superiority, Awareness |
| 2nd | +2 | Commanding Style |
| 3rd | +2 | Charge |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Commanding Style Feature |
| 6th | +3 | Combat Superiority Feature |
| 7th | +3 | Extra Attack |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | Commanding Style Feature |
| 10th | +4 | Combat Superiority Feature |
| 11th | +4 | Tactician |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | Commanding Style Feature |
| 14th | +5 | Combat Superiority Feature |
| 15th | +5 | Extra Attack (2) |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Commanding Style Feature |
| 18th | +6 | Combat Superiority Feature |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Supreme Commander |
Class Features
As a Commander you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10+your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6)+your Constitution modifier
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Cartographer's Tools
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Athletics, History, Investigation, Perception, Survival, Persuasion and Intimidation
Equipment
You have the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Scale mail or (b) studded leather, longbow and 20 arrows
- (a) Martial weapon and shield or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) Light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two simple weapons
- Navigator's Tools and Cartographer's Tools
- (a) Diplomat's Pack or (b) explorer's pack
Combat Superiority
You are an expert in martial combat and can perform various stunts in combat. You have Commander Die with which you perform such maneuvers, these die are d8s. You begin with four Commander Die and each Commanding Maneuver utilizes one of these dice. At 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th levels you gain an additional Commander Die, which adds to your overall pool. All of the Commander Die you’ve used are regained after a long rest.
Choose two Commander Maneuvers from the list below, additionally you gain two more at 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th level:
Trip
You can choose to attack a creature with the intention to trip it. When you roll damage on an attack, add a Commander Die to the damage. The creature must then make a Dexterity or Strength saving throw, with the DC equal to the damage you dealt. If the creature fails they are knocked prone until they stand up.
Shove
Once you attack a creature, you can choose to force a creature into a specific position. When you roll damage on an attack, add a Commander Die to the damage. The creature must then make a Constitution saving throw, with the DC equal to the damage you dealt. If the creature fails they are forced back 10 feet in any direction of your choice.
Disarm
When attacking a creature, you can choose to make it drop an item it's holding. When you roll damage on an attack, add a Commander Die to the damage. The creature must then make a Dexterity or Strength saving throw, with the DC equal to the damage you dealt. If the creature fails they are forced to drop one item they are holding.
Parry
As your reaction, you can expend a Commander Die and add it to your AC until the end of your next turn.
Riposte
After you are attacked by a creature, you can use your reaction to make an attack against them. You add a Commander Die to the attack roll.
Concussive Bash
After you attack a creature, you can choose to attempt to temporarily stun it. When you roll damage, add a Commander Die. The target must then make a Constitution saving throw, with the DC equal to the damage you dealt, if the target fails they are stunned for the next round.
Devastating Blow
When you are deciding to attack, you may choose to perform an extremely devastating blow. This attack has a -10 in addition to your other bonuses to hit. If you do hit however, you add a Commander Die to the damage, and all damage is doubled.
Assault on Two Fronts
When an ally attacks, you can choose to join them and perform a more powerful attack. As a reaction, you can attack the creature one of your allies is attacking. If your attack hits, you add a Commander Die to the damage, and if your ally hits they add the damage to their attack as well.
Opening
You can use an attack to open up an enemy’s defenses for an ally to follow up on. You can add a Commander Die to the attack. If the attack hits, then the next attack made against the creature has advantage.
Warning
If an ally is forced to make a saving throw, you can use your reaction to call out and warn them. Expend a Commander Die and add it to their saving throw.
Resolve
As a reaction, you can strengthen your resolve and stand against a powerful attack. Expend a Commander Die and add that to a saving throw you are making.
Keep Fighting
You can use a Bonus Action to reinvigorate an all. Expend a Commander Die, an ally you choose within 30 feet of you heals an amount equal to that.
Barrage
You can choose to fire a barrage of arrows or bolts to hit large groups of targets. Expend a Commander Die, the amount rolled on it is the amount of 5 foot squares you can choose to fire upon. Every creature within the targeted squares takes damage equal to that of your normal attack damage.
Guard
After being attacked, you can choose to partially block an oncoming blow. Expend a Commander Die and subtract it from the damage taken.
Protection
As an action, you can attempt to guard an ally from oncoming stikes. Expend a Commander Die and add it to the AC of an ally who is within the range of your weapon..
Burst of Life
As a bonus action, you can regain a bit of stamina. You use a Commander Die and heal an amount equal to what you rolled added to your Constitution modifier (mim. 1).
Pinning Fire
You can fire down a small barrage of arrows that pins down a creature. As an action, you can fire several bolts or arrows at a creature, causing them to be engaged with you. The creature can not disengage from you, and if it chooses to take the opportunity attack, you have an additional Commander Die to hit. Additionally, all ranged attacks against it have advantage.
Destructive Assault
You can choose to attack a creature’s defenses instead of it. When you roll damage, add a Commander Die to it. The creature’s AC is then reduced by half your proficiency bonus (rounded down).
Awarness
As part of your profession, you are keenly aware of all that occurs on the battlefield around you. You ignore difficult terrain, and when any of your allies or you flank an enemy, you and your allies have an additional bonus to hit equal to your proficiency bonus. Additionally you are immune to the Surprised condition.
Commanding Styles
At 2nd level you choose one a Commanding Style. This determines the Commanding Style features you get both at 2nd level and forward.
Charge
Starting at 3rd level, you can command your allies to charge forward. As a bonus action, you can allow all of your allies to move up to half their speed. You can do this an amount of times equal to your Charisma modifier (min. 1) per long rest.
Extra Attack
Starting at 7th level, you gain the ability to attack twice per turn. This increases to 3 attacks per turn at 15th level.
Tactician
Beginning at 11th level, you can make expert battlefield adjustments. As an action, you can give an ally within 30 feet who can see and hear you a bonus on attack rolls equal to your Charisma modifier for the next round.
Supreme Commander
At the 20th level, you gain the ability to supremely measure and utilize your allies abilities. Once per long rest, you can give all of your allies within 120 feet an additional action and bonus action on each of their turns for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. Additionally, if you enter combat with less than half of your Commander Die, you are instantly brought up to half.
Commanding Styles
Each sergeant, general and lieutenant has their own style of commanding their allies. Here, your style is represented, be that charging into combat alongside them, carrying your banner and pride upon your shoulder, or using magic to bolster and aid them from a distance.
Warlord
Known for going headfirst into the fray amongst their allies, Warlords are more active in the role of commander. Though they lack the passive buffs to allies that a Standard Bearer may have, or the range of a Warmage, they more than make up for this by directly aiding allies, be this by pinning a target down with a flurry of strikes, or making a mad dash towards their friend and swiftly drawing them away from the melee.
Commander's Strike
After choosing Warlord, you can quickly command an ally to attack. As a Bonus Action, choose an ally within 30 feet who can see and hear you, this ally may then take the attack action or cast a spell that requires an action to cast. You can do this a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier (min. 1) per long rest.
Master Combatant
Starting at 6th level, you gain an extra attack. This feature stacks with the Extra Attack feature.
Stand Tall
At 10th level, you can wade through foes and bring an ally out of the fray. Once per long rest you may use your reaction to run to an ally who has dropped to 0 hit points, so long as they are within your movement. Once you reach this ally, they heal an amount equal to your Commander level times the number of opportunity attacks made against you (min. 1). Additionally, you can not drop to 0hp until you reach your ally.
Battle Frenzy
At 14th level, you can command your allies to go into a battle frenzy. As an action, you can allow all allies to make a single attack or use a 3rd level or lower spell as a Bonus Action, additionally these attacks deal an additional amount of damage equal to your Charisma modifier. This lasts for 1 minute, and you may do this once per long rest.
Hold the Line
Beginning at 18th level, you can rally your allies with a warcry. Once per long rest, you can use an action to cause all allies within 30 feet of you to regain hit points using their hit die, rolling down (min. 1).
Standard Bearer
Though they aren’t particularly excellent fighters, Standard Bearers are essential to an army. The flags which they wear and confidence they give off allows them to both better direct large group of allies and ensure moral holds, causing an army to stand stronger and longer.
Eagle Standard
After choosing Standard Bearer, over the course of a night you craft your standard. This standard is where the effects and auras come from. If it is broken, you can expend 50gp and a day of work to replace it, additionally, you may have more than one of these at a time, though no more than one can have an effect at one time. The effects take a Bonus Action to activate, and you can hold or plant the banner while this effect is active, though if you hold it it takes one hand, and can be used as a quarterstaff.
Defender's Rally
After choosing Standard Bearer, you can plant the Standard you built causing you and your allies to rally. This causes all allies within a 15 foot radius of the Standard to add your half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to their AC.
Warding Aura
Starting at 10th level, your standard has a ward that has been placed upon it, deflecting magic partially. All allies within 30 feet of the standard add half of your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to all saving throws.
Charged Offensive
Starting at 14th level, you can cause your allies to take a superior offensive position by using the standard. All allies within 15 feet of the standard add half of your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to all attack and damage rolls.
Ultimate Standard
Once you reach 18th level, you can have two standard abilities active at one time. Additionally, you can use your bonus action to swap both of the current abilities.
Devastator
Often seen away from the direct front lines, Devastators specialize in standing in the back, and giving their allies subtle buffs, or pinning down their enemies with large fields of ice. This doesn’t mean they can’t deal damage of their own however, as Devastators are also known for dropping the occasional fireball on the battlefield, leaving nothing but scorched earth where their enemies once stood.
Spellcasting
You have learned how to use arcane magics to further your control over the battlefield. Your spellcasting modifier is Charisma, and you select your spells from the Commander spell list.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Retributive Strike
Once you have picked Devastator, when an ally you can see within 60 feet of you is attacked, you can fire a cantrip at the attacker as your reaction.
Battle Magics
At 6th level, you have learned how to better cast spells to cause more damage. When you cast a spell or cantrip, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage. Additionally, you can change the type of damage a spell deals an amount of times per long rest equal to your Charisma modifier.
| Level | Cantrip | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 3 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3rd | 3 | 4 | 3 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4th | 3 | 5 | 3 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5th | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 6th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 7th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8th | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | --- | --- | --- |
| 9th | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- | --- |
| 10th | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- | --- |
| 11th | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | --- | --- |
| 12th | 4 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- |
| 13th | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- |
| 14th | 5 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | --- |
| 15th | 5 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | --- |
| 16th | 5 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | --- |
| 17th | 5 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | --- |
| 18th | 5 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 19th | 5 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 20th | 5 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Retributive Strike
Once you have picked Devastator, when an ally you can see within 60 feet of you is attacked, you can fire a cantrip at the attacker as your reaction.
Battle Magics
At 6th level, you have learned how to better cast spells to cause more damage. When you cast a spell or cantrip, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage. Additionally, you can change the type of damage a spell deals an amount of times per long rest equal to your Charisma modifier.
Arcane Barrage
Beginning at 10th level, you are capable of casting cantrips at the same speed one swings a blade. When you cast a cantrip, it acts as if you have made a weapon attack for the purposes of using the Extra Attack feature.
Swift Casting
Once you’ve reached 14th level, you have mastered quickly casting lesser spells. As a Bonus Action, you can cast a spell equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down).
Master Devastator
At 18th level, you have mastered the ability to both wage combat with weapons and spell alike. As a bonus action, you can cast a spell which normally has a casting time of one action. Additionally, if you cast a spell as an action, you can make a melee attack as a bonus action.
Spell List
As a Commander Devastater, you have access to the following spells:
Cantrips
Acid Splash
Blade Ward
Chill Touch
Firebolt
Guidance
Minor Illusion
Poison Spray
Prestidigitation
Ray of Frost
Resistance
True Strike
1st Level
Alarm
Bane
Bless
Burning Hands
Disguise Self
Entangle
Expeditious Retreat
Feather Fall
Fog Cloud
Grease
Healing Word
Longstrider
Mage Armor
Magic Missile
Protection from Good and Evil
Shield
Sleep
Tenser’s Floating Disk
Thunderwave
2nd Level
Aid
Blindness/Deafness
Blur
Cloud of Daggers
Crown of Madness
Darkness
Enlarge/Reduce
Flaming Sphere
Hold Person
Magic Weapon
Mirror Image
Misty Step
Moonbeam
Prayer of Healing
Scorching Ray
See Invisibility
Shatter
Silence
Spike Growth
Web
3rd Level
Aura of Vitality
Beacon of Hope
Blink
Call Lightning
Counterspell
Fear
Fireball
Fly
Gaseous Form
Haste
Lightning Bolt
Magic Circle
Nondetection
Protection from Energy
Sending
Sleet Storm
Slow
Spirit Guardians
Stinking Cloud
Water Breathing
4th Level
Aura of Life
Aura of Purity
Banishment
Confusion
Evard’s Black Tentacles
Fire Shield
Freedom of Movement
Guardian of Faith
Greater Invisibility
Hallucinatory Terrain
Ice Storm
Phantasmal Killer
Polymorph
Wall of Fire
5th Level
Bigby’s Hand
Cloud Kill
Cone of Cold
Dominate Person
Flame Strike
Hold Monster
Insect Plague
Mass Cure Wounds
Scrying
Telekinesis
Teleportation Circle
Wall of Force
Wall of Stone
6th Level
Arcane Gate
Blade Barrier
Chain Lightning
Circle of Death
Disintegrate
Harm
Heal
Hero’s Feast
Mass Suggestion
Move Earth
Otiluke's Freezing Sphere
Sunbeam
True Seeing
Wall of Ice