On the battlefield, the Warleader shines as a warrior on the front line and inspiration to his allies. Through mocking, humiliation and force of will, the Warleader can inspire the meekest of troops to greatness. His fearsome howls augment his strong arm and shield to make his blows all the more deadly.
The warleader is an archetype of the knight class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The warleader mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and CON and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Defend Ally, Defensive Stance. 2nd – Knight Talent, Stand Firm, Defensive Training. 4th – Knight Talent. 6th – Knight Talent. 8th – Knight Talent. 10th – Knight Talent. 11th – Improved Defensive Stance. 12th – Advanced Knight Talent. 14th – Advanced Knight Talent. 16th – Advanced Knight Talent. 17th – Tireless Stance. 18th – Advanced Knight Talent. 20th – Advanced Knight Talent, Superior Defensive Stance.
Warleader’s Aura (Ex)
At 1st level, the warleader can project an aura that provides a beneficial effect to him and all allies that see or hear him (limited to within 60ft if there are more than 10 allies). Projecting the aura or swapping its effect is a move action and ending the aura is a free action. All bonuses from this ability are morale bonuses. The aura can remain active for a number of rounds per day equal to (2 + 2 per knight level + his Constitution modifier). The warleader qualifies for the Extra Commander’s Aura feat and can apply it to this ability. The Community-Minded trait does not affect this ability, instead granting it 2 additional rounds per day. This ability is a verbal/visual, mind-affecting effect. The following are available aura effects:
- Defensive Scheme: Allies gain a bonus to AC equal to (+1, +1 per four knight levels after 1st). Whenever this effect is activated, allies gain temporary hit points equal to (5 per knight level) which last only while the effect is active.
- Destructive Command: Allies gain a bonus to weapon damage equal to (+1, +1 per four knight levels after 1st). They may also make an additional attack as part of a full attack (exactly as if hasted, with the same limitations).
- Valiant Management: Allies gain +30 feet bonus to their speeds and a dodge bonus to AC equal to (+1, +1 per four knight levels after 1st). The movement speed bonus stacks with all others granted by the warleader.
This ability replaces defensive stance, improved defensive stance, tireless stance, and superior defensive stance.
Totems of the Warleader (Su)
Also at 1st level, the warleader can use a move action to place a totem in his square or onto an adjacent square. This may be done as part of activating Warleader’s Aura. The totem is a stationary, ethereal object that displays the warleader’s banner (or an approximation). The totem causes effects in a 30 feet radius (even if unseen) and its bonuses are untyped unless otherwise specified. Only one may be active at a time, and using this ability dissipates prior totems. The following totems may be placed:
- Totem of Command: Affected allies gain a bonus to damage rolls, DR and Fast Healing (stacking with any other existing bonuses) equal to (+1, +1 per four knight levels after 1st).
- Totem of Defense: Affected allies gain a dodge bonus to AC and a (stacking) bonus to ER against all elements equal to (+1 and +5, increased by +1 and +5 per four knight levels after 1st).
- Totem of Horror: Affected enemies have their ERs against fire and shadow damage reduced by (5, +5 per four knight levels after 1st). If this would reduce ER below 0, it imposes temporary weakness against the damage types.
- Totem of Terror: Affected enemies suffer a penalty on saving throws, damage rolls and Fast Healing (if any) equal to (-1, increased by -1 per four knight levels after 1st).
This ability replaces defend ally.
Warleader’s Stance (Ex)
At 2nd level, the warleader can enter a stance improves on the way he fights. These stances require only a swift action (can only be in 1 stance at a time) and lasts until he rests or otherwise falls unconscious.
- Brawler’s Stance (Ex): This stance increases the damage for Intimidating Shout, Black Speech, and Menacing Roar by adding his Charisma modifier and half his knight level. Quit Whining and Fight! And Quitters Never Win becomes usable as a standard action but heals for half.
- Commander’s Stance (Ex): This stance increases the healing for Quit Whining and Fight!, Crack the Whip, Get a Grip!, and Quitters Never Win by adding his Charisma modifier and half his knight level.
This ability replaces stand firm.
Commander Pool (Su)
At 2nd level, the warleader gains a reservoir of mystical commander energy that he can draw upon to fuel his warleader talents and enhance his weapon. This commander pool has a number of points equal to half his knight level (minimum 1) + his Charisma modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the warleader rests for a full 8 hours.
At 2nd level, a warleader can expend 1 point from his commander pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 2nd, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 18th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
At 6th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: abyssal, abyssal burst, dancing, flaming, flaming burst, speed, or vorpal.
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the commander pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the warleader uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the warleader.
A warleader can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.
This ability replaces defensive training.
Warleader Talents (Ex/Su)
Also, at 2nd level and every two knight levels thereafter, a warleader may choose a knight talent or a warleader talent. The warleader loses access to talents that require defensive stance but gains access to the talents below. All supernatural abilities use up commander pool points to use.
Black Speech (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, the warleader shouts out expletives in his native orc tongue that’s so foul, it causes a creature to be silenced and in pain. With a range of 50 feet, the warleader can shout at a creature that deals 1d6 points of shadow damage plus an additional 1d6 shadow damage per two knight levels after 2nd. In addition, the creature is silenced for 1 round per knight level unless they make a Will save (DC 10 + half of the knight’s level + his Charisma modifier).
Call the Shadow (Ex): As a swift action, the warleader’s next Black Speech, Intimidating Shout, or Menacing Roar deals double damage. Prerequisite: The warleader must have black speech, intimidating shout, or manacing roar warleader talent to select this talent.
Crack the Whip (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, the warleader heals a target ally within 30 feet for 1d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 per two knight levels after 2nd.
Field Promotion (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, as a swift action, the warleader can make a target ally within 30 feet gain damage reduction equal to his knight level for 1 round.
Get a Grip! (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, the warleader restores hit points to 6 nearest allies within 20 feet equal to 1d6 plus an additional 1d6 per two knight levels after 2nd. Prerequisite: The warleader must have the crack the whip warleader talent to select this talent.
Imposing Presence (Ex): The warleader’s presence inspire those around him to greater strength, granting all allies within 15 feet a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls and saving throws.
Intimidating Shout (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, the warleader shouts out at a creature, causing it to cringe and take damage. With a range of 50 feet, the warleader cam shout at a creature that deals 1d6 points of shadow damage plus an additional 1d6 shadow damage per two knight levels after 2nd. In addition, the creature is shaken for 1 round per knight level unless they make a Will save (DC 10 + half of the knight’s level + his Charisma modifier).
March! (Ex): The warleader inspires his allies to move faster. All allies within 30 feet are granted a +10 bonus to movement land speed, as long as the allies start their turn in range, this bonus applies until end of their turn.
Menacing Roar (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, the warleader makes a loud and tremendous roar, causing pain and creatures to flee. All enemies within 30 feet when the warleader uses this ability take 1d6 points of shadow damage plus an additional 1d6 shadow damage per two knight levels after 2nd, with a Will save (DC 10 + half of the knight’s level + his Charisma modifier) to reduce the damage by half. In addition, if creatures fail this save, they are also frightened for 1 round per knight level.
On Your Feet! (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, as a standard action, the warleader can revive a dead ally as if casting Raise. Prerequisite: The warleader must be at least 8th level to select this talent.
Purge (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, the warleader can remove 1 status effect (other than Daze, Stun, Confusion, or Berserk) from a target ally within 30 feet. Prerequisite: The warleader must be at least 4th level to select this talent.
Quit Whining and Fight! (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, as a full-round action, the warleader heals all allies within 30 feet for 1d6 points of damage per knight level. Prerequisite: The warleader must have the quitters never win warleader talent to select this talent.
Quitters Never Win (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, as a full-round action, the warleader heals a target ally within 30 feet for 1d6 points of damage per knight level.
Snap Out of It! (Su): At a cost of 1 commander pool point, the warleader can remove the following status effects from a target ally within 30 feet: Daze, Stun, Confusion, or Berserk. Prerequisite: The warleader must be at least 4th level to select this talent.
These abilities may replace knight talents and advanced knight talents.