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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. 2ndKnight Talent, Stand Firm, Defensive Training. 4thKnight Talent. 6thKnight Talent. 8thKnight Talent. 10thKnight Talent. 11thImproved Defensive Stance. 12thAdvanced Knight Talent. 14thAdvanced Knight Talent. 16thAdvanced Knight Talent. 17thTireless Stance. 18thAdvanced Knight Talent. 20thAdvanced Knight Talent, Superior Defensive Stance.

Commander’s Aura (Su)

Starting at 1st level, a warleader cam activate an aura that grants all allies (including himself) a set of buffs for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, he can maintain the aura for 2 additional rounds per day. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from spells like dwarf’s endurance, do not increase the total number of rounds that the warleader can maintain a commander’s aura per day. The warleader can enter a commander’s aura as a free action but requires a move action to cancel it. The total number of rounds of commander’s aura per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive. A warleader can take Extra Defensive Stance feat to gain more rounds of commander’s aura.

  • Aura of Command (Su): The warleader grants all allies (including himself) within 30 feet a +1 competence bonus to melee damage plus an additional +1 damage per four knight levels after 1st. In addition, with a full-attack action, a creature under this aura may make an additional melee attack at his highest BAB (doesn’t stack with haste or any class feature that grants additional attacks with a full-attack action).
  • Aura of Mobility (Su): The warleader grants all all allies (including himself) within 30 feet a +1 dodge bonus to AC plus an additional +1 dodge per four knight levels after 1st. In addition, creatures under this aura are also granted an extra 30 foot of movement speed, as long as the creatures start their turn in range, this bonus applies until end of their turn. This stacks with the March! warleader talent.
  • Aura of Protection (Su): The warleader grants all allies (including himself) within 30 feet a +1 deflection bonus to AC plus an additional +1 deflection per four knight levels after 1st. In addition, creatures under this aura are also granted 5 temporary hit points per knight level. A creature can only be granted these temporary hit points once per aura initiated.

This ability replaces defensive stance, improved defensive stance, tireless stance, and superior defensive stance.

Banners of the Warleader (Su)

Also, at 1st level, as a move action, a warleader can display a mystical banner that affects enemies or allies. This banner is a stationary object that lasts for 1 minute. The warleader can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.

  • Banner of Horror (Su): This banner causes all enemies within a 30-ft.-radius to reduce elemental resistances to Fire and Shadow by 5, plus an additional 5 per four knight levels after 1st. If this would reduce a creature’s resistances below 0, they gain a weakness to fire and/or shadow damage.
  • Banner of Terror (Su): This banner causes all enemies within a 30-ft.-radius to suffer a -1 penalty on Saving Throws, Melee Damage rolls, and reduces Fast Healing by 1. All effects increased by 1 per four knight levels after 1st.
  • Command Post (Su): This banner grants all allies within a 30-ft.-radius Fast Healing 1, a +1 circumstance bonus on melee damage rolls, and a damage reduction of 1/- (that stacks with other forms of damage reduction). All effects increased by 1 per four knight levels after 1st.
  • Point-Defense Banner (Su): This banner grants all allies within a 30-ft.-radius a +1 dodge bonus to AC and elemental resistance 5 to all elements. All effects are increased by 1/5 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.

Warleader