Witchfire's CommanderWitchfire's CommanderWitchfire's CommanderWitchfire's CommanderWitchfire's Commander

The most important words a man can say are, “I

will do better.” These are not the most important words any

man can say. I am a man, and they are what I needed to say.

The ancient code of the Knights Radiant says "journey

before destination." Some may call it a simple platitude, but it

is far more. A journey will have pain and failure. It is not only

the steps forward that we must accept. It is the stumbles. The

trials. The knowledge that we will fail. That we will hurt those

around us.

But if we stop, if we accept the person we are when we fall,

the journey ends. That failure becomes our destination.

To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found,

through painful experience, that the most important step a

person can take is always the next one.

— Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer

A beloved human in a feather hat blows into a golden

minotaur horn, the deep sound resonating for miles around.

The mighty trumpet awakens his crew with a sense of heroic

resolve, signaling the path onwards. His promise for gold

pushes them through damp sands, past shambling skeletons,

and into a pitch black cavern.

Seven devils rise from the depths of hell, walking through

an infernal gate to the mortal plane. At their front marches an

armored tiefling. The embers of hatred and vengeance glow

in her eyes, plainly visible through her black visor. She wields

a greatsword of iron, red hot from the lava it was forged in,

and upon her head a crown of black flames as the group

marches away from Avernus.

The sound of cloven hooves rampages down a hallway, a

warning for the gang of entrenched smugglers. An armor clad

dwarf trails behind his sneering warthog, metal chain in one

hand, and shield in the other. The insignia of the king's army

reflects off his brightly polished metal. As he lets out a war

cry in his king's name, the warthog joins in on the call.

These are all powerful leaders with the voice to command.

Whether they coordinate with their companions to overcome

armies, bring terror with a cursed name, or lead with an

animal companion at their side, commanders lead the way to

victory.

1

  On the battlefield, commanders merge martial training with

an overbearing presence. They rarely ever fight alone, instead

preferring to fight alongside their most trusted companions.

When they are not engaged in combat, a commander still

uses their reputation and charisma to influence others,

branding them with a reputation as powerful leaders,

dreadful tyrants, or trustworthy allies.

A commander leads at the front of a group, using its voice

to mold the flow of combat. Despite being fully capable

swordsmen, commanders shift some focus away from their

own fight to aid others. Commanders rally their companions

under a common cause, and their might both inspires allies

and demoralizes enemies. If all else fails, a commander can

rely on their strong armor and stronger heart to defend

themselves from harm.

Commanders come from nearly every walk of life, ranging

from the local guide to the distinguished diplomat and even

to crime lords. At the highest levels of society, a great number

of kings and queens are commanders due to their influential

nature. The details of each commander's brand of leadership

vary between one another. Some lead through diplomacy and

camaraderie while others exert terror. A few will find their

knack for leadership to come naturally, and perfect it through

years of experience. Others require years of formal training at

an institution using long established techniques.

There are a wide variety of factors that may drive a

commander to a life of adventure. For some it is simply the

desire to meet new people or explore far lands. Others set out

with a more specific goal in mind, one that requires the aid of

other adventurers. Sometimes, a commander will be pushed

to adventure as their official duty, usually an order from a

formal or divine power. Despite an individual's reason for

adventuring, all commanders find comfort alongside groups

of adventurers.

When creating a commander, consider what about you

conjures a powerful influence. What causes others to

instinctively pay attention to you? Perhaps you have a

powerful voice that demands attention? Or do you draw

people using your charming personality? Or maybe you're full

of old stories you can share with everyone, from the humble

peasant to the privileged king. Does your name strike fear

and terror in the hearts of mortals? Or is it one associated

with heroism and courage? What defining event brought

about your current reputation?

Consider the events that forced you into a life of adventure.

Were you coaxed into a journey by someone else? Or were

you forced from your home, causing you to find

companionship among adventurers? Perhaps you felt it was a

duty for safety and honor? Or do you have a calling so strong

you're willing to trample anyone that stands in your way?

2

Commander

LevelProficiency

Bonus FeaturesRally

Bonus

1st +2 Rally the Forces, SomaticCommunication +2

2nd +2 War Leadership, DauntlessAction +2

3rd +2 Commander's Discipline +24th +2 Ability Score Improvement +25th +3 Extra Attack, Call to Arms +2

6th +3 Commander's DisciplineFeature +2

7th +3 Lead by Example, Rally (2 uses) +3

8th +3 Ability Score Improvement +39th +4 Sovereign Influence +3

10th +4 Unwavering Conviction +3

11th +4 War Leadership (2 targets) +3

12th +4 Ability Score Improvement +3

13th +5 Commander's DisciplineFeature +3

14th +5 Rally (3 uses) +415th +5 Unwavering Conviction +416th +5 Ability Score Improvement +4

17th +6 War Leadership (3 targets) +4

18th +6 Commander's DisciplineFeature +4

19th +6 Ability Score Improvement +420th +6 Commander Luminary +4

You can make a commander quickly by following these

suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest

ability score, depending on whether you want to focus on

melee weapons or on archery (or finesse weapons). Your next-

highest score should be Charisma. Second, choose the noble

background.

As a commander, you gain the following class features

Hit Dice: 1d10 per commander level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution

modifier per commander level after 1st

Armor: All armor, shields

Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Tools: Land vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma

Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, History, Insight,

Medicine, Nature, Intimidation, Perception, and

Persuasion.

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the

equipment granted by your background:

(a) a martial melee weapon and a shield or (b) any two

melee weapons

(a) a heavy crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes

(a) a chain shirt or (b) chain mail

(a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an explorer's pack

Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment from your class

and background, and start with 5d4 x 10 gp.

Prerequisites: Strength 13 and Charisma 13

Proficiencies Gained: light armor, medium armor, shields,

simple weapons, and martial weapons.

3

Through chanting war cries, reciting inspirational literature,

offering reassurance, or similar means you rally your

companions, using your bonus action to do so.

Select a number of willing creatures up to your Charisma

modifier (minimum of 1 other creature). Each creature must

be no more than 30 feet from you and able to hear you. You

and the chosen creatures become rallied for up to one

minute, which ends early on a creature if it falls unconscious

or drops to 0 hit points. You must finish a short or long rest

before you can use your rally again.

Until a creature stops being rallied, it gains a bonus to

ability checks and saving throws equal to your rally bonus

and has advantage against being frightened. Your rally bonus

is shown for your commander level in the Commander table.

Beginning at 7th level, you can use your rally twice between

rests, and beginning at 14th level, you can use it three times

between rests. When you finish a short or long rest, you

regain all expended uses.

You've learned or created a set of somatic gestures that can

be used for basic communication. Using a free hand, you can

communicate simple messages to nearby creatures. Any

creature that knows your set of gestures and can see you

understands your messages as if you were speaking.

Generally, members belonging to the same organization

(such as an adventuring guild, crime syndicate, military

faction, or noble house) know the same set of gestures.

You can teach your set of gestures to a number of creatures

equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) over the

span of one hour, provided you share a language. After 7 days

of adventuring with you, a friendly creature that knows your

gestures becomes proficient with them and is able to

communicate back the same way.

Starting at 2nd level, you can issue inspiring decrees that

drive your allies in combat. You know two different decrees:

Press the Assault and On Your Guard, and select which to

issue each time you use this feature.

When you take the Attack action, you can forgo your attack

to instead issue a decree to a creature you can see within 60

feet (other than you). If you're able to make multiple attacks

with your Attack action, using this feature replaces one of

them.

If the target is willing and able to understand you— either

verbally or via somatic gestures, it gains the decree's effects.

The target can't benefit from another decree until the first

one's effects end.

Beginning at 11th level, and again at 17th level, you can

target one additional creature when you use this feature. You

don't need to forgo another attack to do so, and can select the

same or a different decree option for each target.

Decree: Press the Assault

You gain a powerful sense of might that gives you an edgein the heat of battle. You grant yourself one of the followingeffects. If you use neither effect before the end of your nextturn, the effects are lost.

Additional Attack. You gain one attack on your nextturn— either as an additional attack if you take theAttack action, or using your bonus action to attack once.

Focused Fury. When you make an attack or cast a spellthat targets one creature, you can roll a d4 and eitheradd it to your attack roll or subtract it from one savingthrow against the effect. You may only apply thismodifier once before the effect ends.

Decree: On Your Guard

You take heed and brace yourself against incoming damage,granting you the benefits of the dodge action until the endof the commander's next turn.

Also at 2nd level, if you make no more than one attack on

your turn, you can use your bonus action to take the Dash,

Disengage, or Help action.

If you use the Guard optional rule (found on the next page),

you can choose to take the Guard action instead.

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to

emulate in your particular style of leadership, such as the

Captain. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd

level and again at 6th, 13th, and 18th levels in this class.

4

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.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this

feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once,

whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Also at 5th level, you shout for nearby allies to join when you

charge into battle, moving them to action.

When you roll initiative, choose any number of friendly

creatures within 60 feet of you that can hear you. You and the

chosen creatures each gain an additional 10 feet of

movement speed during the first round of combat.

At 7th level, your leadership moves you to respond quickly to

threats. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls

equal to your Charisma modifier. If your initiative roll equals

another creature's, you decide if you take your turns before or

after that creature.

At 9th level, your fame (or infamy) gives you an edge when

addressing others. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation

and Persuasion skills. If you are already proficient in either

skill when you gain this feature, you instead add double your

proficiency bonus to any check you make with that skill.

At 10th level, your steadfast mind can't be infiltrated by

effects that would change it. While you are conscious, you

can't be charmed or frightened and have advantage on saving

throws against enchantment magic.

When you reach 15th level, rallying your allies calls forth

the same sense of determination. While a creature is rallied

by you, it can't be charmed or frightened and has advantage

on saving throws against enchantment magic. If a creature is

already under such an effect when you rally it, it has

advantage on any new rolls made to end the effect for the

duration.

At 20th level, you are an exemplary master of valor and

leadership. Your rally's effects last for 1 hour (instead of 1

minute) and if you have no uses of your rally left when you

roll initiative, you gain one use of it.

As an optional rule, any creature can take the Guard action

on its turn. This action is also added to the list of actions a

commander can take using its Dauntless Action.

When you take the Guard action, you forgo your own safety to

focus on protecting another creature, provided the target is

no more than one size larger than you.

The target has advantage on Dexterity saving throws and

attacks against it have disadvantage if you can see the

attacker, but all attacks against you have advantage. This

effect ends if the target moves more than 5 feet from you or at

the start of your next turn.

5

Commanders are icons of valor that each draw from a

specific style of leadership, known as its discipline. Your

discipline contains the tools and techniques you use to

inspire your companions towards victory.

Captains are masterful leaders that maintain a powerful bond

with those they lead. They do not necessarily find success in

an individual's actions, but rather in a shared victory among

allies. A captain's powerful voice and exquisite tact allows

them to mold the flow of combat at their direction.

A small party of combatants led by an experienced captain

operates like a well oiled machine, able to challenge even the

most impossible of odds.

Captain Features

Level Feature

3rd Artful Speaker, Compelling Maneuver6th Paramount Leader

13th Captain's Right Hand18th Lead the Charge

At 3rd level, you are proficient in the Persuasion skill. If you

are already proficient with it, you instead gain proficiency in

one other skill from the class's skill list.

Also at 3rd level, your decrees create openings in the flow of

battle, which your allies can exploit to better position

themselves. When a creature gains the effects of your decree,

it can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without

triggering attacks of opportunity.

At 6th level your powerful enthusiasm makes you a more

capable leader. When you issue Press the Assault or On Your

Guard to a creature, it gains an additional effect depending

on the decree issued.

Press the Assault

If you issue Press the Assault, its target can forgo the decree's

normal effects to use the following instead.

Overwhelming Force: It you make an attack or cast a

spell that targets one creature, you can add an additional

2d8 to one damage roll. You may only apply this bonus

damage once before the decree ends.

On Your Guard

If you issue On Your Guard, as part of the decree's effects, its

target's movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity

from creatures it can see.

At 13th level, your ability to aid others is unprecedented.

When you take the Help action, you gain the following

benefits.

If you aid an ally in performing a task and it makes its roll

with advantage, it can re-roll one of the dice and take

either result.

If you aid an ally in attacking a creature you can see, the

target of that attack can be within 30 feet of you, rather

than 5 feet of you.

At 18th level your command over the battlefield provokes

your allies to push their abilities to their limits. As a bonus

action, you can expend one use of your rally to guide your

allies in a combined effort, rather than the normal effects.

You target another willing creature within 60 feet of you

who can understand you. The target gains 2d10 temporary

hit points and can take one additional action during its next

turn, on top of its regular action and a possible bonus action.

When you use this feature, you can expend additional uses

of your rally to target one additional creature per use after the

first. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other

when you target them.

6

Huntmasters have gained the service of a spirit companion,

an otherworldly ally that takes the appearance of a natural

creature. While a spirit companion is independent from its

master, it always fights besides them, acting as an extension

of their leadership. The commander unites its band as one by

fostering a powerful sense of kinship.

A huntmaster never fights alone— constantly surrounded

by spiritual and natural allies alike.

Huntmaster Features

Level Feature

3rd Kindred Companion6th Dire Tactics

13th Avatar of Hope18th Unity of the Pack

At 3rd level, you gain the service of a spirit from another

plane — the spirit companion. The spirit companion has its

own personality and is friendly to you and your allies.

The Spirit Companion

When you gain the spirit companion you determine its form

including its size (Small or Medium), its type (a celestial, a fey,

or a fiend), and whether it has a climb speed or a swim speed.

It can be bipedal or quadrupedal, but its statistics do not

change, using the statistics on the next page.

The spirit companion has a number of hit dice (which are

d8s) equal to your level in this class. If it dies, the bond you

share with it can bring it back to life. You can spend 50 gp

and eight hours in solidarity to revive the spirit companion,

even if you don't possess its body. This cost represents the

time and labor needed to guide its soul back to the living. On

occasion, a spirit companion will return to life with a different

form than it originally had.

Fighting Alongside your Companion

During combat, the spirit companion shares your initiative

count but takes its turn immediately after yours.

The spirit companion can move and use its reaction on its

own, but otherwise requires your command, using your

bonus action. If you make no more than one attack on your

turn, you can command it to take an action from its stat block

or the Dash, Disengage, Help, Hide or Search action.

Otherwise, it takes the Dodge action on its own. While it is

away from you, the spirit companion takes actions without

your command.

You can target the spirit companion with a decree as you

would any other creature. It understands your verbal

commands and your somatic gestures.

Rallying Howl

Your spirit companion is an extension of your command.

When you use your rally, you can rally the spirit companion

as an additional creature. It doesn't count towards the total

number of rallied creatures.

At 6th level, you are at your most capable when you fight

alongside the spirit companion. While it's close, you

coordinate attacks with it to distract your foes.

While the spirit companion is within 30 feet of you and

you're able to see it, its movement doesn't provoke

opportunity attacks from creatures you can see. If it hits a

creature with a melee attack while in range it marks the

target until the end of your next turn, granting you advantage

on your next attack against the marked target.

At 13th level, the spirit companion is a bringer of hope,

uniting you and your allies under one cause. While the spirit

companion is rallied, it creates an aura of courage in a 30 foot

radius around it. Creatures of your choice have advantage on

Wisdom saving throws and gain the maximum number of

temporary hit points from any sources while in range.

At 18th level, rallying your allies creates a strong kinship

among one another. When a member of the pack goes down,

the presence of nearby allies inspires it to power through

even severe injuries.

If damage would reduce you or a creature rallied by you to

zero hit points, that creature can make a Wisdom saving

throw if it's within 30 feet of a different creature rallied by

you. If it succeeds the creature drops to 1 hit point instead,

otherwise it is immediately stabilized. The save DC for this

effect equals 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is

greater.

7

The appearance of a spirit companion is most often animal-

like in form. For instance, a spirit companion may appear to be

a bear, a lion, a wolf, or even a dragon. Its largest size may

range anywhere from 3 feet at the shortest to 8 feet at the

tallest. Because to their otherworldly nature, some spirit

companions have features that give them a unique

appearance. For instance, a celestial may have a shimmering

aura around it, a fey may have bright patterns in its fur, and a

fiend may have a demonic appearance.

A spirit companion has its own personality unique from its

commander's. Its bond is always the commander it travels

with. You can select a trait for the spirit companion from the

following table.

Spirit Companion Traits

D6 Personality Trait

1 I am always hungry. I can sense food a mile away,it's there waiting for me.

2 Despite my braveness in battle, I whimper andwhine when my best friend isn't around.

3 My curiosity often gets the better of me. I alwaysstick my nose where it doesn't belong.

4 I have a sworn duty to protect my friends. Ifanyone approaches them, I get defensive.

5 I am incredibly stubborn. When I'm tired I sitdown and refuse to move.

6 I expect a treat any time I do something good!

8

Small or Medium celestial, fey, or fiend,lawful neutral

Armor Class 12 + your Charisma modifierHit Points equals five times your commander levelSpeed 30 ft., climb or swim 30 ft. (your choice)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

14(+2)

14(+2)

13(+1)

4(-3)

12(+1)

10(0)

Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 13Languages Understands your somatic gestures and

the languages you speak, and can convey simpleideas using its body language.

Born of Unity. If the spirit companion has died withinthe last hour, you can use your bonus action totouch it and expend a use of your rally. The spiritcompanion returns to life after 1 minute with all ofits hit points restored.

Might of the Master. The following numbers increaseby 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1:the spirit companion’s skill and saving throwbonuses (above) and the bonuses to hit and damageof its thrash attack.

Actions (Requires your Command)Actions (Requires your Command)Thrash. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,one target. Hit: 1d6 + 2 bludgeoning, piercing, orslashing damage, which ignores resistance andimmunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Gain Resolve (3/day). The spirit companion gainstemporary hit points equal to your 1d8 + half yourlevel in this class.

Bards sing legends of the infamous chieftains who lead

campaigns of terror, conquerors whose name alone is enough

to cause fear. Wherever they go, armies of blood thirsty

followers trail behind them, leaving death and destruction in

their wake. These commanders are ruthless warlords who

trample anyone that stands in their path. The only people

who survive an encounter with an infamous dread lord are

those purposefully left to tell the tale.

The stench of death is ever present around a dread lord's

company. The terror brought on by a dread lord is as

powerful as the sharpness of its blades.

Dread Lord Features

Level Feature

3rd Menacing, Incite Violence6th Campaign of Terror

13th Smite the Weak18th Dread Lord's Presence

At 3rd level, you are proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you

are already proficient with it, you instead gain proficiency in

one other skill from the class's skill list.

Also at 3rd level, if you make no more than one attack when

you take the Attack action, you can use your bonus action to

provoke an ally towards attacking a certain creature.

You select a creature within 30 feet, and if your ally can

understand you, it gains advantage on its next attack against

that creature before the end of its next turn.

At 6th level, your name carries with it a mortal terror. As a

bonus action, you can expend one use of your rally to instill

dread into nearby creatures, rather than the normal effects.

You force a number of creatures within 60 feet up to your

Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 creature) to make Wisdom

saving throws. On a failed save, a target becomes unnerved

by you for up to 1 minute, granting you advantage on attacks

and Intimidation checks made against it for the duration. The

target can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns if it's

unable to see you, ending the effect on itself on success.

The save DC for the initial and subsequent saving throws

equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

A target that can't be frightened is unaffected by it.

You can use this feature once without expending a use of

your rally, but must finish a long rest before you can do so

again.

At 13th level, you have advantage on melee attacks against a

creature if its hit points are equal to or less than your level in

this class + your Charisma score, and if you hit it with an

attack, it is a critical hit.

At 18th level, your dreaded reputation permeates even the

most hardened minds. Other creatures can't gain advantage

on saving throws made to resist being frightened by you. If a

creature's Intelligence score is 4 or higher, you also ignore

any immunity to the Frightened condition it may have.

Furthermore, your melee attacks deal an additional 2d6

psychic damage to frightened creatures and those under the

effects of your Campaign of Terror.

The bannerlord's standard is included as an option for DMs

seeking to award a commander with a magic item.

Weapon (any polearm*), varies (requires attunement by a

Commander)

You have a bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this

magic weapon, which determines its rarity.

Magic Bonus Rarity

+1 Rare+2 Very Rare+3 Legendary

When you use your rally, you can speak its command word

to conjure the illusory image of a flag, banner, or ribbon

fixated near the tip of the weapon. Doing so doubles the range

of your rally and and allows you to rally two additional

creatures. You can also use your bonus action and speak its

command word to summon or dismiss the image, or to create

one of the following illusory effects.

You permanently alter the image's appearance, changing itssize, shape, color, and any symbols or writing on it.You cause the image to billow and flutter loudly for oneminute, as if struck by a strong wind.You cause the weapon to glow for one minute, sheddingbright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for anadditional 10 feet.You create the sound of war drums, bagpipes, horns, orflutes for one minute, audible to a range of 300 feet.

* Polearms are the glaive, halberd, lance, pike, trident, and

spear

9

CreditsCreditsCreditsCreditsCreditsAuthor and Designer

Alice Witchfire (@Alice.Witchfire)

Art Credits

Sacha Angel Diener — Galina (Front Cover)

Damian Audino — Knight (pg. 1)

Igor Bondar — Swatches Paladin (pg. 2)

Josu Hernaiz — Honorbound (pg. 3)

Stephen Stark — Alexandrie (pg. 4)

Maros Harrer — Sea of Opportunities (pg. 5)

Greg Opalinski — Saskia the Unyielding (pg. 6)

Matsya Das — Scaleskin Lizardfolk (pg. 7)

Alen Rocha — Leader of the Pack (pg. 8)

Clement Mona — Genghis Khan (Credits)

Version 1.12