[PEACH] New Class: Commander

[Ashentears]

Hello all! I've been working on a new character concept for DnD 3.5, but ran into trouble finding a class that really fit the character at all. My PC is supposed to be an Intelligence-based strategist adept at military command, but also at politics. The inspiration came from several characters in George R.R. Martin's fantasy series, where many of the major players have to walk in both worlds.

My first draft is basically a stripped down version of the Factotum revamped for party support, with large parts of the Marshal class grafted on.

My GM's initial feedback is mixed. He wants to get rid of all but one bonus feat, drop Cunning Breach, and nerf Orders significantly; I'm posting the first draft unchanged, however, to see what others think before making those edits. Your feedback and balancing is greatly appreciated!!!

(I apologize for the formatting. I can't seem to get it any prettier. :smallannoyed: )

Commander
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Auras Known|Leadership Points|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|
2|
0|Leadership, Tactical Aura, Orders

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|
3|
1|Grant Move Action

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|
3|
2|Brains Over Brawn, Cunning Insight

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|
4|
3|Bonus Feat or -

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|
4|
3|Extra Aura (2)

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|
5|
4|Natural Born Leader

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|
5|
5|Command Aura (1)

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6|
6|
6|Cunning Defense

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|
6|
6|Grant Standard Action

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|
7|
7|Bonus Feat or -

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7|
7|
8|Cunning Breach

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|
8|
9|Extra Aura (3)

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|
8|
9|Legendary Leader

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9|
9|
10|Command Aura (2)

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|
9|
11|Bonus Feat

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|
10|
12|Cunning Dodge

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|
10|
12|Grant Full-Round Action

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|
11|
13|-

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|
11|
14|Extra Aura (4)

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|
12|
15|Cunning Brilliance[/table]

HD: D8

Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): The Commander’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Decipher script(Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Weapons and Armor: The commander is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. He may wear light or medium armor, as well as shields (but not tower shields).

Leadership: Leadership provides a pool of points equal to the character's Charisma modifier + base points. This pool normally refreshes each encounter. Commander abilities have various costs to use drawn from these points. Example: A level 2 Commander with a 14 Charisma has 1+2 = 3 points in his Leadership pool.

Orders: As a commander, you may place other characters on orders. Doing so costs a point from your Leadership pool that does not refresh until you release the order. A character on orders may benefit from one of your Tactical Auras even when outside of the normal effect range as long as they are working to fulfill the mission you have specified. If you are capable of projecting multiple auras, affected characters may benefit from extra auras at an additional cost of one Leadership point each.

Tactical Aura: Commanders are capable of inspiring those under their authority to perform amazing deeds. Each Aura grants a bonus to a number of targets equal to the character's charisma modifier+1. Each recipient must be able to see and hear the commander; if the commander is knocked unconscious or unable to act no bonus is granted. Activating an aura is a move action that costs one Leadership point. Auras remain active as long as the commander wishes at no cost, so the commander's Leadership pool is usually only effected when changing between auras during an encounter.

At levels 5, 12, and 19 the commander gains the ability to project additional auras at the same time. As they gain experience, they may choose from the following Auras to add to their collection:

(The bonus for these auras is equal to the commander's Intelligence bonus or Charisma bonus, whichever is higher. Aura's provide Circumstance bonuses and do not stack with each other.) [Formerly minor auras]
Accurate Strike: Bonus on rolls made to confirm critical hits.
Art of War: Bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder
attempts.
Demand Fortitude: Bonus on Fortitude saves.
Determined Caster: Bonus on rolls to overcome spell resistance.
Force of Will: Bonus on Will saves.
Master of Opportunity: Bonus to Armor Class against attacks of
opportunity.
Master of Tactics: Bonus on damage rolls when flanking.
Motivate Charisma: Bonus on Charisma checks and Charisma based
skill checks.
Motivate Constitution: Bonus on Constitution checks and Constitution-
based skill checks.
Motivate Dexterity: Bonus on Dexterity checks, Dexterity-based
skill checks, and initiative checks.
Motivate Intelligence: Bonus on Intelligence checks and Intelligence-
based skill checks.
Motivate Strength: Bonus on Strength checks and Strength-based
skill checks.
Motivate Wisdom: Bonus on Wisdom checks and Wisdom-based
skill checks.
Over the Top: Bonus on damage rolls when charging.
Watchful Eye: Bonus on Reflex saves.


(Bonus is equal to 1/2 of the commander's Intelligence or Charisma bonus) [Formerly major auras]
Hardy Soldiers: The marshal’s allies gain damage reduction equal
to the amount of bonus the aura provides.
Motivate Ardor: Bonus on damage rolls.
Motivate Attack: Bonus on melee attack rolls.
Motivate Care: Bonus to Armor Class.
Motivate Urgency: Allies’ base land speed is increased by a
number of feet equal to 5 × the amount of bonus the aura provides.
Resilient Troops: Bonus on all saves.
Steady Hand: Bonus on ranged attack rolls.

Grant Move Action: The Commander may bark an order, granting a single ally an immediate move action. Using this ability is an immediate action that costs one Leadership point.

At level 9, the commander may grant standard actions instead for a cost of two Leadership points. At level 17 he may grant full-round actions at a cost of three Leadership points.

The commander may target himself, but the cost for each ability is increased by one. No target may be given more than one extra action per round.

Brain Over Brawn: As Factotum ability.

Cunning Insight: As Factotum ability, save may be used to affect allies. Targeting restrictions are the same as for tactical auras. Addition: May add the commander's Intelligence modifier as an insight bonus to any skill check for one Leadership point. (Cannot be used on the same skill more than once per day.)

Bonus Feat: Feat must be selected from the following list: (Social and command type feats go here, hehe)

Natural Born Leader: As the Leadership feat. If you already have or gain the feat later, treat your character level as one higher for the purposes of determining the effects of that feat.

Command Aura: A truly great commander can inspire entire armies to feats of glory! At levels 7, and again at 14, the commander may choose one of the auras he knows. This aura now functions normally for all allied characters within 60 feet of the commander, and at half-strength for every allied character that can see or hear the commander giving orders.

Cunning Defense: As Factotum ability, save may be used to affect allies. Targeting restrictions are the same as for tactical auras.

Cunning Breach: As Factotum ability, save may be used to affect allies. Targeting restrictions are the same as for tactical auras.

Legendary Leader: The commander counts as one additional level higher when determining the effects of Natural Born Leader and/or the Leadership feat. In addition, a number of followers equal to the commander's Charisma bonus are now treated as extra cohorts. They gain experience as normal for cohorts, but these special followers' levels may not exceed his character level minus six.

Cunning Dodge: As Factotum ability. May be used to affect allies at a cost of three Leadership points. May be used to affect the commander himself for four Leadership points. Targeting restrictions are the same as for tactical auras.

Cunning Brilliance: As Factotum ability. May target allies for three Leadership points; targeting himself costs the commander six Leadership points per use. Targeting restrictions are the same as for tactical auras.

[Frog Dragon]

First off, use bolding and a table. There's a good table here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10313).

[Ashentears]

Fixed the formatting - THANK YOU. =D

[Morph Bark]

Due to those changes to auras, these are decidedly better... making this class an extra-great dip for party-supporters. The Order stuff is interesting too.

I presume the "as Factotum" stuff uses Leadership points rather than Inspiration points?

[Ashentears]

Yes, the abilities that were unchanged have the same cost in Leadership as they would have had in Inspiration.

Hmm. I meant to reduce the dippiness and make the class more worthwhile as something to stick with, hehe. Maybe I should move Orders to level 4.

[Morph Bark]

That, or actually even later (level 8 or so) would be a good idea. The granting of standard actions is a bad idea IMO. It's way way way better than the Factotum's Cunning Surge ability, and that one even costs more already. Also, Cunning Brilliance is the ability to get other base class abilities up to level 15 right? I don't think that fits with this class. As it is, it makes a great dip, but taking it all the way almost allows you to turn all your party members into Factota, minus their SLAs.

I also don't see how Spellcraft fits on their skill list.

[Milskidasith]

M, the extra standard action is weaker because instead of granting free action standard actions, it's an immediate action, so you can't stack it as much.

It's still nutty, and full round actions is *very* overpowered.

[jiriku]

This looks like a fun support class to play. My instinct is that the benefits are pretty front-loaded and that some of them should be moved back five levels. Whether this was a fairly built class would depend for me on the campaign it was to be played in...in a mid-op campaign I'd probably be ok with it, but I'd likely want to nerf its overall power in a low-op campaign, or nerf how applicable some powers are to others in a high-op campaign (excessive synergies).

It's pushing the envelope in terms of the size of the numbers it generates. Cha+1 to initiative for everyone is just stupid high at high levels (the bonus should easily break double digits), for example, and the commander can do a half a dozen other things at the same time in addition to that.

[Ashentears]

That, or actually even later (level 8 or so) would be a good idea. The granting of standard actions is a bad idea IMO. It's way way way better than the Factotum's Cunning Surge ability, and that one even costs more already. Also, Cunning Brilliance is the ability to get other base class abilities up to level 15 right? I don't think that fits with this class. As it is, it makes a great dip, but taking it all the way almost allows you to turn all your party members into Factota, minus their SLAs.

I also don't see how Spellcraft fits on their skill list.


Thank you for your feedback. Cunning Brilliance was thrown in because a) I didn't have a better idea for a capstone and b) the campaign won't go to level 20 anyways. It's expected to stop around 12-13.

As for the standard actions... the commander can only grant one of them per round, as opposed to the factotum's ability to nova with them.

[Ashentears]

M, the extra standard action is weaker because instead of granting free action standard actions, it's an immediate action, so you can't stack it as much.

It's still nutty, and full round actions is *very* overpowered.


Hey, it's at level 17... the Wizard is already doing it! =p

What about the extra full-round actions do you think will be broken? <readies the nerf bat>

[Milskidasith]

Hey, it's at level 17... the Wizard is already doing it! =p

What about the extra full-round actions do you think will be broken? <readies the nerf bat>

The wizard isn't giving free full round actions out, no. They get time stop, but that doesn't allow them to attack.

As for what about it is broken... the fact your allies get another full attack/full round casting time spell every round? That's a pretty huge ability.

[Ashentears]

This looks like a fun support class to play. My instinct is that the benefits are pretty front-loaded and that some of them should be moved back five levels. Whether this was a fairly built class would depend for me on the campaign it was to be played in...in a mid-op campaign I'd probably be ok with it, but I'd likely want to nerf its overall power in a low-op campaign, or nerf how applicable some powers are to others in a high-op campaign (excessive synergies).

It's pushing the envelope in terms of the size of the numbers it generates. Cha+1 to initiative for everyone is just stupid high at high levels (the bonus should easily break double digits), for example, and the commander can do a half a dozen other things at the same time in addition to that.


Hmm. You are very right the the class is front-loaded. It gains versatility down the line, but much of it's power in the first six levels. That might need fixing, because I like smoother progressions.

As for the init bonus... well, you can get that anyways with a one level dip of Marshal. You have to stick with the class a fair way to get more than one aura, and quite a long ways to get three. I guess what I'm saying is, you have to really invest in a Commander just to approach the possibility of being as good as Factotum18/Marshal2.

Of course, maybe F18/M2 is overpowered and my scale is wrong. :smallbiggrin:

[Ashentears]

The wizard isn't giving free full round actions out, no. They get time stop, but that doesn't allow them to attack.

As for what about it is broken... the fact your allies get another full attack/full round casting time spell every round? That's a pretty huge ability.

OH! I see where I was unclear. That's supposed to target ONE ally. Wow. Huge oversight on the part of my editing staff.

*glares at his cats*

[Milskidasith]

OH! I see where I was unclear. That's supposed to target ONE ally. Wow. Huge oversight on the part of my editing staff.

*glares at his cats*

That wasn't unclear, Ashen. I knew it targeted one ally. Giving an extra full round action to one ally a round is still incredibly powerful; it basically doubles an allies power for free.

I am wondering how you can possibly think allowing them to, for essentially free, break the action economy is at all balanced. At minimum, that feature makes them as powerful as their strongest ally, because they can just double the strength of their strongest ally, and that's before the other bonuses this class gives.

[Morph Bark]

That wasn't unclear, Ashen. I knew it targeted one ally. Giving an extra full round action to one ally a round is still incredibly powerful; it basically doubles an allies power for free.

Let me add some strength to this statement: whilst the wizard may buy himself some time to get some buffs/crowd control/summons in using time stop, a Commander can make the Wizard do this before it even is the Wizard's turn. I suppose it can also be comparable to the 9th-level maneuver Time Stands Still if used for melee fighters, since they can get an extra full attack in in the same turn. So basically, at level 17, you got at least 12 Leadership points that you can use to create an effect similar to a 9th-level spell/somethingother, 4 times per encounter.

[Ashentears]

My thinking is that it's not actually broken to do that on the party level. See, the Commander is not actually doing much else that's phenomenally powerful himself, he's just making sure that the person they need to get the job done is getting the job fricking done.

Aside from that, he's making the unoptimized sword and board fighter look like a whirling dervish of damage dealing.

To put it another way... yes, he can give the more powerful members of his party an extra turn several times an encounter. But... the party is still less powerful than if the commander had just chosen to BE one of those more powerful classes. (IE, 2 extra turns of Druid/encounter is not equal to just having another druid, which is the opportunity cost of taking 17 levels of Commander)

That's my perspective, at least. I am open to being proven wrong, hehe.

Note - in running some scenarios, I believe the ability is underpriced. I only meant for it to be usable a couple of times an encounter, not spammed. I failed to take into account the size of ones Leadership pool when you get that ability, and will increase the cost to 5 or 6 points a pop.

[Milskidasith]

Ashen, there is no way that doubling the power of your strongest ally + doing more stuff on your own is balanced. The party is *not* less powerful because he isn't an exact clone of their highest damaging fighter, because unless your highest damaging fighter has his own method of getting extra full round actions, you essentially do have two of the highest damaging fighters, plus whatever other benefits your class gets you during your actions.

[Ashentears]

Not to be combative, but again, I have to ask:

What will the commander be doing with his own action that is so powerful?

In a party of tier 3 and lower classes, his own effectiveness in combat will not necessarily be drastically different from everyone else, but neither will the extra-turns generate an auto-win scenario.

In a party of tier 2 or and higher, the commander's own abilities are laughably narrow and weak. He can make one of his allies' abilities go over 9000, but the party is losing the potential of another tier 2+ character. Those extra turns come with a steep hidden cost when you consider things on the party level.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To channel things in a more productive and less debative direction - what if I make the Grant Full-Round Action take the commander's entire action to perform?

(The hilarious thing is that this part of the class is the one I KNOW I will never get to use, as we won't be getting that high in level.)

[Milskidasith]

Ashen, it doesn't matter if the commander was occasionally doing 1 damage that didn't penetrate DR if he rolled ten twenties on a D20 in a row, he's still going to be better than another high tier character if he can double the power of a high tier character, although the party does lose out on flexibility.

As for what he does...

He provides a huge boost to his allies rolls (save damage, which gets a laughably small bonus), he brings in a crapload of extra cohorts that nobody is really going to want to stat out, and he, thanks to his own aura bonuses, is at least somewhat capable of hitting things. Yes, he's not doing a ton on his own, but he's a support class. When he can double the power of the parties highest level character, and bring in more cohorts that can do more or just grant the parties highest level character more standard actions (Recursive commander cohorts = massive amounts of extra standard action granting allies).

Hell, just the super cohort bonus alone would be enough to make this class incredibly powerful. It's not *active*, sure, but that doesn't mean it isn't brokenly powerful; even using a full round action, he still gives boosts to all his allies and makes his allies go more often.

[Morph Bark]

Not only that but the base stuff... he gets a lot more Leadership points than the Factotum gets Inspiration points, and it isn't even entirely fixed by level since he gets his Cha bonus on top in amount of Leadership points. Furthermore, he can use several auras at once, which the Marshal and Dragon Shaman cannot do, and he doesn't need to use up actions like the Bard needs to to keep up his Bardic Music. That's still very minor to what Milkidasith and I have been already trying to point out though.

To make the class playable at a good balance, some abilities simply need to go, whilst others need to be downgraded (one aura at once for instance, or two at higher levels at a slight penalty). As it is it is also incredibly SAD, basically everything is Cha-based and all he does is commanding. You will basically just be playing his cohort and followers with some big boosts and extra actions every encounter, rather than this character.


The saddest part is probably that I see little of your original idea in this: an Intelligence-based class both versed in politics and warfare strategies. There is nothing to do with Intelligence here, and nothing political either. For that matter, whilst its abilities sure give uses for strategy, they are still pretty general. Perhaps you could expand upon that by a list of homebrew abilities they could choose from every few levels?

[Ashentears]

I've posted two ideas for fixing the granted action abilities and neither of you have commented on those at all. If you have alternative suggestions, those would be helpful and fully welcomed.

As I've stated several times now I'm not even going to achieve the level required to use this ability. Further debate on it will not be helpful. As such, this will be my last response regarding anything after level 15. Feel free to respond, have the last word, whatever.

I've spoiler tagged this last response so as not to further sidetrack the intent of this thread. ^_^
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Milsk, your argument is illogical. It's a bit complicated, but bear with me and I'll try to explain why.

Your argument can be summarized as follows.
(A) + (B) < (C) + 2(D)

In words, you have been saying that granting an extra action is inherently imbalanced. I have represented this by the above inequality, where the actions of character A and character B is inherently less valuable than the single action of character C and two actions by character D.

According to your arguments, this would be true for all values of A,B,C,D. This seems indefensible to me. A wide variety of theoretical class and power combinations can be plugged into the above inequality that completely break it.

In addition, we MUST keep in mind that there is more going on than the doubled action. A party usually consists of more than one person. Let's assume a fairly normal party of five characters.

If we make the (usually badly incorrect) assumption that everyone in the party has chosen roughly equal characters, then each round of encounter the party has the following value of actions.

Party = A + B + C + D + E

If we assume that each encounter lasts an average of five rounds. (I know this can vary by group, but seems a safe enough number), then we have the following equation for what the Commander adds to the party's abilities in each encounter.

Party (Increased cost fix) = 5(A) + 5(B) + 5(C) + 5(D) + 7(E) = 27
or
Party (Full-action fix) = 5(A) + 5(B) + 5(C) + 0(D) + 10(E) = 25

So, in scenario one we gain 2/25 or an 8% increase in party resources based on actions. In scenario two we are exchanging one character's action for another, so everything equals out.


Now here's the thing. We know that not all PCs are equal. A monk is not as useful as a cleric. A rogue is not as useful as a wizard. DnD 3.5 is NOT a balanced game with regard to classes. So to accurately model those equations above we really should be taking into account the value that each class is providing; unfortunately, that's probably not possible.

What we can do (and have) is determine the rough tier of a character, a rubric of their general potential and power level. http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1002.0

Now, this is where math breaks down and less quantifiable reason must enter in. My belief is that my class, as written, would be a Tier 3 class. It's job is to make the party better, and it does that admirably. It has the skills and abilities to be useful in a wide variety of situations.

Still, it will never teleport across planes, create raw materials from nothing, summon elemental beings, find a trap, beat down an angry Barbarian, etc...

To bring it all back home: no PC is balanced in a vacuum, nor can an assessment be made solely by what that PC brings to the party. One MUST take into account what could be in that character's place. (If you have five players, they are going to play something. If the party did not have a Commander, it would have something else instead.)

The real question then is whether the Commander's value in the party equation is sufficiently high to make the extra actions (and therefore value) that he can give to other party members unbalanced for game play in comparison with the total value another PC would provide if the Commander was replaced. (Since I was shooting for Tier3, comparisons with other T3 classes would be entirely appropriate)

Which is where
Ashen, it doesn't matter if the commander was occasionally doing 1 damage that didn't penetrate DR if he rolled ten twenties on a D20 in a row, he's still going to be better than another high tier character if he can double the power of a high tier character, although the party does lose out on flexibility. comes in. This absolutely DOES matter. If ALL the Commander can do is make a high tier character act more often a fraction of the time, then ALL he is doing is providing a fraction of the power a high tier character possesses.

All else being equal, the party would be vastly better off if that player simply had chosen another high tier character.

Now, that is not all the Commander does (thank goodness). If you want to show that the ability to grant extra actions is broken though, you're going to have to actually deal with those other abilities, and show that the total package is more potent than other equivalent tier class choices a player could make.

[Milskidasith]

Your argument is flawed because you think that the commander is only sometimes giving a party member extra actions. He is giving them a free full round action every round. The problem with tiers is likewise pointless; the only way the commander is worse than another party member is if the theoretical new addition to the party is stronger than anybody else in the party; doubling the actions of another party member (which you can easily do every round) means that, unless you double a weaker party member, you are always getting at least as much power as you could have with a high tier character, albeit with less variety. But that's when your massive army of cohorts comes in.

This doesn't even get into the fact that you have a built in infinite loop for Leadership with this class; you count as two levels higher for leadership, which lets you take a level-2 cohort, which means the cohort is your level, and can just keep repeating it.

[Morph Bark]

As I've stated several times now I'm not even going to achieve the level required to use this ability. Further debate on it will not be helpful. As such, this will be my last response regarding anything after level 15. Feel free to respond, have the last word, whatever.

If so, then why bother making the class even go to level 20?

[Roderick_BR]

I like it. A lot. I was thinking about a Int based tactician class, inspired on both the Marshal and the 4E's Warlord, and this fits perfectly.
I want to actuall turn the marshall in a cha-based warrior like class (something like a magic-less paladin) and this would fit perfectly as the magic-less cleric.

I'll take a more detailed reading to get you some more feedback later today. Just wanted to say that it looks good at a first look.

[jiriku]

Increasing the cost of the top-level abilities should prove effective in limiting them.

Your class is still stronger than either of the component classes you used to create it. to me it feels like you're trying to build it to be the best of all possible choices for party-buffing, even at the expense of being personally useful. I'd caution you against this approach: adding +Win to hit, save, AC, and initiative simply means that your party is either a) never challenged, because it can trump all level-appropriate encounters, or b) always challenged, because the DM throws broken overpowered **** at you in a desperate attempt to find something that can hurt you. Moreover, your personal contribution to combat becomes very monotonous: all you really do is make basic attacks, or select the aura or ability that will give your ally-du-jour +Win on his next dice roll. Maybe your playstyle is very different from mine, but I think I'd lose interest in that after a few encounters.

What I'd suggest is:
a) less ally buffage. You really don't need (or want) to be the bard, the factotum, and the marshall all rolled into one.
b) more options for your own self. In particular, I'd like to see some level of support involving more than numeric bonuses or extra actions. You might browse through the various tactical feats for ideas. A lot of them reward specific, unusual, colorful actions, or allow you to use your skills and abilities in ways you couldn't before. That's fun stuff; gaining the ability to do something that's completely impossible without having the commander around.

[Milskidasith]

Increasing the cost of the top-level abilities should prove effective in limiting them.

Your class is still stronger than either of the component classes you used to create it. to me it feels like you're trying to build it to be the best of all possible choices for party-buffing, even at the expense of being personally useful. I'd caution you against this approach: adding +Win to hit, save, AC, and initiative simply means that your party is either a) never challenged, because it can trump all level-appropriate encounters, or b) always challenged, because the DM throws broken overpowered **** at you in a desperate attempt to find something that can hurt you. Moreover, your personal contribution to combat becomes very monotonous: all you really do is make basic attacks, or select the aura or ability that will give your ally-du-jour +Win on his next dice roll. Maybe your playstyle is very different from mine, but I think I'd lose interest in that after a few encounters.

What I'd suggest is:
a) less ally buffage. You really don't need (or want) to be the bard, the factotum, and the marshall all rolled into one.
b) more options for your own self. In particular, I'd like to see some level of support involving more than numeric bonuses or extra actions. You might browse through the various tactical feats for ideas. A lot of them reward specific, unusual, colorful actions, or allow you to use your skills and abilities in ways you couldn't before. That's fun stuff; gaining the ability to do something that's completely impossible without having the commander around.

Jiriku, this class is the most active you can possibly be, because, as long as you take leadership before you get the class ability, you can have infinite level -4 cohorts to take actions for you!

[jiriku]

Jiriku, this class is the most active you can possibly be, because, as long as you take leadership before you get the class ability, you can have infinite level -4 cohorts to take actions for you!

LOL! You know, before today, I never took you for a comedian.

[Pechvarry]

Between Greater Celerity and White Raven Tactics, I don't see a problem with a level 17 character, who has neither the spell power of a wizard nor the initiating of a Warblade, granting an extra full round action to allies. And I'm even saying this under the sane assumption that you can't WRT yourself.

I'm seeing a lot of arguments against the wrong things. Granting a full round action as an immediate action is your biggest problem. Not the fact that you're doubling the action economy of a fellow player. At level 17.

Also, how can anyone say "they get more auras than a dragon shaman or a marshal, and buff easier than bards!" when A) DS and Marshal are horridly underpowered and B) Bards are only loved as buffers if they're DFI super builds. Comparing this class' abilities to buff and mess with the action economy to known-to-be-flawed classes is silly.

A "simple" method of making this ability a bit more balanced, while wanting to do all the stuff you want it to, is to add more opportunities to up the LP cost for a better usage time.

My suggested fix: change usage time to Standard Action. State that you can use this ability as a move action at the cost of +1 LP, a Swift action at +3 LP, and an immediate action at +5 LP. This sort of stacking cost, like Psionic Power augmentations, lets the player mix'n'match what he needs, rationing his points as necessary.

Also, the +1, +3, +5 cost format for granted action types would do well. So spend a standard action to grant an ally a Full Round Action: 6 points and a wasted turn. Grant an ally a move action to get out of harm's as an immediate action: 6 points.

I'd also get rid of the ability to specify yourself entirely.

I'm actually against granting Leadership as a bonus feat, as it's pretty much always broken. I'd suggest just a class feature that improves your leadership score by 2. Thus, if your DM lets you take Leadership, it'll come online a bit better than usual. Even if you keep it as-is, change "treat your level as one higher" to "your leadership score improves by 1" so you don't get people giving you a hard time about cohort exploits.

[Milskidasith]

Between Greater Celerity and White Raven Tactics, I don't see a problem with a level 17 character, who has neither the spell power of a wizard nor the initiating of a Warblade, granting an extra full round action to allies. And I'm even saying this under the sane assumption that you can't WRT yourself.

I'm seeing a lot of arguments against the wrong things. Granting a full round action as an immediate action is your biggest problem. Not the fact that you're doubling the action economy of a fellow player. At level 17.

Also, how can anyone say "they get more auras than a dragon shaman or a marshal, and buff easier than bards!" when A) DS and Marshal are horridly underpowered and B) Bards are only loved as buffers if they're DFI super builds. Comparing this class' abilities to buff and mess with the action economy to known-to-be-flawed classes is silly.

A "simple" method of making this ability a bit more balanced, while wanting to do all the stuff you want it to, is to add more opportunities to up the LP cost for a better usage time.

My suggested fix: change usage time to Standard Action. State that you can use this ability as a move action at the cost of +1 LP, a Swift action at +3 LP, and an immediate action at +5 LP. This sort of stacking cost, like Psionic Power augmentations, lets the player mix'n'match what he needs, rationing his points as necessary.

Also, the +1, +3, +5 cost format for granted action types would do well. So spend a standard action to grant an ally a Full Round Action: 6 points and a wasted turn. Grant an ally a move action to get out of harm's as an immediate action: 6 points.

I'd also get rid of the ability to specify yourself entirely.

I'm actually against granting Leadership as a bonus feat, as it's pretty much always broken. I'd suggest just a class feature that improves your leadership score by 2. Thus, if your DM lets you take Leadership, it'll come online a bit better than usual. Even if you keep it as-is, change "treat your level as one higher" to "your leadership score improves by 1" so you don't get people giving you a hard time about cohort exploits.

Greater Celerity requires cheese to work "properly;" otherwise, you still get dazed. WRT, likewise, doesn't so much give you an extra action as make you go earlier, though it doesn't have a daze clause. Neither of those can be spammed as much as the full round action ability, either.