Commander NPC Class - Making mooks actually dangerous

[heavyfuel]

If there's one thing I like about 5e, is that a bunch of weak monsters are still a threat to high level characters, mostly because character AC doesn't get ridiculously high.

I wanted to bring this specific feeling back to 3.PF, hence:

The commander is an NPC class, like Warrior or Expert.

HD: d8
BAB: 3/4
Saves: Good Will

Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons and all armor and shields.

Skills: 2+Int from the same list as the Marshal

Special: At 1st level, they gain "Aggressive Tactics"
At 2nd level they gain "Defensive Tactics"

Both abilities can be used at will.

Aggressive Tactics (Ex): As a full-round action, the commander can help their allies better perform in battle. Each ally, other than themself, that can hear or see the commander gains an insight bonus to attack rolls equal to twice the commander's level, plus their Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (chosen at the time this ability is used) against enemies the commander can see. This ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to the commander's level.

Defensive Tactics (Ex): As a standard action, the commander can use their allies better defend himself in battle. Upon using this this ability, every ally within 60ft grants the commander a +2 bonus to AC, saving throws, and temporary hitpoints. All of these stack with themselves, so, if there are 10 allies, the commander would gain +20 to AC, saves, and temporary hitpoints. Additionally, the commander also gains Improved Evasion (as a monk) and Mettle (as a Hexblade). This ability lasts for one round.

I don't think players would be interested in this class given that it requires constant usage of one's actions to gain the bonuses. However, it does make a small army of crossbowmen actually dangerous. 15 level 1 Warriors with a crossbow plus a 5th level commander can actually hit a 10th level PC. Plus, players can't easily focus fire the commander (although it's still very much possible)

What do you think? Does this class actually succeed at what it sets out to do? PEACH

[Shpadoinkle]

Sounds like what you want is a Marshal (Miniatures Handbook, seems like there was a reprint in another book but I can't recall which offhand and a search isn't turning up anything) and/or a Dragon Shaman (PHB2.)

[heavyfuel]

Sounds like what you want is a Marshal (Miniatures Handbook, seems like there was a reprint in another book but I can't recall which offhand and a search isn't turning up anything) and/or a Dragon Shaman (PHB2.)

Why? The bonuses from these classes are way too pitiful for them to make any difference against high level adventurers.

Still, you did give an idea. Buffing the Marshal instead of creating an NPC class is probably better.

[Shpadoinkle]

All the PCs have to do is Fireball the mooks and vaporize them instantly, then your guy is just some chump surrounded by ashes of his former minions.

[Hachristo]

This is fine for an NPC class. You could add some more features to it, but it depends whether or not these commanders themselves would be high level to begin with. And yeah, AOE spells are gonna demolish these encounters, but you could try to space out the mooks in such a way that that they aren't all killed in 1 fireball. That way those who weren't crisped have a chance to put their aggressive tactics to good use (everyone firing their crossbows at the sorcerer who just killed half the army). Thumbs up from me.

[pi4t]

I see one problem here: you can't use the Defensive and Offensive abilities at the same time. Which means your commander has a choice: he either enables his allies to pose a threat until he gets killed on the first PC's turn because he's got no defences; or he turns into a wall and watches as his allies get picked off one by one while achieving nothing.

[noob]

Why? The bonuses from these classes are way too pitiful for them to make any difference against high level adventurers.

Still, you did give an idea. Buffing the Marshal instead of creating an NPC class is probably better.

What makes your class feel worse than marshal is the horrible action economy on your class.
In fact a bard would do a job of a member of your class better most of the time and the bard would be more polyvalent too.

[Thirdtwin]

I feel like not giving the mooks some kind of defense increase, especially against big area effects, is going to hurt the class here. What happens when the cleric or balor or whatever pops a blasphemy? Heck, what happens when the wizard drops a fireball? If you want the mooks to be dangerous they have to be able to survive long enough to deliver their danger (and/or to always go first somehow). But the further you go down that rabbit hole the further the class goes from a simple patch-like NPC class. The action economy is bad too.