Leader (3.5e Class)
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Low - Moderate - A rebuild of the Marshal, the support melee class. 20 0 Good Good Poor Good Other Other
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Leader[edit]
A rebuild of the concept behind the MarshalMH. They are fighting types that boost their allies through the use of auras.
Making a Leader[edit]
Abilities: A leader is a martial class at heart, and benefits from a strong Strength and Constitution, and perhaps Dexterity as well. They benefit from Intelligence for skills, and Charisma for the type of skills they benefit from most.
Races: Any.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 5d4×10 gp (125 gp).
Starting Age: As fighter.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Aura Bonus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Aura, Booming Voice, Social Focus | +1 | ||
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Bonus Feat, Regal Presence (Self) | +1 | ||
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Aura, Victory Pose | +1 | ||
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Lead Movement 1/day | +1 | ||
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Aura, Loyalty | +2 | ||
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Lead Action 1/day | +2 | ||
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Aura, Bonus Feat | +2 | ||
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Lead Movement 2/day | +2 | ||
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Aura, Double Aura | +3 | ||
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Fearless, Lead Action 2/day | +3 | ||
| 11th | +11 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Aura, Regal Presence (Mass) | +3 | ||
| 12th | +12 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Bonus Feat, Lead Movement 3/day | +3 | ||
| 13th | +13 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Aura, Heroic Recovery (Self) | +4 | ||
| 14th | +14 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Lead Action 3/day | +4 | ||
| 15th | +15 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Aura, Zealous Ferocity | +4 | ||
| 16th | +16 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Lead Movement 4/day | +4 | ||
| 17th | +17 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Aura, Bonus Feat | +5 | ||
| 18th | +18 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Lead Action 4/day, Triple Aura | +5 | ||
| 19th | +19 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Aura, Heroic Recovery (Other) | +5 | ||
| 20th | +20 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Lead Movement 5/day, Legion Commander | +5 | ||
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Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | ||||||||
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the Leader.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Leaders are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Auras (Ex): The leader exerts an effect on allies in his vicinity. He can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. The leader may project one aura at a time as a swift action. The aura remains in effect until the marshal uses a free action to dismiss it or activates another aura. A leader can have an aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of a combat encounter even before the leader takes his first turn.
Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A leader sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best. Unless otherwise noted, a leader's aura affects all allies within 60 feet (including himself) who can hear the leader. An ally must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to understand the leader's language to gain the bonus. A leader's aura is dismissed if he is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or understood by his allies.
A leader begins play knowing one aura of his choice. At 3rd and every odd level beyond he gains access to a new aura known. At 9th level, he may project two auras at the same time, though it is a swift action each to project their aura. At 18th level, this rises to three auras at the same time. All bonuses granted by a leader's auras are circumstance bonuses that do not stack with each other unless otherwise noted. Choose from the Auras shown below:
Armor Piercer: Ignore a number of points of damage reduction or hardness equal to Aura Bonus.
Defensive Maneuvers: Bonus on AC equal to Aura Bonus. Stacks with Hazard Alert and Opportune Escape.
Demand Fortitude: Bonus on Fortitude saves equal to Aura Bonus.
Determined Caster: Bonus on dispel checks and rolls to overcome spell resistance equal to Aura Bonus.
Energy Ablation: Resistance 5 to one chosen energy type for each point of Aura Bonus (each energy chosen separately).
Force of Will: Bonus on Will saves equal to Aura Bonus.
Hardy Soldiers: Damage reduction/- equal to Aura Bonus.
Hazard Alert: Bonus on initiative and AC and saves against traps and environmental hazards. Stacks with Defensive Maneuvers and Opportune Escape.
Invigorated Troops: +5 temporary hp bonus for each point of Aura Bonus, refreshed over 15 minutes of rest. Temporary hp persists even if out of aura range, so long as the aura remains active.
Master of Tactics: Bonus on damage rolls while flanking equal to Aura Bonus. Stacks with Over the Top and Show of Force.
Motivate Charisma: Bonus on Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks equal to twice their Aura Bonus.
Motivate Constitution: Bonus on Constitution checks and Constitution-based skill checks equal to twice their Aura Bonus.
Motivate Dexterity: Bonus on Dexterity checks (except initiative) and Dexterity-based skill checks equal to twice their Aura Bonus.
Motivate Intelligence: Bonus on Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks equal to twice their Aura Bonus.
Motivate Strength: Bonus on Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks equal to twice their Aura Bonus.
Motivate Wisdom: Bonus on Wisdom checks and Wisdom-based skill checks equal to twice their Aura Bonus.
Nimble Bulk: Reduce armor check penalty equal to twice their Aura Bonus.
Opportune Escape: Bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity. Stacks with Defensive Maneuvers and Hazard Alert.
Over the Top: Bonus on damage rolls while charging equal to Aura Bonus. Stacks with Master of Tactics and Show of Force.
Push Through the Pain: Fast healing but only against nonlethal damage equal to Aura Bonus.
Show of Force: Bonus on damage rolls equal to Aura Bonus. Stacks with Master of Tactics and Over the Top.
Steady Aim: Bonus on ranged attack rolls equal to Aura Bonus.
Steady Swing: Bonus on melee attack rolls equal to Aura Bonus.
Urgent Movement: +5 bonus to all movement speeds for each point of Aura Bonus.
Watchful Eye: Bonus on Reflex saves equal to Aura Bonus.
Booming Voice (Ex): A leader is good at projecting their voice, and at their choosing may reduce any Listen DC to hear them by half.
Social Focus: Leaders must be good at interaction. They gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks, and count as possessing the Skill Focus feat for each of these skills for the purpose of pre-requisites.
Bonus Feat: While leaders command they too must know how to fight. The 2nd level leader may select any bonus feat they qualify for from the Fighter Bonus Feat list or any of the following: Bergentrückung, Diehard, Endurance, Imperious CommandDotU, Leadership, Negotiator, and Skill Focus. You count as a Fighter of your class level for pre-requisites.
Regal Presence (Ex): The 2nd level leader may use regal presence as an extraordinary ability up to 3/day, including the sanctuary effect if you have either a sigil ring or otherwise branding or flags of your allegiance. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 HD + the leader's Charisma modifier.
Victory Pose (Ex): When initiative for combat has ended, the 3rd level leader may choose to pose dramatically as a free action. This motivational expression of hope restores your level in hp to all allies benefiting from your Aura. You can only benefit from this ability once per hour.
Lead Movement (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a leader can direct and motivate his allies to act immediately. Once per day, as a standard action, he may grant an extra move action to any or all of his allies within 30 feet (but not to himself). Each of the affected allies takes this extra move action immediately, acting in their current initiative order. This extra action does not affect the allies' initiative count; the round continues normally after the leader's turn is over. (This may mean, for example, that an ally whose initiative count immediately follows the leader's may get an extra move action from the leader, followed directly by a full round worth of actions on the ally's turn.)
At 8th level, a leader gains the ability to grant an extra move action to his allies twice per day. The frequency increases to three times per day at 12th level, four times per day at 16th level, and five times per day at 20th level. A character can take only one extra move action per round. (In other words, two leaders can't use this ability on the same ally in the same round.) If an ally chooses not to take the extra move action, it is lost.
Loyalty: The 5th level leader keeps his head clear even when muddled. They cannot be charmed, commanded, or compelled to act against themselves or their allies and ignore such orders, even if under an enchantment which otherwise allows harmful actions. This does not confer immunity to other mind-affecting commands or effects.
Lead Action (Ex): The 6th level leader can direct his allies to act even when it is not their turn. This functions as lead movement, but only applies to a single ally within 30 ft (and not to himself) granting the ally an additional standard action they may take immediately. They may use this once per day, and they gain an additional use per day at 10th, 14th, and 18th level (for 4/day). If an ally chooses not to take the extra standard action, it is lost.
Double Aura: The 9th level leader can project two auras at the same time, each invoked with its own swift action.
Fearless: The 10th level leader becomes immune to fear.
Heroic Recovery (Ex): The 13th level leader is known for their heroic recoveries. Once per day as an immediate action, when faced with any status effect covered by the heal spell or reduced to 0 hp or less, they may benefit from heal cast upon themselves with a caster level equal to their character level.
At 19th level you can motivate others within 60 ft to keep fighting as an immediate action, allowing them to benefit from your heroic recovery ability. This consumes your use of the ability for the day.
Zealous Ferocity: At 15th level and beyond, if a leader would drop under 0 hp or fails a save against an effect which would kill them, they get one standard action as a non-action. This action may save them from whatever effect has triggered zealous ferocity. They may benefit from this only once per day.
Triple Aura: The 18th level leader can project up to three auras at the same time.
Legion Commander (Ex): The 20th level leader can address a group of any number of allies over the course of 1 hour, giving an impassioned speech of what is to come. At the end, all creatures are considered allies within their aura up to a distance of 1 mile, even if they lose sight of the leader so long as they believe the leader is still up and active. They retain the benefit of whatever auras were present at the end of the speech, even if you later change which auras you are manifesting. These benefits last for 8 hours.
If you have changed your auras, affected individuals in range of your normal aura can choose to either accept the benefits of your current auras or the auras granted to them by this ability, but not both. You may use this ability once per day.
Elven Leader Starting Package[edit]
Weapons: Longsword.
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.
| Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluff | 4 | Cha | — |
| Diplomacy | 4 | Cha | — |
| Intimidate | 4 | Cha | — |
| Sense Motive | 4 | Cha | — |
Feat: Improved Initiative.
Gear: Heavy Wooden Shield, Chain Shirt.
Gold: 3 gp.
Campaign Information[edit]
Leaders in the World[edit]
| “ | Revengers... assemble! | ” |
| —Captain Balduran, Human Leader | ||
Daily Life: You might be famous or well known, and hopefully well respected (or at least feared).
Organizations: Leaders often find themselves at the top ranks of military organizations, leading troops into battle.
Leader Lore[edit]
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Nobility can research Leaders to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 10 | Leaders, well, lead. Those who fight around them are motivated above and beyond normal abilities. |
| 15 | Some leaders can provide more than one bonus at once, and boost their allies movement and actions with but a word. |
| 20 | Powerful leaders are known for coming back from the brink of defeat to secure victory, and can inspire armies. |
| 30 | Those that reach this level of success can learn about specific leaders, their whereabouts, motivations, victories, and even losses. |
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes
| Eiji-kunv |
|---|
| Article Balance | High + |
| Author | Eiji-kun + |
| Base Attack Bonus Progression | Good + |
| Class Ability | Other + |
| Class Ability Progression | Other + |
| Fortitude Save Progression | Good + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Class + |
| Length | 20 + |
| Minimum Level | 0 + |
| Rating | Undiscussed + |
| Reflex Save Progression | Poor + |
| Skill | Appraise +, Balance +, Bluff +, Climb +, Craft +, Diplomacy +, Gather Information +, Handle Animal +, Intimidate +, Jump +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Perform +, Profession +, Ride +, Sense Motive +, Speak Language +, Spot +, Survival + and Swim + |
| Skill Points | 4 + |
| Summary | A rebuild of the Marshal, the support melee class. + |
| Title | Leader + |
| Will Save Progression | Good + |
