Marshal

 

The Power of Command

The marshal’s greatest power comes from their ability to support those in action to be the best they can. They can point out a weakness, notice an unparalleled opportunity to exploit, or provide moral support for their allies, giving the perfect cutting edge in any situation. This occurs outside of combat too. A marshal can easily organize an effective search party or help navigate bureaucratic red tape with a few tips on how to work with a bureaucrat's disposition–after all, the philosophy behind warfare is often just as applicable during careful negotiations.

A Motivated Adventurer

Even though many of their talents shine through the performance of others, marshals themselves are often skilled combatants who know how to handle themselves in a fight, meaning they are well-equipped to become independent adventurers. While it certainly might seem unusual when many nations or organizations would pay handsomely for their services, marshals often take up adventuring for a variety of reasons. Some desire the freedom it has in comparison to the stuffy world of politics. Others may have taken up adventuring to seek the thrill of the unknown. Occasionally, a disgraced marshal may be looking to repair their reputation with some adventuring success—or so they would claim if asked over a drink at the tavern. One thing is for certain: if a marshal has taken up adventuring there is usually a good reason why they have chosen this path over others.

Creating a Marshal

Consider the following questions when creating your marshal: what were their beginnings? How did they accumulate knowledge of the art of warfare? Through what events did they refine their skills? Do they value brawn, acumen, or both? Do they lead from the front lines, amidst their compatriots, or from a safe distance? How do they treat those they work with, those they work for, and those who work for them? What sort of emotion, or lack thereof, do they associate with the rush of battle, or the tension of negotiations? What is it about adventure that drew them away from other opportunities?

Table: Marshal

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Commanding Presence	Followers	Maneuvers Known	Maneuver Degree	Lessons Known
1st	+2	Commanding Presence, Rallying Surge	10 feet	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Combat Maneuvers, Lessons of War	10 feet	—	2	1st	1
3rd	+2	Marshal Archetype, Mark Foe	10 feet	—	3	1st	1
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	10 feet	—	3	2nd	1
5th	+3	Combat Directives, Extra Attack, Followers	20 feet	1	4	2nd	1
6th	+3	Call to Arms, Martial Renown, Versatile Exploration	20 feet	1	4	2nd	2
7th	+3	Marshal Archetype Feature	20 feet	1	5	2nd	2
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	20 feet	1	5	3rd	2
9th	+4	Spur Ally	20 feet	1	6	3rd	2
10th	+4	Expanded Directives, Rouse the Troops	30 feet	2	6	3rd	3
11th	+4	Extra Attack (2), Marshal Archetype Feature	30 feet	2	7	3rd	3
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, Commanding Demeanor	30 feet	2	7	4th	3
13th	+5	Dauntless, Stronghold	30 feet	2	8	4th	3
14th	+5	Advantageous Action	30 feet	2	8	4th	4
15th	+5	Marshal Archetype Feature	45 feet	3	9	4th	4
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Greater Stronghold	45 feet	3	9	5th	4
17th	+6	Critical Weakness	45 feet	3	10	5th	4
18th	+6	Impressive Reputation, Marshal Archetype Feature	45 feet	3	10	5th	5
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	45 feet	3	11	5th	5
20th	+6	Legendary Commander, Supreme Stronghold	60 feet	4	11	5th	5

 

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CLASS FEATURES

As a marshal you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per marshal level

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

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per marshal level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, shields

Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma

Skills: Choose two from Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, and Persuasion

Equipment

You begin the game with 200 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.

• Skirmisher’s Set (Cost 193 gold): 6 javelins, longsword, hauberk, light shield, explorer’s pack
• Soldier’s Set (Cost 110 gold): Battleaxe, scimitar, 2 spears, longbow and 20 arrows, padded leather, dungeoneer’s pack

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Commanding Presence

Starting at 1st level, you have a Commanding Presence which extends from you in a 10-foot radius. 

Your allies can attack at your command. When you take the Attack action, you can forgo making one attack to allow a friendly creature within range of your Commanding Presence to make an attack instead. If the target can hear or see you, it can use its reaction to either cast a cantrip or make one weapon attack.

The range of your presence increases to 20 feet at 5th level, 30 feet at 10th level, 45 feet at 15th level, and 60 feet at 20th level.

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Rallying Surge

Also at 1st level, you can use a bonus action to choose an ally within 30 feet of you. If the target can hear or see you, it regains hit points equal to 1d8 + your marshal level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

You can simultaneously target 2 allies with this feature at 3rd level, and starting at 7th level you regain use of this feature after finishing a short or long rest.

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Combat Maneuvers

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in two combat traditions from the following list: Biting Zephyr, Mirror’s Glint, Mist and Shade, Rapid Current, Razor’s Edge, Sanguine Knot, Spirited Steed, Unending Wheel. You learn two maneuvers of your choice from traditions you are proficient with.

You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest . You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool. The Maneuvers Known column of the Marshal table shows when you learn more maneuvers from a tradition you are proficient with, while the Maneuver Degree column shows the highest degree you can select maneuvers from at a given level.

Additionally, whenever you learn a new maneuver, you can choose one of the maneuvers you know and replace it with another maneuver of the same degree from a tradition you are proficient with.

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Lessons of War

Also at 2nd level you learn a lesson of war of your choice. Your lessons are detailed at the end of the class description. The Lessons Known column of the Marshal table shows when you learn more lessons of war.

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Marshal Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that focuses on the military stratagems you devise. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 18th level.

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Mark Foe

Also at 3rd level, your martial direction improves the efficiency of your allies’ attacks against an enemy you focus their attention on. You can use a bonus action to choose a creature you can see within 30 feet. Until the start of your next turn, creatures able to hear or see you gain an expertise die on attacks made against that creature.

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Ability Score Improvement

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.

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Combat Directives

Starting at 5th level, you can direct your companions so effectively that they can use the techniques you’ve mastered. You learn one additional combat maneuver from the Sanguine Knot tradition. This combat maneuver does not count against the number of combat maneuvers that you know.

In addition, when a creature uses your Commanding Presence to make an attack, it can simultaneously use one Sanguine Knot combat maneuver that you know. If the creature does not have any exertion points to spend on combat maneuvers, it does not require exertion points for that use but it cannot benefit from Combat Directives again until it has finished a short or long rest .

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Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level.

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Followers

At 5th level, you gain one inexperienced follower . At 10th, 15th, and 20th level, you gain an additional follower or one of your followers becomes more experienced.

When one of your followers dies, after 1 month you receive word that their replacement is ready to join you.

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Call to Arms

Beginning at 6th level, when you roll initiative, you and each creature friendly to you that are within range of your Commanding Presence gain an expertise die to their initiative check. Additionally, when you roll for initiative, you can switch your result with that of any ally you can see.

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Martial Renown

At 6th level, tales of your deeds take root in the hearts of the people. As a leader, you are more famous than most adventurers. You add half your proficiency bonus to your Prestige rating.

In addition, your reputation strongly affects how you are perceived, and when it becomes known that you are in a settlement people treat you accordingly. At the Narrator’s discretion, there may be settlements (such as an enemy’s war camp) where you cannot utilize this feature. Choose one of the following:

Famous

When you arrive in a settlement, after you reveal who you are local authority figures seek you out to make introductions and invite you to share a meal or drink. 

In addition, you gain an expertise die on Persuasion checks. 

Infamous

When you arrive in a settlement, after you reveal who you are common folk hurry to get out of your way, and when you corner a commoner to ask about something local they rapidly tell you whatever details they think you might want to know. 

In addition, you gain an expertise die on Intimidation checks.

Maverick

When you arrive in a settlement, after you reveal who you are the local watch starts keeping an eye on you. Heads of illegal organizations may introduce themselves to you if they have goals well suited to your talents. Additionally, guards expect you’re up to no good so are quick to leave their posts to follow you.

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Versatile Exploration

Also at 6th level, whenever you learn a new lesson of war or replace an existing one, you can instead choose from fighter soldiering knacks.

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Archetype Feature

At 7th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Spur Ally

Beginning at 9th level, when an ally you can see who can hear or see you fails an ability check or saving throw , you can use your reaction to make them reroll. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Starting at 13th level, you regain use of this feature after finishing a short or long rest.

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Expanded Directives

Starting at 10th level, your capacity to direct your companions broadens. Choose one tradition that you know combat maneuvers from. You are able to use Combat Directives to grant uses of combat maneuvers from the chosen tradition.

At 15th level, choose a second tradition that you know combat maneuvers from.

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Rouse the Troops

Also at 10th level, you can spend 1 minute speaking words of encouragement and support to reinvigorate your companions. Each friendly creature that can hear or understand you can spend any number of Hit Dice to regain hit points without having to finish a short rest . In addition, each creature that does spend at least one Hit Die in this way can remove one level of fatigue or strife it is suffering from. Once a creature has removed a level of fatigue or strife from your use of this class feature, the creature must finish a long rest before it can do so again.

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Archetype Feature

At 11th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Commanding Demeanor

Starting at 12th level, the lessons you’ve learned on the battlefield become useful tools beyond the realm of combat. Choose one of the following:

Calm

Knowing how and when to embrace quietude allows your silence to speak far louder than any words, and you easily pick up on the subtleties revealed by body language and demeanor. When you first meet an NPC, you can choose to remain silent and speak through nonvisual cues—scrunching your brows, pursing your lips, narrowing your eyes, slowly leaning ever so slightly forward, hunching your shoulders, and so on. As long as you remain silent for 1 minute, the NPC has a CR lower than your level, and it remains within sight of you for the duration, it acts as if you succeeded on an Intimidation check. 

In addition, you gain an expertise die on Insight checks.

Resolute

Winning a battle is as much about knowing when to quit as it is knowing when not to give up. Whenever you make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check against a creature and fail, you gain an expertise die on your next Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check made against that creature.

Responsive

Whether between duelists or armies, combat is all about timing and you are impeccably punctual. When you overhear an interesting conversation between NPCs, you can interject so seamlessly and casually that the speakers think they already know you, answering one question you ask before realizing that they don’t. 

In addition, you gain an expertise die on Persuasion checks.

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Dauntless

Beginning at 13th level, you and allies within your Commanding Presence have advantage on saving throws against spells and effects that cause the charmed or frightened conditions.

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Stronghold

Also at 13th level, you gain an average grade 4 stronghold . Unlike usual strongholds, you are unable to sell this stronghold.

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Advantageous Action

Starting at 14th level, your experience in battle lets you help your companions more easily. You can use the Help action as a bonus action. In addition, when you take the Help action choose one of the following effects:

• You end the frightened condition on one creature within 30 feet of you that can hear or see you.
• You grant one creature within 5 feet of you temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier.
• You touch a living creature that has 0 hit points. The creature regains 1 hit point.

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Archetype Feature

At 15th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Greater Stronghold

At 16th level, your stronghold is upgraded to grade 5.

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Critical Weakness

Beginning at 17th level, you can focus your mind to identify any enemy’s weaknesses. As a bonus action, you can choose a creature you can see within 60 feet, exposing a flaw in its defenses. Until the end of your next turn, any creature able to hear or see you has advantage on attack rolls made against that creature, and their attacks and spells deal an extra 6 damage to it. Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

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Archetype Feature

At 18th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Impressive Reputation

Starting at 18th level, your very name can inspire courage in the hearts of soldiers, fear among the ranks of the enemy, or uncertainty in the minds of the commanders set against you. Choose one of the following:

Hero

Inspiring tales of your victories have won you friends in high places. Nobles and royalty treat you as an equal, granting you free lodging, food, and a place upon their court for a number of days up to your marshal level.

Iconoclast

You are known for doing the unexpected and people love to hear about it. Whenever you arrive in a settlement you are visited by 1d4+1 bards, scholars, and sages asking for recountings of your recent exploits. In exchange they each either share a piece of information they think might be relevant to your current quest, or make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check (bonus of +5) on your behalf to answer a specific question.

Slaughterer

Tales of your merciless bloodshed have won you friends in unlikely places. Bandit and pirate captains, crimelords, intelligent monsters of ill intent, and even fiends know who you are and that you are a valuable ally, doing their best to persuade you to take up the sword against their enemies. Whenever you encounter such a creature, it spends its first action (even in combat) declaring that it knows of your prowess and offering an alliance. 

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Legendary Commander

At 20th level, friendly creatures within range of your Commanding Presence add your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) to their saving throws . Additionally, choose one of the following:

Commander’s Expertise

Whenever a creature uses your Commanding Presence to make an attack or use a combat maneuver, it gains an expertise die . If the combat maneuver has a save DC, it increases by an amount equal to the result of the expertise die. This expertise die can be increased to a maximum of a d12.

Feedback Loop

Whenever a creature uses your Commanding Presence and successfully hits their target, you gain a reaction. You must use this reaction before the start of your next turn or it is lost.

Rapid Deployment

After initiative is rolled and until combat ends, your Speed increases by 20 feet, and allies that are able to see or hear you increase their Speed by 20 feet.

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Supreme Stronghold

Also at 20th level, your stronghold is upgraded to grade 6.

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Lessons of War

When you gain access to a new lesson of war, choose one of the following.

Exacting

You’ve won more battles armed with a sextant and your keen intellect than you have any blade. You gain proficiency with navigator’s tools, or if you are already proficient, an expertise die on checks made using them. When determining the distance you travel while journeying, you can make a DC 10 navigator’s tools check to travel an additional number of miles equal to your proficiency bonus.

Keep Walking

You can motivate your allies to keep going even when they are tired and hungry. Once between long rests , you can choose a number of allies equal to twice your proficiency bonus who can hear or understand you. Each ally can travel an additional hour before needing to make a Constitution saving throw for a forced march.

Lay of the Land

Knowledge of the terrain can be the difference between victory and defeat. By spending 10 minutes observing the area in a 2-mile radius you can spend 2 exertion points to pick out where there are choke points, large swathes of cover, watercourses, vegetations that can offer concealment , ridgelines, and so on. You gain an expertise die on Engineering and Survival checks made within the area, and on checks made to prepare an ambush or realize you are being ambushed.

Rewarding Repute

Your deeds have heroically won over the hearts and minds of people everywhere or cowed them into submission. Whenever you visit a settlement, the commoners there tell you all the valuable information they can about their home including nearby ruins, the general environment of nearby wilderness, and how populated the region is. You gain an expertise die on Nature and Survival checks made within 10 miles of any settlement you have visited.

Soldier Kitting

The weapons of war are rarely small, light, or easy to carry but you’ve learned tricks to lessen the burden. You and a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus are able to carry one additional bulky item .

Team Tactics

With your directions to help there is very little your companions can’t accomplish. When more than one creature takes the Help action to aid an ally making an ability check, for each additional creature helping the check is made with a +1 bonus. Only a number of additional creatures equal to half your proficiency bonus are able to Help in this way.

Teamwork

When you are involved in a group check, all members of the check gain an expertise die . Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.