The Tactician On the eve of a battle, a half-elf murmurs words of encouragement to anxious allies, steeling them for the trial ahead.

In the midst of an assault, a tiefling in armor shouts a weakness spotted in a foe's armor, and his ally's next strike sends it tumbling down.

Sitting in meditiation over maps memorised long ago, a gnome suddenly smiles, knowing where she will next find her nemesis.

Tacticians are those who know that a strong force holds the advantage in a battle; but strength is more than just strength of arms. It is the positions of the forces, the morale of the soldiers, the knowledge of the enemy composition. It is how well you know your enemy, and how well you know yourself.

Real battles are won before the signal to charge is ever blown. Planning and Perception Whether from inborn talent or long hours spent studying, a tactician knows battle. Every ambush, assault and siege experienced or studied reveals a piece of a greater whole, knowledge that can be applied to the future. These stratagems are then carefully passed on to the tactician's allies, granting them greater insight in whatever challenges await. Tacticians are not inflexible, and improvisation is important on any battlefield. Tacticians either lead or advise on the battlefield, giving allies a boost and surprising the enemy to hurt them where they're weakest.

Even off the battlefield, a tactician has tricks and plans up their sleeve - abilities that propel them from mere armchair strategist to someone who has truly seen through to the secret patterns of the world. Consideration and Comrades A solid foundation in tactics and strategy is valued by any organised military (or just plain violent) force. Tacticians are those who study further - time that a fighter might have spent practicing their drills, or a cleric has spent praying and meditating, a tactician has spent fighting battle after battle in their mind, observing their environment, and seeing where even the smallest advantage might be gained.

Beyond pure study, tacticians have experience working in groups, leading or advising them - be it an army platoon, a squad of infiltrators sent behind enemy lines, or a noble's retinue. Creating a Tactician When creating a tactician, you have two important questions to answer: whence did they gain their battlefield insight, and who did they previously lead or advise? Perhaps your character was the leader of a gang of criminal youths, beating out older, bigger and tougher rival gangs through a knack for setting up ambushes. Perhaps they're a young noble, eager to turn a life of studying military history to the test. They might instead of a veteran sergeant, having gone into one too many battles and knowing, the hard way, how best to keep a new recruit alive. Why did your character choose the adventuring life? Did a battle go bad, wiping out most of their unit? Are they looking for a new command, chafing at their previous position? They might have a grand plan, and are looking for the right people to join them in making it a reality. Quick Build You can make a tactician quickly by following these suggestions. First, prioritise Strength or Dexterity, depending on whether you want to focus on heavy weapons, or ranged and finesse weapons. A good Constitution is important next for staying on the battlefield to direct your allies. Finally, select a mental attribute that complements your future archetype - Intelligence goes well with the calculating Logician, Wisdom with the Chargeleader's tendency to be in hostile environments, and Charisma with the charming and inspiring Herald. The Tactician Level Proficiency Bonus Features Command Slots Protocols 1st +2 Commands, Leadership (d4) 1 — 2nd +2 Stratagems 1 — 3rd +2 Tacticial Division, Protocols 2 2 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 2 5th +3 Coordinated Attack, Leadership (d6) 2 3 6th +3 Division Feature 2 3 7th +3 — 3 4 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 4 9th +4 Division Feature 3 5 10th +4 Leadership (d8) 4 5 11th +4 Extra Coordinated Attack 4 6

Class Features As a Tactician, you gain the following class features: Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per Tactician level

1d8 per Tactician level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Tactician level after 1st. Proficiencies Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields

Light armor, medium armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Wisdom, Intelligence

Wisdom, Intelligence Skills: Choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion and Survival Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) chain mail or (b) leather, longbow, and 20 arrows

(a) a simple weapon and a shield or (b) one martial weapon

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

(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack Leadership Die Your leadership die is a measure of your growing influence as a battlefield commander. Several tactician abilities will refer to your leadership die and ask you to roll it.

Your leadership die starts as a d4. It increases at level 5 to d6, at 9th to d8 and at level 15 to d12. Commands In battle, you are able to find the moments where your direction can make the most difference. Several times per short rest, as indicated on the class table, you are able to direct your allies in battle by expending a reaction. Commands always offer a choice in how to use them.

Once your commands are spent by using up a command slot, you've strained your battlefield focus and are unable to identify any more opportunities. Your focus and commands are restored after taking a short rest. Commands Known You begin play knowing level 1 commands. You learn extra commands as you level, with your highest level command level equalling your class level (commands go from 1 to 20, not 1 to 9 like spells). Commands learned at each level are listed at the end of the class description. Stratagems At second level, you learn how to apply stratagems - broad, powerful buffs that are given to you and your allies as you briefly instruct them in the concepts over the course of a short rest.

After any long or short rest, you may choose to apply one of the following stratagems. These stratagems remain in place until your next rest. Offensive Stratagem You impart into your allies your knowledge of weak points and blind spots in your enemies. You and your allies each add the Leadership Die to your first damage roll each turn. Defensive Stratagem You briefly practice with your allies watching each other's backs and covering your defenses. You and your allies each gain the Leadership die in temporary hit points every time you roll initiative - roll once for all allies.

At your option, you may take the average, rounded down - e.g. 2 on a d4, 3 on a d6, and so forth. Adaptive Stratagem You discuss possible challenges ahead and ways to improvise with your allies, pushing them past their normal limits. You and your allies add the Leadership die to all ability checks made, including Initiative rolls. Protocols When you reach 3rd level, you learn to apply protocols to your stratagems. These are strategic variations that you can apply to your stratagems.

Any protocol can be used with any stratagem. However, each protocol has a preferred stratagem that boosts its effect. You can only apply one protocol to a stratagem at a time. You may know a number of procotols as listed on the class table, learning more as you level up. A full list of protocols is at the end of the class description. Tactical Division At 3rd level, you choose a division that shapes your tactician's influence on the world around them. Choose the Chargeleader Division, the Logician Division, or the Herald Division, each detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th and 10th levels. 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. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats). Coordinated Attack Beginning at 5th level, whenever you take the Attack action and successfully hit, you may designate one ally to make an attack as well. If you designate yourself to make the attack, then you do not add your ability bonus to damage.

Extra Coordinated Attack Beginning at 11th level, when you use Coordinated Attack and both attacks hit, you may designate a second ally to make an attack. You may designate the same ally twice, but they may only add their ability bonus to damage on the first attack. Secondary Protocol this should probably get moved to 13th level or even later to not frontload so hard

At 11th level, your understanding of blending tactics, strategy and improvisation includes. You may now have two protocols active at one time when you employ a stratagem.

Tactical Divisions Every tactician chooses a particular focus, or division, that embodies their approach to tactics not just on the field, but off it. It is these abilities that differentiate an ordinary guard captain to a heroic leader of men and breaker of armies. Chargeleader Chargeleaders are tacticians that see themselves leading from the front. They do not lead only in battle, but in the field - finding new lands to conquer, and scouting for new friends and foes. Vanguard At 3rd level, the Chargeleader is now proficient in heavy armor. Clear Path A chargeleader leads their allies into danger - but not without first making sure the path is clear. The Chargeleader can check for the presence of any traps in line of sight within a 120 foot radius, as the find traps spell. This ability recharges on a long rest. Never Turn Back At 6th level, a Chargeleader is always able to scrounge up enough food to feed themselves and their party, no matter the conditions. This effect functions as the create food and drink spell, once per day. Additionally, during the short rest this meal is eaten (as designated by the chargeleader), each ally regains the maximum amount of hit points as a result of any hit dice spent, healing magic cast, or other abilities, and enters the next battle with one death saving throw already marked as successful. Nobody Left Behind Starting at 9th level, a chargeleader learns how to enter a meditiative trance, during which their spirit fights its way into the border between life and death. In this state, they attempt to retrieve a fallen ally before they are too far gone. This functions as the spell raise dead. This ability recharges on a long rest. Logician Logicians are tacticians that see everything as a series of decisions, and the universe as a puzzle or game to be solved. Logicians consider every angle before committing to an action - but their speed of thought is so fast it seems like magic. Map the Terrain At 3rd level, Logicians start to notice every detail in the world around them, memorising and predicting the world down to the last detail. They can push themselves to find an object they know, or one that should be there - like the locate object spell. Logicians often use this ability to find nearby exits, open passages, or likely weapons caches. This ability recharges on a long rest. Predictive Analysis Logicians are able to easily predict an enemy's movements, once observed. At 3rd level, if a Logician spends one action watching the enemy attack, they may add their Intelligence bonus to their AC against all further attacks made by that enemy type during this battle. Information Wants To Be Free At 6th level, the Logician is able to detect minute details about their foes from observing one of their slain. This functions as the speak with dead spell. Additionally, logicians always know how to get their message out, through whatever means necessary even though it may seem impossible - through spies, animal messengers, and pure intuition. This ability functions as the sending spell. Both of these abilities are recharged following a long rest. War Is Intellect Starting at 9th level, the logician is able to enter a meditiative state in which they are able to predict and simulate the actions of both friends and foes from the scantest of clues. This functions as the scrying spell. The save DC for this ability is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. This ability is recharged on a long rest. Herald Heralds are leaders of the hearts and minds of those in their company. With skilful diplomacy, heralds avert the need for combat by winning a battle of words instead. Call the Truce At 3rd level, the Herald is able to stop a potential attack and force a parlay. As an action one targeted hostile creature must make a Charisma saving throw or otherwise become indifferent, as the calm emotions spell. The DC for this saving throw is based on your Charisma attribute. This ability recharges after a long rest. The Untarnished Face At 3rd level, whenever you are at full hit points, you may add your Charisma bonus to your AC.

Clear the Air At level 6, the Herald learns understands the rites and motions necessary to remove negative influences upon themselves and their allies. This has the effect of both the dispel magic and remove curse spells cast on a target within 120 feet . The caster level attrbute used for dispel magic is charisma. This ability is recharged on a long rest. Spread The Message At level 9, the Herald's demands must be heard and obeyed, and their words have overwhelming force behind them. This functions as the geas spell, with the save DC of 8 + proficiency + Charisma modifier. This ability is recharged on a long rest.

Tactician Commands Tactician commands are automatically gained as they level up. Commands are used by expending a reaction in response to the appropriate trigger. 1st Level Commands White Pawn's Opening Trigger: An ally starts to move.

The tactician grants the target ally the ability to either Dash as a bonus action, or Disengage as a bonus action, before starting the move. White Rook's Stand Trigger: An ally is reduced to zero HP.

The ally either remains upright, rolling the Leadership die to see how many HP they have remaining, or;

the flow of battle is interrupted. The ally may take one full turn, out of normal combat order, before being downed as normal. 3rd Level Commands White Knight's Charge Trigger: An ally moves.

The ally either has their speed increased by 30 feet, or;

the ally triggers no opportunity attacks during their movement. False Move Trigger: An ally misses an attack.

The ally may either immediately make another attack at no cost, or;

all attacks against that enemy have advantage until they are hit by an ally. 5th Level Commands Black Knight's Pincer Trigger: An ally moves adjacent to an enemy.

One ally may also move adjacent to that enemy, if it is within their speed, or;

That enemy immediately takes the Leadership die in damage. Black Pawn's Passant Trigger: An enemy moves.

All opportunity attacks against the target enemy have advantage this turn, or;

opportunity attacks against the target add the Leadership die to their damage (even if it was already added by some other feature). 7th Level Commands Pawn's Sacrifice Trigger: An ally takes damage from a visible source.

The triggering enemy either takes damage equal to the Leadership die, or;

all nearby allies except the one hurt heal damage equal to the Leadership die. 9th Level Commands White Bishop's Defense Trigger: The tactician's turn begins.

All terrain within a 10 foot radius of each ally is difficult terrain for enemies until the start of the tactician's next turn, or;

all allies are considered to be in three-quarters cover until the end of the tactician's next turn. 11th Level Commands Black Rook's Sweep Trigger: An ally scores a critical hit. The ally rolls no damage - all damage dice are maximized, or;

all allies may make an attack immediately on a target within reach of their weapon.



Tactician Protocols Tactician Protocols are adjustments to strategems selected. Each protocol has a synergy effect when it is used with the appropriate stratagem. No tactician knows every protocol - instead, they must choose which protocol to learn as they level up and gain the ability to know more. More powerful protocols may have additional requirements. Skilful Protocol All allies have advantage on two selected skills.

Adaptive synergy: An extra skill may be selected for advantage. Assault Protocol On a critical hit, an ally may choose one of the damage dice rolled to maximize instead of normally rolling. Offensive Synergy: Allies roll a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 if they make the attack roll with advantage. Evasive Protocol Allies take no damage on a successful save from any damaging effect that would normally force them to take full damage on a successful save.

Defensive synergy: If an ally rolls a successful save, they gain temporary HP equal to a roll of the Leadership die. Blitz Protocol All allies have an extra 10 feet of movement speed.

Adaptive synergy: Allies may walk along walls, as long as they both begin and end their turn on solid ground. Focused Protocol Allied save DCs are increased by +2.

Offensive synergy: The Leadership Die is added to Concentration checks. Preventative Protocol All allies have one legendary save, which automatically succeeds, instead of the ally rolling the dice. This is not recovered until the next short rest.

Defensive synergy: The ally may roll the die first and see the result before choosing whether or not to use the legendary save. Teamwork Protocol When making group checks, the tactician can elect one ally to not contribute to the result either way. This decision must be made before rolling.

Adaptive Synergy: The group check is made in full before the tactician may elect to have one party member not contribute to the check. Targeted Protocol If an enemy is hit by an ally, the next attack on that enemy has advantage.

Offensive synergy: Attacks benefiting from Targeted Protocol roll the Leadership die twice and take the higher result for damage. Recovery Protocol All allies add the Leadership die to any healing they receive. Defensive synergy: The leadership die is maximized whenever healing is received. Detective Protocol All allies have blindsense - they are aware of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet. Adaptive synergy: All allies have advantage on Perception checks.