To Initiative or not to Initiative Warlords are in the unusual position where they want to go before the wizard but after the fighter. That is to say, he will want to go before anyone in his party goes and after everyone goes. He wants to go before the wizard because he wants to augment the wizard's chance of hitting enemies with the first battlefield control spell in a combat. He wants to go after the fighter (but before the enemy) in the hopes that the fighter will ready his action to receive the Warlords aid, and get the benefits of two rounds of aid for one round of action. Similarly the Warlord will want to go before the enemy so that he can rearrange his allies' formation but wants to wait until after the enemy closes so that he can disrupt enemy formations. These conflicting impulses make it a matter of choice as to whether a Warlord does much to augment his initiative. Going first is nice for a Warlord, but it is a luxury not a requirement.
I am not going to rank every feat, only those most important for a Warlord to think about.
Sky Blue: Exceptional choice. Take this feat unless you concept requires a different feat. Blue: Good choice. This is not a gimme, but is a strong choice for most builds. Black: Acceptable choice. May excel in some builds but ho hum in most. Purple: Unusual choice. Take this feat only in very specialized builds or specific circumstances. Red: Bad choice. This feat is underpowered, difficult to use, or a trap.
Alertness: If this negated surprise it would be worth it. As is, not so much.
Arena Specialist Drag368: Not a good enough bonus for a Warlord.
Arkhosian High Style Drag368: This feat turns Commander's Strike into a hit & run style feat for a 13 Charisma Warlord, even if they have no reach. For low armor Charisma Warlords, this is a blessing.
Armor Proficiency (Plate): This may be worth it for a Warlord that use a one-handed weapon that does not require dexterity. Otherwise, stick with scale and take Armor Specialization (Scale).
Armor Proficiency (Scale): If you use a one-handed weapon, this may be worth it, especially if you have a high enough dexterity to specialize in Paragon. A Tactical Warlord may prefer to drop to light armor rather than take this feat.
Battle-Scarred Veteran Drag368: A hammer Warlord doubling as a tank may find some use for this feat. No one else will.
Blade Opportunist: If you are planning on using Heavy Blade Opportunity, take this.
Bloodthirsty Mien Drag368: If you are trying for an Intimidation build (a Charisma Warlord probably Dragonborn or Drow and multiclassing into Warlock), this feat is highly desirable. Otherwise, it is useless.
Catspaw Style Drag368: Wolf Pack Tactics works because of its guaranteed shift. If a situational extra shift grants any real tactical advantage, it will be accidental.
Combat Reflexes: If you are planning on using Heavy Blade Opportunity, this is acceptable if you have taken Blade Opportunist.
Daring Performer Drag368: One of the two feats that help mitigate the disadvantages of Brash Assault, this one will not come up extremely often, but if you use Brash Assault regularly, this makes an excellent filler feat.
Defensive Mobility: Positioning is important for a Warlord, this might be useful.
Deft Footwork Drag368: Polearm Warlords will want this feat. Other Warlords will find that this will often aid them in acting as a backup tank. Just shift in front of the enemy to disrupt a charge or force them to divert into your friend the fighter.
Double Team Drag368: This is very similar to Power Attack. The difference is that an ally gains the bonus instead of you. Warlords that have sacrificed personal DPR will find that the penalty to hit from this is exceeded from the boost to an allies DPR. This works especially well with Opening Shove, and makes Opening Shove more competitive with Commanders Strike for DPR. It also lasts until the end of your next turn which means that you can grant the bonus multiple times including on the next attack you grant. With an allied Ranger/Tempus Fighter you can be taking a -2 to hit for a +12 damage at 1st when using Opening Shove (without using action points!). Not bad.
Durable: Excellent feat.
Exotic Fighting Style Drag368: The other feat that help mitigate the disadvantages of Brash Assault, this one is highly desirable (almost mandatory) for a Warlord that relies on Brash Assault.
Expert Charioteer Drag368: This is an awesome feat for a campaign set on board a sea going vessel, moving fortress, or an airship. Most adventurers, however, do not spend enough time on board a vehicle to make this useful.
Fast Runner: This may make it easier to get into position for an exploit.
Fearless Mind Drag368: Even if you make the prerequisites, this is too situational to bother with.
Fluttering Leaf Style Drag368: This feat eliminates one of the drawbacks of Viper's Strike. With this feat, the Warlord that uses Viper's Strike remains a threat on a slide. Unfortunately, the prerequisite is hard for a Warlord to pull off.
Feign Injury Drag368: This feat is really only usable once per encounter. Once per encounter feats had better be exceptional; this isn't!
Grim Promise Drag368: Unless you have some way to increase the probability of getting a critical, this feat is not predictable enough or effective enough to be worth taking.
Grudge Style Drag368: Apparently Warlords do not hold much of a grudge. This is rather weak.
Hell's Implement Drag369: If you are majorly dipping into Warlock and are pushing for a polearm Warlord this feat will be desirable. For most Warlords, it is a waste.
Hunting Spider Style Drag368: Unless your enemy decides to let it, this feat does nothing. Take a feat that is guaranteed to be useful.
Improved Bravura MP: Take weapon focus, it will average a better return on your investment.
Improved Initiative: Varies by Warlord preference as mentioned above.
Improved Inspiration MP: The Tactical, Resourceful, and Bravura Warlord's lesser cousin to Improved Inspiring Word. This is an excellent feat to take at low levels, but should be retrained out as its proportional benefit drops.
Improved Inspiring Word MP: If you have a good Charisma, take this feat. Congratulations, you are now directly competitive with the Cleric as the best healer (at least for now).
Inspired Recovery: Inspiring Warlords should take this.
Improved Resources MP: Just take Weapon Focus, you will average more benefit with it.
Improved Tactics MP: This feat just made the 18 Strength, 16 Intelligence Warlord a lot more viable. Take it if you prefer the higher strength and retrain it out once you have boosted Intelligence to 18.
Infernal Captain's Pact Drag369: Combat Advantage for all attacks or an extra 2d6 damage for one attack. It is nice, but as a replacement effect it is situational enough (and low damaging enough) that this is probably not high on your priorities to get.
Infernal Captain's Pact Drag369: If you are a multiclass Warlock, this just screams leader. It does not work well with Commander's Strike, but Opening Shove users will like it, and it is nasty with a whip.
Jack of All Trades: Intelligence Warlords that switch groups regularly should consider this to fill in holes on skill challenges.
Lend Might MP: +1 to hit with Commander's Strike or Opening Shove; better a +1 with Sudden Assault. Consider this feat at higher levels when you have access to powers that grant multiple extra basics, Relentless I am looking at you, or full standards. Even at low levels, if your default at will grants a free basic, this is an excellent DPR increase.
Linguist: Charisma Warlords that wish to act as faces will want this.
Martial Alacrity MP: The Dexterity requirement for this means that only heavy blade wielders need apply. The limited movement means that only polearm users will care. Pass unless you specialize in the Glaive.
Martial Freedom MP: Wisdom 13. We are Warlords not Clerics. Too situational even for those Warlords pursuing Polearm Gambit.
Menacing Brute Style Drag368: This helps to dissuade the enemy from taking the gamble of Brash Assault, something you generally do not want to do. Unless you fight very stupid enemies, this will hurt you more than help. This feats real strength is when used in conjunction with ranged allies, but balancing that use requires a fine touch.
Mocking Knave Style Drag368: Unless you have some way to increase the probability of getting a critical, this feat is not predictable enough or effective enough to be worth taking.
Nerathi Vanguard Style Drag368: Usually not a good enough bonus for a Warlord, a Knight Commander or whip wielder specializing in Commanders Strike and fighting from the second rank might want this.
Power Attack: Warlords almost always want their special effects to go off. If you want this feat, make an ally that has it attack. This feat might be worth taking to boost ADR for a Warlord that chooses several powers that gain their full effect on a miss. (Thanks Shnik for pointing this out)
Powerful Charge: The damage boost is meh, but Bull Rush makes a good battlefield control effect for a high strength Warlord.
Quick Draw: As mentioned earlier, initiative may or may not be desirable by a Warlord. However, switching out weapons is an excellent tactic for a Warlord. A Warlord that does not use a shield can switch between a more damaging weapon and a reach weapon. Similarly switching between a one-handed weapon and a whip is massively useful. Remember that this feat requires a Dex you may not have.
Ritual Caster: An Intelligence Warlord can theoretically fill a hole if a party lacks both a wizard and a cleric. Otherwise pass.
Saving Inspiration MP: Healing Warlords should strongly consider the flexibility inherent in this feat. Sometimes ending ongoing damage before it is inflicted will prevent more damage in the long run. This feat can replace a Utility Power.
Shield Fighting Drag368: You will not use this enough to matter. If you want extra damage, use a versatile weapon and drop the shield.
Shield Proficiency (Heavy): One-handed weapon users should take this.
Sickening Finish Drag368: If this activated on any enemy dropping to 0, it might be worth it. As is, your allies will steal the benefit away from you more often than not, especially if you grant attacks more often than you attack.
Skill Focus: Unless there is a skill you use all the time, take another feat.
Skill Training: Inspiring Warlords may want to take bluff. Otherwise, not much is especially appropriate for a Warlord. The Warlord does not have a decent enough wisdom for perception or dexterity for acrobatics, stealth, or thievery.
Spear and Shield Style Drag368: This is a useful adjustment to Opening Shove's battlefield control if you wield a spear and shield. It just is not a good enough reason to switch to a spear and shield.
Spirited Rider Drag368: This feat is only good if you specialize in using a mount, but it is essential for builds that do specialize in them. This is a great feat for Dujun of Erathis when in smaller than normal groups.
Staff Fighting Drag368: Did someone say monk? The DoubleSword is outright better for the Warlord.
Tactical Assault: This is a nice power boost, but an average total amount of damage equal to your intelligence times 1/2 your party size per encounter may be a bit underwhelming. Once you are prepared to nova, however, this becomes massively useful. Consider waiting to take this feat until 11th or 16th level when novas hit their stride.
Toughness: Nice especially at higher levels and especially since you are not as tough as you may need to be.
Trickster's Blade Style Drag368: This grants Viper's Strike a little of Wolf Pack Tactic's goodness.
Turathi Assault Style Drag368: Unless you have some way to increase the probability of getting a critical, this feat is not predictable enough or effective enough to be worth taking.
Untamed Berserker Style Drag368: This helps to dissuade the enemy from taking the gamble of Brash Assault, something you generally do not want to do. Unless you fight very stupid enemies, this will hurt you more than help.
Warborn Fury Style Drag368: If you have the required Constitution, this provides Commander's Strike with some Warlord themed battlefield control.
Warding Shield Style Drag368: This helps to mitigate the extra attack roll Opening Shove has over Commander's Strike. This works especially well with a whip and shield.
Weapon Focus: If you have a spare feat, extra damage never hurts.
Weapon Proficiency: Spike chain and bastard swords are excellent weapon choices.
Wintertouched: With Lasting Frost and a frost weapon, this might be worth taking. It requires a bit of work however, and should not be taken until Lasting Frost is available. Most of the time, I would save the feats and flank.
Agile Athlete: You are likely fairly good at athletics. Given the lack of flight or other movement abilities, an expert climber/swimmer in the party can be a big deal.
Armor Specialization (Any): If you can make the prerequisites, these are worth taking. Scale mail is preferable because of the negation of speed reduction.
Back to the Wall: You want to be adjacent to allies, making this a difficult feat to take advantage of.
Bloodthirst: More damage for an open slot. Take Weapon Focus first.
Bloody Tenacity MP: Once per encounter feats better be massively useful. This is not.
Brutal Finish Drag368: If this activated on any enemy dropping to 0, it might be worth it. As is, your allies will steal the benefit away from you more often than not, especially if you grant attacks more often than you attack.
Combat Anticipation: If you are keeping your defenses up, take the defense specific feats. If not, this is a small boost, but might be too little too late.
Combat Commander: All Warlords should take this feat.
Danger Sense: Varies by Warlord preference as mentioned above.
Deadly Axe: A Warlord that uses an axe should take this.
Defensive Surge MP: Once per encounter feats better be massively useful. This is not.
Devastating Critical: This is another damage feat. I like Bloodthirst better.
Evasion: A Tactical Warlord maxing out intelligence might find this useful, depending on the number of AoE using enemies he is facing. Only the Tactical Warlord will likely have the huge Reflex necessary to optimally use this feat.
Fleet Footed: Extra speed is always good for positioning.
Great Fortitude: Probably the Warlords best non-AC defense. If you are keeping strength maxed out, take this.
Hammer Rhythm: Good, but extremely hard to get for a Warlord. If you want this feat you must sacrifice a lot. This is only worth it if you specifically train for it.
Heavy Blade Opportunity: This is excellent for a Warlord.
Impetuous Charger MP: Just how often do you charge first in the combat. If your answer is, "Chhhhaaaaargeee!" take this feat. Bravura Warlords are much more likely to be of this type. It turns charging into a darn good at-will power (1[W]+Strength and all allies gain CA as a spammable is pretty sweet). Flattening Charge at Level 3 for Bravura Warlords is also usable with this, as is Headstrong Bravery at Level 13. This also ups the value of powers such as Iron Dragon Charge on Inspiring Warlords. Also, boosts to Ranged allies are tough to find.(Thanks lordduskblade and Cooperflood for pointing these things out)
Improved Second Wind: Take toughness instead.
Iron Will: Most Warlords should have a decent will defense and will want this. A Tactical Warlord will have such a bad defense that he should skip it.
Lasting Frost: If you are willing to make the effort to get a frost weapon, this plus Wintertouched provides a nice bonus to hit. Most of the time, I would save the feats and flank.
Lightning Reflexes: Tactical and Resourceful Warlords should have a decent reflex defense and will want this. Other Warlord will have such a bad defense that they should skip it.
Mettle: There are currently not enough attacks of the type that this feat will affect.
Phalanx Fighter MP: Knight Commanders might want this feat. Similarly, if you have a lot of frontliners and can persuade them to drop their shields, you may find this useful. Otherwise, just flank.
Reliable Resources MP: The ally will almost always take the extra attack. Some extra healing is nice, but this just will not come up often enough.
Scimitar Dance: Extremely hard to get, although easier than Hammer Rhythm. This is only worth it if you specifically train for it.
Serpent Strike Fighting Drag368: Not only are the prerequisites ridiculous for you, the weapon choices will be suboptimal and the benefits marginal.
Shield Specialization: Take armor specialization over this if you can.
Spear Push: Warlords do not push, this is useless.
Two Weapon Ambush Drag368: I think there is an infinite combo in there somewhere if you can find a d2 weapon. For the most part, however, this is inappropriate to a Warlord.
Warlord’s Formation MP: This feat is the equivalent of an extra at-will. Aid other is usually a bit weak, but this boosts it to decent levels. Dujun of Erathis are especially benefitted by this feat.
Action Grant MP: You may very well have the best way to use an action point. If not, this feat gives an ally an extra use of your Resourceful Presence class feature plus their normal use. If you are an Infernal Strategist (Tactical), this is even better.
Aggressive Leadership MP: Extra damage is always nice, this is a good filler. If you have weapon focus and do not yet have this, retrain to this. This is outright better than weapon focus.Agressive Leadership is better than Weapon Focus for a Warlord for two reasons. First, Aggressive Leadership boosts Commander's Strike and Opening Shove, Weapon Focus does not (well probably not for Opening Shove, customer service seems to want to muddle the issue). Second Agressive Leadership will probably activate more than once in a round, and thus will average a greater DPR. If you want to take both feats, feel free.
Blind-Fight: This requires two feats to pull off, but negated many enemy tactics.
Bold Spirit MP: Free hitpoints never hurt, especially for a risk taker like you. This is not as good as the Battlerager class feature but it does enhance your ability to tank. For a Bravura Warlord, you need that boost!
Call to Glory MP: Anything that makes your at wills better is a keeper. This feat can revise many damaging powers up a rank on its own. Used with things like Relentless Assault, this is nasty!
Epic Recovery MP: Are you a dwarf. If not, skip this feat.
Epic Resurgence: An excellent feat for almost anyone.
Invigorating Exploit MP: Unless you are a hammer wielder with a massive Constitution, this feat is not for you.
Irresistible Flame: Tieflings may need to take this feat if they wish to convert all damage to fire damage. Otherwise, do not take this feat.
Martial Mastery MP: Regaining Encounters on top of the other benefits of an action point is frosting on the cake. This feat should be considered mutually exclusive with the Action Grant feat.
Martial Resolve MP: This feat can break stun locks! It makes taking wisdom tempting. Not tempting enough, but tempting nonetheless. Unless you went for Polearm Gambit you will not qualify. If you do qualify, take it!
Protective Leadership MP: It’s a filler feat, but it stacks with anything! Given the difficulties in pushing up stats, this is a great one.
Rattling Exploit MP: Once per encounter feats better have a massive benefit and this is not one.
Supreme Inspiration MP: Doubling your healing is a great ability, but the real power of this feat comes to Warlords that grant extras when they heal. As it is, healing Warlords and Battle Captains really want this (if they have the prerequisites).
Tactical Action Drag368: If an ally burns an action point for an extra action, at this level you will grant a high enough bonus that they will probably hit. If they miss, this feat will not provide a good enough effect to be worthwhile as a consolation prize. This is filler.
Tactical Cunning Only two of your powers slide, not enough for this to be useful. This should have been any ally that you shift.
Triumphant Attack: This is a free extra debuff for the Warlord, unpredictable but still useful.
Unfettered Stride: Like Blind-Fight, this requires an extra heroic feat and negates many enemy tactics.
Weapon Mastery(Any): If the Warlord can get the Weapon Mastery without taking attribute points from his primary and secondary attribute, he should.
Racial Feats
Racial feat rankings assume that you already are that race and in no way reflect the viability of a race for being a Warlord.
Action Surge: If you do not already get enough benefits from using an action point, here is one more. As always, a very good racial feat.
Bold Command MP: In the event you are a Halfling front liner, you should take this feat, every precious +1 to hit is worth its weight in gold.
Bolstering Inspiration MP: Warlords will not have the Wisdom to make much use of this feat for extra HP. On the other hand, the free save is well worth the feat. Better yet, pick a different career; even with this feat, dwarves should avoid being Warlords.
Bravura Spirit MP: Once every other encounter each ally can either gain a +2 movement or a +2 to hit with the free basic attack they are gaining. There are a lot of better feats out there. Only take this if you are in a party that specializes in acquiring and using extra action points for attacks.
Command the Darkness MP: Stick with blindness; if allies being caught in the area is a problem, use your fairy fire instead.
Dodge Giants: If you are a Dwarf using a one-handed weapon and boosting defense, this might be worth it, otherwise skip.
Dragonborn Frenzy: If you have an open feat, nice but hardly required.
Dragonborn Senses: Unless low-light comes up often for you, this feat is a waste.
Dwarven Weapon Training: Useful for a Dwarf with an axe, at least until you replace it with weapon focus at later levels.
Eladrin Soldier: Useful for an Eladrin wielding a long sword, at least until you replace it with weapon focus at later levels or pick up proficiency in bastard sword. Also an excellent choice for a spear wielding Eladrin.
Elven Precision: Are there still elves that want to be Warlords? They might as well take this, it might help make up for them being elves, a little.
Enlarged Dragon Breath: Dragonborn should take this if they can.
Ferocious Rebuke: This helps redeem the Tiefling as a Warlord, a bit.
Fey Command MP: Your allies should be using action points to gain a bonus to hit (from you) to their most powerful abilities. Now they can reposition themselves to take better advantage of this. This can make some combinations, but is too situational to be a must have.
Group Insight: Although not a requirement, this certainly seems Warlordish.
Halfling Agility: Nothing special for a Warlord, but nice for any Halfling.
Hellfire Blood: If a Tiefling can get a hold of a flaming sword, this feat almost makes Tiefling an interesting Warlord. Required for a Tiefling!
Human Perseverance: Not as good as Action Surge, but still decent for a human.
Inspired Defense MP: Twice per encounter, boost a recently healed allies defense….meh.
Inspired Tactics MP: If you are a half-elf Inspiring Warlord, take this feat to gain a bit of the Tactical's goodness. Decent, but it does not make the race.
Leading Fire MP: Wow, they actually tried to make the Elf decent at being a Warlord. This is one massively strong feat for a massively underpowered race-class combination. If you are an Elvish Warlord, this is a must have.
Light Step: This certainly seems Warlordish, although Rangers should look at it as well.
Lost in the Crowd: Given that Warlords tend to be adjacent to allies, this is fairly good.
Tactical Inspiration MP: If the Eladrin needed a boost, this was it. Any Tactical Warlord that doubles as the party healer should take this feat if available. Sadly cosmetic ear surgery does not qualify.
Unbalancing Wrath MP: Unless you are gaining back your racial encounter ability multiple times per encounter, this feat just does not do enough to be worth taking over the alternatives.
Action Recovery: In this case, you might want to skip it. You want to use action points when it will benefit allies the most. That will often conflict with the use of this feat.
Avenging Spirit MP: Free Action Points! Figurines of Wondrous Power count as allies to. Have fun until you get to a higher level. More importantly, the action point can be used to save an ally and offset action loss. Very good.
Bloody Inspiration MP: Warlords do not have good Constitutions most of the time. I suppose a hammer wielding Dragonborn that has abandoned Charisma might take this, but otherwise Dragonborn should pass.
Dragonbreath Warrior MP: Extra damage once per encounter. Weapon Focus will be more useful.
Dwarven Durability: You are a dwarf, you need to ask.
Elemental Companions MP: Sadly this does not work with the Genasi feat Versatile Resistance. This means you actually have to be manifesting the appropriate resistances. Very situational. An area effecting wizard (preferably with the War Wizard feat) will greatly appreciate this feat when he uses Thunder Wave. I expect that a few Genasi Wizards will multiclass into Warlord for this feat.
Empowered Dragonbreath: Probably overkill for a Warlord. Dragonbreath makes a better minion killer than a damage effect and should be used as such.
Fey Step Trailblazer Drag366: Moving allies around the battlefield can create tactical flexibility that is right up a leaders alley.
Fey Tactics MP: Spiral Tacticians take note, this is sky blue before your ability to use it extra times and gain bonuses. Solid feat for saving allies and rearranging the battlefield.
Feywild Protection: A Warlord using fey step will often be positioning himself to make use of an exploit. The extra defense allows the Warlord to feel better about being surrounded.
Fiery Rebuke: Once per encounter you do more damage. Sigh.
Reactive Fey Step Drag366: Just save your teleport and use it after you are moved. You will save a feat and will not lose much.
Running Shot: Warlords use real weapons, not ranged ones. Well, this is decent if you have Stir the Hornet's Nest….
Steadfast Tactics MP: More Dwarven Warlord feats, and this one is heavily situational. Pass unless you know you will be fighting push/pull enemies on a regular basis. If you are fighting such beasties, negating their entire tactical setup is an awesome plus.
Underfoot: This is very useful for a Warlord that needs to reposition himself for an exploit.
Vital Inspiration MP: Use of second wind is usually something to avoid to prevent action disadvantage. This feat eases the pain, but taking a feat to buffer a last resort activity is hopefully not something you will use very often. If your party regularly uses its second wind (party of dwarves), however, feel free to boost the healing.
Darkfire Warrior MP: Useful for Rogues, this feat is less useful to Warlords. Still recurring ways to block line of sight is decent.
Dragon Warrior MP: Unless you have uber-breath from something else, or face a huge number of minions, skip this feat.
Elemental Warrior MP: Once per encounter feats better have a massive benefit. This one does not. The right Paragon Paths and feats will boost a racial to the point that it is worth having twice, but this is only useful in those specific builds.
Feywild Warrior MP: Free teleports that activate all the teleport based magic items plus forced teleport, usable every time you hit with a daily Warlord power. This ups Eladrin dailies immensely.
Fortune’s Warrior MP: Once per encounter feats better have a massive benefit and this is not one.
Hawkeye Warrior MP: The investment for this feat makes it unlikely that any Warlord will ever get it. But, if you qualify, it is well worth it.
Infernal Warrior MP: There is no restriction on how often this feat can be activated, but relying on being criticaled is a rather painful strategy. This feat helps counter critical attack tactics, but is otherwise too unreliable to be worth counting on.
Stoneheart Warrior MP: Minor action Second Wind will do more often than not. This is overkill for most builds. If, however, you have something you use a lot of minors on, extra actions are always good.
Timely Revival MP: Human Flamebrow Commander's should take this feat. For other Warlords, this is almost as good as the Epic Destiny stay alive powers. If you went Legendary General or Warmaster you don’t get one of those class features. If you’re the only member of your party that can heal you’re definitely going to want it. Honestly this feat only has to work once per day to be worth it.
Arcane Initiate: Additional control through area effects is great for a Warlord, even a low Intelligence one. Some of the Paragon Paths are also nice options for a Warlord.
Bola Training Drag368: As a Warlord you just will not have enough Dexterity to make good use of this weapon.
Battle Awareness MP: Better than Student of the Sword, but you will not likely have the Wisdom to take it.
Initiate of the Faith: This overlaps your current abilities too much and you will never have the wisdom for the best Cleric powers.
Net Training Drag368: There are a few combos that the net works well with, but they tend to take more effort to set up than they are worth.
Pact Initiate: Charisma Warlords may find the addition of some range powers a useful addition to their repertoire. The skill choices are also excellent.
Ruthless Efficiency MP: Just carry a sword.
Soldier of the Faith: Charisma Warlords will find that this combos well. The once per encounter Divine Challenge basically turns a power like Diabolic Stratagem into a power that (hit or miss) gives your opponent the choice to a) Attack you, drawing OAs from you and anyone nearby, or b) Attack an ally, taking -2 to hit, and eating Divine Challenge damage.
If you have a reach weapon, it also lets you combo with powers like Viper's Strike, which if combined with a fighter, gives your opponent the choice of a) Attack your ally, taking -2 to hit, and eating Divine Challenge damage, or b) try to shift toward you, triggering an OA from Viper's Strike, potentially taking damage AND being prevented from reaching you, at which point it can do nothing.
The feat also opens the way for you to power swap for the awesome level 6 Paladin Utility, Wrath of the Gods, which can grant your entire party +Cha to damage for the entire encounter.
Sly Dodge MP: For a high Charisma Warlord this will be preferable to access to the Thievery skill and a little extra damage, especially if attacking you provokes a fighter's free attack.
Sneak of Shadows: None of the Paragon Paths are very good for a Warlord and the required Dexterity makes this out of the reach of most Warlords.
Student of the Sword: Some fighter stances work well with Warlord abilities and several of the Fighter Paragon Paths are good.
Two-Blade Warrior MP: Stick with a shield or gain proficiency in double sword. Warrior of the Wild is better.
Warrior of the Wild: The skill training is the best feature of this feat. Most Ranger powers do not synergize well with Warlord and most of the good Paragon Paths are unavailable. Honestly, Rangers are better off multiclassing Warlord rather than the other way around.
Whip Training Drag368: While you will never want any of the other whip powers, whip is a very powerful weapon choice for a Warlord. Not only does the extra reach help you with setting up many of your at wills, whip has a good to hit modifier. The extra penalty this feat invokes is useful for everything but Commander's Strike, making it preferable to simple proficiency if you are not going to multiclass.
Prime Strike MP: +1 is always nice, if you are multiclassing Ranger.
Polearm Momentum MP: Polearm wielding Warlords will want this feat. Between it and the new Warlord feat, polearms are now a viable defensive option in Paragon.
Other Class Paragon Feats of Special Note
Draconic Arrogance MP: Dragonborn fighter polearm wielders or Opening Shove experts will want this.
Elemental Guardian MP: A powerful feat for Genasi fighters
Fey Charge MP: A powerful feat for Eladrin fighters, especially Spiral Tacticians.
Other Class Epic Feats of Special Note
Mobile Fighter MP: Warlord fighters that make the prerequisites should take this for the hit and run potential, if nothing else.
Prime Hunter MP: Another way to gain a +1 to hit, this feat requires that you multiclass into Ranger.
[size=+2]What you need to know to order people around - Skills.[/size]
Sky Blue: The best of the best choices. Blue: Special forces but not elite. Black: If you consider average acceptable for combat, this might be for you. Purple: For corner cases only. These options require VERY specific circumstances to even consider. Red: This is always a bad choice.
Athletics: Strength is one of your highest scores and mobility is rather important for you. I would take this just so that you can jump onto barroom tables.
Diplomacy: You should take this if you are an Inspiring Warlord. If not, it makes good filler for non-encounter skill-tests and an activity to conduct out of combat.
Endurance: You constitution may or may not be good. Either way, this skill should come up often enough that you want to take it.
Heal: This is an at-will method of giving an ally another save or allowing them to burn a healing surge. Eventually you will run out of encounters/dailies and this skill might be necessary to fulfill your role (even if it fails ½ the time).
History: This is filler for the Tactical Warlord. It might come in handy for developing strategies and recognizing ambush zones. However, check with your DM to determine how frequently you will use this skill. Inspiring Warlords should skip it.
Intimidate: Your mileage may vary with this skill, but if you are playing an Inspiring Warlord and can end the encounter through intimidation, this skill is fairly useful. Even an Inspiring Warlord cannot pull this off against hostile opponents regularly, however, so some multi-classing might be required. For those planewalking Warlords out there, some worlds may not permit easy initimidation. Always ask the powers that be how things work in their areas of influence (in other words check that the DM has not nerfed Intimidate).
Acrobatics: If you are a dexterity based Warlord, the swashbuckling uses of this skill alone make it appropriate. This is probably the best option for the Eladrin skill. However, check with your DM to determine how creative he will allow the players to get. This synergizes well with athletics. Do not forget that the feat Unfettered Stride will require this skill.
Arcana: If you are multiclassing with Wizard, you will have this. Otherwise, only take this if you need to be a backup ritual caster for some reason.
Bluff: Inspirational Warlords should take this if they can. Tactical Warlords can do without.
Dungeoneering: Wrong attribute and needs a feat. Skip this one.
Insight: Inspirational Warlords may need to take this if they wish to be the party face. Unfortunately, this is not your strong point, so take it only if another party member cannot fill the position. Tactical Warlords should just skip this.
Nature: See Dungeoneering
Perception: This skill is VERY tempting. Unfortunately, even with this feat, your odds of being surprised are still high against a specialist. Still trying to avoid surprise is important and may be worth a feat. If you are going to get the blind-fighting feat, this skill is required.
Religion: Better than Dungeoneering and Nature for a Tactical Warlord, most of the time you will get this through multiclassing. If not, only take this if you have no Paladins or Clerics in the party.
Stealth: Like perception, this is very tempting. Unlike perception, you need other feats or powers to support this skill and a maxed out dexterity to make use of this skill against any creature of your power level. Unless you are joining a commando style party, you cannot gain enough from this feat without specialization for it to be worth taking.
Streetwise: Last place cousin skill for an Inspirational Warlord face. Only take this if no one in your party has it and you constantly need to use it.
Thievery: A high dexterity Warlord might find use for this skill, but it will not usually be worth the feat. Only take this if you have the highest dexterity in your party and bashing down the traps/doors does not cut it.
This is a link to a group that is trying to form an official RPGA adventuring company. If you are playing a Warlord with a face secondary role in the RPGA, it might be worth taking a look. Tidemarshal Clan
Lordduskblade has begun another Warlords Handbook here
He states that he disagrees CATEGORICALLY with many of my choices. The handbooks seem similar to me, so I am not sure which choices he is referring to, but please stop by and support his handbook as well. If you see anything in his handbook that disagrees with me, and that you agree with, please let me know so that I can consider altering this handbook.
[size=+2]Builds[/size]
These are a couple of sample builds for a Warlord. Both are designed using only the Players Handbook.
Primary Combat Role: Selective Buffing/Healing Secondary Combat Role: Intimidation Non-Combat Role: Face Lady Ruby Sunshine (AKA Mother) With a simple smile and a kind word, her children gain strength. Naughty children should beware, however; she is stronger than she looks.
Feats 1 Pact Initiate 2 Inspired Recovery 4 Skill Focus (Intimidate) 6 Linguist 8 Acolyte Power 10 Jack of all Trades 11 Combat Commander 12 Toughness 14 Weapon Focus 16 Great Fortitude 18 Iron Will 20 Linguist 21 Epic Resurgence 22 Durable 24 Skill Training (Streetwise) 26 Skill Training (Sense Motive) 28 Skill Focus (Diplomacy) 30 Lightning Reflexes
Skills Athletics Diplomacy History Intimidate Bluff (from Pact Initiate) @24th Streetwise (from Skill Training) @26th Sense Motive (from Skill Training) Note Jack of All Trades at 10th
At Wills Furious Smash Commander's Strike
Encounter 1-30 Dragonbreath (Strength based racial ability) 1-30 Eyebite (Gained from Pact Initiate) 1-30 Inspiring Word (Class feature, 2/encounter) 1-12 Leaf on the Wind 3-16 Warlord's Strike 7-22 Lion's Roar 11-30 Slash and Press 13-26 Bolstering Blow 17-30 Battle On 23-30 Great Dragon War Cry 27-30 Incite Heroism
Daily 1-14 Bastion of Defense 5-18 Stand the Fallen 9-24 Knock them Down 15-28 Renew the Troops 19-30 Victory Surge 20-30 Control the Field 25-30 White Raven's Call 29-30 Stand Invincible
Utility 2-30 Shake it Off 6-7 Inspiring Reaction 8-30 Beguiling Tongue (from Acolyte Power) 10-30 Tactical Shift 12-30 Break Their Nerve 16-30 Warlord's Banner 22-30 Heroic Surge 26-30 Epic Trick
Class Abilities 1 Combat Leader 1 Inspiring Presence 1 Inspiring Word 11 Honor and Glory 11 Knight Commander's Action 16 Press of Arms 21 Sly Fortune's Favor 24 Trickster's Control 30 Trickster's Disposition
Tactics: In combat Mother wields a polearm and stays immediately behind the party defender(s). In turn, members of the party with ranged attacks should remain adjacent to and behind Mother. This allows Mother to use Furious Smash on behalf of any one of her children that wishes to use a daily power against the nearby enemy. At Paragon tier, this will also give all of Mother's children an extra +2 to hit on top of everything else. When Furious Smash is not the best option, Mother should use Commander's Strike to enable one of her children to get another attack in. When combat starts at range, Mother will want to open with Eyebite; a Mother's glare is truly scary. Mother is an exceptional healer and may be called upon to heal the party at regular intervals. In fact, mother has abandoned the role of mobility coordinator to concentrate on healing. After all, Mothers children should generally stay near mother. However, if Mother finds that she has too many healing abilities, she may want to take more movement based abilities. When it comes to combat, Mother should rely on her children for damage dealing whenever possible. She has no at-wills that do direct damage and tends to avoid exploits that specialize in damage. She also cannot get weapon mastery in the epic tier. Mother's biggest combat role will take place once several enemies have been bloodied. Everyone is scared of a Mother, even enemies, and Mother can use that innate fear to intimidate enemies into surrendering.
Primary Combat Role: Nova Buffing/Healing Secondary Combat Role: Tank Non-Combat Role: Sage/Backup ritual caster Sir Reginald Thrawllnbury the III Scion of Brightfire He is a superior noble of impeccable upbringing. If you do not believe it, just ask him.
Race: Eladrin Class: Warlord/Battle Commander/Demigod Strength: 16 +1 at 8th, 14th, 28th, +2 at 21st Constitution: 10 +1 at 11th, 21st Dexterity: 15 +1 at 11th, 21st Intelligence: 18 +1 at 8th, 14th, 28th, +2 at 21st Wisdom: 8 +1 at 11th, 21st Charisma: 11 +1 at 11th, 21st Start AC: 19 Start Fortitude: 14 Start Reflex: 16 Start Will: 11 Start HP: 22 Start Surges: 7
Feats 1 Heavy Shield Proficiency 2 Toughness 4 Arcane Initiate 6 Tactical Assault 8 Eladrin Soldier Retrained at 20th 10 Ritual Casting Retrained at 11th 11 Shield Specialization 11 Heavy Blade Optimization 12 Combat Commander 14 Ritual Casting 16 Great Fortitude 18 Durable Retrained at 21 20 Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword) 20 Weapon Focus 21 Epic Resurgence 21 Heavy Blade Mastery 22 Durable 24 Iron Will 26 Feywild Protection 28 Bloodthirst 30 Triumphant Attack
Skills Athletics Endurance Heal History Religion (Eladrin class feature) Arcane@4th
At Wills Viper's Strike Wolf Pack Tactics
Encounter 1-30 Feystep (Racial feature) 1-30 Inspiring Word (Class feature, 2/encounter) 1-12 Warlord's Favor 3-16 Steel Monsoon 4-30 Scorching Burst (From Arcane Initiate feat) 7-22 Surprise Attack 11-30 Force Retreat 13-26 Beat Them into the Ground 17-30 Thunderous Fury 23-30 Sudden Assault 27-30 Chimera Battlestrike
Daily 1-14 Lead the Attack 5-18 Villain's Nightmare 9-24 Knock Them Down 15-28 Renew the Troops 19-30 Break the Tempo 20-30 Cunning Flurry 25-30 White Raven's Call 29-30 Defy Death
Utility 2-30 Shake it Off 6-30 Inspiring Reaction 10-30 Tactical Shift 12-30 Bolt of Genius 16-30 Warlord's Banner 22-30 Heroic Surge 26-30 Divine Regeneration
Tactics: A typical tactical Warlord, Sir Reginald Thrawllnbury the III, he refuses to answer to mere nicknames, concentrates on an even split of damaging, healing, buffing, and mobility exploits. Sir Reginald stands in the frontline with a sword and board shoulder to shoulder with his soldiers. If Sir Reginald finds that the extra stickiness of Viper's Strike is unnecesary, he can replace Viper with Commander's Strike. However, Sir Reginald does excellent damage as is and does not need an ally to do damage. At paragon level, he can use Wolf Pack Tactics and Heavy Blade Opportunity to control people that move by him. Coupled with Viper's Strike, enemies will have trouble sliding or moving past Sir Reginald once engaged. Given Reginald's excellent AC, ability to heal himself, and motion control, he makes an excellent backup tank and frontline fighter. Sir Reginald's favorite tactic, however, is to nova buff his allies. At lower levels, Sir Reginald will use Warlord's Favor on an ally about to burn an action point to nigh guarantee a hit or Lead the Attack to provide his party with a buff. Later on, Sir Reginald uses his Battle Captain abilities to enhance this role. When not providing his party with buffs, Sir Reginald tries to use his high AC and mobility exploits to prevent the enemies from hitting the squishies in back, even teleporting to interpose himself if necessary. He will use often his scholarly background to identify monster tactics so that he can counter them, or at least so that he argue with the Wizard about how best to counter them.
This is a defensive heavy tactical warlord build that tries to be both the party’s primary healer and the primary buffer. Takes full advantage of the Warforged article found in Dragon 364.
Heroic Tier At low levels Sarg is a pretty basic Tactical Warlord with a couple of big buffs and several healing powers. He relies heavily on Lead the Attack and Warlord’s Favor to buff his allies; while Inspiring Word and Stand Tough are his best healing abilities. Sarg’s most unique features at this level are his Warforged abilities, Warforged Tactics gives a nice boost to his attack, while the rest make him more durable. Sarg is equipped with Hide Armor, a Longsword, and a Heavy Shield.
Level 1 Str 19 Con 15 Dex 11 Int 16 Wis 8 Cha 10 Encounter: Warlord’s Favor, Warforged Resolve, Inspiring Word (2x) Daily: Lead the Attack Feats: Warforged Tactics*
Level 6 Str 19 Con 15 Dex 11 Int 17 Wis 8 Cha 10 Encounter: Warlord’s Favor, Warforged Resolve, Inspiring Word (2x) Daily: Lead the Attack, Villain’s Nightmare Utility: Knight’s Move, Stand Tough Feats: Warforged Tactics*, Toughness, Shield Proficiency (Heavy), Improved Warforged Resolve*
*From the Warforged Dragon Article
Paragon Tier Battle Captain is the heart and soul of this build. The only aspect of this class that is worthless is the lvl 12 utility which Sarg replaces with Improved Immutability (Warforged Feat). Now Sarg is an exceptional buffer, able to give a bonus to attack almost every round. Sarg’s crown jewels at the Paragon level are his new and improved Inspiring Word, which now buffs and heals, and the exceptional encounter attack Thunderous Fury. Sarg’s allies also tend to act before the enemy each round due to Combat Commander.
Level 11 Str 21 Con 16 Dex 12 Int 19 Wis 9 Cha 11 Encounter: Warlord’s Favor, Warforged Resolve, Inspiring Word (2x), Steel Monsoon, Lion’s Roar, Force Retreat Daily: Lead the Attack, Villain’s Nightmare, Knock them Down Utility: Knight’s Move, Stand Tough, Tactical Shift Feats: Warforged Tactics*, Toughness, Shield Proficiency (Heavy), Improved Warforged Resolve*, Immutability*, Combat Commander, Combat Anticipation (1 Feat Retrained) Paragon: Battle Action, Cry Havoc
Level 16 Str 22 Con 16 Dex 12 Int 20 Wis 9 Cha 11 Encounter: Warlord’s Favor, Warforged Resolve, Inspiring Word (3x), Lion’s Roar, Force Retreat, Beat Them Into the Ground Daily: Lead the Attack, Villain’s Nightmare, Renew the Troops Utility: Knight’s Move, Stand Tough, Tactical Shift, Improved Immutability*, Warlord’s Banner Feats: Warforged Tactics*, Toughness, Shield Proficiency (Heavy), Improved Warforged Resolve*, Immutability*, Combat Commander, Combat Anticipation, Armor Specialization (Hide), Fleet-Footed, Improved Immutability* Paragon: Battle Action, Cry Havoc, Battle Inspiration
*From the Warforged Dragon Article
Epic Tier Sarg gains a quick boost at level 21 with stat increases to his Strength and Intelligence. Here Sarg lays aside his trusty sword to take up the battleaxe. By giving up the longswords proficiency bonus Sarg gains an increased threat range and increased damage. The threat range is particularly important (at least until lvl 30) because it increase his chance of recharging encounter powers. By now he has replaced most of the powers he used in the Heroic Tier. At level 30 Sarg can burn all of his encounter powers in three rounds to enable him to use Warlord’s Doom, Divine Miracle, and an ally to lock down a foe. Finally in addition to granting allies attack bonuses now Sarg can actually give his allies extra standard actions.
This is an inspirational warlord build that is the party’s face, healer, and buffer.
Heroic Tier At low levels Ghesh relies heavily on the at-will power Furious Smash to buff his allies. Then he has a variety of daily and utility powers that grant temporary hit points or the use of healing surges to keep his buddies from hitting the floor. Ghesh’s also has an unusual finishing move, Intimidate. With his insane Intimidate check Ghesh can force bloodied foes into surrendering to him. Ghesh starts equipped with Chain Mail, a Longsword, and a Light Shield.
Level 1 Str 18 Con 11 Dex 13 Int 10 Wis 8 Cha 18 Encounter: Hammer and Anvil, Dragon Breath, Inspiring Word (2x) Daily: Bastion of Defense Feats: Enlarged Dragons Breath
Level 6 Str 19 Con 11 Dex 13 Int 10 Wis 8 Cha 19 Encounter: Hammer and Anvil, Dragon Breath, Inspiring Word (2x), Eye Bite (Warlock), Guarding Attack Daily: Bastion of Defense, Villain’s Nightmare Utility: Knight’s Move, Stand Tough Feats: Enlarged Dragons Breath, Skill Focus: Intimidate, Inspired Recovery, Pact Initiate (Bluff)
Paragon Tier At this level Ghesh gains the ability to resist death once per day and come back even stronger (an almost epic ability). Ghesh also learn Heavy Blade Opportunity which allows him to spread more buffs around or grant allies extra attacks. He also gains two encounter daze attacks as well as a healing power that doesn’t use healing surges. Between Battle Healer and Inspired Recovery your party rarely has any ongoing conditions affecting them that can be ended by saving throws. Finally Ghesh has an incredible daily power that grants a party member an extra action point.
Level 11 Str 21 Con 12 Dex 14 Int 11 Wis 9 Cha 21 Encounter: Hammer and Anvil, Dragon Breath, Inspiring Word (2x), Eye Bite (Warlock), Guarding Attack, Skirmish Ploy, Lion’s Roar Daily: Bastion of Defense, Villain’s Nightmare, Stand the Fallen Utility: Knight’s Move, Stand Tough, Beguiling Influence (Warlock), Inspiring Reaction Feats: Enlarged Dragons Breath, Skill Focus: Intimidate, Inspired Recovery, Pact Initiate (Bluff), Acolyte Power, Shield Proficiency (Heavy), Combat Commander Paragon: Combat Veteran’s Action, Tough as Nails
Level 16 Str 22 Con 12 Dex 15 Int 11 Wis 9 Cha 21 Encounter: Hammer and Anvil, Dragon Breath, Inspiring Word (2x), Eye Bite (Warlock), Skirmish Ploy, Lion’s Roar, Bolstering Blow Daily: Bastion of Defense, Villain’s Nightmare, Renew the Troops, Superior Tactics Utility: Knight’s Move, Stand Tough, Beguiling Influence (Warlock), Miss Me Once, Warlord's Banner Feats: Enlarged Dragons Breath, Skill Focus: Intimidate, Inspired Recovery, Pact Initiate (Bluff), Acolyte Power, Shield Proficiency (Heavy), Combat Commander, Heavy Blade Opportunity, Great Fortitude, Toughness Paragon: Combat Veteran’s Action, Tough as Nails, Battle Healer
*From the Dragonborn Dragon Article
Epic Tier At this level Ghesh enters into the incredible Deadly Trickster epic destiny, which allows him to control luck and gains a high probability of retaining daily and encounter powers. He also learns a daily power which allows him to recharge ALL of his daily powers or regain ALL his healing surges. Both are incredible abilities unmatched by any other class. In addition to the standard buffing and healing warlord abilities Ghesh also has two powers that temporarily make his allies tanks.
Here are some equipment suggestions from Cooperflood
Magic Items
This is not a comprehensive guide to magic items. Instead this list only points out items that are particularly useful to Warlords or items that look good but are actually lousy for a Warlord. I have a tendency to favor items that have good effects that don’t rely on Daily Powers. Daily Power abilities are great but you only get to use a limited number each day.
Sky Blue-Excellent Choice Blue-Good Choice Black-Acceptable choice, you could do better Purple-Under certain conditions this might be a decent choice Red-Bad choice
Dwarven Armor (lvl 2+): Good inexpensive heavy armor. Give a bonus to endurance and essentially grants an extra healing surge.
Eladrin Armor (lvl 3+): No armor check penalty or speed reduction for those Warlords wearing Chain.
Elven Battle Armor (lvl 8+): Big bonus on two saving throws, and a once an encounter speed boost.
Exalted Armor (lvl 5+): Some sick once a day combos for Inspirational Warlords. Particularly good at the Heroic Tier, it would be sky blue if it weren’t so expensive.
Hydra Armor (lvl 13+): Useful but too dependent on chance.
Soulforged Armor (lvl 19+): With all your healing abilities you should never die, particularly helpful if you’re the only healer in the party.
Bashing Shield (lvl 5+): An inexpensive item that grants a solid push effect once per day. Better if your allies give you something nasty to push him into.
Guardian Shield (lvl 10+): Save an allies life once per day.
Shield of Deflection (lvl 12+): Protection from archers, warlocks, and other ranged pansies.
Shield of Protection (lvl 3+): Daily that grants you and an adjacent ally damage resistance for a turn. The heroic version is useful; however take the Guardian Shield over the Paragon version.
Your DM may or may not allow these items, some of these items have either balance issues or are worded wrong. None-the-less here are some good Warlord items and links to where they are found.
Mind-Rending Weapon (lvl 3+): A daze effect for Heavy Blades. The daily power needs to errata to a Free Action though.
Relentless Weapon (lvl 2+): Solid Prone effect that doesn’t cost a daily or an action, cheap too. Flail, Hammers, or Maces only though.
Bracers of Escape (lvl 7+): Daily that keeps you from dieing once per day.
Dragonscale Shield (lvl 19+): Cover against Blasts or Bursts is a very nice defensive boost.
Netherdark Shield (lvl 13+): Interesting daily ability, but liable to hurt your allies as much as your foes.
Far Hand Gloves (lvl 22): Increased reach once per day. With the right daily power and a spiked chain these gloves could be nasty.
Eyes of the Dragon (lvl 23): Big Perception boost and a Daily Blindsight power
Belt of Mountain Endurance (lvl 18): This item is BROKEN. Epic Belt of Vigor adds less to your healing surge value, but costs more. On top of that the healing surge bonus from Belt of Mountain Endurance is an unnamed bonus (stack it with a Ring of Regeneration for ridiculous Healing Surge values) and the belt has a daily power. If your DM is dumb enough to let you have this, BUY IT.
Armor of Resistance (AV): A solid choice. If you don't want anything else, this will still serve you well. It would be a good idea to pick either fire or necrotic, as those are the two most common damage types.
Briartwine (AV): A trap. Enemies have enormous pools of HP, so they will easily shrug off six points of damage.
Displacer (AV): Brilliant! Incredibly useful, this just might save your life. One of the top choices for a warlord who like hide armor.
Feymind/Feymind (AV): Once per day, this might just save your life. Inspiring warlords should consider this one. Tactical warlords need not apply.
Meliorating (AV): Becomes progressively better as you fight more. A +2 bonus to AC by the end of the day is not too good in my opinion, but it is still a decent choice.
Mithral (AV): Once per day, this saves your life. 'Nuff said.
Reinforcing (AV): You're going to be hit sometime, that's a given. This ensures that that first hit won't be followed by more.
Screaming (AV): Preemptively reduces the damage you and your allies take. Not bad, not bad. The best thing about it is that it is untyped, so it can stack and force the enemy to roll a 20 to hit.
Radiant/Radiant (AV): If your party has someone who can deal radiant attacks, this can be an efficient method of HP recovery. Otherwise, it is rather situational.
Survivor's (AV): Another Save Your Life armor (SYL from now on). I prefer mithral, but this is still good and can be used as part of certain party combos.
Tactician's/Tactician's (AV): For Tactical Warlords, this can be huge, influencing extra damage from tactical assault, movement from certain powers, and more. Inspiring warlords need not apply here.
Veteran's Armor (AV): After the recent update gutted this armor, its use is much more limited. Still it works.
Weapons:
Goblin Totem (FRCS): Gives you your enhancement bonus to damage again when attacking Large or bigger creatures. Very useful at high levels, when everything except humanoids are large or bigger.
Jagged (AV): Gives you the equivalent of your mastery feat. Excellent if you don't have the stats to get it, and it's available from level 12 onwards.
Bloodclaw (AV): Gives you twice your enhancement bonus to damage for your next melee attack if you take irreducible damage equal to the weapon's enhancement bonus, on top of your normal enhancement. Thrice the enhancement bonus if you use a two handed weapon. Can't be used with ranged weapons. Let's you kill enemies a lot faster, which means you save HP in the long run.
Reckless (AV): Similar to the above, only you take a -2 penalty to AC instead, can't put this on reach weapons, and it doesn't triple when using a two handed weapon.
Dessicating (AV): Every time you hit an enemy, it takes a cumulative -1 to Fortitude (Save Ends). It's like adding to the AB of your friends, so it is very, very good.
Blacksmelt (AV): Doesn't do extra damage on crits, and its daily power is a total joke. It doesn't even have a property!
Bloodiron Armor(AV): This scale/plate armor gives you, as an always-on property, a +2 to AC against the target you attack. No Daily power, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For a Warlord that is attacking often, this gives you a strong AC boost against one opponent and can be very useful for increasing your defender capabilities. If you figure that +2 AC vs your opponent could well result in a miss once per encounter, that can be the equivalent of an armor that heals a good deal... plus you denied whatever effects that hit might have imposed.
Lifegiving Armor(AV): Plate only, but a low-level armor. It provides necrotic resist, which is fairly common as a damage type. The daily is strange - heal 20 minus the number of healing surges you have. This makes it an extremely good armor for when you are at the end of a long series of battles and out of surges. You also have to be bloodied. Too many variables for me, but could be interesting. It could really work in a home campaign if your DM (and hopefully you) enjoys challenging combats.
I agree Displacer is pretty neat. It is worth considering against the other armors that provide relief in an Ooops moment. It is substantially better if you are under fire from multiple opponents. It includes ranged attacks, which is awesome.
Meliorating is probably worth Skyblue for someone playing LFR. In the Living Forgotten Realms framework, where you are seldom going to take an extended rest, this pretty much guarantees that you will be at +4 (and maybe +6) in your final fight. Given that most mods have the hard fight at the end... awesome. It is a property, so it does not take a magic item daily to power, and it is available in Chain-Plate, and it is a low magic item level.
Mithral is also interesting. It is guaranteed damage reduction and you can control when to use it very well because you are assigned damage and you then halve it. That control is very valuable.
Reinforcing can be compared to Bloodiron. Reinforcing gives +1 to all defenses when you are hit, vs. +2 AC when you hit. Reinforcing covers all defenses at a lower value against more targets. It is one level higher as compared to Bloodiron. I think I like Bloodiron more, but I'm interested in what others think.
I'm still mulling the many choices over. My old default to be beat was Dwarven armor. It makes my dwarven warlord very hard to take down and is a daily that is going to be clearly useful when I need it. Some of the new armors provide some really great options in certain situations. Others provide smaller bonuses all the time. Hmmm.... clearly WotC did their job well!
Good. I have so far seen nothing about Inspiring Warlords and was reluctantly taking up my pen (well, text editor) to attempt a handbook myself - and now I don't have to.
Going to subscribe and shoot the link over to the party's Warlord as helpful advice.
Speaking of helpful advice, you want "role" not "roll".
I'll have some more when I get my hands on my books.
ranger+pathfinder is probably a better striker multiclass than kensai and even a moderate dex allows for chain armor specialty, shield specialty, and heavy blade+OA feats.
Battle captain also has one of very few AoE attacks that warlords get.
I wish you'd go into more detail why battle veteran isn't a good paragon as I think it could be very good for inspiring warlord?
Also re: multiclass warlord+student of sword+knight commander is best for warlords who want to tank.
You're right about justicar, thats the best paladin paragon for warlords.
Also, tactical warlord+arcane initiate+battle mage is a good combo.
A big difference in inspiring warlords will be over CON or DEX is their 3rd highest score (means they either go plate and maybe axes or stay with chain specialization and gravitate towards heavy blades and OA's or rarely two weapon fighting.)
Justiciar's powers require an implement rather than a weapon, so keep that in mind.
On the other hand, consider Champion of Order. Even with Divine Challenge 1/Encounter, Certain Justice is still awesome, letting you keep one foe weakened as long as you focus on him. Furthermore, at 23 you get Great Dragon War Cry giving you and your party a huge bonus to attacks against your target. Very nice for solos, and you can do it every encounter!
Good start, however, I have noticed that your rating system is a little inconsistant - see the quotes;
The number before the slash represents the rating fo an Inspiring Warlord. The number after the slash represents the rating of a Tactical Warlord.
take your entry for Guarding Attack;
1 Guarding Attack (3/5): For a Tactical Warlord an acceptable defensive buff. For an Inspiring Warlord, the buff can easily halve the chance of a hit against your ally. Use this exploit with a reach weapon from behind a defender guarding a choke-point. The defender will never go down.
This is confusing. Shouldn't the rating be (5/3) as an Inspiring Warlord will get more benefit from the ability? I think that's what you meant, but I'm not sure, see this entry;
3 Steel Monsoon (3/5): Shifting an ally 1 square is massively useful, as mentioned earlier. Shifting most allies 1 square can rearrange the entire tactical situation.
This looks correct (Inspiring/Tactical) as Steel Moonson gains a benefit for Tactical Warlords.
