Tactics
Source Battlecry! pg. 25
The fundamental strategies of war used by many commanders are recorded below. When you first gain your commander’s folio at 1st level, choose five mobility or offensive tactics from the list below; as you increase in level (or if you take the Tactical Expansion feat), you will gain additional tactics. Mobility tactics are basic tactics that make it easier for your party to move across the battlefield or negotiate unusual terrain, while offensive tactics are basic tactics that help you attack enemies, control enemy positioning, or endure enemy attacks.
Show all Tactics
Legendary Tactics
Bloody Guillotine [two-actions] LegendaryCommander Tactic Source Battlecry! pg. 28Frequency once per day
Your squad performs a brutal combination attack that levels an enemy and attempts to put them down permanently. Choose and signal up to three squadmates within the aura of your commander’s banner. Each squadmate can
Stride up to half their Speed directly toward a single enemy you designate as a free action. Any who end their movement adjacent to the designated target can attempt to
Trip or
Strike it as a reaction. The first time a
prone enemy is successfully dealt damage by a Strike from this tactic, they must immediately attempt a Fortitude save against your class DC or die; this is a
death and
incapacitation effect. All enemies who witness a creature slain by Bloody Guillotine must succeed at a Will save against your class DC or become
sickened 1 for 1 round (sickened 2 for 1 round on a critical failure); this is an
emotion and
mental effect.
Cry Havoc! [three-actions] Legendary
Brandish Commander Tactic Source Battlecry! pg. 28Frequency once per day
Your squad rallies with a resounding clangor that drowns out all other sounds of war. Choose an enemy you are observing and signal all squadmates within the aura of your commander’s banner. All squadmates can
Stride up to twice their Speed directly toward the target as a reaction, yelling and trampling. When any squadmate enters a square adjacent to any enemy, that enemy must attempt a basic Fortitude save against your class DC or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and 2d6 sonic damage, plus an additional 2d6 bludgeoning and 2d6 sonic damage for every squadmate participating in Cry Havoc! (enemies who critically fail are
deafened for 1 round). Regardless of the outcome, the enemy is then temporarily immune to any further damage from Cry Havoc! for 24 hours.
Squadmates can use Cry Havoc! while
Burrowing,
Climbing,
Flying, or
Swimming instead of Striding if they have the corresponding movement type.
Commander Tactic Source Battlecry! pg. 28Frequency once per day
You command your squadmates to act as a lethal firing squad. You and each squadmate within the aura of your commander’s banner can attempt a ranged Strike as a reaction against a single target you choose; combine the damage from all attacks for the purpose of resistances and weaknesses. If the designated target is a living creature, these attacks gain the
death trait. If the designated target dies as a result of this tactic, all other enemies within the affected area of your commander’s banner must succeed at a Will save against your class DC or be
frightened 2; this is an
emotion,
fear, and
mental effect.
Special If one of your squadmates knows or has prepared a cantrip with a range of 30 feet or more that deals damage and requires 2 or fewer actions to cast, they can cast it targeting the designated enemy instead of taking the other actions normally granted by this tactic, gaining all other listed benefits.
Brandish Commander Tactic Source Battlecry! pg. 29Frequency once per day
Your squad quickly assembles a special impromptu ballista and fires it to lethal effect. Signal all squadmates you previously chose to participate in this tactic (see Special); these squadmates must be within the aura of your commander’s banner. They can all Stride as a free action to assemble into a close formation; as long as all the chosen squadmates end their movement no more than 10 feet away from any of the other chosen squadmates. They quickly assemble an impromptu ballista and fire it at an enemy of your choice within 200 feet.
This is a ranged Strike using your proficiency bonus with martial weapons and gets an item bonus to the attack roll you make with it equal to the number of assisting squadmates (maximum +4). It deals 10d12 piercing damage. Once the attack is completed, the pieces of the impromptu ballista fall apart.
Special You must choose all squadmates who will participate in this tactic at the time you prepare it. Those squadmates must carry the pieces of your impromptu ballista, which can be made out of easily scavenged materials; these pieces are 8 Bulk in total and can be divided in 1 Bulk increments among any number of the chosen squadmates.
Commander Tactic Source Battlecry! pg. 29Frequency once per day
Your squad is rejuvenated by the arterial spray of your enemies. Choose a creature within the aura of your commander’s banner and signal all squadmates within the aura who are wielding a piercing or slashing melee weapon, or who have a piercing or slashing melee unarmed attack. Those allies can
Stride up to half their Speed as a free action. If they end this movement within reach of the designated target, they can Strike the target with the required weapon or unarmed attack as a reaction.
Once all Strikes are completed, if the target took damage and is not immune to
bleed damage, it must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw against your class DC or take 10 points of persistent bleed damage. The target takes a circumstance penalty on their save equal to the number of successful Strikes made as part of this tactic (up to a maximum –4 circumstance penalty). Your squadmates are energized by the display of your enemy’s imminent defeat; each squadmate in a 20-foot
emanation is healed for 10d6 Hit Points.
Brandish Commander Tactic Source Battlecry! pg. 29Frequency once per day
You and your allies defy death and defeat to make a glorious final charge. You restore 80 Hit Points to each squadmate within the aura of your commander’s banner; this effect has the
healing trait. If an affected ally was unconscious due to their Hit Points being reduced to 0, they can immediately
Stand and pick up any dropped weapons as a free action. Then, each affected squadmate can, as a free action,
Stride up to twice their Speed directly toward an enemy they are observing; if they end this movement with an enemy within their reach, they can attempt to Strike that enemy as a reaction.
Squadmates can use Valkyrie’s Charge while
Burrowing,
Climbing,
Flying, or
Swimming instead of Striding if they have the corresponding movement type.