WotBS WOTBS Commander Class Battlecry ability - how is it useful?

[jestagirl]

So, I have one guy running a commander and about to reach 4th level. The Battlecry ability is puzzling us both. It's a free action, that gives you a freebie use of your leadership performance, which must be used during that combat. So far, so good.

But the performance takes 1 minute to complete (10 rounds) and effects lasts another 5 rounds, so you need an 11 round combat to use it at all, and a 15 round one for full effect and that all assumes the commander starts talking in round 1. I don't think I've had a combat go past about 5 rounds in the entire adventure - when does he get to use this? Only during the most immensely epic of chapter-ending battles?

Additional question : should the performance take up all his actions during those 10 rounds? Just the standards, movement still available? Free action while fighting normally?

 

[RangerWickett]

While the default basic Leadership Performance feat does only grant an ability that works if you spend a minute performing, many of the other Leadership Performance feats only take a single action.

For instance, Fearless Leader's basic ability requires a one minute speech, but the bonus ability (if you have 3 Leader feats and 9 ranks of Perform) is just a standard action. Maneuver Leader lets you spend a standard action so you and multiple allies get a bonus move. Admittedly, that probably should have been stated explicitly in the rules. My bad. Operation and Spellwise Leader likewise have options that require a standard action to activate, and don't require a whole speech.

I hope you're enjoying the campaign. Let me know if you have any more questions.