Robot's Deconstruction Hour: Commander
Mar 7, 2016 15:31:23 GMT
Seya, Nocturne, and 2 more like this
Post by Robot on Mar 7, 2016 15:31:23 GMT
Overview
Commander is the defacto bard/leader role for PTU's 1.05 edition. It is an active support class that can control the flow of battle with a growing suite of orders. Likely one of the more difficult Introductory Classes to play effectively, with the sheer number of options it gets. The choices it makes for Orders features drastically effects what it is capable of doling out, and alters the character's priorities as a result.
Pros
*Command as a Class Skill
*Early Advanced Orders: Commander's base feature gives access to an advanced orders feature which would otherwise be untouchable until reaching level 7. This gives the class a strong power spike in those early levels, but tapers off rapidly as other trainers reach the appropriate level to start meeting prerequisites.
*Strong Synergy with Other Classes that Grant Orders: Commander doesn't just apply orders to it's own Pokemon. Rude as it is, it doesn't just give orders to your ally's Pokemon either. You can order people! With just about anything that ordinarily specifies 'Your Pokemon' as a target. This is a beautiful and magical thing. Pick up Commander, stroke your full majestic beard with me. Let's take a stroll through these options.
Cons
Hungers and Thirsts For Your Actions: Talking at people sure is labor intensive. We have a Focused Command/Commander build in the live Geode game. Most turns he picks targets for orders and just stands there talking about dinosaurs. If you wanted to do anything other then be a figurehead and yell at people, don't play commander. It has the means, and probably necessity, to burn your entire turn, every turn. This is your life now.
Feature Expensive: Hooooly shit is this ever my gripe with this class. I would much rather see them roll Leadership and Battle Conductor together to form the new base feature, and make a tiered feature that gives you access to Orders/Advanced Orders in a bit better fashion. You have to take a feature to even perform your class' role (targeting allies), and a feature that lets you function better then they do in that regard (targeting additional allies). Even then, everyone gets a bonus orders feature now. Most people I've come across take Commander's Voice since their Swift has no purpose otherwise.
Synergies
Ace Trainer
-Critical Moment: Giving this bonus to one of your Pokemon wasn't so hot. Triggering it on three allies is a bit better, but you'll need to reach Commander's capstone. If you were going Ace Trainer anyway, it's a good buy to assist your Commander Features. Critical Moment used in this way triples your allies' training bonuses on their 'Mon. Requires a use of your capstone feature, since it isn't an At-Will order. Nearly everything in this segment will be pitted against Strike Again from Ravager's Orders, since it is bar none the strongest option for Commander. Action economy is everything in PTU. Critical Moment isn't worth a use of Scheme Twist.
Channeller
-Battle Synchronization & Spirit Boost: Both of these features are limited to 'A Channeled Pokemon'. You'll find a little synergy for Commander with these Orders features. Not only can you already target an Ally's pokemon because they can be channeled, but the only thing Commander saves you on is the number of targets per bound instance of Spirit Boost. Battle Synchronization isn't worth a use of Scheme Twist, but Spirit Boost allows you to throw around even more small numbers if you have the AP to spare.
Cheerleader
-Moment of Action & Go! Fight! Win!: Moment of Action paired off with Battle Conductor lets you give a free AP to four allies every turn. If you were considering a career as a resource battery, congratulations, you've found it. I've yet to see a game that had five players, four of which were all running AP greedy classes. Honestly, if the two targets Moment grants isn't enough, you may want to sit down and have a talk with your teammates. Their AP snorting has become a problem. Go! Fight! Win! has no power here. It already targets all allies on the battlefield, options are good though I guess?
Coordinator
-Decisive Director: TIME WIZARD! NYEEEHH! Okay, so this is by far my favorite synergy when it comes to Commander. Decisive Director, paired with Battle Conductor, allows you to boost or lower three allies' initiatives by up to 16 once you've achieved Virtuoso Charm. Alternatively, it allows you to cripple a single enemy by this amount. It's not a status effect, there's no opposed roll, you just do it. Nothing can possibly go wrong. You are the master of all things time and space, and literally control the flow of battle now. Multitasking or Tip the Scales paired with this and you can start slinging time around with your pendulums out like you're a big deal.
Duelist
-Expend Momentum & Duelist's Manual: These features don't synergy with Commander at all, they require allies to be building, or spending Momentum. When leveled off with Focused Command and Multi-tasking you find a little bit of use in triggering your duelist features with both of your own Pokemon in a turn, twice a scene. This is about the point where Commander gets too cripplingly action expensive to be effective.
Chronicler
-Targeted Profiling: Useful sometimes, especially if you have an AP Battery in your party and can constantly Chronicle everything. 2 AP to trigger Targeted Profiling, and 2 AP to trigger Tip the Scales, and all of your allies are rocking Mold Breaker and +2 Accuracy against whoever you spent your fifth AP on. Yes, it's super expensive, but fuck that guy. You know what guy. Chronicler officially the slayer of all type switched Shedinjas, because I'm really tired of people bringing it up as 'good'.
Fashionista
-Dress to Impress: As with Duelist, Fashionista's features can only find synergy with other Fashionista trainers, or through abuse of Focused Command and Multitasking. It requires you to target Chic Pokemon, which is a TP spender that you can only target your own team with. Additionally this one requires Scheme Twist to be used effectively, not worthwhile as a synergy choice.
Rider
-Conqueror's March: Requires targeted Pokemon to have Run Up. If your entire party is operating as a cavalry squad could have some funny implications as you mow down your enemies with area moves as Pass attacks. Not really worth the investment for synergy's sake.
Stat Ace
-Stat Stratagem: Gives boosts when binding AP based on a target's current combat stages in your Ace's stat of choice. Unless the entire party is running boosting moves, support style abilities that grant CS, Dancers, Ace Trainers, or so on, it's unlikely there will be a lot of return on this selection as far as Synergy goes. Focused Command helps it substantially as a bind, with your trainer being a Stat Ace. Large boost moves being EoT means that without PP Ups, you'll be chewing through AP to lift restrictions to get maximum benefit when used this way.
Survivalist
-Wilderness Guide: Already applies to all allies, and so gains no benefit from being paired with Commander.
Type Ace
-Type Refresh: Requires you to have an ally with a Pokemon bearing a Scene or EoT frequency move of your chosen type. Probably not worth it for the sake of synergy, as targeting multiple Pokemon with the feature is ripping through huge chunks of AP better spent elsewhere. If your Type of choice is a strong coverage move (like Ice) that people are likely to seek out (like Ice) then it becomes a more viable option.
-Iterative Evolution (Bug): A good ability for the Bug Ace, but probably a no for Commander-shipping. Bug Type Moves are overall lackluster carrying both low base powers across the board (typically DB 8 and less, minus Megahorn at 12), and terrible super-effective coverage. The offensive nature of this feature doesn't make it a good buy-in unless a sizable portion of your party are insectophiles.
-Sneak Attack (Dark): Requires Dark-Type Pokemon. Dark Type Pokemon gain a +2 Accuracy and bonus damage against hindered opponents. Considering the size of the damage bonus (+8 Max), type restriction (Dark only), and conditional requirements (Incapacitated/Unaware), a really weak choice overall. Offensively, Dark is about as strong as Bug, and the other type gets it's damage more reliably with additional consolations. Dark similarly suffers with low DBs that can become high if conditions are right.
-Highlander (Dragon): There can be only one! This stratagem was probably better in 1.04, prior to the introduction of FAIRIES! Improved your dragons against other dragons, which made them less weak to their own type, and allowed Ice types to shine even brighter against all those x3 weaknesses common among dragons. Not a good choice for Commander.
-Overload: Electric type attacks get extremely solid neutral coverage, and if you're fond of sweepers, this is a great choice for Commander. Blitzkrieg tactics never sound better to the tune of A Tick + 6 as additional damage on top of your initial attack. Small bit of recoil to go with it, but you can't fry your opponent's pet without popping a few fuses.
-Fey Trance: LOVE ME! Forcibly steals your opponent's Shift Action, auto-infatuates connecting with another attack. Social Keyword and Fairy Status attacks are common enough. A good choice overall, especially with a provocateur in the party.
-Close Quarters Mastery: Fighting is a great coverage type, and pairing this class feature with Commander allows for some sort of 'tanking' strategy. Or at least a mess of extra damage by virtue of free AoOs going out as your party rotates out who uses what fighting attack. Since the marks don't stack, it requires coordination and forethought. Things a Commander does, probably.
-Incandescence: Requires a Fire Pokemon using a Fire Attack. Cripplingly restrictive for use with Commander, on a type that gets coverage options on some of the easiest types to deal with (Bug, Grass, and Ice).
-Celerity: Applies to an extremely wide range of targets, since they need only have a sky or levitate speed. Improves initiative, but not as well as Decisive Director (but stacks with it for maximum speedless initiative). Disengaging as if slowed is good for high overland, frail targets that you want to keep out of harm's way.
-Haunting Curse: Ghost moves aren't great for coverage, but the curse tokens can be spent on Fainting as a free action, so this feature has mixed usage depending on your party member's team composition.
-Sunlight Within: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
-Desert Heart: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
-Polar Vortex: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
-Plainly Perfect: Sweet Merciful Lord Arceus. Everything in the game gets some kind of normal move access. This removes dice from the equation. It's just 'you see that max value? Have that max value.' A portion of the 'RNGsus Pls' build. One of the strongest Commander synergies by far.
-Debilitate: Small penalties are never worth it, especially when they're difficult to swing. Requires a poisoned target, and a poison Pokemon.
-Mindbreak: Psychic Pokemon, Psychic Move, Debilitating Statuses required. Don't pull as a synergy.
-Tough as Schist: Rock Type Pokemon, Stealth Rock Hazards on the field. Probably not.
-Iron Grit: Flat defense stage boost is always handy. Allows you to rock that Paladin armor aura you miss from Warcraft III. Spread it around, make your intercept monkey really happy.
-Fishbowl Technique: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
Fuuuhhhhh... It tapered off towards the end there. This is making me dread Hobbyist when that time comes. I'm already disgusted with the time investment with this, so let's get it over with already. All of that. All of that was things that Commander can generally interact with in a meaningful way. Some of them less so, or not at all.
Commander: Base Class Feature. Required. Grants access to the Expert Skill level orders early. You're still only ordering your own Pokemon as the defacto party leader.
-Ravager's Orders: Stratagem is a dangerous and uncommon choice to apply to your allies through commander, but Strike Again is by and far the most powerful option at Commander's disposal. Literally the strongest thing in your arsenal. Three targets take an extra at-will standard action immediately.
-Marksman's Orders: Crit-fishing is a decently powerful if unreliable option. The accuracy penalty hurts a bit, particularly against high evasion targets. Trick Shot becomes useful from time to time, and Longshot has hilarious implications if there are a lot of ranged attackers on your side of the field, with a distant target that has earned your ire. Not as strong as Strike Again, but potentially funnier.
-Trickster's Orders: +3 Evasion party wide at the cost of 5 damage seems like a stellar support choice. As an At-Will Orders, you can Bind 2 AP, and spend 2 AP to Tip the Scales, hitting all allies with the effect. This makes for a more usable and stable defensive boost. Dazzling Dervish gives more gotta go fast, minimum +3 Movement, with a sizable penalties to all rolls to enemies on a pass.
-Precision Orders: Accuracy and Effect Range at the cost of damage... but... but muh damage. Good for Tricksters and other classes that deal heavily in status. Perfect Aim pairs disturbingly well with Zap Cannon, Inferno, and other auto-effect moves with high ACs that you don't mind being resisted the one step.
-Guardian Orders: Stall tactics, probably the worst choice of the advanced orders. Gives some bulk while boosting, but otherwise I don't care for the option. Lets people intercept for each other also, which eats into your action economy while you choke on more damage? Not worth.
Mobilize: Ally/Allies don't provoke attacks of opportunity next turn. Once per encounter, per ally. Works with Battle Conductor and Tip the Scales. Considering how feature intensive Commander is, and how piddle AoOs seem to be most of the time, you won't get a ton of use out of this. Allies being threatened in a manner that would require retreat usually merits the whole team turning on, and summarily dunking the offender. Mobilize could possibly be useful in damage light groups.
Leadership: Required. Lets you do what your class is intended to do, see the earlier rant up in the Cons section.
Battle Conductor: Required. Lets you target 3 individuals with one usage of at-will orders instead of 1. 6 individuals per turn if you have Commander's Voice. Lets you be a Commander.
Complex Orders: Versatile option. Allows you to apply different orders to each target you're tagging. The more orders features you have invested, as you sob over your broken dreams, the better choice Complex Orders becomes.
Tip The Scales: 2 AP Spender, creates a Burst 10 of an At-Will Order and applies it to all allies in range. Binding two AP with literally any stratagem allows you to slap it down group wide. This is a really strong option in parties that work with your strat of choice.
Scheme Twist: Commander's Capstone is currently extremely strong with Strike Again, there is literally nothing else that compares with this tier of power in the game. Three extra actions across the party immediately. It probably makes the entire class worth it, but this is really a long game choice. Depending on layouts, that is an excessive amount of damage going out, possibly boss-felling levels of it.
Commander is the defacto bard/leader role for PTU's 1.05 edition. It is an active support class that can control the flow of battle with a growing suite of orders. Likely one of the more difficult Introductory Classes to play effectively, with the sheer number of options it gets. The choices it makes for Orders features drastically effects what it is capable of doling out, and alters the character's priorities as a result.
Pros
*Command as a Class Skill
*Early Advanced Orders: Commander's base feature gives access to an advanced orders feature which would otherwise be untouchable until reaching level 7. This gives the class a strong power spike in those early levels, but tapers off rapidly as other trainers reach the appropriate level to start meeting prerequisites.
*Strong Synergy with Other Classes that Grant Orders: Commander doesn't just apply orders to it's own Pokemon. Rude as it is, it doesn't just give orders to your ally's Pokemon either. You can order people! With just about anything that ordinarily specifies 'Your Pokemon' as a target. This is a beautiful and magical thing. Pick up Commander, stroke your full majestic beard with me. Let's take a stroll through these options.
Cons
Hungers and Thirsts For Your Actions: Talking at people sure is labor intensive. We have a Focused Command/Commander build in the live Geode game. Most turns he picks targets for orders and just stands there talking about dinosaurs. If you wanted to do anything other then be a figurehead and yell at people, don't play commander. It has the means, and probably necessity, to burn your entire turn, every turn. This is your life now.
Feature Expensive: Hooooly shit is this ever my gripe with this class. I would much rather see them roll Leadership and Battle Conductor together to form the new base feature, and make a tiered feature that gives you access to Orders/Advanced Orders in a bit better fashion. You have to take a feature to even perform your class' role (targeting allies), and a feature that lets you function better then they do in that regard (targeting additional allies). Even then, everyone gets a bonus orders feature now. Most people I've come across take Commander's Voice since their Swift has no purpose otherwise.
Synergies
Ace Trainer
-Critical Moment: Giving this bonus to one of your Pokemon wasn't so hot. Triggering it on three allies is a bit better, but you'll need to reach Commander's capstone. If you were going Ace Trainer anyway, it's a good buy to assist your Commander Features. Critical Moment used in this way triples your allies' training bonuses on their 'Mon. Requires a use of your capstone feature, since it isn't an At-Will order. Nearly everything in this segment will be pitted against Strike Again from Ravager's Orders, since it is bar none the strongest option for Commander. Action economy is everything in PTU. Critical Moment isn't worth a use of Scheme Twist.
Channeller
-Battle Synchronization & Spirit Boost: Both of these features are limited to 'A Channeled Pokemon'. You'll find a little synergy for Commander with these Orders features. Not only can you already target an Ally's pokemon because they can be channeled, but the only thing Commander saves you on is the number of targets per bound instance of Spirit Boost. Battle Synchronization isn't worth a use of Scheme Twist, but Spirit Boost allows you to throw around even more small numbers if you have the AP to spare.
Cheerleader
-Moment of Action & Go! Fight! Win!: Moment of Action paired off with Battle Conductor lets you give a free AP to four allies every turn. If you were considering a career as a resource battery, congratulations, you've found it. I've yet to see a game that had five players, four of which were all running AP greedy classes. Honestly, if the two targets Moment grants isn't enough, you may want to sit down and have a talk with your teammates. Their AP snorting has become a problem. Go! Fight! Win! has no power here. It already targets all allies on the battlefield, options are good though I guess?
Coordinator
-Decisive Director: TIME WIZARD! NYEEEHH! Okay, so this is by far my favorite synergy when it comes to Commander. Decisive Director, paired with Battle Conductor, allows you to boost or lower three allies' initiatives by up to 16 once you've achieved Virtuoso Charm. Alternatively, it allows you to cripple a single enemy by this amount. It's not a status effect, there's no opposed roll, you just do it. Nothing can possibly go wrong. You are the master of all things time and space, and literally control the flow of battle now. Multitasking or Tip the Scales paired with this and you can start slinging time around with your pendulums out like you're a big deal.
Duelist
-Expend Momentum & Duelist's Manual: These features don't synergy with Commander at all, they require allies to be building, or spending Momentum. When leveled off with Focused Command and Multi-tasking you find a little bit of use in triggering your duelist features with both of your own Pokemon in a turn, twice a scene. This is about the point where Commander gets too cripplingly action expensive to be effective.
Chronicler
-Targeted Profiling: Useful sometimes, especially if you have an AP Battery in your party and can constantly Chronicle everything. 2 AP to trigger Targeted Profiling, and 2 AP to trigger Tip the Scales, and all of your allies are rocking Mold Breaker and +2 Accuracy against whoever you spent your fifth AP on. Yes, it's super expensive, but fuck that guy. You know what guy. Chronicler officially the slayer of all type switched Shedinjas, because I'm really tired of people bringing it up as 'good'.
Fashionista
-Dress to Impress: As with Duelist, Fashionista's features can only find synergy with other Fashionista trainers, or through abuse of Focused Command and Multitasking. It requires you to target Chic Pokemon, which is a TP spender that you can only target your own team with. Additionally this one requires Scheme Twist to be used effectively, not worthwhile as a synergy choice.
Rider
-Conqueror's March: Requires targeted Pokemon to have Run Up. If your entire party is operating as a cavalry squad could have some funny implications as you mow down your enemies with area moves as Pass attacks. Not really worth the investment for synergy's sake.
Stat Ace
-Stat Stratagem: Gives boosts when binding AP based on a target's current combat stages in your Ace's stat of choice. Unless the entire party is running boosting moves, support style abilities that grant CS, Dancers, Ace Trainers, or so on, it's unlikely there will be a lot of return on this selection as far as Synergy goes. Focused Command helps it substantially as a bind, with your trainer being a Stat Ace. Large boost moves being EoT means that without PP Ups, you'll be chewing through AP to lift restrictions to get maximum benefit when used this way.
Survivalist
-Wilderness Guide: Already applies to all allies, and so gains no benefit from being paired with Commander.
Type Ace
-Type Refresh: Requires you to have an ally with a Pokemon bearing a Scene or EoT frequency move of your chosen type. Probably not worth it for the sake of synergy, as targeting multiple Pokemon with the feature is ripping through huge chunks of AP better spent elsewhere. If your Type of choice is a strong coverage move (like Ice) that people are likely to seek out (like Ice) then it becomes a more viable option.
-Iterative Evolution (Bug): A good ability for the Bug Ace, but probably a no for Commander-shipping. Bug Type Moves are overall lackluster carrying both low base powers across the board (typically DB 8 and less, minus Megahorn at 12), and terrible super-effective coverage. The offensive nature of this feature doesn't make it a good buy-in unless a sizable portion of your party are insectophiles.
-Sneak Attack (Dark): Requires Dark-Type Pokemon. Dark Type Pokemon gain a +2 Accuracy and bonus damage against hindered opponents. Considering the size of the damage bonus (+8 Max), type restriction (Dark only), and conditional requirements (Incapacitated/Unaware), a really weak choice overall. Offensively, Dark is about as strong as Bug, and the other type gets it's damage more reliably with additional consolations. Dark similarly suffers with low DBs that can become high if conditions are right.
-Highlander (Dragon): There can be only one! This stratagem was probably better in 1.04, prior to the introduction of FAIRIES! Improved your dragons against other dragons, which made them less weak to their own type, and allowed Ice types to shine even brighter against all those x3 weaknesses common among dragons. Not a good choice for Commander.
-Overload: Electric type attacks get extremely solid neutral coverage, and if you're fond of sweepers, this is a great choice for Commander. Blitzkrieg tactics never sound better to the tune of A Tick + 6 as additional damage on top of your initial attack. Small bit of recoil to go with it, but you can't fry your opponent's pet without popping a few fuses.
-Fey Trance: LOVE ME! Forcibly steals your opponent's Shift Action, auto-infatuates connecting with another attack. Social Keyword and Fairy Status attacks are common enough. A good choice overall, especially with a provocateur in the party.
-Close Quarters Mastery: Fighting is a great coverage type, and pairing this class feature with Commander allows for some sort of 'tanking' strategy. Or at least a mess of extra damage by virtue of free AoOs going out as your party rotates out who uses what fighting attack. Since the marks don't stack, it requires coordination and forethought. Things a Commander does, probably.
-Incandescence: Requires a Fire Pokemon using a Fire Attack. Cripplingly restrictive for use with Commander, on a type that gets coverage options on some of the easiest types to deal with (Bug, Grass, and Ice).
-Celerity: Applies to an extremely wide range of targets, since they need only have a sky or levitate speed. Improves initiative, but not as well as Decisive Director (but stacks with it for maximum speedless initiative). Disengaging as if slowed is good for high overland, frail targets that you want to keep out of harm's way.
-Haunting Curse: Ghost moves aren't great for coverage, but the curse tokens can be spent on Fainting as a free action, so this feature has mixed usage depending on your party member's team composition.
-Sunlight Within: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
-Desert Heart: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
-Polar Vortex: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
-Plainly Perfect: Sweet Merciful Lord Arceus. Everything in the game gets some kind of normal move access. This removes dice from the equation. It's just 'you see that max value? Have that max value.' A portion of the 'RNGsus Pls' build. One of the strongest Commander synergies by far.
-Debilitate: Small penalties are never worth it, especially when they're difficult to swing. Requires a poisoned target, and a poison Pokemon.
-Mindbreak: Psychic Pokemon, Psychic Move, Debilitating Statuses required. Don't pull as a synergy.
-Tough as Schist: Rock Type Pokemon, Stealth Rock Hazards on the field. Probably not.
-Iron Grit: Flat defense stage boost is always handy. Allows you to rock that Paladin armor aura you miss from Warcraft III. Spread it around, make your intercept monkey really happy.
-Fishbowl Technique: Untouchable Weather Boosts Are Choice!
Fuuuhhhhh... It tapered off towards the end there. This is making me dread Hobbyist when that time comes. I'm already disgusted with the time investment with this, so let's get it over with already. All of that. All of that was things that Commander can generally interact with in a meaningful way. Some of them less so, or not at all.
Commander: Base Class Feature. Required. Grants access to the Expert Skill level orders early. You're still only ordering your own Pokemon as the defacto party leader.
-Ravager's Orders: Stratagem is a dangerous and uncommon choice to apply to your allies through commander, but Strike Again is by and far the most powerful option at Commander's disposal. Literally the strongest thing in your arsenal. Three targets take an extra at-will standard action immediately.
-Marksman's Orders: Crit-fishing is a decently powerful if unreliable option. The accuracy penalty hurts a bit, particularly against high evasion targets. Trick Shot becomes useful from time to time, and Longshot has hilarious implications if there are a lot of ranged attackers on your side of the field, with a distant target that has earned your ire. Not as strong as Strike Again, but potentially funnier.
-Trickster's Orders: +3 Evasion party wide at the cost of 5 damage seems like a stellar support choice. As an At-Will Orders, you can Bind 2 AP, and spend 2 AP to Tip the Scales, hitting all allies with the effect. This makes for a more usable and stable defensive boost. Dazzling Dervish gives more gotta go fast, minimum +3 Movement, with a sizable penalties to all rolls to enemies on a pass.
-Precision Orders: Accuracy and Effect Range at the cost of damage... but... but muh damage. Good for Tricksters and other classes that deal heavily in status. Perfect Aim pairs disturbingly well with Zap Cannon, Inferno, and other auto-effect moves with high ACs that you don't mind being resisted the one step.
-Guardian Orders: Stall tactics, probably the worst choice of the advanced orders. Gives some bulk while boosting, but otherwise I don't care for the option. Lets people intercept for each other also, which eats into your action economy while you choke on more damage? Not worth.
Mobilize: Ally/Allies don't provoke attacks of opportunity next turn. Once per encounter, per ally. Works with Battle Conductor and Tip the Scales. Considering how feature intensive Commander is, and how piddle AoOs seem to be most of the time, you won't get a ton of use out of this. Allies being threatened in a manner that would require retreat usually merits the whole team turning on, and summarily dunking the offender. Mobilize could possibly be useful in damage light groups.
Leadership: Required. Lets you do what your class is intended to do, see the earlier rant up in the Cons section.
Battle Conductor: Required. Lets you target 3 individuals with one usage of at-will orders instead of 1. 6 individuals per turn if you have Commander's Voice. Lets you be a Commander.
Complex Orders: Versatile option. Allows you to apply different orders to each target you're tagging. The more orders features you have invested, as you sob over your broken dreams, the better choice Complex Orders becomes.
Tip The Scales: 2 AP Spender, creates a Burst 10 of an At-Will Order and applies it to all allies in range. Binding two AP with literally any stratagem allows you to slap it down group wide. This is a really strong option in parties that work with your strat of choice.
Scheme Twist: Commander's Capstone is currently extremely strong with Strike Again, there is literally nothing else that compares with this tier of power in the game. Three extra actions across the party immediately. It probably makes the entire class worth it, but this is really a long game choice. Depending on layouts, that is an excessive amount of damage going out, possibly boss-felling levels of it.