ZEITGEIST Zeitgeist and Leadership.

Crispy120286

Explorer

• Nov 30, 2012

• #1

One of the players who will be playing in my campaign wants to take the leadership feat. How would this work In Zeitgeist? Have any of the DMs who run Zeitgeist now have anyone with the leadership feat?

Thanks

 

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gideonpepys

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

• Nov 30, 2012

• #2

When you say 'how would this work', I'm wondering how you anticipate it would not work. The feat would be the same in Zeitgeist as in any other setting.

The best advice with leadership is only to permit the feat if you have a small group, or if the player is happy to keep his follower 'off-table' for a lot of the time.

Having said that, Zeitgeist provides the perfect power structure for a 'rookie' to be attached to a senior officer for training.

 

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Nov 30, 2012

• #3

I found the question somewhat confusing, too. Like asking "How would power attack work in Zeitgeist?" All feats work the same as they would anywhere else; we're not changing the rules.

I'm assuming there's an assumed extra facet to the question that we haven't grokked. [MENTION=6689860]Crispy120286[/MENTION], care to elucidate?

 

Crispy120286

Explorer

• Nov 30, 2012

• #4

I apologise. I may not have been clear. What I mean is should I allow my player to take the leadership feat? And if I do, any recommendations on how to make it work roleplay wise. I like the suggestion of a rookie following the senior but I dont know how to make the minions work as well as the cohort. Would they just live at home base?
Also, this is the second campaign I'm ever running. The first one I ran went for over a year and a half so I'm confident in my skills but not sure what to do about leadership and cohorts.

 

Last edited: Nov 30, 2012

gideonpepys

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

• Nov 30, 2012

• #5

Given everything you've just said my advice remains the same, irrespective of the setting.

Balance-wise, a single feat that grants an entire extra character always concerned me, but it was a throwback to the earliest editions when mid-high level characters always towed around a bunch of followers (mainly because character mortality rate was very high and it provided an easy means by which the bereaved player could continue to engage with the session).

I've seen the feat used successfully to provide an adviser or back-up wizard (who accompanies the party with his head stuffed with non-combat spells), and if roleplayed effectively it might add something to the game. But then the RHC and the inclusion of a plethora of player contacts mean the party already have alot of resources at their disposal.

Your priority should be to establish why your player wants to take the leadership feat, and how he intends the cohort to be used. Unless he has a compelling reason, I'd be careful.

 

Crispy120286

Explorer

• Nov 30, 2012

• #6

He is going to play a Cleric. He told me the reason he wants the feat is so he can have a cohort to have a more offensive edge in combat as opposed to a healbot. I personally don't think that clerics are only healbots but he does and this is why he asked me.

 

frankthedm

First Post

• Nov 30, 2012

• #7

If you have any hesitation towards leadership, don't allow it.

 

gideonpepys

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

• Dec 1, 2012

• #8

That is exactly the wrong reason to take leadership, IMHO, unless you only have one or two players.

Clerics are one of the most powerful classes in the game, they don't need help. And if he doesn't want to heal, he should play another class.

 

RangerWickett

Legend

• Dec 1, 2012

• #9

I personally dislike the Leadership feat. Whether you have a loyal ally shouldn't be a mechanical construct of your character's power. In some games, sure, narrative and social elements can be based in mechanics, but D&D and Pathfinder don't play that way. It sticks out like a hangnail, not obviously a problem, but consistently annoying.

Don't use it. Tell him to play a ranger, or a fighter with Use Magic Device (or with 1 level of cleric), and then just stock up on wands of Cure Light Wounds.

 

Crispy120286

Explorer

• Dec 1, 2012

• #10

Thanks for all the advice everyone. You've been a great help