Cohorts and Followers: What do you or your players use them for?

[Saeviomagy]

In 3.0 I seem to recall there was a limitation that followers should have classes only in NPC classes - in 3.5 I don't recall that limitation being specified - do people use that limitation at all?

The problem with that is that staples of fantasy like a thieves guild, mages college etc all suddenly become impossible to simulate using followers.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

The problem with that is that staples of fantasy like a thieves guild, mages college etc all suddenly become impossible to simulate using followers.

Not sure about that.... well, the mage's guild you ave a problem, but why should all the members of a thieves guild be rogues? An organisation may have your followers and others who are not as loyal to you. So you found a thieves guild which includes several less broadly talented members who have the advantage of being completely loyal to you (your expert followers) and talented members who may someday surpass you and come with their own agendas and loyalties (the PC classed members.)

 

[Saeviomagy]

Not sure about that.... well, the mage's guild you ave a problem, but why should all the members of a thieves guild be rogues? An organisation may have your followers and others who are not as loyal to you. So you found a thieves guild which includes several less broadly talented members who have the advantage of being completely loyal to you (your expert followers) and talented members who may someday surpass you and come with their own agendas and loyalties (the PC classed members.)

So any leader of an organisation has to assume that only the worst members of his organisation will be loyal??

What kind of sense does that make?

Far better to just say "hey - followers don't really matter even IF they have PC classes - PC class them up", and ignore a legacy rule that was crap even in 3.0.

 

[Numion]

Not sure about that.... well, the mage's guild you ave a problem, but why should all the members of a thieves guild be rogues? An organisation may have your followers and others who are not as loyal to you. So you found a thieves guild which includes several less broadly talented members who have the advantage of being completely loyal to you (your expert followers) and talented members who may someday surpass you and come with their own agendas and loyalties (the PC classed members.)

Well thats a problem since the guildmaster knows that only his cohort is loyal to him. I'm not saying that thieves guild should be the most trusting environment, but thats just wacky. Where are the nice faction power plays among Guildmasters?

 

[Hairfoot]

For me, cohorts are all about story. They should always have a good reason for being there.

Some players will simply take cohort X to reload their crossbows or act as a meat shield while the PC escapes. That's a bit cheap.

Classy cohorts I've seen include:
A feeble gnomish rogue who attached himself to a savage half-orc barbarian PC and begged to be tutored in warfare.

"Disco Stu", half-elf bard who did "queer-eye" makeovers on the party's warrior-types, then refused to be associated with the gauche PCs whenever they encountered influential or stylish NPCs.

Leadfooted half-ogre determined to out-sneak the halfling rogue. Died young. Nearly TPKed everyone else.

Paladin's squire and caddy (bard). Stood at the back with a golf-bag full of cold steel, adamantine, magic, flaming, and mundane weapons. Otherwise, his role was to shout "good shot, my liege!", and "look out behind you, sir!". We made him roll a profession (squire) check to successfully proffer the right weapon at the right time. Out of combat, his task was to defend the paladin's armoury at all costs. Naturally, the DM couldn't resist having it stolen with the loyal squire bound, hand & foot, to the bag.

In short, cohorts are effective comic relief or need to have a justified commitment to their PC. If the cohort is just a battle robot, it probably shouldn't be included.

 

[blargney the second]

Is Harry Potter one of Dumbledore's followers?
-blarg

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Healing Bitch.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

Trap finders.

Spot, Search not required.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I tend to use cohorts as 'alternate PCs', picking a cohort that can do things that the base PC can't, giving me extra options when playing.

Plus if the main PC dies it gives a backup character who is already integrated with the group that I can continue playing with, rather than wait for a contrived introduction of a completely new PC.

Cheers