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Legend
[MENTION=6801328]Elfcrusher[/MENTION]
Here's what I'm doing for Followers in my adaptation of Out of the Abyss for the Night Below campaign I'm running:
I really like the idea of the PCs leading an expeditionary force into the Underdark. At the same time I'm not keen on detracting from the PCs' spotlight (and slowing things down) by have dozens of NPCs rolling dice in a fight. Maybe that's good for a once-in-a-blue-moon mass combat, but most of the time I don't want myself or the players to be rolling dice for NPCs.
At the same time, I'd like the NPC followers to be more than window dressing. I'd like them to actually help the PCs in some and also drive the story forward.
I started making NPC cards (see the Svirfneblin work-in-progress sample below).
These cards describe the nature of the NPC forces, any special downtime activity they "unlock", possibly a special ability, and possibly a connected magic item.
Another example would be some human nobles in my campaign; each one grants either an upgrade to the PCs' stronghold (e.g. an alchemist's lab, a training grounds, a chapel, etc) OR 4 hirelings that can be replaced monthly.
My approach is that the NPC followers don't usually engage in the same fights the PCs do because the PCs assign them particular tasks (e.g. "ok, svirfneblin and freed slaves are going to work on building our outpost in conquered Velkynvelve while we go adventure"). During random encounters that occur while the PCs have a whole train of followers actively traveling with them, I'm thinking either the followers could be "off camera" with their own fights, separated from the PCs, or the danger is so great that the PCs warn everyone else back.
I do feel like some kind of abstracted system would be useful to determine loses sustained by followers during fights or dangerous exploration. Out of the Abyss does wee little bit of this in the text at certain points, but not very much.
Here's what I'm doing for Followers in my adaptation of Out of the Abyss for the Night Below campaign I'm running:
I really like the idea of the PCs leading an expeditionary force into the Underdark. At the same time I'm not keen on detracting from the PCs' spotlight (and slowing things down) by have dozens of NPCs rolling dice in a fight. Maybe that's good for a once-in-a-blue-moon mass combat, but most of the time I don't want myself or the players to be rolling dice for NPCs.
At the same time, I'd like the NPC followers to be more than window dressing. I'd like them to actually help the PCs in some and also drive the story forward.
I started making NPC cards (see the Svirfneblin work-in-progress sample below).
These cards describe the nature of the NPC forces, any special downtime activity they "unlock", possibly a special ability, and possibly a connected magic item.
Another example would be some human nobles in my campaign; each one grants either an upgrade to the PCs' stronghold (e.g. an alchemist's lab, a training grounds, a chapel, etc) OR 4 hirelings that can be replaced monthly.
My approach is that the NPC followers don't usually engage in the same fights the PCs do because the PCs assign them particular tasks (e.g. "ok, svirfneblin and freed slaves are going to work on building our outpost in conquered Velkynvelve while we go adventure"). During random encounters that occur while the PCs have a whole train of followers actively traveling with them, I'm thinking either the followers could be "off camera" with their own fights, separated from the PCs, or the danger is so great that the PCs warn everyone else back.
I do feel like some kind of abstracted system would be useful to determine loses sustained by followers during fights or dangerous exploration. Out of the Abyss does wee little bit of this in the text at certain points, but not very much.
