How do you handle followers you get through Leadership?

[dagger]

I was wondering if you are supposed to pay the followers you get from Leadership the normal pay rates for hirelings? They do need money to live on, and provide for families and what not. But what if they are just offered equipment, food, free rent, etc...?

Are they basically just supposed to be treated as hirelings that you don't have to actively recruit?

Thanks ye land lubbers!

 

[Crothian]

It depends on what the followers are. I've had followers that had day jobs, and I've had some that have helped out at the keep and got a paid. For us followers are always picked by the DM with input by the PCs. So, there are varibles here that can go either way.

 

[Nail]

Arrrr! That's a good question, matey!

 

[bret]

Don't pay them a blasted doubloon! They should be happy just being able to bask in the glory of yer presence. If'n that aint good 'nugh for them, then to Davy's Jones' locker with the lot 'o 'em. Arrrrgh.

Since most of the scullywags are jes cutthroats 'n rumor-mongers, let them get by on their cut o' any treasure ye' loot off other ships. Jes like'n the charter says, if'n only they could read it or would listen when it is being read to the lot 'o 'em.

 

[DonaldRumsfeldsTofu]

Arrrr! It depends on which the context you recruited the scallywag be. If he be a scurvy piece of chum that be following ye fer yer skill at the cutlass or ye ability to put away the grog, he be expecting not a single piece of eight! But if he be a land lubbing hireling ye recruited fer his skill at the spyglass he be expecting his share of doubloons his way fer he be...I need to...shiver me timbers! Cannonballs a starboard and Polly want a cracker!

I suck at this.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I suck at this.

Only landlubbers suck at things. Us pirates just having gotten our sealegs back yet.

 

[Halivar]

Frankly, Leadership is useful only for the cohort it provides, at least from a mechanics perspective. Yay, my level 20 fighter can lead 135 level 1 warriors (CR ZERO) into the Abyss for the start of an epic campaign! And I also get up to 2 level 6 warriors! Wow!

Nevermind the fact that I wouldn't get a drop of experience for killing the entire lot of them in one fight.

Heck, even at level 10 when I got it, the followers were pretty much for ambience.

EDIT: I don't normally wax so cynically. I thought it was Talk-Like-An-Angst-Ridden-Pessimist Day and jumped right in.

 

[bret]

Frankly, Leadership is useful only for the cohort it provides, at least from a mechanics perspective. Yay, my level 20 fighter can lead 135 level 1 warriors (CR ZERO) into the Abyss for the start of an epic campaign! And I also get up to 2 level 6 warriors! Wow!

Cohorts be all well and good, but sometimes you just need a lot of bodies to do a task up. Don't be trying to weigh ancor with just two men at the capstan, get yer whole lot o' followers puttin' their backs into it.

If'n yer not gettin' a slew of expert sailors, maybe yer needs be better served by some rumor-mongers who can feed you the latest port gossip. They be experts when it come to gathering tales and hawking their wares. The smart pirate makes sure they knows when their targets be sailing and what the defenses on it be. Spies be really good at getting such tales.

Thar be plenty of other tasks that ain't so dangerous which you can put such landsmen on. Don't need the whole crew to be able-seamen, now do ya?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Followers are not so useful for PCs who mostly stay on the move, but they will work in a more geographically static campaign.

I think they are intended for PCs who want to own their own keep, to build it or man it or both.

A follower is not necessary someone who 'escorts' you around. It could be an Expert with good Gather Information skills who works at an Inn at the local crossroads. He is just a local who is inclined towards doing you favors because you are such a great guy.

 

[Dirigible]

Now, as I recall, creatures summoned by Summon Monster et al don't grant experience when killed. The rationale being it's a spell, therefore part of the caster.

So, do followers and cohorts give experience? After all, they're part of the character with the feat.