LEADERSHIP FEAT: Need advice on revising it

[Iron_Chef]

Anybody think it would be unbalancing to allow a character with the Leadership feat to trade in x number of followers for x number of PC class followers or an extra cohort?

(Revised) Leadership:
As Leadership, with the following changes:

You can trade in 5 standard NPC class followers (warrior, commoner, expert) for 1 nonstandard NPC class follower (adept, aristocrat).

You can trade in 10 standard NPC class followers for 1 PC class follower.

You can trade in 25 standard NPC class followers for 1 cohort whose maximum level equals one half the Leader's total character level.

 

[Khorod]

I hadn't noticed Leadership made a distinction between NPC and PC classes... just levels of npc's.

In generally, I use the doubling rule. A 3rd level character is two of first, and vice versa. You cannot have a regular follower greater than the maximum level for a follower on the Leadership table, or equal to the maximum level for a cohort.

Your cohort can be 'divided', but to no lower than the maximum follower level on the table. Thus, a 9th level Cohort can be two 7th level cohorts, but only if your highest follower level is 6th or less.

On the last point, it seems reasonable to me to to trade in double potential Cohort's HD in regular followers, rather than a flat number.

 

[Iron_Chef]

It makes a difference for followers, which you get more of. Cohorts can be anything you want.

 

[Anabstercorian]

There are rules in the Epic Level Handbook for this... And once I find my copy, I'll tell you what they are.

 

[Skarnkai]

The rule is as follows from ELH:

+2 levels for Aristocrats, Adepts
+3 Levels for PC classed characters.
+5 for ones w/PrCs.

I use +2 for a Cohort w/PrC levels as well.

 

[Xeriar]

In the ELH it says to have nonstandard NPC classes count as two levels higher, and PC classes count as three levels higher.

I also made a feat that reduces this 'penalty' by one level.

For extra cohorts, I'd probably swap out all of the followers for the extra cohort. Otherwise it just gets messy high and epic levels.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Please post that feat. Thanks for the tip on solving this "officially"; I knew the ELH had to be good for something!

*runs to the store*

 

[Xeriar]

Elite Following
Your followers are more talented than normal.

Prerequisites: Leadership feat, ability to attract level 2+ followers

Benefit: You may recruit 'good' NPC classes (adepts and aristocrats) as followers as if they were one level higher, PC classes as if they were two levels higher, and Prestige classes as if they were four levels higher.

(No 'normal' as the ELH isn't yet a part of the SRD. Regardless, my own is modified a bit since I beefed up the adept and aristocrat to be potential PC classes, so everything is reduced by yet another level - doesn't really bother me much.)

 

[Maximillian]

Anyone know why the decided to make PrCs more "expensive" than standard classes? It somewhat antithetical to the standard view on those classes... Is there some severe abuse I'm missing? They're rarely that much better than standard classes. I especially think it would be a mistake to limit PrC levels on Cohorts, since it would be a really difficult situation should a player ever decide his cohort wishes to begin gaining PrC levels.

 

[Xeriar]

Anyone know why the decided to make PrCs more "expensive" than standard classes? It somewhat antithetical to the standard view on those classes... Is there some severe abuse I'm missing? They're rarely that much better than standard classes. I especially think it would be a mistake to limit PrC levels on Cohorts, since it would be a really difficult situation should a player ever decide his cohort wishes to begin gaining PrC levels.

The idea is that they are following their own path... why would they follow someone else? Unless the prestige class was about following that person, or their kingdom, but that's a different matter entirely.