Leadership: How do you handle it?

[Ferrum]

Well, to begin with, the DMs I play with would never have let you get away with the "Artificer" trick. Using a cohort to create tons of effectively XP-free magic items by only spending a single Feat is definitely stretching the intent of the rules, especially since the cohort isn't even adventuring with you. Cohorts aren't servants who do whatever you want; they're independent NPCs, nearly as powerful as you are, who follow you because of your charisma and reputation. So, they wouldn't spend XP solely for your benefit. Most DMs I know don't even let the player control the cohorts, they're run as NPCs by the DM himself (or handed off to a guest player).

If you didn't notice, I said that me taking the leadership feat was the DM's idea, and that he helped design the cohort. We were suffering from a lack of an arcane magic caster amongst our high level group. Going up against a government full of wizards without any arcane magic has been difficult. Also, I was about 50-60,000 gp behind my suggested character wealth level. So are some of the other PCs. As FrostedMini1337 suggested, this was a way by which the DM could manage the game.

As to the followers, note that they'll be WAY below your level. (Incidentally, a leadership score of 20, at level 15, for a character who doesn't normally have high CHA?) So, they won't be coming with you anyway.

Yeah, I know the followers will be far below my level. (Thanks for doubting my leadership score. FrostedMini1337 figured it out.) I'm not planning on using them for anything, in fact, they'll be under my protection within a keep hidden from the evil Magiocracy.

Generally speaking, the easiest solution is to have the Leadership feat coincide in-game with either a patent of nobility from the King (meaning you get an estate, with its staff as your followers), or you join some organization (with the followers as low-level guild members).

Too bad all the rulers who hold positions alike to kings want me dead. I'll try requesting the patent of nobility next time I storm one of thier castles. I'm not sure they'll be inclined to grant me such an request.

The point of my post was to ask for ideas in how to attract followers, specifically with my current "outlaw" status. For those who've contributed in that vein, its been much appreciated. Debating the use of the leadership feat that my DM and I have already settled upon is beside the point.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Resistance Group Anyone?

This might have already been suggested but since you're already in the position of a resistance fighter perhaps you could organize an underground? From your description you already have a few followers at your keep. Even assuming they're refugees they'll have kin and good friends back where they came from. And the one thing every war-tossed refugee worries about most is family. Searching out the kin they've lost touch with and bringing them under your protection could turn into a decent role-playing arc.

Or it could go the other way, remember many underground resistance groups past and present rely heavily on blood relationship between those involved to maintain their secrecy. Instead it could be skulking around with them a few followers in tow hooking up with their relatives and setting up resistance sleeper cells enemy territory to pass intelligence back to you or other sneaky ways to stick it to the Oppressing Elite(TM).

 

[SMDVogrin]

If I was in your position (Hidden base, resisting the evil government, etc), 80-90% of my followers would be "Eyes and Ears" -- informants/sympathizers/spies scattered around the kingdom keeping an eye on what's happening and letting you know of anything of interest.

Easy to Roleplay their recruitment, too - you're visting a town somewhere, you strike up a conversation with a merchant or some guy in the tavern, feel out their opinion on the government, and if they're sympathetic, convince them to help you out by sending you info.

Already recruited agents could even add to your network themselves - maybe Bob the Merchant Caravaner has agreed to help you, and he recruits an agent of his own in 3-4 towns that he passes through regularly.

Not to mention this gives ALLLLL kinds of plot hooks to your GM.

 

[Nareau]

As the DM in question, I'll chime in. The party recently learned of an encampment filled with slaves taken by the evil wizards. I wonder if any of them might be worthwhile followers...

I should admit, it's been harder for me (as the DM) to work this kind of thing into the story than I expected. When it comes down to the wire, there aren't a whole lot of people I can plausibly see wanting to leave everything behind to start a new life of hiding out from the law. I probably should have thought about that before suggesting it as a feat. But overall, I'm pretty pleased with the impact it's had on the game.

Nareau

 

[Nifft]

When it comes down to the wire, there aren't a whole lot of people I can plausibly see wanting to leave everything behind to start a new life of hiding out from the law.

Followers shouldn't have to leave everything behind. The Cohort would, of course.

Followers could be: we have a safe house Town X (a family of four or a merchant and his three helpers) -- that's one 3rd level Follower and three 1st level. They provide you with some food, mundane equipment, and a safe place to hide so long as you're not being actively tracked.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Treacherous_B]

As someone currently "abusing" the Leadership feat by having a cohort with an item creation feat, I decided I'd stop lurking for a second to chime in.

Cohorts are figures of nearly-comparable power to your character that - based on that character's influence - has decided to drop everything they'd normally be doing to associate themselves with said character. I figure that entitles you to some perks, but nothing like a constant stream of free items. There can be a nice middle-ground there, especially if the cohort stays at home.

In a sense, you're exchanging the combat/travel boons having (essentially) an extra party member would offer for the benefit of getting items "on the cheap" or, in what should be rare cases, "on the free".

Example: my character (19 Cleric/2 Hierophant) has started to establish his own religion, and has erected a church to that end. His cohort (10 Favored Soul/7 Pious Templar) stays at the church dealing with the day to day activities, which includes welcoming new worshippers swayed from abroad by my character. He also happens to be a more-than-capable crafter of magic arms and armor, and as a way of thanking my character for taking him under wing, he crafted a potent magic weapon for no cost.

Might this be a little unfair? Sure, if you want to look at it with that kind of slant. But is handing my cleric a rockin' scythe more helpful to the party than being an extra 17th level frontline combatant/healing machine/whatever? I certainly don't think so. And the unbalancing factor is mitigated by the fact that my party doesn't hold any sway over the cohort. The cohort might sell them a weapon on the cheap (75%) because of their association, but wouldn't give them something for free. Nor would my character ask that of his cohort.

A lot of the problems with Leadership, it seems, can be covered by roleplaying. Most characters shouldn't feel entitled to free stuff because someone they know can make it.

 

[Nifft]

IMC, cohorts (and NPCs in general) don't have XP like PCs do. Your Cohort levels up when you do, since he's mechanically a feature of your PC. So, you can give him item creation feats, but he's going to use your XP to make stuff, just like he's going to use your gold to buy stuff.

It's still a nice way to get a bunch of free item creation feats for the price of one feat.

All three PCs in my game have (or will soon have) Leadership.

-- N

 

[BobbyMac]

Just use these PHB II Web Enhancement rules, Magic Items: Transferring XP Costs


Artificer cohort problem solved...

 

[Quartz]

I'm not sure what the problem is. Surely it's expected that the evil warlord has a pet mage, so why shouldn't the good warlord - the PC? And remember that crafting items takes time and money, and the PC will be expected to find the money.

 

[Nifft]

Oooo, one other thing I do is make every Cohort a Faustian bargain.

"Okay, you've made a nice NPC there. Good concept, solid mechanics, and he's going to perform pretty well for someone four levels below the rest of the party.

"But I was thinking... would you like him to have another two levels and a cool template? He'd have a dark secret of some sort -- a mysterious past, which will later turn into some kind of an adventure.

"What do you think?"

-- N