Take me to your leader...

[tennyson]

A player in a group that I DM has expressed interest in the Leadership feat. As of now, he has a leadeship score of 10, which means up to a 7th level cohort will follow him. Here are a few of my questions:

1. How do you determine the class, race and other vitals of the cohort? I had thought of making a table with percentages that he could roll on (but not know the result until he had met said cohort). There would be a table for race, class and alignment. I also thought of weighing the tables so that it was more likely a clerical character would join him say, than a rogue - same thing with race and alignment. Is there an offical way to do this, or am I on the right track?

2. How do you determine the level of the cohort? Roll a d8 (in my case)?

3. Who controls the cohort in battle? I was thinking that the DM would choose the action, and the player would roll the result. Is there a better way?

Please let me know of your experiences with this very flexible feat. Thanks for your replies!

 

[Gilwen]

A player in a group that I DM has expressed interest in the Leadership feat. As of now, he has a leadeship score of 10, which means up to a 7th level cohort will follow him. Here are a few of my questions:

1. How do you determine the class, race and other vitals of the cohort? I had thought of making a table with percentages that he could roll on (but not know the result until he had met said cohort). There would be a table for race, class and alignment. I also thought of weighing the tables so that it was more likely a clerical character would join him say, than a rogue - same thing with race and alignment. Is there an offical way to do this, or am I on the right track?

2. How do you determine the level of the cohort? Roll a d8 (in my case)?

3. Who controls the cohort in battle? I was thinking that the DM would choose the action, and the player would roll the result. Is there a better way?

Please let me know of your experiences with this very flexible feat. Thanks for your replies!

Hey!

1) The SRD says that the character can try and attract a cohort of a particular race, class, and alignment but the alignment can't be opposed to the PC's. I don't have my PHB now so I don't know if it elborates on this issue. In my campaign I take the PC's wishes into consideration and the area they are in, my PC's usually try to minimize party weaknesses with good cohort choices (as long as they make sense).

2) The cohorts level is determined by the character's leadership score (level + Cha mod + leadership modifiers) and the PC can attract a cohort of upto that level shown on the leadership table.
Also, keep in mind that no matter what the score the PC has the PC still has to be 2 levels higher than the cohort and the PC must be at least sixth level. So even if a 6th level PC has a really good leadership score that would allow him a cohort of higher level the best the PC could get in this caase would be a cohort of upto a 4th level.

3) Who controls the cohort (in my games at least) depends on what is going on, if the party has split up, and the players ability to run 2 characters (some ppl like it some don't). I normally allow the player to control the cohort in most situations and might overrule (rarely) the action if it doesn't make sense for the cohort.

HTH,

Gil

 

[Senior Bobo]

Here's what I've done in the past when I DM leadership.

1) Alignment: I've never had a cohort not of the same alignment as it's leader. Honestly never occured to me.
Race: I generally pick unless the PC has a vast preference or story reason for a specific race. (I.e. A famous dwarven hero looking for a cohort in the dwarven capital is probably getting a dwarf.) Little perk races are nice too, for example a famous paladin might get an asimar or even a half-celestial at higher levels.
Class: I've never had a PC take this feat that didn't already know what they wanted for a class. It usually ends up with a discussion of sorts with the player 'No, I won't give you a Radiant Servant of Pelor cohort, but I will let you look for a cleric.'

I don't see much of a problem with random as long as the player's good with it. Feats are pretty rare for most classes, so I'd really hate for a player to end up with a cohort that's useless and they can't stand.

2) I've always made the level (or ECL) of the cohort the maximum that the player is allowed.

3) DM's generally have enough to do in battles. I let the players control the cohorts 98% of the time in fights. The 2% comes in when either the player has the cohort do something totally against his alignment or personality, or whenever I think of a really good story reason to have them do something different.

For RP encounters the DM usually plays the cohort when required.

 

[irdeggman]

Since the player had to spend a feat to gain a cohort he should have some say in what he gets for it.

Usually I let the player tell me what he is looking for in a cohort and then I make up some NCs and let him say whether or not he accepts that one. Now the player doesn't get to see all of the info on the NPC. Thinks like ranks, level, feats, spells are not know at that time. He can get the race (obvious usually) and general class or style of character. A warrior type, a warrior type who appears at home in the forest, etc,

If the player doesn't like that choice he can wait longer and then the NPC will be closer to the exact thig he is looking for. Pretty much the longer he waits the closer the match (if he give too exact of information I'll warn him he is being too specific and that he should give me theme or function in the cohort is is looking for).

I then give him the sheet and he controls advancement of the character from that point on. He also controls genral actions of the cohort, but not roleplay info.

The process shouldn't be too random since the character did have to spend a feat to get there so he is entitled so something for that choice.

 

[UltimaGabe]

A player in a group that I DM has expressed interest in the Leadership feat. As of now, he has a leadeship score of 10, which means up to a 7th level cohort will follow him. Here are a few of my questions:

1. How do you determine the class, race and other vitals of the cohort? I had thought of making a table with percentages that he could roll on (but not know the result until he had met said cohort). There would be a table for race, class and alignment. I also thought of weighing the tables so that it was more likely a clerical character would join him say, than a rogue - same thing with race and alignment. Is there an offical way to do this, or am I on the right track?

2. How do you determine the level of the cohort? Roll a d8 (in my case)?

3. Who controls the cohort in battle? I was thinking that the DM would choose the action, and the player would roll the result. Is there a better way?

Please let me know of your experiences with this very flexible feat. Thanks for your replies!

Basically, you choose (0r let the player choose) whatever cohort you want. You choose whatever race, class, alignment, and level of a character you want to make (within the limits & limitations, of course) and give it to the player upon taking the feat (or later, if appropriate). Players generally control the cohort's actions whenever the DM is busy with anything else (such as combat), but in Roleplaying situations the DM generally takes over. Basically, do whatever's easiest and least time-consuming (in other words, don't do something like that "DM chooses the action, player rolls the result" thing- it's just too time-consuming and unnecessary). It's a very flexible feat (and extremely powerful, in my opinion), but unless you have a need to generate a random cohort (which could end up being completely useless), just pick whatever you want.

 

[Arkhandus]

Aye. The Leadership feat does not specify how you determine everything about a cohort or followers. It's all up to the DM as to how to go about it. But generally, you should provide a cohort of the highest level their Leadership score and level would allow, or close to that. You can make the cohort yourself, or let the player choose the type of cohort or design it himself/herself. You can control the cohort yourself or let the player run him/her like a second PC, but generally you should allow the player some control over their cohort, if not total control (as the DM of course, it's reasonable to take over the cohort sometimes if the player isn't running the cohort like a real NPC, as opposed to the PC's fanatical friend-slave).

The player should be able to specify the race, class(es), and alignment of cohort he wants to attract, but only the DM decides if and when such a cohort will become available (and remember, IIRC, the feat says that NPCs with prestige class levels should not be available as cohorts). The PC has the right to refuse any fellow who comes up to him and asks to travel with this guy he's heard so much about, or whatever. And shouldn't be penalized for it unless the PC does something stupid in response. Given enough time, an NPC of the desired race/class/alignment combination, or something close, should learn of the PC and come to offer their services or ask for training/teaching/whatever in exchange for their help. Once an acceptable cohort is acquired, its advancement from that point onward should be up to the DM unless the DM trusts the player to handle the cohort responsibly and true to the NPC's background or personality.