The leadership Feat

[Dareoon Dalandrove]

I was wondering how dms deal with this. If you are running an adventure and a pc had the leadership feat how do you deal. they could/wold have a cohort and several lower lvl characters. Would your new dungeon of death suffer utter defeat? that ambush that you carefully planned be foiled by the groups new numbers? Also how do you deal with xp?

 

[S'mon]

I was wondering how dms deal with this. If you are running an adventure and a pc had the leadership feat how do you deal. they could/wold have a cohort and several lower lvl characters. Would your new dungeon of death suffer utter defeat? that ambush that you carefully planned be foiled by the groups new numbers? Also how do you deal with xp?

I generally only have around 3 players, so I let players run their Cohorts as secondary PCs, and I typically give them a full XP share - of course this gets wasted when the cohort is killed (no raises so far IMC). I've had more trouble not slaughtering all the players' characters than in keeping them under control, so far. For followers, I'd typically give them XP proportional to level - eg 6 level 1 Followers and 3 level 6 PCs: the PCs get a full share each, the followers each get 1/6 as much. I would count this as a level 6 party BTW.

 

[Greatwyrm]

I'd stick with 1/2 share for cohorts. Otherwise, you could run the risk of the cohort getting enough xp to leave, once his level is too high for your leadership score. Also, I'd imagine other players wouldn't be happy about giving extra xp to an npc. A good npc, but an npc all the same.

As far as followers, I wouldn't track xp for them at all. Their levels really shouldn't change unless your leadership score does. Some may come and go, depending on the situation, but your leadership score should determine the levels of the rank and file followers.

Also, I'd say cohorts were built for adventuring with a PC, but most followers aren't. They're the ones that run errands for PCs, watch the baggage train, and keep up the keep. If you have a bunch of 1-3 level characters following you, let's say a 9th level PC, into the Dungeon of Doom, you're likely to have a load of dead 1-3 level characters.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

argfdgdfhbdbh

I my campaign I don't allow the use of the leadership feat. If you want followers and cohorts you can earn them thorugh good roleplaying and doing stuff to get them. Getting a cohort shouldn't be as simple as taking a feat.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I run them a bit differently. The cohort "counts" as taking up a 1/2 share of the party's experience, however he "levels" at the same time as the character who has the leadership score. This prevents a cohort from falling behind over time while maintaining the highest possible level of the cohort.

The reasoning is I don't want to penalize the one who took leadership at level 6 later in the game by having to switch off cohorts. At only 1/2 experience, the cohort will fall quickly behind and the leader might feel a bit cheated in the deal.

 

[psionotic]

I run it as listed, but so far no PC has taken anyone except their cohort with them adventuring. The other followers are so week as to be killed off instantly during some of the dastardly combats I prepare for the party.

 

[Creamsteak]

(This is what I've seen the most of as far as selection)
Class/Cohort
Fighters/Clerics
Wizards/Fighters
Rogues/Rogues
Cleric/Paladin

Cohorts travel with the group. Normally for followers, players recruit a few in every city they visit. Followers tend to stay at home (except the REALLY strong ones), and act as liasons, informants, spies, fanatics, and such. I wouldn't recommend followers as military units, unless your running wars against species. I picture followers to mean the phrase "Individuals who follow the character's example." So, they tend to have the same allignment, see the PC as a major hero, and try to do whatever they can to help thier idols. It works better than having 100 warriors 1s following your group.

 

[fusangite]

Oh yes, the Make the DM Do a Bunch of Work feat. I oppose this feat; if people want retainers, they can damn well play it out. I do not allow people to take this feat in my campaign.

If people just run the NPCs as automatons controlled by their character, it's bad. If I have to run them, it's bad.

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

I allow the leadership feat with one stipulation:

Cohorts and followers do not adventure.
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You may ask, "What is the point of taking the feat then?"

Oftentimes, IMC's, the PCs build strongholds. Cohorts and followers are loyal caretakers and protectors of the party's property. Key word: "Loyal." Without the feat, the PCs have to hire people, who may or may not be loyal.

Mwhahaha...
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P.S. If cohorts are allowed to adventure with the party, Leadership is too powerful. I do not believe any feat should effectively double the power of a PC. Just IMX.

 

[kingpaul]

Cohorts and followers do not adventure.

You may ask, "What is the point of taking the feat then?"

Oftentimes, IMC's, the PCs build strongholds. Cohorts and followers are loyal caretakers and protectors of the party's property. Key word: "Loyal." Without the feat, the PCs have to hire people, who may or may not be loyal.

That's how we do it IMC. My paladin for a fertility/music goddess has a bard/cleric cohort, who is trying to rebuild the temple they were based out ot. My character's goal is starting up an order within the church.