Urgent! Leadership feat and follower advancement

[Iron_Chef]

I know that followers (not cohorts) from the Leadership feat start out as NPC classes, but can they advance in PC classes when they go up a level?

It seems reasonable that the Leader could train them to do advance in a PC or PrC class when they level up, or pay for others to train them in such if need be. Am I right? Nothing on this in the DMG (predictably). I've got the Leadership feat and need to know as my followers will level up soon and I'd like to make them cooler.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Well, the Leadership says what kind of followers you attract and what levels they have. It doesn`t exactly tell if they gain more levels or if you just switsch followers when you gain a better Leadership Score.

It only describes what kind and what levels your followers have. If one of them gets PC Class Levels, he is no longer a follower, because followers are NPC Class only. You will have to make him a cohor, or he might become an ally whose "fellowship" is based on your Diplomacy or Intimidation abilities, and his own (determined by the Dungeon Master) interests.

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[The Cardinal]

simply let your cohort take the Leadership feat when he levels up!

 

[Thistleknot]

On page 36 of the Epic Level Handbook, there is an optional rule set for having cohorts with non-NPC class levels. As a DM, I like this set of rules better than the ones in the DMG.

Basically, you count someone with PC levels as a cohort 3 levels higher, and someone with Prestige Class levels 5 levels higher.

But it is an optional rule. You probably need to run it past your DM to see how he/she likes it.

Hope that helps. =)

 

[drnuncheon]

I know that followers (not cohorts) from the Leadership feat start out as NPC classes, but can they advance in PC classes when they go up a level?

Followers, unlike cohorts, do not gain XP.

Personally, in my games, I allow followers to "advance" as the PCs leadership score goes up - if the PC gets a new follower of a higher level, they get the choice of having a new follower at that higher level or leveling up one of their existing followers (and getting a new lower-level follower)

The followers are still followers, and as such only able to take levels in Warrior, Expert, or Commoner.

J

 

[Iron_Chef]

Re: Re: Urgent! Leadership feat and follower advancement

Followers, unlike cohorts, do not gain XP.

J

Not giving followers XP seems pretty harsh!!!

I mean, if they go out and take risks following orders, they should get XP (a half share or quarter share) or the rules they are operating under are totally antithetical to how everyone else, PC or NPC, lives under, which unfairly penalizes both them and the leader for deploying them intelligently.

As a balancing mechanic, I guess what you say makes some sense, but it doesn't make sense under the rules of how the world operates, nor is it in the actual game rules. That's fine if that's how you want to interpret the rules for your game, and I appreciate your feedback, but it seems pretty harsh to me.

I'd like to get an official ruling on this if anybody knows of one, or some more opinions.

 

[Tobold Hornblower]

Re: Re: Re: Urgent! Leadership feat and follower advancement

Not giving followers XP seems pretty harsh!!!

It certainly is harsh.

And the same goes for every other NPC in town. It's a DM's job to track experience for the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, and every other NPC in the metropolis.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Urgent! Leadership feat and follower advancement

It certainly is harsh.

And the same goes for every other NPC in town. It's a DM's job to track experience for the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, and every other NPC in the metropolis.

So are you saying you are for or against NPC follower advancement?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Iron_Chef,

Chances are, your followers do not adventure with you. Therefore, they should not gain experience. If they do adventure with you, they should be dead.

 

[drnuncheon]

Re: Re: Re: Urgent! Leadership feat and follower advancement

Not giving followers XP seems pretty harsh!!!

I'd like to get an official ruling on this if anybody knows of one, or some more opinions.

That is official. Check your DMG.

J