Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SaveRaysBoxers 04-29-07, 02:33 PM	For the level one followers granted by the leadership feat, are they level ones as in they have one level of a PC class? If so, should I just roll to randomly get a handful of classes, or does the player just pick who he wants. Also, doesn't that slow combat down really bad?
Rjo 04-29-07, 03:05 PM	Followers almost never go into combat since they're much lower level than their leader. Mostly they are used to do things like guard the party's headquarters in town or wait outside the dungeon with the horses. You can give them whatever class you want, or let the PC decide if you want, but generally they'll be of the same class or a similar class as their leader.
Kuronue 04-29-07, 03:07 PM	They're not lemmings; they don't have to walk around with the PC. Can't he have them doing something elsewhere for him, like tending a shop or running a cult?
tos_shai_hulud 04-29-07, 03:07 PM	In one of the supplimentals I read (I cannot right now remember which, but I am leaning towards Heroes of Battle), they are NPC classes. Followers, as described in the DMG are not meant to fight for you. They might be able to do things for you, like you have several experts who run a smithy and own a business. They use their affiliation with you to prove the worth of their goods. If it can protect a great adventurer like ... then surely it must be good. If you want an adept, I believe I read that it takes up a follower slot of two levels higher, and if you want a PC class, it takes up a follower slot of three levels higher. I could be mistaken, though, so if anyone has the actual book at hand, it would likely clear this up. Anyway, if a player wants to bring their followers into combat, chances are, all of their followers would die. A bunch of level ones would run away from a level six encounter, most likely. Once followers start dying, the character's leadership score decreases. He cannot get as many followers if he keeps leading them to their deaths.
Kuronue 04-29-07, 03:19 PM	My most interesting use was allowing a BBEG with leadership to have tons and tons of skeleton followers who would thus go into combat. Her cohort is a tiefling vampire cleric who can thus create and command even more undead on the fly - the BBEG herself is a lich.
Pandaemoni 04-29-07, 03:27 PM	The rules aren't entirely clear on classes. Personally I rule that the PC can select their classes. He doesn't have to accept any follower that he doesn't want so he can "hold out" until he meets someone who strikes him as being "worthy" of following him. Plus, even if they are all PC classes, they are so low level that they never really make a great deal of difference to combat or direct game play. They can be good as scouts or as valets for the character, but I've never had to worry too much about what they were all doing on a minute by minute basis. They are more of a flavor element in practice.
wrecan 04-29-07, 04:36 PM	In 3.0, I believe, Followers had to be NPC class. Not anymore. However, it never makes sense to have your followers be combatants. They'll get killed. Followers should be used as support: craftsmen, spies, and the like. Mechanically, your player should be recruiting qualified followers from NPCs they encounter. Your PC can also seek out followers to recruit. It's up to you whether he finds a follower that meets his criteria who is willing to follow the PC. Remember that follower wealth is considered part of a player's wealth for treasure purposes. But cohorts come fully equipped.