Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 rajion1 Feb 08, 2011 20:07:28	Hello.  I recently took the leadership feat in my campaign (I'm a marshal, if you care to know) and i am in the process of building 15 level 1's to fight in future large scale battles.  This is to see if my ideas for them are worthwhile, to gain any feedback on them, and to gain any other ideas that anyone may have. Also, if anyone has any ideas for higher level followers, it would be greatly appreciated.  It would be very helpful.  Thank you! The rules for the followers are normal, with a few variations that make this campaign a tad unique  they have to be NPC Classes until level 5's, at which they can be of any class. People heal 50% of their health over night.  Potions and Alchemy exist, but we have to make them. They can know any type of maneuver from heroes of battle if they have at least 10 int, as well as any that are 'within reason'. The feat for Phalanx fighting has been altered - it act's like shieldmate and keeps the +1. 32 point build.  no more then 18 in one stat. We have to make and scavenge stuff, but we recently took over an enemy army base, so equipment isn't a big issue.  No chain shirts or exotic weapons, though. Current Units. (_) indicates the number of them i have at the moment. Blockers (7) - 12 Hp, 20+ Ac.  They can get up to 30 AC Stats: 16, 18, 18, 10, 8, 10  Equipment: Studded Leather, heavy steel shield, short sword, 8 short spears. Feats: Phalanx fighting, Shieldmate. Glaivers (5) - 11 Hp, 17/20+ AC.  AC can also get up to around 30, but less likely. Stats: 18, 18, 16, 10, 10, 8 Equipment - Glaive, 2 short spears, studded leather, heavy steel shield, short sword Feats: Phalanx fighting, Combat reflexes Archers (3) - 12 hp, 17 AC Stats: 14, 18, 18, 12, 10, 8 Equipment: C.Longbow, Studded Leather. Feats: Pointblank Shot, Ready Shot. Language: Drow hand (for the sake of silent communication). The blockers are at the front line, so that the Glaivers can attack and make attacks of opportunity and the archers can make Ready shot attacks.  In acts of defense, the Glaivers take up a steel shield and create a circle to boost the Wall's defense.  They throw short spears and can take short spears from those in front of the line. If you are wondering where the level 2 unit is, it is a specialist who is in charge of making and repairing armor and weapons.  However, i do not have any ideas for any units past that. If you've read this far, again, thank you.  Again, any comments are nice.
#2 Maat_Mons Feb 09, 2011 16:57:26	If it's allowed, give everyone the wild cohort feat. Have the 15 wolves be the front line, since your followers get new ones in a day if they die. I don't know if “low magic” rules out Magic of Incarnum. If you can use it, an azurin (Magic if Incarnum 7) with the shape soulmeld feat (Magic of Incarnum 40) keyed to dissolving spittle (Magic of Incarnum 64) deals 2d6 acid damage as a ranged touch attack at will. You've still got a feat to work with. I think the guys in front should have reach weapons and armor spikes (a poor man's spiked chain). The attack of opportunity they'd get against anyone approaching close enough to use a non-reach weapon is pretty valuable. Remember, three of the front-line guys will be able to make attacks of opportunity against each enemy approaching. If the enemies also use reach weapons, there won't be an attack of opportunity, but your guys won't have to break formation to engage them. It's worthwhile to ready actions to attack enemies that come within range. You should spring the extra 2 gp each for halberds instead of glaives. You get to deal double damage when you ready an action to attack someone who charges you, can choose to deal piecing damage if it is ever beneficial, and can use it for trip attempts if you want. If you can use Dragon magazine material, an awl pike (Dragon 331 – 23) is an exotic weapon, but it can be used against opponents 15 feet away. The second-line of guys could use these and get an attack of opportunity on any opponent approaching close enough to use a non-reach weapon on the front-line guys. If you can use the version of the duom from Dragon magazine (Dragon 331 – 23), it's a martial weapon that has reach and can be used against adjacent opponents. This version is most recent, but the weapon was published in Arms and Equipment Guide and Sword and Fist as an exotic weapon. The way you've got it set up, it doesn't make much sense for the glaivers to have combat reflexes. They only get attacks of opportunity when someone leaves a threatened square. If they're not in the front line and only reach 10 feet, enemies won't leave a threatened square unless they kill someone in the front line and move forward, or they retreat. It makes much more sense for the guys up front to have combat reflexes, because three of them get to attack each enemy that tries to get adjacent to them. One of the few alternate class features available to a warrior is dragonscale husk (Dragon Magic 12). They give up armor proficiency, but the gain thick scaly hides that function much like armor. They get +6 to AC, maximum dexterity bonus +2, and a -4 armor check penalty. It counts as medium armor, and the AC bonus doesn't stack with armor. It's just as good as a breastplate, but it's free. Remember, you get +4 to AC from “soft cover” if there's a creature between you and your attacker. This goes both ways, so the guys who aren't in the front line are going have more difficulty hitting enemies, in addition to being harder to hit. It seems silly to equip your followers with steel shields when wooden shields are cheaper, lighter, and otherwise the same. Only player characters are supposed to get maximum HP at 1st level.
#3 Krusk Feb 10, 2011 10:45:51	NPC classes, make them adepts. Give them magic missile and thats all they cast. Obviously not low magic. Other tactic. Make everyone archers with rapid shot. Hail of arrows time. Blot out the sun ect. With 30 attacks a round, a couple are gaurenteed to hit anything you fight. If you are fighting things that are close in level to them, the sheer mass of arrows will shred smaller targets.