Leadership feat and the Coven Hex

[E I]

So, been playing a witch for a few levels now on Kingmaker, and it seems reasonable to want to start up my own coven of witches that exist in my kingdom.

Originally, I had just wanted to take Leadership so as to take on an apprentice, but the Coven hex was recently brought to my attention, and I was wondering how it would apply in terms of followers.

It's entirely possible that by level 10, I could bring in 10-15 followers into battle explicitly for the purpose of aiding me in battle, unless I'm gravely mistaken in the rules.

This could lead to situations where I can use Black Tentacles with a BAB of +25, or almost guaranteed Dominates, Feebleminds, etc.

Is there something in the rules that would prevent this from happening? Aside from the GM targeting the line of squishy witches 30' back.

[Banpai]

A. getting a cohort from using leadership, maybe a witch or multiclass witch with some fighter of barbarian levels and the coven hex seems reasonable. But the DM doens´t have to let you write the cohort. You might suggest/teach it the coven hex, but you most certainly have no right to get what you want.

B. Attracting 15 - 20 level 1 witches isn´t as easy as it sounds, and even if your dm gives you half of that as witches, consider how many witches take the coven hex at level 1 given the alternatives.

C. Taking them into battle seems like a wonderfull opportunity to ruin your leadership score. You can use them in you own town, lets them help improve the caster level of your healing and support spells. And if you want to "cheat" some spell storing weapons are your friend here, just immagine a CL 25 bestow curse the affected person can´t get removed ^^

The symbol spells could be fun too.

[E I]

Banpai wrote:

A. getting a cohort from using leadership, maybe a witch or multiclass witch with some fighter of barbarian levels and the coven hex seems reasonable. But the DM doens´t have to let you write the cohort. You might suggest/teach it the coven hex, but you most certainly have no right to get what you want.

B. Attracting 15 - 20 level 1 witches isn´t as easy as it sounds, and even if your dm gives you half of that as witches, consider how many witches take the coven hex at level 1 given the alternatives.

C. Taking them into battle seems like a wonderfull opportunity to ruin your leadership score. You can use them in you own town, lets them help improve the caster level of your healing and support spells. And if you want to "cheat" some spell storing weapons are your friend here, just immagine a CL 25 bestow curse the affected person can´t get removed ^^

The symbol spells could be fun too.

A. For the purposes of a cohort, I am allowed to fully design it, pending GM approval, and provided there is a suitable amount of fluff to support their backstory.

B. This is entirely true, and I've not asked whether my GM will allow it or not. Knowing mine however, if it can be done in the rules, it would probably be fine.

C. I don't think it was ever said in the RAW exactly how much the loss of one follower would cause. "Caused the death of other followers" is also vague enough to be interpreted in many ways.

The only issue I have is that in using this technique, my GM will probably smile and say sure. And then a few weeks later, the party will be fighting a similarly powerful witch with 50 followers or something.

Although the point of using them in town is a good idea.

[Ravingdork]

No other feat says "you MIGHT get what you want." Why should Leadership be any different?

You either take a feat you want, or you don't take it because it won't give you what you want. There is never any ambiguity in what a feat gets you.

At the very least, a GM should explain exactly what the Leadership feat will give the player (what kind of cohort and followers)--if not outright let the player design the cohort and followers to begin with (following the NPC creation rules).

OP: Save yourself the feat and just get the simulacrum spell. Make an army of clones using it. They are all guaranteed to have the coven hex, are absolutely 100% loyal to you, and make excellent decoys/bodyguards/minions.