|
So here is a good question that is on my mind. What prevents characters in game from getting friends/followers through roleplaying decisions or by shelling out money? Why would you even need the leadership feat when you establish a roleplaying reason for Followers/Hirelings. For instance:
First example: The group hires a bunch of labourers as camp followers in order to carry their stuff and tend to their mounts. If the NPC’s generally stay out of fights except if they’re defending themselves would you need to have the Leadership Feat to have them come along or could you just pay them wages and get them to help your group anyway.
Second example: The PC’s rescue an orphan child that was kidnapped by a bunch of goblins. Rather than taking the said child to some settlement and dumping them off they decide to take the child with them as a ward of their adventuring party. Its not like an Orphan would object to having an adopted momma or daddy taking them on adventures or would be a major asset to the party. And something like this creates roleplaying opportunities as cruel or intelligent DM’s could put the child into dangerous circumstances thus getting the PC’s involved in protecting him/her.
Third Example: The adventuring party kills a bunch of slavers but in the process gets their hands on a bunch of slaves from the caravan. While some of the slaves relish freedom and head off, others out of gratitude offer to work for the PC’s. If they accept them into their employ why would you need a leadership feat?
You don't need the Leadership feat for any of that (and I hope nobody is taking the Leadership feat to have an orphan child tag along and constantly get in trouble...)
The advantage of the Leadership feat is that your followers/cohort become character abilities under control of the player (mostly). He gets to decide what his cohort will be, rather than just getting stuck with an orphan or with some grateful ex-slaves who may or may not be useful. If you want a rogue sidekick, but those ex-slaves are all just commoners or maybe a few other non-rogue classes, well, too bad, you get what you get and don't throw a fit. Or you take the Leadership feat and build yourself a rogue cohort.
Also, those hired laborers, that orphan kid, and those grateful ex-slaves might just decide to go away. One day they decide the pay isn't worth it and leave, or they get a better offer from somebody else who will employ them with less risk, or whatever. No big deal, easy come, easy go, you weren't invested in them anyway.
But a GM probably won't make your cohort just go away because you invested a feat to get him. Yeah, sure, if your PC is a jerk and treats his cohort badly, he may go away and your leadership score may take a hit, but that was self-inflicted and you can still get another one anyway.
Leadership nets you a second PC up to two levels lower than the rest of the party and up to 163 followers. That is a small village.
Note that you have to pay for your laborers or for the ex-slaves, but followers cost nothing.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
So here is a good question that is on my mind. What prevents characters in game from getting friends/followers through roleplaying decisions or by shelling out money?
Absolutely nothing.
Why would you even need the leadership feat when you establish a roleplaying reason for Followers/Hirelings.
Because followers are more loyal than hirelings, probably more obedient, and cheaper to boot.
Put it this way: suppose your boss were to say to you that "it looks like there are some cash flow issues in the company, and so paychecks are going to be delayed. It looks like your next paycheck won't happen until six weeks from now. I hope, though, that you'll still come in and do your job, and we'll sort the pay issues out later."
Would you show up for work the next day?
If so, you're not a "hireling," but a "follower." Because there's obviously something about your job or the people you work with that trumps mere money.
I've had jobs where I would actually have continued to come in. I've had jobs that I wouldn't. Personal loyalty to the person you report to is an ideal that every businessman wants (in fact, they teach "leadership" skills at business schools for exactly this reason) but relatively few actually have.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Best houserule: leadership as a free bonus feat at lvl 7 for everyone. Better yet use the leadership handbook by Alexander Augunas.
Leadership gives a rules framework for how powerful follower/cohorts can/ should be.