Battle Herald and Improved Leadership

[MisterSlanky]

This is a bit of dead horse, since a campaign decision was already made about three years ago, but due to the change in leadership, I'm respectfully asking for a reconsideration to not providing an alternative to the Improved Leadership ability of Battle Heralds. The original thread is here.

Battle Heralds receive Improved Leadership:

A battle herald with the Leadership feat adds her inspiring command bonus to her leadership score.

The final decision was...

Mike Brock wrote:

After taking a look at Improved Leadership, we will not be replacing it with anything else. Since the class still functions without that ability, and could be altogether ignored by someone who doesn't have the Leadership in normal home play, their is no need to make an exception here.

The request is to find an alternative to Improved Leadership for Battle Herads, due to the the Leadership feat being illegal for PFS. There are plenty of precedents for swapping out a class feature that uses a game mechanic that is not appropriate for PFS. I've included a non-comprehensive list of examples where class abilities were swapped out due to the base feature not being part of PFS (often crafting, sometimes dream magic or reincarnation effects).

Examples of class abilities swapped out:

Core scribe scroll change for wizards

Champions of balance bloodline swap out for Spontaneous Generation

Agent of Rebirth ability for Faith & Philosophies domain

Shaman swap outs for Craft Wondorous Item and awaken

Nature oracle changes for awaken

Forgemaster replacing both Craft Magic Arms and Armor and Master Smith

Energy siege shot and arcane cannon changes for Bonded Witch

Promethean alchemists and promethean disciple discovery exchange

Occult adventures sorcerer bloodline changes for ghost whip

The swap out of dream voyage for the Psychic

Normal and greater create mindscape being changed for patrons

The best example I can find that involves Leadership directly is that Sentinel prestige classes explicitly give up their "Righteous Leader" special ability at level 8 for persuasive.

I would ask there to be a reconsideration of this class ability, in the hope to find an alternative that would be class/ability appropriate. Thanks!

[kinevon]

The issue here, which is probably why Mike chose the solution he did, is that you are asking for a replacement for a minor bonus that is not universally used, since even many home games disallow Leadership.

You might be better served by making a post like the ones asking for something to be removed from the banned list, in stating what you feel is an appropriate replacement, one that is as minimal as the ability being replaced.

Note that the class ability being replaced for the Sentinel includes adding an actual feat to them as a bonus, so it is not out of line to replace a (modified) bonus feat with a different bonus feat. The Battle Herald gets a conditional bonus to their Leadership score, if they have the Leadership feat.

Best I could see would be making it give a Specialization in Diplomacy, maybe. That makes Diplomacy a class skill if it isn't already, or gives a +1 bonus to Diplomacy.

[tlotig]

Even Specialization in Diplomacy maybe too much, perhaps a conditional bonus on diplomacy, say when interacting with people you have command of?

[Jack Amy]

I am in favour of a change, though the benefits provided by this class feature are very small. Perhaps your inspiring command bonus to your choice of thematic background skill.

Handle Animal
Knowledge (history)
Knowledge (nobility)
Perform (oratory)
Profession (soldier)

[Hmm]

I like the specialization in diplomacy concept.

Hmm

[Terminalmancer]

Specialization is probably the right power level for a replacement, but the rules for skill specialization are also pretty obscure. And in a different book, too, aren't they? I remember having a heck of a time trying to figure out what the phrase meant when I first came across it.

[Damanta]

Skill specialization is mentioned only in the Pathfinder Society Field Guide as far as I'm aware, as it's a part of the Faction prestige awards.

I think it would put it on par or maybe even slightly below a trait in terms of mechanical power.

Skill specialization:

When a PC becomes specialized in a skill, that skill immediately becomes a class skill for her.

If the PC gains that skill as a class skill from any other source (either before or after you purchase the prestige resource), she gains a +1 competence bonus on those skill checks.