New Followers / Monster Followers

[JLV]

You know, I could see having a talent for "recruiting" people or monsters; but maintaining their loyalty should be a different process. It's one thing to persuade or force someone to join an army -- it's an entirely different thing to keep them there! ;-)

[Nils_Lindeberg]

I really like the basic d6 Reaction system. You roll for an NPCs basic reaction to the group, taking into account their initial disposition and circumstances.

And from that standpoint, you roleplay freely. This is a much better system than first roleplaying an encounter halfway through and then roll a persuasion check or something and fail miserably. So the GM has to suddenly change stance with the NPC and throw you out because you are a buffon.

It is better with more Reaction modifications for different circumstances. Like +1 when logically try to convince someone, or a +1 when you speak and command on the battlefield raising morale.

New Followers is way too mechanical, but I always liked the Leadership feat in old versions of D&D. It kind of gave you the chance to get your own entourage at high levels, but more indirectly. Taking the feat was a signal to the GM that you wanted followers and that type of campaign.

I would love a few interpersonal talents like Leadership, Stewardship and maybe others that work like Strategist, Captain, etc.

These talents could guarantee a basic success in handling side projects in between adventures. Keep your house guard, retinue, fellow coven members or "friendly" cutthroats happy and loyal. If you have some sort of meta attributes for your side projects like influence, power, wealth, prestige, reach, etc. These talents could tie into them.

"Ahh, you have Stewardship that means that your keep and two farms produce 50% more surplus this year if you succeed with a 4 vs IQ. So you spend wealth to improve the moral of you scouts that means you get a rebate of 20 gold because of your Inspiring Leader Talent. Time for the yearly random happenings rolls, you get your usual reroll because of your Manifest Destiny talent. How much did you sacrifice to the gods for good trading weather this year, aha 10 white bulls and you were a Theologian, right? As a Teacher you only have to pay your wizard apprentices 50% per week, they still stay on."

[Tywyll]

Recruiting followers shouldn't be a talent, it should be something anyone can do.

That said, a talent for animal/supernatural companions would be useful,

[Shadekeep]

Originally Posted by Tywyll

Recruiting followers shouldn't be a talent, it should be something anyone can do.

If it needs to be replaced, perhaps the talent is usefully recast as Leadership? Gives a bonus to attempts to recruit followers, and allows the player to manage a larger group of such.

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by Tywyll

Recruiting followers shouldn't be a talent, it should be something anyone can do.

That said, a talent for animal/supernatural companions would be useful,

Up the difficulties by 1d or 2d for those lacking the talent. Easy-peazy...