Ditching followers stats
I've been mulling this over for a while -- a conversation with John Grümph and a recent session where the PCs hired 20+ followers to clear out a dangerous dungeon helped mature my thoughts. So here it's what I'm going to test out at LasagnaCon this weekend.
Followers are defined by their risk die, their HP, their gear, and their special ability. When you want them to do something risky, roll their dR.
- On a 4+, they do it competently.
- On a 1-3, they manage just barely: partial success, consequences, etc. The dR is stepped down as usual.
In combat, a 4+ means the follower deals damage and avoids getting hit. With a 1-3, you choose whether they hit or avoid damage.
A follower whose dR is stepped down to nothing loses it: they run, hide, collapse, betray you, etc.
So that's less work (no roll under 10+dR, which is a bit draggy to be honest), and the followers' dR becomes even more important, which is really the point IMO. I may have to formalise rules for refreshing it, though.
Thoughts?
Link the refresh to making camp, bonus money's, good treatment. This looks a lot easier to run :)
ReplyDeleteBob Bersch That's what I do informally - I think the book talks about payment and pep talks actually.
ReplyDeleteNice. Streamlined, but still makes the NPC crunch matter in an interesting way.
ReplyDeleteSounds good.
ReplyDeleteI like it a lot
ReplyDeleteI like this
ReplyDeleteGlad it looks okay to you guys. If anyone gets to try this rule at the table, I'm interested in your feedback.
ReplyDeleteI like it. Simple, and makes the pcs think about how much and for which tasks they use the followers.
ReplyDelete(And a few spearmen along the way :)
ReplyDeleteMooks as collateral damage for stories's progression :D
ReplyDeleteWell followers are a resource after all.
ReplyDeleteOne change I would make I think.. the table for combat would be for combat type followers... for non-combat types how about
ReplyDelete6+ means the follower deals damage and avoids getting hit.
With a 5 or 4, you choose whether they hit or avoid damage.
3 or less they get hit. Or does this seem to penalizing?.. Maybe the torchbearer has the blood of lions!
Bob Bersch It's a good way to handle things I think. But having to remember another target number strikes me as somewhat inelegant.
ReplyDeleteHow about giving disadvantage to non-combat followers?
Definitely like how streamlined it is.
ReplyDeleteEric Nieudan yes that works even better :) it's brutal and simple
ReplyDeleteQuick report after yesterday's game: the playtesting wasn't as thorough as it could have been (six players meant less followers, and also less opportunity for the NPCs to get involved), but it worked overall.
ReplyDeleteI got to fine tune some stuff regarding followers special abilities. Like player characters, followers should only roll once per turn. Whether a good roll means that they do what was required of them and avoid trouble is for the referee to decide on a case to case basis.
My advice is to be mean to followers.