Legend4ry Leadership: Updated Feats

The battlefield of editions has spread across the internet as the oncoming force known as D&D Next surges forward against its competitors. The Fourth Edition Faithful have backed off, the OSR stand in phalanx, the Finders of Paths continue their strong march against the Next Armies. 

Through the dust of the battlefield, despite its absence from the war, Legend4ry D&D reenters the war, in attempts to turn the tide in the favor of the Fourth Edition Faithful. 

So, despite the fluff above, I have been gone awhile. Life got lifey as it were. Now, you don't come here for excuses, so enough of that. You come here for content!

In previous editions, specifically 3.X and Pathfinder, characters had the option starting at level 7 to attract cohorts and followers. These cohorts fight alongside the PC and the followers are low level non-combatants that do the bidding of their glorious leader. The Leadership Feat can easily be abused too, and is considered in many circles to be "broken." This is quite true, but among the right groups, this works. 

My idea of translating the Leadership Feat into 4e came from a personal experience in a game I'm a player in. We don't have a full party and have an NPC Kobold Wyrmpriest that I run alongside my regular PC. The DM allows us to level the Wyrmpriest up alongside us and it really does help fill out the party, despite the monster stat block's otherwise limited options. 

I've come up with two version of the Leadership Feat for 4e. One is quite derivative of the original 3.P feat, essentially a straight up conversion with very little changed. The other is a little more in line with 4e feat design. Of the two, I think that the second works better within games and is less broken, but I don't necessarily think that the first is broken either (with the right group.) I suppose it's a matter of personal opinion, though. Check 'em out!

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The above is the more derivative of the two versions of the Feat. It deals in variable Cohort levels and Followers based on a Leadership Score that is directly based on the PCs Charisma. Much of this version of the feat is cribbed directly from the above linked SRDs. 

Click to enlarge!

The second I feel is more in line with the 4e mindset. It's more stream-lined and plays a lot faster than having to tally up your Leadership Score, figure out the number of Followers, etc. I prefer the second of the two, personally. 

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Well folks that's all for my welcome back post. I still have some strength boosting gear I created before my blog silence. I am going to try and get back on a regular posting schedule again and delve back into my love of 4e game design. See you then!

Until next time,

-blob

You can follow me on Twitter @Sorcerer_Blob or via the hash-tag #legend4ry. You can also find my blog and others at the Fourthcore Hub and at the RPG Blog Alliance.