Leadership
Table of Contents
Leadership.png

Leadership Rules

The Leadership sphere is different from other Martial spheres because it doesn’t deal with an individual’s abilities, but rather the people they surround themselves with. It is always possible for a Game Master to create an NPC to round out a party or for a team of adventurers to hire some henchmen to assist them, and such things are for the Game Master to decide.

The Leadership sphere, however, reflects characters for whom having followers and sidekicks are not just a passing thing but are instead as integral to their character as their skill with a sword or their knowledge of magic. Maybe you are a noble and keep retainers along as you adventure. Perhaps you are a teacher and are always surrounded by students. Or, maybe you simply have a favorite NPC that, when it comes time for them to part ways with you, you decide to add them to the party as a sidekick rather than see them leave.

As such, the Leadership sphere has some special restrictions that are different from other spheres:

  • While a Game Master always has the ability to alter the rules to fit a game or a campaign, the Leadership sphere is always only usable with GM permission; some games might just not lend themselves to sidekicks and companions, while some GMs might simply not wish to take upon them the burden of having so many NPCs following the player characters around all the time. Even if the Game Master allows for the Leadership sphere, it is within their right to say that the Leadership sphere cannot be taken until 5th character level; while some characters might begin play with a trusted ally, most adventurers must at least have a reputation before they can begin to attract sidekicks and followers to their cause.
  • The Leadership sphere and its talents cannot be taken as temporary talents or switchable talents; they cannot be placed inside an armiger’s customized weapon or changed through the Intuitive Combatant feat, etc.. Likewise, players cannot have their conjured companions, animal companions, sidekicks, or anyone other than their actual player characters take the Leadership sphere or talents.

Sidekicks

Sidekicks are not exclusive to the Leadership sphere; they appear in several official publications as well. Sidekicks from other publications can be gained through the Leadership sphere, and a GM can always add a sidekick to a party whenever they wish, whether or not a player has gained the Leadership sphere.

When, where, and how a sidekick is gained is up to the Game Master, but they should work with the player to determine the most appropriate choice for the game.

Experience

Sidekicks and followers are not considered player characters, and so do not get a share of experience points.

Companion Costs

Because sidekicks and followers gained from the Leadership sphere are ‘purchased’ with talents, they do not cost money to hire, but likewise, they cannot produce money for the players by working jobs on the side unless a specific talent in the Leadership sphere says otherwise. Instead, the cost of hiring, feeding, and equipping these companions, as well as the money they would make from downtime activities, is abstracted; sidekicks are paid in the experience they gain, in the miscellaneous items that they recover and sell that the PCs don’t bother with, and followers make money for the PC on unimportant side jobs, which then goes to cover their payment and upkeep. A player may always give their sidekicks and companions better gear and magic items on their own, but these costs do need to come out of their own pockets.

Loyalty

Sidekicks and followers are loyal to the player, but no intelligent being will stand being treated poorly. Especially disgruntled sidekicks may work in secret to bring about your downfall.

Also, if a player gets their sidekicks and followers killed, they will begin to have trouble finding others willing to take their place.

Whether or not a sidekick or group of followers is feeling particularly loyal or how they react to rough treatment is determined by the Game Master, but as an optional rule, loyalty can be measured on a scale of 0-20. Sidekicks and followers have a maximum loyalty equal to your Charisma score and a starting loyalty of half that number. If party members act in a manner that runs counter to the sidekick’s alignment or bond, roll 1d4 and subtract that number from their loyalty.

This is increased to 2d4 if they are abused, misled, or endangered by the party for purely selfish reasons. Likewise, if the PC treats them especially well, helps them achieve goals tied to their bond, spends their own money on presents and rewards for them, or accomplishes an inspiring deed that makes them feel good about their employment, roll 1d4 and add that number to their loyalty. If loyalty reaches 0, the character is no longer loyal and will either leave or work to undermine the party.

Replacing Sidekicks

The Leadership sphere assumes that your sidekicks and followers are not temporary hires, but are instead dedicated companions: a knight and his squire, a thieves guild master and his crime family, a scholar and his students, a mercenary captain and his troops, etc.. However, it is possible that either the player wishes to change their sidekick, or that for story reasons the GM has decided to remove them; the squire or intern might graduate or return home to care for their family, etc.. When this happens, the GM and the player should work together to determine where, when, and how a new sidekick is gained in their place. This also can happen if the old sidekick needs to be replaced because they died or left due to low loyalty, but the player might find it difficult to find a new sidekick or group of followers if they have a reputation for poor treatment or of getting sidekicks and followers killed.

Roleplaying Sidekicks and Followers

Sidekicks and followers are under the control of the player (especially in combat), but this does not mean they are mindless creatures. The Game Master may wish to control the sidekick or even a few key followers (the caravan boss, the head intern, etc.) for roleplay purposes, as they would other important NPCs. If the GM doesn’t wish to voice so many NPCs, an alternative to having one player simply control all of his followers and sidekicks (which can rob the game of fun interactions between characters) is to leave the roleplaying of a player’s sidekicks and followers to the other players around the table, who each might take one important sidekick or follower and play them whenever necessary.

Variant: Party Followers

In some games, especially those focused on a traveling group larger than a normal adventuring party (such as a caravan, mercenary army, etc.), rather than have one player shoulder the burden of spending character resources to have a group of followers and sidekicks, the party as a whole could be allowed to gain talents. This could be done in various ways, such as allowing each PC to contribute talents into a group pool. One ‘leader’ would take the base sphere while others could add additional talents, reflecting the sidekicks and followers they attract with their skills. Anyone who possesses a (sidekick) talent would be able to use it with any of the shared party sidekicks.

Alternatively, the base sphere could simply be granted to the group, with Persuasion proficiency removed, then additional talents granted at appropriate intervals based on level, achievement, or wealth (either accumulated or spent) to reflect the group’s prestige and influence has achieved through its actions.

Leadership Sphere

Practitioners of the Leadership sphere learn how to gather, organize, and command others. When you gain the Leadership sphere, you gain proficiency in Persuasion. If you already have proficiency in Persuasion, you instead gain a bonus talent from this sphere. Additionally, you gain either the Follower or Sidekick Leadership package

Leadership Packages

Follower Package

You gain a group of followers, loyal to you and your cause. These followers will not accompany you into dangerous locations; if attacked, followers will attempt to flee to a safe place to the best of their ability. However, they can lend assistance in various ways, such as supplying unskilled labor for simple tasks (such as clearing a road obstructed by falling rocks), carting goods, driving and overseeing your wagons and transport, or other things.

If statistics are needed for a particular follower, utilize the commoner stat block or the troop of commoners stat block for the followers as a group in combat. You can have a maximum of 20 followers, which equals 1 troop. This increases by 20 more followers at 5th (40 followers, or 2 troops), 11th (60 followers, or 3 troops), and 17th levels (80 followers, or 4 troops).

Troops are considered a single creature for combat purposes; a troop can be injured, but its individual members are usually not regarded as dead unless the troop is reduced to 0 hit points. If it is, it can be healed but has its maximum hit point halved, as half of its members are dead and will need to be replaced with new followers before it can return to full strength. If a troop dies completely, all of its members are dead, except perhaps one or two.

Followers are meant to work in groups of about 20; they cannot be split into multiple groups (within reason; a player could always send a few on a specific errand), and if reduced to half their number or less, are reduced to half their total hit points until regrouped.

Your initial followers are drawn from settlements you have visited in the past and made contacts in. If you must recruit new followers to replace some that have died or been disbanded, you can attract one new follower per day spent in a settlement. If you spend 1 gp per day on drinks and socializing, or 8 hours actively recruiting, this number is doubled. These multipliers stack if you spend both money and time.

Some (followers) talents require you to disperse your followers throughout a settlement. When this happens, the troop is essentially dissolved as its members perform various actions to achieve a specific purpose. Reassembling the troop requires at least an hour.

Sidekick Package

You gain a sidekick. A sidekick can be any type of creature with a stat block, but its challenge rating must be 1/2 or lower.

As explained in the “Advancing A Sidekick” section, a sidekick starts with this stat block and adds to it as it progresses as a sidekick. Some sidekick classes may have additional prerequisites. When you create a sidekick, you choose the class it will have for the rest of its career, each of which is detailed below: Explorer, Student, or Veteran. Work with the Game Master to determine what options are available, as depending on the location some things simply might not make sense. In addition to the Explorer, Student, and Veteran sidekick classes, a GM can approve of other sidekick classes that have been published in other approved sources.

Sidekicks that you gain through the Leadership sphere always have a level equal to half your own (minimum level 1); when you gain an even level after 2, your sidekick goes up 1 level. You cannot possess more than 1 sidekick from the Leadership sphere unless your talents say otherwise.

The sidekicks below begin play with the equipment granted by their martial tradition. A sidekick’s starting gear may not be used to increase PC wealth; sidekicks will rarely consent to having the gear upon which they rely to survive sold out from under them.

For player convenience, here are three stat blocks that can be used to apply sidekick class levels to:

Discharged Soldier

Medium or Small humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 13 (2d8+4)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)

Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Actions
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Reactions
Parry. The discharged soldier adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the discharged soldier must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

Roving Scholar

Medium or Small humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

Skills Arcana +4, Religion +4
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if wielded with two hands.

Wanderlust Traveler

Medium or Small humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 13 (+1)

Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the wanderlust traveler can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Actions
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Some abilities call out joint actions. These actions require both you and your sidekick to pay the requisite action cost.

Leadership Basic Talents

Talents marked (followers) grant additional options for your followers. If you have multiple groups of followers, each (followers) talent applies to each of them. Talents marked (sidekick) grant additional options for your sidekick.

Follower Talents

Alchemists (followers)

Your followers possess alchemist’s supplies and are proficient with their use, and can use the Help action to aid in the use of those tools, giving someone advantage. When crafting alchemical items (such as alchemist’s fires), a troop can produce items ten times as fast. If a PC in your party can craft formulae from the Alchemy sphere, they can produce one more formulae than their usual limit, provided these followers are there to assist them. If you possess the Merchants talent, you can purchase alchemical items at a 25% discount.

Artificers (followers)

Your followers possess tinker’s tools and are proficient with their use, and can use the Help action to give someone advantage on using tinker’s tools. When crafting mechanical items such as a block and tackle, a troop can produce items ten times as fast. If a PC in your party can craft gadgets from the Tinker sphere, they can produce one more gadget, provided the followers are there to assist them. If you possess the Merchants talent, mechanical items purchased from the followers have their cost reduced by 25%.

Craftsmen (followers)

Your followers possess smith’s tools and are proficient with their use, and can use the Help action to give someone advantage on using smith’s tools. They can spend an hour working to repair objects as if using the mending cantrip. When crafting weapons, armor, or other metal items, a troop can produce items ten times as fast. If you possess the Merchants talent, you can purchase non-magical weapons, armor, and ammunition at a 25% discount.

Detectives (followers)

Some of your followers are inquisitors or investigators. They are proficient in Investigation and Perception and can use the Help action to give someone advantage with checks involving either skill. Your followers know how to perform research for you. During downtime, your followers may perform research in your place; you are still required to pay for any research expenses.

Entertainers (followers)

Your followers include actors, musicians, and other performers, and they possess props, backdrops, and the other accouterments required for a dazzling performance.

Your followers are proficient in the Acrobatics and Performance skills and can use the Help action to aid you with those skills. While in a settlement, your followers can get you access to a theater, stage, or hall if one is present, or can establish an outdoor performance area for you wherever one is needed.

Additionally, your Performers are particularly adept at gaining money through their performing skills, even as you travel; each troop of followers gain 1 gp per day spent in a settlement, which is applied to covering your lifestyle expenses (or with GM permission can go into your pocket, if you are not using lifestyle rules).

Friends In Low Places (followers)

Some of your followers are brutish and sly. Your followers are proficient with Intimidate and Sleight of Hand, and so long as you are in a large enough place, they can provide distractions or an intimidating presence for you to use the Help action to aid you with those skills.

While your followers are dispersed through a settlement, you gain the following benefits:

  • You can always find a fence willing to buy stolen goods from you.
  • If you’re imprisoned or fined for crimes committed in the settlement’s jurisdiction, you know how to find corrupt officials willing to take bribes to ensure your freedom (although the amount of the bribe is dependent on the GM and the nature of your crimes).
  • If an object is available in the settlement and has a maximum value of 100 gp multiplied by your proficiency bonus, you can ‘buy’ it for half price with 2d6 hours of work. If given 2d6 days, this value increases to 1,000 gp multiplied by your proficiency bonus. This item is gained through less than reputable means (bribes, break-ins, etc.), and you cannot obtain more than one object in this way at a time and never more than once per day. Note that while it might be possible to obtain unique items in this fashion (the key to a specific jail cell, the jewels of a particular noble lady, etc.), stealing such items can carry grand consequences, or might be so well guarded that only direct action by the PCs themselves might allow for a successful theft.

Ground Team (followers)

Your followers are proficient with Deception and Persuasion and can use the Help action to aid you with either skill. Additionally, they can disperse into a settlement, talking, listening, and influencing. While dispersed, your followers can perform the following actions:

Gather Crowd. Your followers can spend 1d4 hours gathering a crowd for you. Make a Charisma (Persuasion) check against one of the DCs listed in the table below to determine the crowd’s size; the crowd’s size never exceeds the population of the settlement. After the crowd is gathered, it will naturally disperse after another 1d4 hours if they are not incentivized to stay, be it through entertaining the crowd or intimidating them.

Persuasion Result Crowd Size Minimum Settlement Size
15 1 - 500 Village
20 500 - 1,000 Village
25 1,000 - 3,000 Town
30 3,000 - 6,000 Town
35 6,000 - 12,000 City
40 12,000 - 25,000 City

Gather Information. Your followers know how to ask around or eavesdrop into conversations to gain information on the town’s current events on your behalf. With 1d4 hours of work, they can discover specific details about a specific person or event for you, track down rumors on your behalf, etc.

Whispers. You may have your followers participate in spreading a rumor throughout the settlement. They can spread rumors on your behalf even if you are not present (although you must provide them with money for drinks, social appearances, etc.), or reduce the amount of time it takes to spread the rumor by half if you are present, as well as Help you with the required checks to give you advantage.

Healers (followers)

Your followers are skilled healers. They are proficient with the Medicine skill and can use the Help action to provide someone advantage when making checks with that skill. Your followers can supply you with one complete healer’s kit each day. These healers kits cannot be sold or stockpiled. When anyone spends hit dice during a short rest to heal in the presence of these followers, increase the size of their hit die by one size to a maximum of 1d12.

Hunters (followers)

Some of your followers are well trained in stalking and hunting beasts. They are proficient in Animal Handling and Stealth and can use the Help action to aid someone with checks involving either skill. While traveling or camping in the wilderness with your followers, your followers can forage for you, providing food for you and your party.

Laborers (followers)

Your followers include experts at construction and physical tasks. Your followers are proficient in the Athletics skill and work twice as fast when shifting rocks, digging ditches, or otherwise performing manual labor.

During a short rest, you can direct your followers to fortify a campsite. Your followers grant advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made while inside a fortified campsite, and any intruders must contend with a 5-foot tall fence surrounding the camp.

Linguists (followers)

Some of your followers are multilingual. They are proficient in a number of additional languages equal to your proficiency bonus and can use the Help action to aid someone with checks involving encrypting, decrypting, or translating messages.

Managers (followers)

Your followers know how to operate one business you own. A troop can run a business you own in your absence and make checks for it on your behalf. They can also Help you on checks to run a business, allowing you to make any such checks with advantage.

Merchants (followers)

Your followers include merchants that can trade with you. Your followers can purchase from and sell items to you whose individual worth does not exceed 25 gp but increases at 5th level (100 gp), 11th level (400 gp), and 17th level (1,700 gp). You may not utilize the merchants to purchase or sell more individual items per day than your proficiency bonus.

Any checks made to determine the worth of an item while with the followers gain advantage from the merchants’ aid.

Messengers (followers)

Your followers can quickly deliver messages via rider, messenger bird, and other means as appropriate to the setting.

While with your followers, you may send written messages and items not exceeding 10 lbs. per character level to any place reachable by normal travel (not requiring the casting of magical effects) at a base overland speed of 60 miles per day, increasing by 10 miles at 5th level (70 miles per day), 11th level (80 miles per day, and 17th level (90 miles per day).

Messengers can also be used to deliver items to and retrieve them from your followers while adventuring, though, as normal for followers, they won’t go anywhere apparently dangerous. A messenger may be summoned by messenger bird, whistle, or magical means if you possess any.

If you possess the Linguists talent, you may have any message delivered by your messengers to be encrypted, requiring individuals other than the desired target to succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check to decipher.

If you possess the Merchants talent, you can purchase from or sell to your merchant followers an additional number of times per day equal to your key ability modifier (minimum +1).

Priests (followers)

Some of your followers are well-versed in religious studies and understanding the spiritual needs of others. Your followers can cast 1st level rituals from the cleric spell list and gain ritual books that contain the ceremony spell. These ritual books cannot be sold or stockpiled. They are also proficient in Insight and Religion and can use the Help action to aid someone with checks involving either skill.

Ceremony

Abjuration
Level: 1
Casting time: 1 Hour
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (25 gp worth of powdered silver, which the spell consumes)
Duration: Instantaneous

You perform a special religious ceremony that is infused with magic. When you cast the spell, choose one of the following rites, the target of which must be within 10 feet of you throughout the casting.

  • Atonement. You touch one willing creature whose alignment has changed, and you make a DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check. On a successful check, you restore the target to its original alignment.
  • Bless Water. You touch one vial of water and cause it to become holy water.
  • Coming of Age. You touch one humanoid who is a young adult. For the next 24 hours, whenever the target makes an ability check, it can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check. A creature can benefit from this rite only once.
  • Dedication. You touch one humanoid who wishes to be dedicated to your god’s service. For the next 24 hours, whenever the target makes a saving throw, it can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the save. A creature can benefit from this rite only once.
  • Funeral Rite. You touch one corpse, and for the next 7 days, the target can’t become undead by any means short of a wish spell.
  • Wedding. You touch adult humanoids willing to be bonded together in marriage. For the next 7 days, each target gains a +2 bonus to AC while they are within 30 feet of each other. A creature can benefit from this rite again only if widowed.

Rangers (followers)

Some of your followers are experts at traversing wilderness. Your followers are proficient with the Nature and Survival skills and can use the Help action to aid someone with checks involving either skill. While traveling with your followers for more than 1 hour, difficult terrain does not slow your group’s travel.

Your followers know how to find and capture animals for you. While traveling or camping in the wilderness, your followers can supply half your character level in CR of beasts each day (such as for taming with the Beastmastery sphere), though are limited to beasts present in their surroundings, and the number of individual beasts cannot exceed your proficiency bonus.

Scholars (followers)

Some of your followers are well-versed in scholarship and arcane lore. Your followers can cast 1st level rituals from the wizard spell list and gain ritual books that contain the identify spell. These ritual books cannot be sold or stockpiled. They are proficient in Arcana and History and can use the Help action to aid someone with checks involving either skill.

Soldiers (followers)

Your followers are willing to follow you into combat, although they still will not perform obviously suicidal actions. They are proficient with simple weapons and light armor. Your followers can use the Attack action and gain clubs as a starting weapon:

Clubs. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d8) bludgeoning damage, or 5 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if the troop has half of its hit points or fewer.

You may take this talent multiple times. Each time this is gained after the first, your followers gain a bonus martial talent. Each troop gains the same martial talent.

Sidekick Talents

Allied Cover (sidekick)

You and your sidekicks gain a +1 bonus to AC while within 5 feet of you or another sidekick. The benefits from multiple sidekicks do not stack.

When you are targeted by an attack or single-target effect and are within 5 feet of a sidekick, you may expend martial focus to redirect the attack or effect to the sidekick as a reaction.

Opening Maneuver (sidekick)

Once per round, when one of your sidekicks succeeds on a disarm, grapple, or shove, the target provokes an opportunity attack from you.

Opportunistic Teamwork (sidekick)

While within 5 feet of a sidekick, when you or the sidekick performs a disarm, grapple, or shove, the other may expend their martial focus as a reaction to grant advantage on the roll.

Pack Tactics (sidekick)

You and your sidekicks gain a +1 bonus to weapon attack rolls while within 5 feet of you or another sidekick. The benefits from multiple sidekicks do not stack.

Sidekick Attack (sidekick)

When you make a weapon attack roll against a hostile enemy, one of your sidekicks may also attack your target with a single weapon it possesses as a reaction. If both you and the sidekick successfully deal damage with these attacks, the sidekick may immediately move 5 feet without spending an action. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Team Lookout (sidekick)

When making a Wisdom (Perception) check while within 30 feet of any sidekick, you and those sidekicks may share the result of whoever had the highest result.

Other Talents

Base Of Operations

You gain one new group of followers. However, these additional followers are permanent residents in a settlement you are familiar with; they have homes and personal lives and will not leave the settlement under normal circumstances. They can move to a new settlement under extraneous circumstances, but doing so usually requires 1d4 months of selling, buying, traveling, and forming new contacts. These followers cannot benefit from the Soldiers talent.

You may take this talent multiple times. The effects stack.

Expanded Leadership

Choose a Leadership package you do not possess. You gain that package.

Greater Recruitment

Your sidekick’s level becomes equal to 3/4ths your level rounded down instead of 1/2 your level rounded down. You may take this talent twice, in which case your sidekick’s maximum level becomes equal to your own.

Improved Leadership

You add twice your proficiency bonus to Persuasion checks.

Leadership Legendary Talents

Additional Sidekick

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere (sidekick package), 5th level.

Gain an additional sidekick. You must divide your sidekick levels between both sidekicks and can do so as you see fit (thus, if you could normally have a sidekick with a maximum level of 6, with this talent you could have two sidekicks of 3rd level, one of 4th level and another of 2nd level, etc.). You may take this talent multiple times. Each time you gain this talent, increase the number of sidekicks you can possess by 1. This doesn’t increase the total combined number of levels your sidekicks can have.

Air Travel (followers)

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere (followers package), 11th level.

Your followers are equipped with flying beasts, airships, arcane levitation, or other means of reliable overland flight. They possess a 50-foot fly speed.

Special: The level prerequisite may be reduced based on how common flight is in the setting. For example, in the Skybourne setting flight is common and airships are ubiquitous, so the level prerequisite could be ignored entirely.

Draft

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere, 5th level.

You may expend martial focus as an Action to force a non-hostile creature within 30 feet to make a Charisma saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 hour. While charmed, the creature will serve you as if it were a sidekick. Creatures not of the humanoid type gain advantage on their saving throw.

Once a creature saves successfully against your use of this ability, it is immune to further uses of this ability by you for 24 hours. When the duration of the draft effect ends, the creature returns to its previous disposition, modified by any other effects that would have altered it in the meantime.

Should the charmed creature take damage, or should you attempt to make the creature perform an obviously suicidal action, the creature is automatically released from the effects of the charm.

Master Of The Dead (sidekick)

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere (sidekick package).

You may recruit sidekicks with the undead type, finding and reanimating dead bodies with arcane rituals. Such sidekicks are built normally but have the undead type and gain the following modifiers and abilities based on whether they are a Skeleton or a Zombie:

Skeleton

  • +2 Dex, -4 Int, -4 Cha
  • Vulnerable: bludgeoning
  • Immune: poison damage
  • Condition Immunity: exhaustion and poison
  • Senses: darkvision 60 ft.
  • Languages: Cannot speak, but still understands the languages it knows

Zombie

  • +1 Str, +2 Con, -6 Int, -4 Wis, -4 Cha
  • Undead Fortitude (If damage reduces the creature to 0 Hit Points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the creatures drops to 1 hit point instead.)
  • Immune: poison damage
  • Condition Immunity: poison
  • Senses: darkvision 60 ft.
  • Languages: Cannot speak, but still understands the languages it knows.

Mystic Craftsman (followers)

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere (Craftsman, Scholars)

Your followers may craft magic items, even in your absence, utilizing the magic item creation rules used in your game. They cannot produce spells and prerequisites on their own, but they can work on any magic item that you are high enough level to craft if you can provide the prerequisites. A troop can craft at the same pace as a single person of your level, and if you work with them, any check you make to craft the magic item is made with advantage.

Planisphere

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere (follower package, Air Travel, Teleportation), 15th level.

Your followers are equipped for planar travel. Your followers ignore negative planar traits, and if you are with them, you and a number of allies equal to your proficiency bonus do as well. Your followers can meet you in any location on any plane within 1d4 days. Once per day, you and your allies can be carried to another plane by your followers, arriving between 5 and 500 miles from a chosen destination. This requires 1d4 hours.

If you possess the Messengers talent, your messengers can reach any location on any plane and return within 1d4 days. If you possess both Messengers and Merchants, your messengers can be sent to obtain items from anywhere in the planes. You do not need to roll for availability; if it is available for purchase anywhere in the planes it will be bought and brought to you.

Squad

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere (follower and sidekick packages, Soldiers), 5th character level.

You may recruit your follower troops to be sidekicks.

Choose one troop to become a sidekick. This troop becomes either a troop of students, a troop of explorers, or a troop of veterans, and advances as if it were a sidekick, except each level a squad has counts as two levels when determining the maximum level of your sidekick or sidekicks. For each level that the squad has beyond 1st, it gains three Hit Dice and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll the Hit Die (the type of die appears in the sidekick’s stat block) three times, and add three times its Constitution modifier. It gains a minimum of 3 hit points per level. This troop will follow you into dangerous situations like any other sidekick.

Teleportation

Prerequisites: Leadership sphere, (followers) package, 13th level.

Your followers are capable of performing rituals, borrowing spell-casting services, walking fairy-roads, and other methods of rapid, long-distance travel. Your followers can meet you anywhere on the same plane within 1d4 days, regardless of distance. Once per day, you and your allies can be carried to another location on your current plane by your followers, arriving 2d20 miles from a chosen destination. This requires 1d4 hours.

If you possess the Messengers talent, your messengers can reach any location on the same plane and return within 1d4 days. If you possess both Messengers and Merchants, your messengers can be sent to obtain items from anywhere on the plane. You do not need to roll for availability; if it is available for purchase anywhere on the plane it will be bought and brought to you.

Additional Rules

Advancing A Sidekick

Your sidekick starts as a 1st level character. Consult the table below to determine your sidekick’s proficiency bonus and new features that they gain as they gain levels.

Hit Points

Whenever the sidekick gains a level, it gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll the Hit Die (the type of die appears in the sidekick’s stat block), and add its Constitution modifier. It gains a minimum of 1 hit point per level.

If the sidekick drops to 0 hit points and isn’t killed outright, it falls unconscious and subsequently makes death saving throws, just like a player character.

Proficiency Bonus

The sidekick’s proficiency bonus is determined by its class level, as shown in the class’s table. Whenever the sidekick’s proficiency bonus increases by 1, add 1 to the to-hit modifier of all the attacks in its stat block and increase the DCs in its stat block by 1.

Ability Score Increases

Whenever the sidekick gains the Ability Score Improvement feature, adjust anything in its stat block that relies on an ability modifier that you increase. For example, if the sidekick has an attack that uses its Strength modifier, increase the attack’s modifiers to hit and damage if the Strength modifier increases. If it’s unclear whether a melee attack in the stat block uses Strength or Dexterity, the attack can use either.

Sidekick Classes

Explorer

The Explorer is a fearless, mobile, and vigorous individual. It might be a ranger, a scout, a traveler, or a vagabond. To gain the Explorer class, a creature must have at least one language in its stat block that it can speak. A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels, as summarized on the Explorer table.

Table: Explorer
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Martial Talents
1 +2 Bonus Proficiencies, Martial Tradition, Martial Training 0
2 +2 — 1
3 +2 Fast Movement 1
4 +2 Ability Score Improvement 2
5 +3 — 2
6 +3 Extra Attack 3
7 +3 Fast Movement 3
8 +3 Ability Score Improvement 4
9 +4 — 4
10 +4 Tireless 5
11 +4 Fast Movement 5
12 +4 Ability Score Improvement 6
13 +5 — 6
14 +5 — 7
15 +5 Pass Without Trace 7
16 +5 Ability Score Improvement 8
17 +6 — 8
18 +6 Toned Body 9
19 +6 Ability Score Improvement 9
20 +6 — 10

Bonus Proficiencies

1st-level Explorer feature

The sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in Athletics, Perception, Survival, and one additional skill and language of your choice.

Martial Tradition

1st-level Explorer feature

The sidekick gains a martial tradition of your choice, provided it has Charisma or Intelligence as its key ability modifier.

Martial Training

1st-level Explorer feature

The sidekick gains a martial talent at every even level, according to Table: Explorer.

Fast Movement

3rd-level Explorer feature

The sidekick’s movement speed increases by 10 feet while wearing light armor or no armor. The explorer’s movement speed increases by 5 feet while wearing medium or heavy armor. The movement speed increases again at 7th level (20 ft. in light or no armor; 10 ft. in medium or heavy armor) and 11th level (30 ft. in light or no armor; 15 ft. in medium or heavy armor).

Ability Score Improvement

4th-level Explorer feature

At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

6th-level Explorer feature

The sidekick can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn. If the sidekick has the Multiattack action, it can use Extra Attack or Multiattack on a turn, not both.

Tireless

10th-level Explorer feature

As an action, the sidekick can give themselves a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + their key ability modifier (minimum of 1 temporary hit point). They can use this action a number of times equal to their proficiency bonus, and they regain all expended uses when they finish a long rest. In addition, whenever the sidekick finishes a short rest, their exhaustion level, if any, is decreased by 1.

Pass Without Trace

15th-level Explorer feature

The sidekick can’t become lost or tracked except by magical means. In addition, after a long rest, the sidekick can designate up to a number of its allies it can see equal to its proficiency bonus to gain a +10 bonus on Dexterity (Stealth) checks; these bonuses do not stack with those granted by the pass without trace spell or similar effects. Creatures that receive this bonus can’t be tracked except by magical means. These bonuses last for 24 hours or until the sidekick takes another long rest, whichever comes first.

Toned Body

18th-level Explorer feature

The sidekick gains proficiency in one of the following saving throws of your choice: Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.

Student

The Student is an intelligent or wise individual who seeks to expand their knowledge. It might be a monk, a priest, or a sage. To gain the Student class, a creature must have at least one language in its stat block that it can speak. A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels, as summarized on the Student table.

Table: Student
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Martial Talents
1 +2 Bonus Proficiencies, Martial Tradition, Martial Training 0
2 +2 — 1
3 +2 Jack Of All Trades 1
4 +2 Ability Score Improvement 2
5 +3 — 2
6 +3 Extra Attack 3
7 +3 Evasion 3
8 +3 Ability Score Improvement 4
9 +4 — 4
10 +4 — 5
11 +4 Expertise 5
12 +4 Ability Score Improvement 6
13 +5 — 6
14 +5 — 7
15 +5 Reliable Talent 7
16 +5 Ability Score Improvement 8
17 +6 — 8
18 +6 Sharp Mind 9
19 +6 Ability Score Improvement 9
20 +6 — 10

Bonus Proficiencies

1st-level Student feature

The sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in History, Investigation, and one additional skill and language of your choice.

Martial Tradition

1st-level Student feature

The sidekick gains a martial tradition of your choice, provided it has Intelligence or Wisdom as its key ability modifier.

Martial Training

1st-level Student feature

The sidekick gains a martial talent at every even level, according to Table: Student.

Jack Of All Trades

3rd-level Student feature

The sidekick adds half their proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check they make that doesn’t already include their proficiency bonus.

Ability Score Improvement

4th-level Student feature

At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

6th-level Student feature

The sidekick can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn. If the sidekick has the Multiattack action, it can use Extra Attack or Multiattack on a turn, not both.

Evasion

7th-level Student feature

Because of extraordinary good luck, the sidekick is skilled at avoiding danger. When the sidekick is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw and only half damage if it failed. The sidekick doesn’t benefit from this feature while incapacitated.

Expertise

11th-level Student feature

Choose two of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies. The sidekick’s proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check it makes that uses any of the chosen proficiencies.

Reliable Talent

15th-level Student feature

The sidekick has refined its skills to an exceptional degree. Whenever the sidekick makes an ability check that includes its whole proficiency bonus, it can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Sharp Mind

18th-level Student feature

The sidekick gains proficiency in one of the following saving throws of your choice: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

Veteran

The Veteran is an individual who has some experience when it comes to combat, such as a bodyguard, a militiaman, or a soldier. Unlike the other two sidekick classes presented, a creature does not have a language requirement to gain Veteran class levels. A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels, as summarized on the Veteran table.

Table: Veteran
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Martial Talents
1 +2 Bonus Proficiencies, Martial Tradition, Martial Training 0
2 +2 — 1
3 +2 Danger Sense 1
4 +2 Ability Score Improvement 2
5 +3 — 2
6 +3 Extra Attack 3
7 +3 Battle Instinct 3
8 +3 Ability Score Improvement 4
9 +4 — 4
10 +4 — 5
11 +4 Retaliation 5
12 +4 Ability Score Improvement 6
13 +5 — 6
14 +5 — 7
15 +5 Extra Attack (2 extra) 7
16 +5 Ability Score Improvement 8
17 +6 — 8
18 +6 Indomitable 9
19 +6 Ability Score Improvement 9
20 +6 — 10

Bonus Proficiencies

1st-level Veteran feature

The sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, and one additional skill of your choice.

Martial Tradition

1st-level Veteran feature

The sidekick gains a martial tradition of your choice, provided it has Charisma or Wisdom as its key ability modifier.

Martial Training

1st-level Veteran feature

The sidekick gains a martial talent at every even level, according to Table: Veteran.

Danger Sense

3rd-level Veteran feature

The sidekick has advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that they can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, the sidekick can’t be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.

Ability Score Improvement

4th-level Veteran feature

At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

6th-level Veteran feature

The sidekick can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn. The number of attacks increases to three when the sidekick reaches 15th level. If the sidekick has the Multiattack action, it can use Extra Attack or Multiattack on a turn, not both.

Battle Instinct

7th-level Veteran feature

The sidekick has advantage on initiative rolls. Additionally, if the sidekick is surprised at the beginning of combat and isn’t incapacitated, they can act normally by expending their martial focus.

Retaliation

11th-level Veteran feature

When the sidekick takes damage from a creature within 5 feet of them, they can use their reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.

Indomitable

18th-level Veteran feature

The sidekick can reroll a saving throw that it fails, but it must use the new roll. When it uses this feature, it can’t use the feature again until it finishes a long rest.

Statblocks

Equipping A Troop

A troop can ride a mount, wear armor if it is proficient, or use a different type of weapon if it is proficient, so long as 20 copies of the mount or item have been supplied to outfit the troop. To determine the damage a troop deals with a weapon, increase a weapon’s damage die by two sizes and multiply the number of rolled dice by x2, or x1 if the troop has half its hit points or fewer.

Spell attacks (melee or ranged) do not have their damage increased in a troop, nor do they have their damage reduced in a troop if they are at half hit points or fewer.

Troop Of Commoners

Huge troop of Medium or Small humanoids, any alignment
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)

Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Troop. The troop can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the troop can move through any opening large enough for a Small or Medium humanoid. Additionally, the troop has advantage on Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and any saving throw made against effects that target a single creature, but disadvantage on any saving throw made against effects that target an area.

Actions
A troop of commoners cannot use the Attack action unless you possess the Soldiers talent.

Troop Of Explorers

Huge troop of 1st-level Medium or Small humanoids, any alignment
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 33 (6d8+6)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 13 (+1)

Saving Throws Cha +4
Skills Athletics +5, Perception +3, Survival +3, plus one of your choice
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Martial Tradition. The troop of explorers has a martial tradition that has Charisma or Intelligence as its key ability modifier.
Troop. The troop can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the troop can move through any opening large enough for a Small or Medium humanoid. Additionally, the troop has advantage on Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and any saving throw made against effects that target a single creature, but disadvantage on any saving throw made against effects that target an area.

Actions
Spears. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d10+2) piercing damage, or 8 (1d10+2) piercing damage if the troop has half of its hit points or fewer.

Troop Of Students

Huge troop of 1st-level Medium or Small humanoids, any alignment
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 27 (6d8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Int +5
Skills History +5, Investigation +5, plus one of your choice
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Martial Tradition. The troop of students has a martial tradition that has Intelligence or Wisdom as its key ability modifier.
Troop. The troop can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the troop can move through any opening large enough for a Small or Medium humanoid. Additionally, the troop has advantage on Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and any saving throw made against effects that target a single creature, but disadvantage on any saving throw made against effects that target an area.

Actions
Spears. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d10) piercing damage, or 6 (1d10) piercing damage if the troop has half of its hit points or fewer.

Troop Of Veterans

Huge troop of 1st-level Medium or Small humanoids, any alignment
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 45 (6d8+12)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Str +5
Skills Athletics +4, Insight +3, plus one of your choice
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Martial Tradition. The troop of veterans has a martial tradition that has Charisma or Wisdom as its key ability modifier.
Troop. The troop can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the troop can move through any opening large enough for a Small or Medium humanoid. Additionally, the troop has advantage on Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and any saving throw made against effects that target a single creature, but disadvantage on any saving throw made against effects that target an area.

Actions
Spears. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d10+2) piercing damage, or 8 (1d10+2) piercing damage if the troop has half of its hit points or fewer.

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