Followers in fights

Followers can have a big impact on fights. They can help even the odds or allow the PCs to overwhelm a single foe. But followers can also complicate the situation by panicking, getting into trouble, or acting rashly.

Keep followers in mind while you run fights. They might defer to the PCs or look to them for direction, but they'll rarely just stand there! When you establish the situation or make a GM move, think about what the followers have been up to while the spotlight was on the PCs. "You dispatch this crinwin, but see another one on top of Glaw. Hari's lining up a shot, but hesitating. That other crinwin is fleeing with your mess kit in its hands. What do you do?"

Remember, though, that followers only trigger player moves when directed to do so by their PC. If the PC ignores Hari and Glaw and chases after the fleeing crinwin, then it's your call whether or not Hari shoots. If he does shoot, you decide whether his shot lands, or misses, or hits Glaw instead. But if the PC shouts, "Hari, shoot, dammit!" while they rush after the fleeing crinwin—then they're Ordering Followers, and the player rolls to have Hari Let Fly.

Clear communication is hard during a fight! It's loud, you don't have much time (or breath!), and everyone is rather preoccupied with not getting killed. Don't let players give elaborate, detailed orders while a fight rages. A few words or hand signals is probably all they get!

If a PC's orders are vague, ask what they intend and how the follower would know that. Give them leeway if they've worked with the follower a long time. The Marshal's crew have drilled and fought side-byside for years, so "Hari, behind you!" could convey "Hari, a foe is behind you, turn and attack it!" But with a new follower, a warning like that would only get them to dodge, at best!

For examples of followers in fights, see pages AID LET FLY, Multiple combatants, ORDER FOLLOWERS and Group followers