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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
Battlecry! / Followers

Follower Actions

Source Battlecry! pg. 76
Use the following guidelines to determine what followers can do in encounter mode, exploration mode, and downtime.

Encounter Mode: During an encounter, you can spend a single action on your turn to Direct Follower, an action described below. If you don’t spend an action to Direct your Follower, the follower gains 1 action that they spend to Stride, usually to get to a safer position or to set themselves up to assist you more effectively on future rounds.

Direct Follower [one-action]

Concentrate 
Source Battlecry! pg. 76
You issue an order to your follower, granting them 2 actions. This action has the auditory or visual trait depending on the method of communication used, but it must have one or the other. You can Direct your Follower to perform any of the following basic actions: Crawl, Drop Prone, Escape, Interact, Leap, Release, Seek, Sense Motive, Stand, Step, Stride, and Strike. They can only use the Strikes listed in their stat blocks. Followers that gain a burrow Speed or fly Speed can use Burrow or Fly, respectively. You can also direct your follower to use skill actions for which they meet the prerequisites. Finally, you can direct the follower to perform any actions listed in their stat block. Unlike an animal companion's support actions, these special actions don't impose restrictions on the other actions a follower can use on this turn.
Exploration Mode: In exploration mode, followers typically tag along with the group. They either travel normally without using an exploration activity or Avoid Notice, Hustle, or Follow the Expert to Avoid Notice (your choice). Alternatively, you can use your exploration activity to direct your follower to Follow the Expert, Investigate, Scout, or Search, or to use any of the exploration skill actions which they meet the prerequisites.

Downtime: Followers use their downtime to train, upkeep their kits, and perform other background activities at the GM’s discretion. They don’t perform downtime activities on behalf of the PCs like Crafting or Earning Income.

Followers vs. Non-Companion NPCs

Followers are NPCs who are designed to be balanced with other companion options, such as animal companions, and to maintain their own necessary gear without cost to the PCs. As such, they have the minion trait, and they can only use the actions listed under follower actions and in their stat block.

Since followers are intelligent people, these abstractions can potentially lead to unusual circumstances at the table. For example, some groups might find it odd that followers can’t Activate an Item to use magic item abilities or feed potions to PCs. However, activated items are balanced around the idea that a PC is spending their own actions to use them. For example, magic items with a 2-action activation are balanced around the idea that they can’t be used on the same turn as any other 2-action spell or activity. If your group would rather have an NPC companion that can take 3 actions per round and use items, consider asking your GM to add an NPC to the party, counting them as an extra PC for the purposes of XP and treasure.