FOLLOWERS
Player characters have the option to gain followers as they advance in tier, as provided by type or focus special abilities. Followers do not need to be paid, fed, or housed, though a character who gains followers can certainly make such arrangements if they wish. A follower is someone whom a character has inspired (or asked) to come work with the character for a time, aiding the character in a variety of endeavors. A follower puts the PC’s interests ahead of, or at least on par with, their own.
The PC generally makes rolls for their follower when the follower takes actions, though usually a follower’s modifications provide an asset to a specific action taken by the PC they follow.
Modifications: A follower can help a PC in one or more tasks, granting the PC an asset to that task. The level of the follower indicates the number of different tasks they can help with. The tasks that the follower is able to help with are predetermined, usually chosen by the PC when they gain the follower. A level 2 follower who the player determines is a spy could grant a PC an asset on two different tasks, such as stealth and deception. Followers cannot help with tasks that they don’t have modifications for; for the purpose of helping, treat the follower as if they had inabilities in all nonmodified tasks.
When the follower acts autonomously rather than helping the PC, they act like a normal NPC that has modifications. Thus, the modification increases their effective level for the associated task by one step. For example, the level 2 spy follower with modifications for stealth and deception attempts stealth and deception tasks as if they were level 3 and all other tasks as level 2.
Follower Assets to Combat and Defense: A follower cannot grant an asset to a character’s attacks or defense until the follower is level 3 or higher. Even then, the follower can help with attacks and defense only if they have a modification for that kind of task.
Some focus abilities may grant a special exception to this rule. For instance, the Controls Beasts focus in Numenera Discovery grants a level 2 follower (a beast companion) with modifications for combat.
Follower Level Progression: A follower increases in level by 1 each time a PC advances two tiers after gaining that follower. When the follower gains a level, the PC also chooses the task that the follower gains a modification for.
Exceptional Follower: When a character gains a follower, there’s a small chance that the follower will be exceptional in some way, a cut above other followers of their kind. The GM determines when an exceptional follower is found, possibly as an additional reward for smart or engaging roleplaying where the PCs impress or otherwise positively interact with one or more NPCs, some of whom may later go on to become one of the PCs’ followers. An exceptional follower has the same qualities as a regular follower but is 1 level higher.
Pet: Any PC can potentially gain a pet, though a pet typically doesn’t provide modifications. If a character wants a pet that can do this, they must gain the pet through an ability that grants followers. On the other hand, a wellcared-for pet grants an asset to a PC’s tasks related to achieving peace of mind, finding comfort, and resisting loneliness.