Hired Help: What classes are "Elite"

[X-Endier & KoH/GdN (Joe)]

Is a "Noble" considered an "elite" class for the purposes of the "Hire Help" action?

Is "Aristocrat" still a class, or is that taken over by noble.

Also,
Skills, feats, gear, etc.
Do these items matter?

If so, will the Dungeon-Masters specify these items or will we be able to define them for ourselves.

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

Elite:

PC classes, including the Noble, Guilder (a variant on the Rogue, I believe), Knight (Fighter variant), etc.

The non-elite classes are the NPC classes:

Adept
Warrior
Expert
Aristocrat
etc.

[DM B]

Is a "Noble" considered an "elite" class for the purposes of the "Hire Help" action?

Is "Aristocrat" still a class, or is that taken over by noble.

Also,
Skills, feats, gear, etc.
Do these items matter?

If so, will the Dungeon-Masters specify these items or will we be able to define them for ourselves.

Noble is an elite class. Aristocrat is a professional/NPC class.

You're free to flesh out your regent and/or any able assistance.

[X-Endier & KoH/GdN (Joe)]

Will it ever matter if I choose say, Skill Focus: Diplomacy over Weapon Focus: Longsword, or are those items just "fluff" that assist in roleplaying.

[DM B]

Fluff mostly; but if I see an admin type regent he'll score slightly better on administration, while a battle-focused one might be a little better at combat.

[X-Endier & KoH/GdN (Joe)]

Let's say I want to get a hired help Knight 5 (or fighter 4/Noble1, not picky) and I specify I'm hiring him out of my Legendary Knight's unit.  Would it still be DC20, and thus cost 1GB/20rp to hire 1 guy I am already paying, or does having him sort of around already help?  Could you do the same type of thing from your bodyguard unit? Grab a guy from there to make a hired help, and is the DC less if there is an existing relationship?

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

I am having similar thoughts - anyone that can answer this one?

Furthermore page page 30 of says:
"Leadership: All regents get Leadership as a virtual feat (including regents with only source holdings), regardless of whether they meet the prerequisites or not. If a regent already has the Leadership feat, he gains a +2 bonus to his leadership score. Note that the other limits of the feat still applies, so that a 1st level regent can’t actually have any cohorts since they must be of lower level than him. For additional details, see the Leadership feat description in Chapter 10: Characters and Domains."

However Chapter 10 does not have that information. Where can I find it or can someone supply the information please?

[DM B]

The NPC is coming from somewhere - if you specify in his description that he's from your elite unit, that's nice and might earn you a bonus on the DAC.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Eh.. finished my above modification after you answered the first question - can you perhaps delve into the other matter about Leadership as well pretty please 

[X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)]

Why does it feel like this might be a busy area in the first turn or two? 

[X-Roesone/ARR (Robert)]

I think that the leadership feat refers to D&D created characters which were an option in RoE I but aren't so relevant now... or I could be wrong