Bodyguards

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Can bodyguards be improved?

How do it happen?

Can a domain make an effort to issue better equipment to a regent's bodyguard?

How?

[X-Ilien & PCE/GeM (Linde)]

My 2 cents:

He can train for XP.

He can also take part in adventures and through there perhaps gain items or XP

You could possibly convert GB to personal wealth represented by armor or weapons and give it to him...........

But I thought equipment were kind of irrellevant unless it is items powerfull enough to effect the characters ECL

[X-DM Jon]

My 2 cents:

He can train for XP.

He can also take part in adventures and through there perhaps gain items or XP

You could possibly convert GB to personal wealth represented by armor or weapons and give it to him...........

But I thought equipment were kind of irrellevant unless it is items powerfull enough to effect the characters ECL

 A bodyguard is a follower unit, not an aa. And there's really no need for coverting wealth in order to arm your bodyguard.
 I don't see a problem with bodyguards getting access to training through the grant title action and the unit can gain levels just as any other. However the bodyguard also tends to loose members and gain new ones, so a level tends to stay pretty standard 4-6.

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

AA's are simply not that important!!!!

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

AA's are simply not that important!!!!

They add a significant ECL modfier to the regents retinue when adventuring, and often have a slew of powers that can add both flavor and character to an encounter.

Equipping them with magic weapons and special gear means they are as much part of the encounter as the main characters. - Whom we are continually told by the DM's, should not be on the frontlines unless their death is acceptable.

If stats and attributes mean nothing, and we don't know the adventure ECL or the method to resolve it, then of course the urge to improve what Can be improved turn up.

Its a bit like being in a dark room with someone swinging a staff at you, while yelling "Duck better!"

We know that clever descriptions can help... And correct tools, in some cases, but the all time favourite is bringing a bigger hammer!

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

I want bigger hammer 

[X-SASI/Orthien Tane (Rune)]

AA's are simply not that important!!!!

They add a significant ECL modfier to the regents retinue when adventuring, and often have a slew of powers that can add both flavor and character to an encounter.

Equipping them with magic weapons and special gear means they are as much part of the encounter as the main characters. - Whom we are continually told by the DM's, should not be on the frontlines unless their death is acceptable.

If stats and attributes mean nothing, and we don't know the adventure ECL or the method to resolve it, then of course the urge to improve what Can be improved turn up.

Its a bit like being in a dark room with someone swinging a staff at you, while yelling "Duck better!"

We know that clever descriptions can help... And correct tools, in some cases, but the all time favourite is bringing a bigger hammer!

We also know that the more time and energy we spend on clever uses/misuses of game elements the DM already has said to be of lesser importance, the greater the chance of this years 1st of April-joke becoming a reality ;-)

Not to sound grumpy or anything, but I do feel that the time spent on AA's, adventures and such sometimes slows down the game more than I would like.

[X-Ilien & PCE/GeM (Linde)]

My 2 cents:

He can train for XP.

He can also take part in adventures and through there perhaps gain items or XP

You could possibly convert GB to personal wealth represented by armor or weapons and give it to him...........

But I thought equipment were kind of irrellevant unless it is items powerfull enough to effect the characters ECL

 A bodyguard is a follower unit, not an aa. And there's really no need for coverting wealth in order to arm your bodyguard.
 I don't see a problem with bodyguards getting access to training through the grant title action and the unit can gain levels just as any other. However the bodyguard also tends to loose members and gain new ones, so a level tends to stay pretty standard 4-6.

Well that will teach me to read the rules a little better ^_^

Thanks for the clarification

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

9 out of 10 AA's are bascially like Forts and Castles to a domain. 

The major difference is that AA's  are able to add more bonuses to actions.  Typically this is not a major bonus per se  (+or +4 at the most is what I have seen) AND it is not greater than a regents ability to affect an action.

AA level and items do not play a significant part until they are extremely powerful characters -- but even then their ability to affect a domain (without using a domain) is still somewhat limited.  Furthermore, like a castle or fort, certain circumstances will make a particular AA more effective than another but once again.

The sole exception to this are the AA's who can wield realm magic -- where level becomes important.

In short, if you need them to RP your domain better, then so be it -- but they are not and will never be a centralized piece of a domain -- instead AA's are like nothing more than Assets to be used and expended towards achieving your Domain Agendas.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

In short, if you need them to RP your domain better, then so be it -- but they are not and will never be a centralized piece of a domain -- instead AA's are like nothing more than Assets to be used and expended towards achieving your Domain Agendas.

Alan, I like to improve my assets to expand their use and rise their overall effeciency.

My body guards are my regents meat-shield and alas several times he has been left with only a battered "shield" thus it calls for improvements as I see it 

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

Have they failed in being the "meat-shield"?  It doesn't sound like it -- and if they haven't failed at it, it means that they are doing their job admirably.  Unless you are expecting them to have a higher survivability...which frankly, they won't.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

A fear the day they do - last season one of my named AA's almost died. He survived and gained a level in the process but I feel the meat-shield could do with some upgrades.

We also know that the more time and energy we spend on clever uses/misuses of game elements the DM already has said to be of lesser importance, the greater the chance of this years 1st of April-joke becoming a reality ;-)

Not to sound grumpy or anything, but I do feel that the time spent on AA's, adventures and such sometimes slows down the game more than I would like.

a valid point and well taken. I for one quite enjoy the adventure part, but I would not mind to make them a lot shorter and perhaps just a roll of the dice and if successfull be given some sort of abstract of the adventure.

I will miss the adventures but neither do I want to abuse the resources at disposal for the entire RoE

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

AA's were some of the most annoying things to try to DM.  People wanted to totally flesh them out, give them a special sword-thingy, etc, etc, etc.  Then DMs are expected to remember that the AA is 'special' -- special bonuses, etc,etc etc. 

It was a lot of work for somethig which is not very material to the game world per ss and ends of detracting from DM time to deal with things that are actually important.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Then you will be happy to know that my AA's, and for that matter my regent, have not been fleshed out but through their interaction with the world and their peers 

[X-Mhoried/Droene Kavarra (Iasonas)]

AAs are a hard thing to handle. This is why I avoid using them. In fact I think that a better description (maybe using some NPCs in the way you just made them out) adds far more flavor in the campaign than a bunch of guys who happen to be close to the regent, yet not close enough to be considered lieutenants, or hirelings.

ROE has a lot of information to digest, and sometimes adding to it does not seem a good idea