Creating a Leader

[Viscount Einstrauss]

I'm attempting to build a character to take full advantage of the leadership feat and act as a chivalrous knight on his way to becoming a powerful lord.

So far, I figure he'll be a human Crusader 12/Human Paragon 3/Legendary Leader 5 by level 20. I'm going to attempt to argue that the bonus spellcaster levels gained by the Human Paragon class should apply to maneuvers (I'll likely win this point, core though it is not). I'll also pick up sense motive as a permanent class skill. Charisma will be maxed out, and I plan on spending a severe chunk of my money on building my own keep, town, and inevitably castle, so any suggestions on cheap but effective weaponry/armor is valuable. I also have no idea what to make the cohort, and I'm sort of frightened of what it's going to cost to equip all my men, not to mention the mercenaries I'll have to hire regularly.

Books available include all core, ToB, HoB, CS, CW, LM, CD, CC, and a print out of the Marshal class (though I presently prefer the Crusader over it). Does anyone have any advice?

[Gralamin]

I'm attempting to build a character to take full advantage of the leadership feat and act as a chivalrous knight on his way to becoming a powerful lord.

So far, I figure he'll be a human Crusader 12/Human Paragon 3/Legendary Leader 5 by level 20. I'm going to attempt to argue that the bonus spellcaster levels gained by the Human Paragon class should apply to maneuvers (I'll likely win this point, core though it is not). I'll also pick up sense motive as a permanent class skill. Charisma will be maxed out, and I plan on spending a severe chunk of my money on building my own keep, town, and inevitably castle, so any suggestions on cheap but effective weaponry/armor is valuable. I also have no idea what to make the cohort, and I'm sort of frightened of what it's going to cost to equip all my men, not to mention the mercenaries I'll have to hire regularly.

Books available include all core, ToB, HoB, CS, CW, LM, CD, CC, and a print out of the Marshal class (though I presently prefer the Crusader over it). Does anyone have any advice?

If your doing that, Then I say make room for 1 level of Marshall in your build, to pick up motivate charisma. All charisma checks get 2x your charisma on them, and you pick up a free skill focus on diplomacy.

Your likely to end up the party face, so extra points in them (such from stacking synergies), is a good idea.

Don't know any good ways of mass producing weapons and armor, that just takes wealth.

For the Cohort, it is technically the DM's choice of what is available to you, though you can refuse a cohort until you get one you like. Therefore, I would suggest you two work together and find something the group needs (OR if all else fails, pick up an artificer as a dedicated Crafter)

[Crow]

I'm attempting to build a character to take full advantage of the leadership feat and act as a chivalrous knight on his way to becoming a powerful lord.

So far, I figure he'll be a human Crusader 12/Human Paragon 3/Legendary Leader 5 by level 20. I'm going to attempt to argue that the bonus spellcaster levels gained by the Human Paragon class should apply to maneuvers (I'll likely win this point, core though it is not). I'll also pick up sense motive as a permanent class skill. Charisma will be maxed out, and I plan on spending a severe chunk of my money on building my own keep, town, and inevitably castle, so any suggestions on cheap but effective weaponry/armor is valuable. I also have no idea what to make the cohort, and I'm sort of frightened of what it's going to cost to equip all my men, not to mention the mercenaries I'll have to hire regularly.

Books available include all core, ToB, HoB, CS, CW, LM, CD, CC, and a print out of the Marshal class (though I presently prefer the Crusader over it). Does anyone have any advice?

Well definately max out your charisma so you can get well above your level on the leadership chart. It will help you attract loads of followers.

You really should only be hiring lots of mercenaries when you need them *right damn now*. If you max out your leadership score, you should have all the followers you need. You don't have to pay them, and they come with all the gear appropriate to their level (lvl1 Warriors can equip pretty well). If you absolutely must have custom equipment for everybody, you are much better off hiring a bunch of smiths and getting it made. You should get some sort of wholesale price if buying in mass quantities. It will take a long time, but you can't expect to go out and just buy 100 suits of full plate.

If your DM insists that you need to pay to feed your followers, you should give out parcels of your domain and let them act as vassels or knights, or whatever you would like to call them. Give each man a parcel that is large enough to take care of his basic economic needs and you won't have to worry about paying from your own pocket for wages and food.

[Lord Tataraus]

Actually, if you can pump up diplomacy high enough a DC50 diplomacy check turns a npc's attitude from helpful to fanatic, free cohorts ftw!!

The check for friendly to fanatic is about DC80 or so.

[Raolin_Fenix]

Chain of command.

Take Leadership, and then have your cohort take leadership. Your cohort becomes your General when you make King; his cohort becomes Lieutenant, and so on down the line. Your weaker followers take up officer positions or grunt positions, depending on their levels, and all officers are required to take Leadership. Bang. You have your own army.

[dyslexicfaser]

There's also a feat - in Stronghold Builder's Guide, I think - that helps tremendously with building your keep or village or whatever. Basically, it means you have a financial backer. Not only do you get seed money that can only be used for building (25,000g per level or so, starting at 9 when you can pick it up), but your backer will match whatever money you put into your keep.

[SadisticFishing]

Heh, Marshal 7/Hexblade 3/Warchief 10 is my favorite. Don't level em up in that order, but there's a lot of synergy and power in it.

[alchahest]

your army should only need clubs/spears, large shields and leather armour. in an army, that's more than enough. anything that will wipe out large numbers of them will do it even if they're in plate. (fireball!). so don't sweat that. instead of fighting hard, get them to fight smart. spend some cash on having marshalls and bards scattered through your forces for morale bonuses. Maximise your force with tactics. employ formations, use the terrain, and use that money you saved on expensive weapons on food and water, and proper housing for your soldiers.

-edit-

do NOT skimp on good boots and extra socks. trust me. your soldiers will repay your attention to detail with longer marches and less whining.

[Nota Biene]

There's also a feat - in Stronghold Builder's Guide, I think - that helps tremendously with building your keep or village or whatever. Basically, it means you have a financial backer. Not only do you get seed money that can only be used for building (25,000g per level or so, starting at 9 when you can pick it up), but your backer will match whatever money you put into your keep.

The feat is called "landlord." It's pretty much essential to have for getting a good keep, though they remain really expensive.

[Crow]

your army should only need clubs/spears, large shields and leather armour. in an army, that's more than enough. anything that will wipe out large numbers of them will do it even if they're in plate. (fireball!). so don't sweat that. instead of fighting hard, get them to fight smart. spend some cash on having marshalls and bards scattered through your forces for morale bonuses. Maximise your force with tactics. employ formations, use the terrain, and use that money you saved on expensive weapons on food and water, and proper housing for your soldiers.

-edit-

do NOT skimp on good boots and extra socks. trust me. your soldiers will repay your attention to detail with longer marches and less whining.

A whining soldier is a good soldier. It's when they stop whining that trouble is afoot.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Most effective way to equip lowbie warriors, commoners, and even Fighter 1's, cost-wise:

Shortspear
Sling
Heavy Wooden Shield
Leather Armor

Cost per: 18 gp. If you can afford another 15 gp/individual, go with studded leather (+1 AC). For another 7 per, morningstars (+1 average damage, multi damage type in case you're invaded by skeletons or something). For ranged support, particularly on the walls, trade the spear, sling, and shield for light crossbows (net cost +27gp - expensive, but probably worth it for keep battlement defenders).

And I agree with some Marshals and Bards. At low levels in large groups, those mass buffs really add up.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Some great stuff here, thanks guys! I think I'm getting a better picture of how to run this, especially in the meta sense since it really isn't myself that I'm trying to improve, it's my army. Also, I'm gonna have to get this Stronghold Builder's Guide. Sounds terrific for what I'm doing.

[Kenbert]

It is very good. Also, Heroes of Battle would provide a lot of resources for you, if you don't already know. I'm currently involved in some writing that sounds somewhat similar to what your character is doing (focusing on the larger aspects of what is going on, not just individual character development) ... both books have helped me tremendously.