Devotees

XP Cost: 30

Requirements: Influence 3+, Leadership Rating 4+

Effect: Through reputation or assignment, you have gathered a number of followers that will do whatever you ask. If you are attacked, they intervene.

A number of devotees equal to your Leadership Rating have decided to follow you; they are a Mob of the Devotee Threat (see the Followers List for their stat block). If you already have followers from an archetype ability, this Talent provides additional followers of that type instead. If you take this Talent more than once, you gain more 2 devotees of the same type you already possess. Slain devotees may be replaced for free with new devotees the next time you visit a major encampment or city (providing it is possible to replace them there). 

Your devotees are used with the following rules;

Devoted Protector: Whenever the leader of a devotee is hit by any form of attack, the devotee may attempt a DN 5 Initiative Test as a Reflexive Action; if they succeed, the attack kills the devotee instead of hitting the original target. To use this ability, the devotee must be within 6 metres of the leader, or in a position where they could feasibly intercept the attack.

Skill Tests: Your devotees cannot make Skill or Attribute Tests in place of an Agent; at GM discretion, they may be able to Assist with some Tests.

Wargear: During a mission devotees can use appropriate equipment given to them, providing they share at least one keyword with it. However, they cannot keep this equipment unless you have space in your personal armoury to store it - taking this Talent increases the size of your armoury by the number of Devotees you have (minimum of 4).

Waiting for Orders: Devotees act simultaneously to their master in combat. Their master may use a Free Action to direct them to move (including the Run or Sprint options), but any other command requires the use of a Combat Action to make a Leadership Test; the DN for this Test is equal to 3 + the number of devotees killed during the mission (at GM discretion, this may be reset after an appropriate period of time, such as a Regroup or  Respite).

To receive an order, a devotee must be within line of sight, the limit of sound, or possess communications equipment with their master. Suppose a devotee does not receive any orders. In that case, they will continue to follow the last command they received, or will use any available Actions to reach the nearest suitable cover, after which they will use the Full-Defence Combat Option until they receive new orders.

Faltering Morale: At the end of a Round in which one or more devotees are killed, each remaining devotee must make a Resolve Test, with DN equal to 1 + the number of devotees killed this Round. If the devotee's master is within 10 metres, and can be seen or heard by them, the devotee may add half of the master's Leadership Rating as Icons for the Test.

If a devotee fails this Test, they gain the Fear Condition (if one or more devotee has the Fear Condition, it is assumed all have it for the purpose of resolving any group Tests - the effects otherwise only apply to the affected individual). If a devotee fails a subsequent Resolve Test whilst under the Fear Condition, they gain the Terror Condition, and will use all available Actions to flee or take shelter (depending on the situation) - this may result in their loss, if conditions do not allow for them to be recovered.