Well, i just tweaked around with character creation, building a Psion (My other character was denied by my gm - damn), when i saw that a telepath pretty much auto-qualifies for Thrallherd.
So, having read a lot about the awesome power i tried to look into this class and also into the "Leadership"-feat which some call "the best feat out there". But so far, i am just seeing problems after problems and would like to read more about YOUR opinion about this class/feat:
Good things first: Having a nice "Base Camp" somewhere at the beginning of the dungeon/ at the foot of the evil tower etc. is awesome. Keeping the bad dudes from fleeing, providing a safe place to sleep and some healing and such: awesome.
But:
1. Leadership (and Thrallherd) specify you can try to attract certain classes, races and alignment... Ok. But power sets, feat selection, equipment and skillranks? GM seems to have a VERY strong power to veto anything, and it seems VERY advised he makes use of that.
2. Are you able (and willing) as a character to demand certain prepared spells and tactics from your followers? Would your character (except for special combo preparation) even care?
3. Logistic NIGHTMARE and high-profile traveling: Not only do you need to cloth and feed (and replace/upgrade equipment for) a crapton of people, but you also move slower on your travels are unable to approach stealthily. And then there is all the digging for mass-graves when something went wrong *g*
4. Internal unrest: Especially if you attract weird combinations of alignments or races. Sure they are all pretty loyal to you but that doesn't exclude them scheming and hurting each other (or planning on "letting them die" in the next fight - accidents happen). Seems to me you better have a good diplomacy and take your time calming people down and... you know, be a LEADER.
Now... for Thrallherd. The whole idea is cool and all... but i really wished it was explained a bit in depth WHAT that power REALLY is and how far it goes. I read here about people killing their own believers off, or working them like slaves. But nowhere i could find something in the description telling you: Your thrall and believers are your meat-puppets with no mind of their own and a permanent dominate spell.
For me it looks like they don't really have the "will" to follow, but you gently nudged them into your service (Also no explaination why Thrallherd isn't "Evil-only" - just feels not really nice, this class. It IS pretty much slavery AND mindrape rolled into a deliciously evil taco)
Can you really have them fight each other for your amusement? Wouldn't they just say: "Fuck this", and leave... and you get new ones?
Oh also: What if you change planes, or travel through time or just go into a small ship and sail across the ocean? Shouldn't that mean that most/all believers now are confused and alone... and you have to get new ones? People here say you can "dismiss" them... but CAN you really? Can you even have FEWER deadweight as stated in the table? The way the descriptions are phrased (for Thrallherd at least) is: BAM here have some belivers and a thrall. Nothing says you WANT them, or can take fewer... people just follow you around somehow, you can't shake them *g*
So overall: How do you handle Followers, Believers, Cohorts and Thralls in your games? How many GM forbid the stuff alltogether (for simplicity, or because it just doesn't fit with "Wandering Adventurers"), or because of power-issues etc.? What are your experiences with this? Discuss.