Leadership Rework
Practitioners of the Leadership sphere learn how to gather, organize, and command others. When you gain the Leadership sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Diplomacy skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Leadership sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Diplomacy skill you may immediately retrain them. You cannot take the Leadership sphere as a temporary talent. (Cohort) talents that do not affect the type or number of creatures you can have may be gained as temporary talents if you have the (cohort) package. If you possess multiple spheres that grant ranks in Diplomacy, you gain a competence bonus on Diplomacy checks equal to half your base attack bonus instead of retraining the ranks multiple times. This is only applied once. Special: Companions and any other controlled characters gained by class features, talents or feats cannot gain this sphere or talents from this sphere. When you first take the Leadership sphere, you gain the Cohort ability. Associated Feat: Leadership. Leadership Sphere and Wealth: In general, the costs and profits from cohorts from the Leadership sphere are abstracted. Cohorts do not cost wealth, but also cannot generate wealth on their own, unless a talent specifies otherwise. Like all controlled characters gained by class features, talents, or feats, the player character is responsible for equipping cohorts with gear and magic items from their own wealth.
Cohort
Specialized NPCs called cohorts are willing to follow you on adventures. A cohort always acts on your initiative. When you gain the Cohort Package, you automatically gain a number of cohorts, which are under your control. The total Hit Dice of your cohorts cannot exceed the maximum for your ranks in Diplomacy, according to Table: Cohort. Each time your ranks in Diplomacy increases such that your maximum total Hit Dice for cohorts increases, you must choose which one of your existing cohorts gains a Hit Die. Alternatively, you may choose to gain a new cohort with 1 Hit Die. Cohorts may be any common humanoid or native outsider race of 20 Race Points or below, although gaining a cohort of an unusual race requires GM permission. A cohort serves you loyally and will follow you into and aid you during combat, but will not obey obviously suicidal orders nor subject itself to harm for no obvious purpose. Cohorts are usually within 1 alignment step of you, though some exceptions may occur at the GM’s discretion. While you control your cohort’s behavior and actions, cohorts are not mindless automatons. Cohorts that are abused or mistreated will abandon you when able to do so, at the GM’s discretion. You may also choose to release your cohort from service. If your cohort dies, is released from service, or left you for whatever reason, you may gain a new cohort after 1 week. The new cohort has the same Hit Dice as the former cohort, but may have different professions and talents.Building A Cohort
Cohorts gain abilities based on their Hit Dice and race. The listed statistics are modified by the cohort’s race as normal. Cohorts are considered to have a CR equal to their Hit Dice - 2 for purposes that require it. Cohorts have class skills according to their creature type (Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Profession, Ride, and Survival for humanoids), plus the ones listed in their profession. Select from the following professions to determine the cohort’s base statistics: StudentHit Dice d6; Saves Fort (bad), Ref (good), Will (good Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 9, Cha 10; Practitioner Modifier Int; Skill Points per Hit Die 2; Class Skills Appraise, Knowledge (all), Use Magic Device; Magic Scholar: Students gain the Alchemy sphere as a bonus talent at 1 Hit Die. Students add half their level (minimum 1) to all Use Magic Device checks and may use their Intelligence in place of their Charisma for such checks. Budding Academic: Students gain an additional 4 skill points per Hit Die that must be spent on Intelligence-based skills. Starting Equipment: Alchemy kit, simple melee or ranged weapon with 20 pieces ammunition Thief
Hit Dice d8; Saves Fort (bad), Ref (good), Will (good Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 10; Practitioner Modifier Int; Skill Points per Hit Die 4; Class Skills Appraise, Disguise, Disable Device, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth; Rogue Training: Thieves may take rogue talents in place of feats and gain the following ability: Trapfinding: A thief cohort adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A thief cohort can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps. Starting Equipment: Studded leather armor, thieves tools, One of: 1. Simple or martial melee weapon and simple or martial ranged weapon with 20 pieces ammunition, or 2. Simple or martial melee weapon and shield. Warrior
Hit Dice d10; Saves Fort (good), Ref (bad), Will (good Ability Scores Str 16, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 11; Practitioner Modifier Con; Skill Points per Hit Die 4; Class Skills Intimidate, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility), Perception, Swim; Athlete: Warrior cohorts gain a bonus equal to half their Hit Dice on all Climb and Swim skill checks as well as on Constitution-based ability checks. Starting Equipment: scale mail or studded leather armor, One of: 1. Simple or martial melee weapon and simple or martial ranged weapon with 20 pieces ammunition 2. Simple or martial melee weapon and shield Woodsman
Hit Dice d10; Saves Fort (good), Ref (good), Will (bad Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 10; Practitioner Modifier Wis; Skill Points per Hit Die 4; Class Skills Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth, Swim; Survivalist: Woodsman cohorts gain a bonus equal to half their Hit Dice on all Survival skill checks. Starting Equipment Studded leather armor, a simple or martial melee weapon and simple or martial ranged weapon with 20 pieces ammunition When a cohort gains variable starting equipment (for example, a choice of weapons or shields) the total cost of the combined weapons, ammunition, and/or shield cannot exceed 100 gp. All cohorts are proficient with simple weapons, light armor, and bucklers. Cohorts begin play with leather armor and a dagger in addition to any equipment listed in their descriptions; further equipment must be supplied to them. A cohort’s starting gear may not be used to increase PC wealth; it cannot normally be sold and if extreme circumstances occur where the PCs benefit from its loss, it must be replaced (or wealth sufficient to pay for replacements given) at the earliest possible time. If the cohort is deceased, this payment must be made to their next of kin or other designee (it is assumed that such a person always exists as part of normal recruitment). If a cohort is equipped with additional items, the cohort will not keep them if leaving your service. Table: Cohort
| Ranks in Diplomacy | Maximum HD/
HD limit | Base Attack Bonus | Feats | Good Saves | Bad Saves | Combat Talents | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | +1 | 1 | +2 | +0 | 0 | Martial tradition |
| 2 | 2 | +2 | 1 | +3 | +0 | 1 | — |
| 3 | 3 | +3 | 2 | +3 | +1 | 1 | — |
| 4 | 3 | +3 | 2 | +3 | +1 | 1 | — |
| 5 | 4 | +4 | 2 | +4 | +1 | 2 | Ability score increase |
| 6 | 5 | +5 | 3 | +4 | +1 | 2 | +2 enhancement |
| 7 | 6 | +6/+1 | 3 | +5 | +2 | 3 | — |
| 8 | 6 | +6/+1 | 3 | +5 | +2 | 3 | — |
| 9 | 7 | +7/+2 | 4 | +5 | +2 | 3 | — |
| 10 | 8 | +8/+3 | 4 | +6 | +2 | 4 | Ability score increase |
| 11 | 9 | +9/+4 | 5 | +6 | +3 | 4 | +4/+2 enhancement |
| 12 | 9 | +9/+4 | 5 | +6 | +3 | 4 | — |
| 13 | 10 | +10/+5 | 5 | +7 | +3 | 5 | — |
| 14 | 11 | +11/+6/+1 | 6 | +7 | +3 | 5 | — |
| 15 | 12 | +12/+7/+2 | 6 | +8 | +4 | 6 | Ability score increase |
| 16 | 12 | +12/+7/+2 | 6 | +8 | +4 | 6 | — |
| 17 | 13 | +13/+8/+3 | 7 | +8 | +4 | 6 | +6/+4/+2 enhancement |
| 18 | 14 | +14/+9/+4 | 7 | +9 | +4 | 7 | — |
| 19 | 15 | +15/+10/+5 | 8 | +9 | +5 | 7 | — |
| 20 | 15 | +15/+10/+5 | 8 | +9 | +5 | 7 | — |
| 21 | 16 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | 8 | +10 | +5 | 8 | Ability score increase |
Leadership Talents
Military Training
You gain 5 ranks in the Profession (soldier) skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Leadership sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Profession (soldier) skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.Cohort Talents
Allied Cover (cohort)
When you are within your cohort’s threatened area, you gain a 20% miss chance against attacks the cohort is aware of. The benefits from multiple cohorts do not stack. When you are targeted by an attack or single-target effect and are within the threatened area of a cohort, you may expend martial focus to redirect the attack or effect to the cohort as a joint immediate action.Cohort Attack (cohort)
When you use the attack action to attack, one of your cohorts may also attack your target with a single weapon it possesses as a joint swift action. If both you and the cohort successfully deal damage with these attacks, the cohort may immediately move 5 feet as a free action. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.Defensive Cover (cohort)
While within the threatened area of a cohort, when you or the cohort is targeted by an attack, the other may make an aid another check (making an attack roll against a DC of 10) to boost AC as an immediate action. This does not stack with other applications of the aid another action to boost AC.Greater Cohort (cohort)
Increase the total Hit Dice of cohorts you have recruited at once by an additional 1 per rank of Diplomacy you possess. This has no effect on the maximum Hit Dice of a given cohort. You may select this talent up to 3 times.Magic Cohort
You may recruit cohorts with the following professions: AcolyteHit Dice d6; Saves Fort (good), Ref (bad), Will (good Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8; Casting Ability Modifier Wis; Skill Points per Hit Die 4; Class Skills Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (nobility), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (planes), Sense Motive Mage
Hit Dice d6; Saves Fort (bad), Ref (good), Will (good Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 10; Casting Ability Modifier Int; Skill Points per Hit Die 2; Class Skills Appraise, Knowledge (all), Spellcraft Pact-bound
Hit Dice d6; Saves Fort (good), Ref (bad), Will (good Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 16; Casting Ability Modifier Cha; Skill Points per Hit Die 4; Class Skills Bluff, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (planes), Use Magic Device All professions gain the following starting equipment: Any focus or spell components pouch required by casting tradition, a simple melee or ranged weapon with 20 pieces ammunition (Combined value less than 100 gp total) These professions gain a casting tradition in place of their martial tradition and have the casting class feature, gaining the 2 bonus talents and caster levels equal to 1/2 of their Hit Dice. They gain a spell pool equal to their Hit Dice plus their casting ability modifier, with additional from their tradition if applicable. They gain magic talents in place of combat talents from their Hit Dice. Their base attack bonus is reduced to be equal to half their Hit Dice.
Master’s Instruction (cohort, stance) [Youxia HB]
While in this stance, whenever you damage a creature with an attack action or attack of opportunity, you may expend an attack of opportunity to use the aid another action targeting a cohort with close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in Diplomacy) as a free action that can be taken even outside of your turn. The aid another action increases the attack roll of their next attack directed at the creature damaged by you as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn.Opening Maneuver (cohort)
Once per round, when one of your cohorts succeeds on a combat maneuver, the target provokes an attack of opportunity from you.Opportunistic Teamwork (cohort)
While within the threatened area of a cohort, when you or the cohort performs a combat maneuver, the other may make an aid another check to boost the combat maneuver check as an immediate action.Pack Tactics (cohort)
Whenever one or more of your cohorts within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in Diplomacy) of you flanks an enemy with you or another of your cohorts, you may increase the bonus from flanking by +2. This bonus increases by +1 for each additional cohort that threatens the enemy, to a maximum of +1 per 4 ranks in Diplomacy. Associated Feat: Outflank.Practiced Teamwork (cohort)
Any time you use the aid another action to benefit a cohort or a cohort uses the aid another action to benefit you, the aid another bonus increases by 1 plus 1 per 7 ranks in Diplomacy that you possess.Squad (cohort)
Your cohorts are troops in place of a single creature. Use the base statistics of a cohort, but apply the troop subtype. Your troop does one die of damage, increasing by one die at 3 ranks in Diplomacy and again every 3 ranks thereafter. This damage becomes magical when you reach 5 ranks in Diplomacy. Once per turn, a single creature that receives this troop damage or the damage from a special ability granted by the squad’s profession may be affected as if the damage was an attack action for the purpose of sphere effects that apply to or modify attack actions. If a Leadership sphere talent would grant a cohort an attack, the squad may inflict its troop damage on all creatures within its reach. Unlike normal troops, a cohort troop must spend a standard action to inflict its troop damage. Troop damage is normally only inflicted with melee attacks, though some professions give special abilities that have range. Because troops inflict damage automatically without making attack rolls, they gain no benefit from any action, feature, or item that inflicts a penalty to attack rolls, such as Combat Expertise or tower shields. Effects that restore hit points to a single creature may target the troop, but have all healing reduced to 1/4 its normal amount (minimum 1 if the effect targets multiple creatures, the healing is instead reduced to 1/2 (minimum 1). Effects that heal in an area of effect grant 1.5 times their normal healing. A cohort troop may be given improved gear, though any change requires at least 10 pieces of identical equipment. The squad gains abilities based on profession: Student: 1d6 troop damage, with the bomb special ability.Bomb: as a standard action, deal 1d6 + 1d6 per three levels acid or fire (chosen at the time of use) damage to a 10 foot radius + 5 feet per 5 ranks in Diplomacy inside a 30 feet range +5 feet per 5 ranks in Diplomacy, Reflex save against your sphere DC for half. Thief: 1d8 troop damage, with the low blow special ability.
Low Blow: Creatures that take damage from the troop must succeed on a Reflex save against your sphere DC or be staggered until the end of their next turn. Warrior: 1d10 troop damage, with the batter special ability.
Batter: Creatures that take damage from the troop are battered until the end of the troop’s next turn. Woodsman: 1d6 troop damage, with the volley special ability.
Volley: as a standard action, deal 1d6 + 1d6 per three levels piercing damage to a 10 foot radius + 5 feet per 5 ranks in Diplomacy inside a 100 foot range, Reflex save against your sphere DC for half. If you possess the Healers talent, your troop cohort may restore 1d6 hit points per two Hit Dice it possesses (minimum 1d6) to itself a number of times per day equal to your practitioner ability modifier with 1 minute worth of effort. If you possess the Messengers talent, you may dispatch up to 2 messengers at a given time from a troop cohort. If you possess the Magic Cohort talent, you may form a troop, using 1d4 troop damage and the following abilities based on feats and spheres possessed: Channel (requires Spell Attack feat): May add the effect of one sphere effect the cohort possesses that is compatible with Spell Attack to one creature that takes swarm damage. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Healing (requires cure): May spend a spell point as a swift action to grant itself fast healing equal to its Hit Dice for 1 minute. This reflects a few members of the troop healing others without otherwise interrupting combat activities. Spell Bombardment (requires destructive blast): May deal troop damage using 1d6 damage dice to a 10 foot radius + 5 feet per 5 ranks in Diplomacy within destructive blast range, modifying the damage die and applying the additional effects of one (blast type) talent the troop possesses.
Talented (cohort)
Choose one cohort. That cohort gains an additional combat talent. You may take this talent more than once; each time one cohort gains another talent. If the chosen cohort dies or leaves your service, you may retrain the selection made to grant a talent to another cohort at no cost as part of gaining a new cohort (if applying to a new cohort) or with 1 hour of training per talent (if applying to an existing cohort).Team Lookout (cohort)
When within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in Diplomacy) of any cohort, when making a Perception check, you and the cohorts may share the result of the check of the creature with the highest result.Legendary Talents
Alien Connections [Alienist HB]
Prerequisite: Leadership sphere.You may recruit cohorts from far-off realms. Such cohorts are built like a normal cohort, but are Small or Medium creatures with the aberration type, and benefit from the Conjuration sphere Aberrant Creature (type) talent as if they were a Conjuration companion.
Constructor (cohort)
Prerequistes: Leadership sphere, (cohort) package.You may create cohorts with the construct type, building and animating them with the scientific application of magic. Such cohorts are built as normal cohorts, but are Small or Medium creatures with the construct type and no racial abilities. Small constructs take a -2 penalty to Strength and gain a + 2 racial bonus to Dexterity. Such cohorts are mindless, gaining no skill points, and must have the warrior or woodsman profession. Mindless cohorts still gain skill ranks from spheres that grant them and may use these skills normally. Despite being constructs, these cohorts retain their Constitution score for the purpose of determining hit points and do not gain bonus hit points for size, though are still destroyed at 0 hit points. This effective Constitution may be modified by magic items that grant a continuous bonus, but not by any other effect. They do not gain feats, but may take a combat talent any time they would have gained a feat. Mindless cohorts of the construct type will obey harmful and even suicidal orders. You may take this talent a second time; doing so allows you to create construct cohorts with their normal Intelligence scores, gaining feats and skills normally. These cohorts may be of any profession and gain Craft and Profession as class skills.
Contractors
Prerequisites: Leadership sphereYou can seek out powerful individuals to serve you, for a price. The time required to find and negotiate with a given creature will vary depending on the creature’s location, whether you are looking for a specific individual, and other factors, meaning that the time is determined by the GM. Normal rates are 10 gp per Hit Die per day for traveling or non-hazardous tasks, while dangerous tasks, such as aiding you in combat or accompanying you into hazardous locations, this price can increase to 100 to 1,000 gp per Hit Die per day. Creatures so hired count as cohorts for activating and benefiting from (cohort) talents. Creatures hired with this ability do not count against the number of Hit Dice of cohorts you may have recruited at one time. Payment can take a variety of forms, from donating gold or magic items to an allied temple, to a gift given directly to the creature, to a quest on your part that matches the creature’s alignment and goals. Regardless, this payment must be made before the creature agrees to perform any services. Creatures with no racial Hit Dice and only NPC class levels usually can be hired for half of the price of others. Few, if any, creatures will accept a task that seems suicidal. However, at the GM’s discretion, if the task is strongly aligned with the creature’s ethos, it may halve or even waive the payment.
Friends In High Places (Cohort) [Apoc]
Prerequisite: Leadership sphere.You may recruit cohorts from the outer planes themselves. Such cohorts are built like a normal cohort, but are Small or Medium creatures with the outsider (extraplanar) type, and benefit from the Conjuration sphere Planar Creature (type) talent as if it were a Conjuration companion.
Master Of The Dead (cohort)
Prerequisites: Leadership sphere, (cohort) package.You may recruit cohorts with the undead type, finding and reanimating dead bodies with arcane rituals. Such cohorts are built normally, including racial selection, but have the undead type, and gain +1 natural armor and either DR 5/bludgeoning or DR 5/slashing. Such cohorts are mindless, gaining no skill points, and must have the warrior or woodsman profession. Mindless cohorts still gain skill ranks from spheres that grant them and may use these skills normally. They do not gain feats, but may take a combat talent any time they would have gained a feat. As undead, the cohort have no Constitution score (Con (-)) and determine their hit points using their Charisma score. Any creature or a race normally suitable to be a cohort may be recruited when using this ability and you may choose the number of Hit Dice the reanimated creature has. Mindless cohorts of the undead type will obey harmful and even suicidal orders. You may take this talent a second time; doing so allows you to create undead cohorts with their normal Intelligence scores, gaining feats and skills normally. These cohorts may be of any profession.
Strange Bedfellows (Cohort) [Apoc]
Prerequisite: Leadership sphere. When recruiting for a cohort you can seek more exotic creatures types which are determined by form instead of race. In place of a race, the cohort is created using the base statistics and body type of a Conjuration sphere companion form of Small or Medium size, and has 1 (form) talent (excluding the Battle Creature, Boon Companion, Lingering Companion, or Staff Wielding Companion/Implement Bearer talent) as if they were a summoned companion. You substitute your rank in Diplomacy for any effect that depends on caster level. These type of cohorts may possess any kind of creature type and subtype appropriate to their concept (although they do not gain the immunities or other qualities of its creature type). In addition, you may choose to grant the creature an additional Conjuration sphere (form) talent in place of a feat.Appendix
Troop Subtype
The troop subtype represents an organized group of trained soldiers that act as a unit, rather than as individuals. A troop is something of an abstraction, in that the component creatures that make up the troop are mostly irrelevant; only the troop as a whole matters for the purposes of combat. A troop is similar to a swarm, but is normally composed of Small or Medium creatures. Large groups of Tiny or smaller creatures should use the normal swarm rules. Traits: A troop is not subject to flanking, but it is subject to critical hits and sneak attacks if its component creatures are subject to such attacks. Reducing a troop to 0 hit points or fewer causes it to break up, effectively destroying the troop, though the damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. All troops gain the following traits. Troop Subtype: A troop is a collection of creatures that acts as a single creature, similar to a swarm, but typically as part of a military unit. A troop has the characteristics of its type, except as noted here. A troop has a single pool of Hit Dice and hit points, a single initiative modifier, a single speed, and a single armor class. A troop makes saving throws as a single creature. A single troop occupies a 20-foot-by-20-foot square, equal in size to a Gargantuan creature, though the actual size category of the troop is the same as that of the component creatures. The area occupied by a troop is completely shape-able, though the troop must remain in contiguous squares to accurately reflect the teamwork of trained military units. A troop has a reach equal to that of the component creatures based on size or armament. A troop can move through squares occupied by enemies and vice versa without impediment, although the troop provokes an attack of opportunity if it does so. A troop can move through any area large enough for its component creatures. The exact number of a troop’s component creatures varies, but in general, a troop of Small or Medium creatures consists of approximately 12 to 30 creatures. Larger creatures can form troops, but the area occupied by such a troop should increase proportionally according to the size of the component creatures. A troop is never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Immunity to being Tripped or Bull Rushed: A troop cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, except by area effects that include such effects. A troop can grapple an opponent. Immunity to Single Target Spells: A troop is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate and multiple target spells such as haste), though it is affected by spells or effects that target an area or a nonspecific number of creatures (such as fireball or mass hold monster). Vulnerable to Area Effect Spells: A troop takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area. If a troop is rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage, it disperses and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage. Troop Attack: Creatures with the troop subtype don’t make standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic damage to any creature within reach or whose space they occupy at the end of their move, with no attack roll needed. A troop’s stat block has “troop” in its Melee entry with no attack bonus given. The amount of damage a troop deals is based on its Hit Dice. Unless stated otherwise, a troop’s attacks are non-magical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce a troop attack’s damage to 0 or other special abilities can give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to the troop’s attacks. Some troops also have other special attacks in addition to normal damage. Troops threaten all creatures within their reach or within their area, and attempt attacks of opportunity as normal with their troop attack. Chaos of Combat: Because of the chaos of combat, spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a troop or within its reach requires a caster level check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a successful DC 20 Will save.Leadership Drawbacks
Construct Controller
You cannot recruit living cohorts. You must choose the Constructor talent with the bonus talent gained from this drawback and may only recruit cohorts with the construct type. Whenever this sphere uses or grants ranks in Diplomacy or calls for a Diplomacy check, you instead gain ranks in Knowledge (engineering) or make a Knowledge (engineering) check. You use Knowledge (engineering) ranks in place of Diplomacy ranks for prerequisites for feats and talents that require the Leadership sphere.Contact Network
You do not gain cohorts. You gain the Contractor talent with this drawback.Cult Leader
Whenever this sphere uses or grants ranks in Diplomacy or calls for a Diplomacy check, you instead gain ranks in Bluff or make a Bluff check. This drawback does not grant a bonus talent; removing this drawback does not require spending a talent, but requires GM permission. You use Bluff ranks in place of Diplomacy ranks for prerequisites for feats and talents that require the Leadership sphere. If you possess both the Leadership and Fencing spheres, you gain a competence bonus on Bluff checks equal to half your base attack bonus instead of retraining the ranks a second time.Dread Master
Whenever this sphere uses or grants ranks in Diplomacy or calls for a Diplomacy check, you instead gain ranks in Intimidate or make an Intimidate check. This drawback does not grant a bonus talent; removing this drawback does not require spending a talent, but requires GM permission. You use Intimidate ranks in place of Diplomacy ranks for prerequisites for feats and talents that require the Leadership sphere. If you possess both the Leadership and Gladiator spheres, you gain a competence bonus on Intimidate checks equal to half your base attack bonus instead of retraining the ranks a second time.Mage Circle
Requires (cohort) package.You cannot recruit cohorts with the Student, Thief, Warrior, or Woodsman professions. You must choose the Magic Cohorts talent with the bonus talent gained from this drawback and may only recruit cohorts with the Acolyte, Mage, or Pact-Bound professions.
Squad Leader
Requires (cohort) package.You may only recruit troops, not individual cohorts. You must choose the Squad talent as the bonus talent gained from this drawback.
Summoner [Apoc]
Requires (cohort) package.You cannot recruit cohorts native to the plane you are on and must instead recruit them from outer planes. You must choose the Friends in High Places talent with the bonus talent gained from this drawback and may only recruit cohorts with the outsider type. Your cohorts are considered to be summoned creatures with the effect having a caster level equal to your Hit Dice and a magic skill defense equal to 11 + your ranks in Diplomacy. Any effect that would suppress or dispel such an effect dismisses your cohort as well (you are free to try to reach them again later when you have the opportunity).