No. Playing a non-fighter who's followed by fighters is, basically, playing like a fighter only with less direct control. If you want to play as a non-combat character, you'd have to find non-combat ways - which the game has many - to navigate through quests and the game.
Every now and then though you may convince someone to use their brute force in your interest, but it will be applied only to whatever obstacle you may be faced in the moment and you won't be in control.
If you are a fighting man, however, then you'll be able to gain control over a gang of raiders. They won't follow you around, but you'll be able to use them against different targets.
From other threads:
Anyway, the example. Let's use a quest that's been mentioned many times before - rescuing a kidnapped noble. There are many ways to do it: assassinating the raiders' leader, negotiating ransom, scouting the area and giving the info to the guards, involving the Thieves Guild, etc. So, here is an option for a fighter:
- The prisoner. Hand him over now.
- Who the hell are you?
- *pull out your weapon* Hand the prisoner over now. I won't ask again.
[intimidation check based on your Str and highest weapon skill; the check determines how many raiders turn hostile. The leader will not submit, so the only difference is whether you are fighting him alone or him and six of his buddies.]
If there are raiders left (up to six):
- You follow *my* orders now.
- Why?
- You follow me or you follow him *point at the raiders' leader's dead body*. Your choice.
- What are your orders, captain?
- Practice offensive skills
or
- Practive defensive skills
or
- Practice infiltration tactics
or
- (give specific orders related to active quests). You can't recruit more raiders, so when you run out of them, it's over.
Dementia Praecox wrote:
Does the bolded part mean this is the only place in the game where you can recruit followers, these specific raiders, or is it part of the dialogue options?
No, what I meant is that you can get up to six raiders in this location and use them to wreck havoc, create diversions, etc until they die one by one. They are not followers and they will fight separately, living up to their non-player characters name.
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Anyway, I was aware of the player being able to have NPCs fighting along his side, but these practice-options are new to me. How do they work? To they just get better in that specific skill, or perhaps do I become better in that skill?
They get better, which means that they may live longer. You can also improve their equipment.
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What does infiltration tactics entail for them and my character?
Well, let's say you want them to storm a location, a small digging outpost, for example, guarded by soldiers, surrounded by a gate, etc. If the raiders fail the infiltration check, they will start at 8-square distance, will be noticed by the tower guard and will be hit by ranged weapons, so expect to lose a raider or two before you reach the gate. If they can inflitrate the outpost successfully, they will surprise the guards and gain a tactical advantage.
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And what consequences will it have for me if I order them to one thing over another?
You can train them for as long as you want. The longer they train, the better they are. Nobody lives forever though.
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How many different quests or tasks may I order them to take part in?
As many as you like.
http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=17675
