Zen and the art of NPC maintenance

[prototype00]

Just did some thought experiments in my head, and NPCs are quite good as general party buffers. For priests and scouts who basically get an NPC companion for free (through free style and terrain feats respectively, and priests can take the beasts path for an extra two npcs), this is a good alternative to the terminator style NPC (keeping your NPC out of combat is also probably good for your reputation).

Stack misdirection basics (you count as three characters for the purpose of outnumbering enemies) with horde basics, mastery and supremacy on your NPC buddy (costs 2 XP per feat, so its 8 XP altogether), and every member of your party will end up with possibly +4 to AC, +2 to reflex saves, pummel as a half action and +3 to melee range damage.

Plus he can also be a loot mule, besides being a feat mule.

prototype00

[Daedalus]

Don't forget Captain's Right-hand Man and Lancer's Companion for Life!  I think it would be best to increase the fundamentals of most NPC assisants so that they themselves aren't as open to being destroyed, and then taking awesome feats like those above.  Keeping them out of combat isn't always your option, since they themselves might have rivals and the group will occasionally be ambushed. 
From what it looks like from my reading of the game, it won't be entirely uncommon to have an entourage of almost twice the size of the group, since these feats and class abilities are much more versatile than others.  As a control for this, I would just make sure that it makes sense for the character concept before letting people take these feats, since it's more accounting work for you too when they're used.

[Lizard]

For the rule that a mob of standard NPC==Group Size, does that include the Companions as well?

[Krensky]

I would say it does. I would also say it counts for GMPCs and othe NPC 'party members' as a house rule.

[Crafty_Alex]

For the rule that a mob of standard NPC==Group Size, does that include the Companions as well?

Not sure I follow here. Companion for Life, Animal Partner, and Personal Lieutenant expressly give 1 NPC. Followers/More Followers (gear feat tree) give an express number of NPC followers as well. Any ability that grants a PC control over NPCs expressly lists the amount gained/controlled (even if that's group is a mob).

[Lizard]

I'm talking in terms of determining how many Standard characters should be part of an encounter. IIRC, the rules say standard character (enemies) come in mobs of size=party size.

So if we have four PCs, an animal companion, and a personal lieutenant, is the expected number of Standard Characters to oppose them 4 or 6?

[Crafty_Alex]

I'm talking in terms of determining how many Standard characters should be part of an encounter. IIRC, the rules say standard character (enemies) come in mobs of size=party size.

So if we have four PCs, an animal companion, and a personal lieutenant, is the expected number of Standard Characters to oppose them 4 or 6?

Ah. A mob is defined as being equal to the number of player characters (pg. 242) which would not include the NPC followers in this case. That's good, as when you're using somethin like the Followers Feat you won't be hammering down the Xp you receive from that encounter

[Crafty_Pat]

You can include as many standard NPCs as you like. When you have a partial mob, it's worth proportionately less XP.