Is it possible to get faction leaders to join your squad

[tHe_silent_H]

I've been thinking, if rescued slaves have a chance to offer to join, what if you purposely got named characters enslaved like finch, or that guy that leads the flotsam ninja, then freed them, would they offer to join you. My plan is, knock out and kidnap a slaver, then knock out the leader while everyone's asleep, pull them from the bed and drop them, then release the slaver, then knock them both out again, and take the slaver far enough away(if the guards think he's done nothing wrong, then free the "slave") when buying and selling slaves is re- added, that might be a slightly less complex as long as stealth is high enough to kidnap without alerting the guards.

How cool would it be to have the Stone Golem in your all shek squad hehe

[bleep]

Hi, tHe_silent_H,

This is a condensed version of what I had typed in draft; I hope it makes sense.

I do have Esata the Stone Golem in my squad, as well as other Beak Things, Gorillo, Megaraptor, Wild Bulls, Wild Bonedogs, etc. I didn't use a mod to do this either, so no worries. The method I've been using is similar to yours, but a bit different. I catch whatever subject I want to recruit, disarm most of them (not always... depends on what they are) and then put the subject down in HNPD (Holy Nation Police Department). Flotsam (armed) and aggressive critters will attack HN immediately. Esata... I disarmed her first, as I figured she'd strong enough to take out a lot of HN and then she'd have a high bounty, which I wouldn't want to pay to bail her out.

I make sure that when I pay the bail, the subject is unconscious and in the cell. So far, when they've been unconscious, it's been 100% they are absorbed into my army. If they are conscious, then it's a hit and miss. I don't know if bail can be paid when the subject is en route to the cell.

Using this method, I've gotten those named Skeletons (with stats of 75) from the Floodlands, etc. However, I have really strong relations with the HN (100+, from turning in bounties & not accepting payment in exchange for +2 to faction relations with the HN). Strong HN relations helps this method for any non-human (so far). HN doesn't like my non-humans, especially my Skeletons and won't sell to them, etc. But, mine aren't attacked either. Fair exchange, to me. Also, when having good relations with HN, if your new humanoid is bailed out and still injured, the HN will heal them.

This method came about when I hired mercs from World's End to escort me to the Hub; I was really heavy and slow! Haha! While going through HN territory, I wanted to rest in a HN city and that's when the Shek mercs were attacked by HN and most of those hired mercs were imprisoned. I needed the mercs to help me on my travel and bailed them out, so I could hire them as merc-bodyguards again for my trek. However, most joined me. Whoa! After that, I experimented in new games by hiring mercs + 1 small fry recruit and having the small fry cause a fight in HNPD, so the hired mercs would fight to defend me and get imprisoned. Then, a different character would go in and bail them out. As the experiments went on, I tried for more powerful subjects & seeing how far i could push ally relations, especially with HN. HN mercs won't always fight HNPD, etc., though... hit and miss with them.

I like collecting critters Critters are similar, but HN won't put them in prison cells; you'll have to put them in the prison cell, once HN KOs the critter and puts a bounty on them. Then, they can be bailed out. I don't know if it's possible to make a mod were critters can talk (growl, grunt, etc.) to a plastic surgeon. If they could, maybe they could get names changed to personal ones? I don't know.

* for me, Moll wasn't worth her bail, so I left her in prison.

Sorry for the long, blah read; I hope it helped a bit.

[Boudicca]

This is amazing! I'm going to start trying this in a test game.

[bleep]

Hi, Boudicca,

Glad you found that method interesting

I was somewhat vague, so this is just a bit more info & clarity...

When I wrote to "put the subject down in HNPD", I meant on the floor, not put in the prison cell. I usually drop them down on Floor 0, between the HNPD beds. Sorry that I was unclear about that. If you wish, I can jot out the method in depth & other similar experiments; I didn't want to take away peoples' own experimentation, though. In the past, HN were a pain in my side (made for a fun games). Now, I like trying to find ways to sneakily use HN to my advantage :p

[hungrybandit101]

Bleep, how do you catch those high level guys? I've been trying to capture a named skeleton from Mongrel. Do you just have to attack in broad daylight, knock the target out, and be prepared to carry the target/run away from the entire town guard?

[bleep]

Hi, hungrybandit101,

Re: how do you catch those high level guys? I've been trying to capture a named skeleton from Mongrel.
For the named Skeletons, I hunt them in the Floodlands, as I find it more mellow; I like it there. Broken Skeletons can be hunted there and are easier to find, as they hunt me, too

Re: Do you just have to attack in broad daylight...
So far, day or night hasn't mattered for this hunting in the Floodlands. The most gruelling part (for me) is having the patience to scout or wait for one of them to get close to me. I usually find them because they attack Broken Skeletons & Iron Spiders and I see the battle, so dart over there. Or if a Broken Skele or Iron Spider can be looted, I scout nearby because a named Skele is sometimes not too far away. I take a few to several troops, depending on our strengths (or go solo, if possible), hunt for a named Skele and then beat it into unconsciousness. Once it's unconscious, the first thing I do is pick it up, so I have it, just in case it isn't going to be unconscious for long. Then, remove their weapons.
This also touches on the KO question a bit. I used to KO them. But, I quickly favored beating them down vs. KO, for a chance to damage their legs (so they wouldn't be able to run as quickly from the HNPD).

Re: be prepared to carry the target/run away from the entire town guard?
If you meant the Mongrel guards... as I hunted in the Floodlands, there were no town guards to be concerned with. However... I once saw cannibals fighting in the floodlands.

Once in HN territory, Stealth was a big factor for me. If HN & I weren't allies, Stealth mode worked well most of the time. Inside Blister (non-allies), it was a hit & miss as to if they attacked me or not, even in stealth mode. I took the chance. If the town thought I was the Skele... not good for me and the real Skele sometimes fled unharmed.

I've done this when HN wasn't an ally and when they were an ally (green triangle). When we weren't allies and I was carrying a Skele, HN would attack me about half the time, thinking I was the Skele. I don't know exactly at what +relation they became allies and stopped attacking my Skeles... I kind of went bounty-crazy to get relations 100+ because I wanted to push the boundary to see if HN felt being an ally was more important than their own personal fears. And they do (so far! haha). I can respect that!
*being an ally of HN also allowed me to rename my named Skeles & humanoids without being attacked.

I hope this was helpful

Edit re: ally relations with HN.
I made a mistake... sorry. My Skeletons can deal with HN shopkeepers; it just depends on which shopkeeper is working in the shop at that time. So far, it seems one will not deal with non-humans and on another shift, the other will deal with anyone. Sometimes, both are there working.