I've noticed something interesting with the stats of followers.
If I give my Templar this amulet, his stats increase unexpectedly:
He goes from his original 55 Vitality:
All the way up to 118 Vitality:
Somehow, what is supposed to be a +25 Vitality amulet is increasing his Vitality by +63. This hugely increases his maximum life, so I'm not really complaining, but – is there any explanation for this? I've noticed it happens for other stats (tested for Strength as well).
Best Answer
Followers gain a 2.5x multiplier to base stats on items (Str, Dex, Int, Vitality). This is because they are only able to equip jewelry and weapons - in order for their stats to remain competitive with more difficult monsters, they need the boost. In addition, they contribute to the hero's Magic and Gold Find, as well as Bonus XP, but only at a 0.2 multiplier - so, if your follower doesn't need the additional power, you can use them as a way to stack some extra +loot items and benefit that way.
Other item stats, such as +damage and on-hit effects work as normal.