Best Cohort? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best Cohort? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Wattas
10-08-05, 04:19 AM This may have been addressed somewhere, but I am looking for what would be the best cohort for my PC. My character is a fighter/rogue type (level 8).

I am looking at this from a specific slant though. I want to know what would be the best cohort for ME only! I am talking about a completely selfish PC who only cares about having a cohort who can help him--not the rest of the party.

Off the top of my head, cleric pops up: someone who can both heal me and buff me. Maybe even Initiate of Ilmater (PGtF) so he can jack me up on temporary hp. Then again, a Radiant Servant of Pelor heals rather nicely. :)
X-Codes
10-08-05, 04:45 AM Check the Miniatures HB. There are some absolutely lovely cohort classes to pick up there.

My suggestion is either a Marshal 4/Fighter 2 or a Marshal 6 to begin. Auras are Motivate Dexterity, Motivate Intelligence, and Resilient Troops for the former, and all that plus Master of Tactics and Motivate Attack on the latter.

She should have Power Attack, Cleave, and Combat Reflexes: The pre-reqs for Tactical Soldier. She will be able to do some insane flanking with you, giving maximum SA opportunities. She will also be able to force a potion down your throat should you go and get yourself dropped, allowing a free stabilize and perhaps even being able to get back up again (since you are a rogue, you should be able to handle the out-of-combat healing on your own already... you did put those skill points in UMD, right!?).
El_Machinae
10-08-05, 03:44 PM I'm thinking a pixie bard -> warchanter. He could sit on your shoulder and whisper the songs in your ear. Some of those songs are quite good.

I was trying to get a cheap, portable, durable warchanter. It's tough. A reduced gnome works okay, though.
Hanniball
10-08-05, 04:10 PM Honestly, I consider Leadership one of the most powerful feats available for the simple reason that a PC can essentially get himself his own personal "buff-bot" so-to-speak. Obviously the feat is heavily DM-adjucated, but it's not too much of a stretch to get a good spellcaster only two levels lower than you.

Clerics with Divine Metamagic are great to pick up because they aren't nearly as selfish about their buffs when they're under your command.

For your ftr/rog type, consider an arcane caster of some kind. Invisibility/Greater Invis. for espionage, Summon Monster for flanking, he can Hold Person your opponents for instant sneak attacks, and Polymorph you into high-dex creatures with racial skill bonuses to your key skills. Finally, (almost) all wizards have scribe scroll. So your Rogue with Leadership should have Use Magic Device and you've got your self a scroll-machine. Wraith Strike scrolls for the Ftr/Rog anyone?

You could even consider making your cohort a Rog/Wiz/Arcane Trickster for added sneak attack piggy backing with arcane back-up.

Either way...just my 0.02 cp
Kendrick
10-08-05, 08:37 PM A theurge might be worthwhile. Access to both wizard and cleric spells to get the most possible utility could be a real help, especially if the party already has a primary caster and cleric to take care of those functions for everybody else.

Also you might want to look into how your DM adjucates XP for cohorts (who are supposed to gain XP as a party member). Depending on his method, you might want to pick up several item creation feats. I've been in games where cohorts hit their maximum XP possible (because they have to remain 2 levels below the PC) half or three quarters of the way through the level. If your DM and fellow players are comfortable with allowing your cohort the in-game time to burn any extra XP, you can end up with a massive boost to your equipment.
SoulGamit
10-08-05, 08:51 PM If you do that just be an artifacer that's dedicated to making you (and the rest of your party, perhaps) items of all kinds. Since you have UMD, you can use all the stuff he makes like scrolls and wands.
Pinky's brain
10-08-05, 09:05 PM Definetely an artificer, he can do metamagic item persistent on wands with buffs ... which you can then use through UMD. Get him to make a homunculus for you which casts shield other on you through a spellstoring ring (cheap way of getting more hitpoints). Get him craft contingent spell to put contingent spells on yourself for when you are in really big trouble. Not to forget that as was mentioned before he can make of magic items for you.
Wattas
10-08-05, 11:01 PM Thanks guys. Lots of good suggestions. I do have a question about the item-making cohort. I thought about that--a cohort that just cranks out all kinds of magical items for me.

One of the players in our group said you can't make your cohort use XP. I have never read that anywhere. I even emailed Wizards about the issue (still waiting).

Does anybody know the ruling on this?
Kendrick
10-08-05, 11:06 PM Isn't Artificer campaign specific?

I'm not sure what resource it's in, but I've had the vague impression it's in Ebberon or something like that, and the poster indicated that he was using FR material - which would probably mean no Artificer.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Wattas 10-08-05, 04:19 AM	This may have been addressed somewhere, but I am looking for what would be the best cohort for my PC. My character is a fighter/rogue type (level 8). I am looking at this from a specific slant though. I want to know what would be the best cohort for ME only! I am talking about a completely selfish PC who only cares about having a cohort who can help him--not the rest of the party. Off the top of my head, cleric pops up: someone who can both heal me and buff me. Maybe even Initiate of Ilmater (PGtF) so he can jack me up on temporary hp. Then again, a Radiant Servant of Pelor heals rather nicely. :)
X-Codes 10-08-05, 04:45 AM	Check the Miniatures HB. There are some absolutely lovely cohort classes to pick up there. My suggestion is either a Marshal 4/Fighter 2 or a Marshal 6 to begin. Auras are Motivate Dexterity, Motivate Intelligence, and Resilient Troops for the former, and all that plus Master of Tactics and Motivate Attack on the latter. She should have Power Attack, Cleave, and Combat Reflexes: The pre-reqs for Tactical Soldier. She will be able to do some insane flanking with you, giving maximum SA opportunities. She will also be able to force a potion down your throat should you go and get yourself dropped, allowing a free stabilize and perhaps even being able to get back up again (since you are a rogue, you should be able to handle the out-of-combat healing on your own already... you did put those skill points in UMD, right!?).
El_Machinae 10-08-05, 03:44 PM	I'm thinking a pixie bard -> warchanter. He could sit on your shoulder and whisper the songs in your ear. Some of those songs are quite good. I was trying to get a cheap, portable, durable warchanter. It's tough. A reduced gnome works okay, though.
Hanniball 10-08-05, 04:10 PM	Honestly, I consider Leadership one of the most powerful feats available for the simple reason that a PC can essentially get himself his own personal "buff-bot" so-to-speak. Obviously the feat is heavily DM-adjucated, but it's not too much of a stretch to get a good spellcaster only two levels lower than you. Clerics with Divine Metamagic are great to pick up because they aren't nearly as selfish about their buffs when they're under your command. For your ftr/rog type, consider an arcane caster of some kind. Invisibility/Greater Invis. for espionage, Summon Monster for flanking, he can Hold Person your opponents for instant sneak attacks, and Polymorph you into high-dex creatures with racial skill bonuses to your key skills. Finally, (almost) all wizards have scribe scroll. So your Rogue with Leadership should have Use Magic Device and you've got your self a scroll-machine. Wraith Strike scrolls for the Ftr/Rog anyone? You could even consider making your cohort a Rog/Wiz/Arcane Trickster for added sneak attack piggy backing with arcane back-up. Either way...just my 0.02 cp
Kendrick 10-08-05, 08:37 PM	A theurge might be worthwhile. Access to both wizard and cleric spells to get the most possible utility could be a real help, especially if the party already has a primary caster and cleric to take care of those functions for everybody else. Also you might want to look into how your DM adjucates XP for cohorts (who are supposed to gain XP as a party member). Depending on his method, you might want to pick up several item creation feats. I've been in games where cohorts hit their maximum XP possible (because they have to remain 2 levels below the PC) half or three quarters of the way through the level. If your DM and fellow players are comfortable with allowing your cohort the in-game time to burn any extra XP, you can end up with a massive boost to your equipment.
SoulGamit 10-08-05, 08:51 PM	If you do that just be an artifacer that's dedicated to making you (and the rest of your party, perhaps) items of all kinds. Since you have UMD, you can use all the stuff he makes like scrolls and wands.
Pinky's brain 10-08-05, 09:05 PM	Definetely an artificer, he can do metamagic item persistent on wands with buffs ... which you can then use through UMD. Get him to make a homunculus for you which casts shield other on you through a spellstoring ring (cheap way of getting more hitpoints). Get him craft contingent spell to put contingent spells on yourself for when you are in really big trouble. Not to forget that as was mentioned before he can make of magic items for you.
Wattas 10-08-05, 11:01 PM	Thanks guys. Lots of good suggestions. I do have a question about the item-making cohort. I thought about that--a cohort that just cranks out all kinds of magical items for me. One of the players in our group said you can't make your cohort use XP. I have never read that anywhere. I even emailed Wizards about the issue (still waiting). Does anybody know the ruling on this?
Kendrick 10-08-05, 11:06 PM	Isn't Artificer campaign specific? I'm not sure what resource it's in, but I've had the vague impression it's in Ebberon or something like that, and the poster indicated that he was using FR material - which would probably mean no Artificer.