Using a Worg as a mount - level adjustment? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Using a Worg as a mount - level adjustment? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
PoweredBySoy
01-23-08, 07:09 PM One of my players is rolling up a new character, and he would like to create a Goblin Scout whom rides a Worg (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/worg.htm) as an intelligent mount. The question is, how do I balance that out in terms of the characters level adjustment.

The Worg entry states a "+1 (cohort)", but I'm not entirely sure what that means. Do I also take into account the Worgs 4 HD as well?

So if the characters' starting level is 6, do I allow him a 5th level Scout and a Worg as a cohort? Or a 1st level Scout and a Worg? The first option seems a little too generous, while the latter far too steep.

Also, are there rules for cohorts leveling up? As my character reaches higher levels, that Worg will become pretty worthless in combat.

Thanks for any clarification.
Tedronai
01-23-08, 07:26 PM The HD are included in the ECL of the Word (so it is treated as a 5th level cohort, and thus out of range of a 6th level character's Leadership abilities, since a cohort must be at least 2 levels lower than the character)

Once the Worg does become available though, and since it is sentient, it can gain class levels as any 'normal' NPC.
deduke
01-24-08, 03:58 AM Tedronai, I think you overlooked that he was not yet talking about the leadership feat.

Normally a character just buys a mount which are normally just animals. If a character wants an intelligent creature as a mount you should threat it as a cohort a character of sixth level or higher can take the leadership feat. With this feat the character can obtain a cohort. Usually a cohort is another adventurer but an intelligent creature can be a cohort as well.

The entry Level Adjustment: +1 (cohort) in the worg entry means that if you want a mount as a cohort the worg has +1LA. Since the worg has 4hd he counts as level 5. If the character thus has a leadership score high enough to get a level 5 cohort he can take the worg as a cohort. The +1LA in this entry has nothing to do with the character, only with the worg.

The leadership feat however forbids a character from having a cohort that is to high level. A cohort cant have a level of more than 2 lower then the character with the feat. A lvl 6 adventurer can thus get at maximum a level 4 cohort.

To summarize. The character can get a worg as a mount if he takes the leadership feat and has a leadershipscore of at least 7 and is at least level 7.
The cohort gains xp at a special rate, this information is all in the leadership feat description.
PoweredBySoy
01-24-08, 12:44 PM Thank you, that helped a lot.
Sildatorak
01-24-08, 03:40 PM Since the party is starting at a level that won't allow this particular cohort, you may want to work with the player on this issue. Perhaps you can allow him to have a 3 HD worg and the next time it gains a level it has to take another magical beast HD. He will probably have a minor boost in power for that first level, but in the long run it will even out.
PoweredBySoy
01-25-08, 01:04 PM Since the party is starting at a level that won't allow this particular cohort, you may want to work with the player on this issue. Perhaps you can allow him to have a 3 HD worg and the next time it gains a level it has to take another magical beast HD. He will probably have a minor boost in power for that first level, but in the long run it will even out.

Yep, I am doing something very similar to that. I really want to give him the option of having a Worg from the onset, since Worgs are commonplace in my campaign.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
PoweredBySoy 01-23-08, 07:09 PM	One of my players is rolling up a new character, and he would like to create a Goblin Scout whom rides a Worg (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/worg.htm) as an intelligent mount. The question is, how do I balance that out in terms of the characters level adjustment. The Worg entry states a "+1 (cohort)", but I'm not entirely sure what that means. Do I also take into account the Worgs 4 HD as well? So if the characters' starting level is 6, do I allow him a 5th level Scout and a Worg as a cohort? Or a 1st level Scout and a Worg? The first option seems a little too generous, while the latter far too steep. Also, are there rules for cohorts leveling up? As my character reaches higher levels, that Worg will become pretty worthless in combat. Thanks for any clarification.
Tedronai 01-23-08, 07:26 PM	The HD are included in the ECL of the Word (so it is treated as a 5th level cohort, and thus out of range of a 6th level character's Leadership abilities, since a cohort must be at least 2 levels lower than the character) Once the Worg does become available though, and since it is sentient, it can gain class levels as any 'normal' NPC.
deduke 01-24-08, 03:58 AM	Tedronai, I think you overlooked that he was not yet talking about the leadership feat. Normally a character just buys a mount which are normally just animals. If a character wants an intelligent creature as a mount you should threat it as a cohort a character of sixth level or higher can take the leadership feat. With this feat the character can obtain a cohort. Usually a cohort is another adventurer but an intelligent creature can be a cohort as well. The entry Level Adjustment: +1 (cohort) in the worg entry means that if you want a mount as a cohort the worg has +1LA. Since the worg has 4hd he counts as level 5. If the character thus has a leadership score high enough to get a level 5 cohort he can take the worg as a cohort. The +1LA in this entry has nothing to do with the character, only with the worg. The leadership feat however forbids a character from having a cohort that is to high level. A cohort cant have a level of more than 2 lower then the character with the feat. A lvl 6 adventurer can thus get at maximum a level 4 cohort. To summarize. The character can get a worg as a mount if he takes the leadership feat and has a leadershipscore of at least 7 and is at least level 7. The cohort gains xp at a special rate, this information is all in the leadership feat description.
PoweredBySoy 01-24-08, 12:44 PM	Thank you, that helped a lot.
Sildatorak 01-24-08, 03:40 PM	Since the party is starting at a level that won't allow this particular cohort, you may want to work with the player on this issue. Perhaps you can allow him to have a 3 HD worg and the next time it gains a level it has to take another magical beast HD. He will probably have a minor boost in power for that first level, but in the long run it will even out.
PoweredBySoy 01-25-08, 01:04 PM	Since the party is starting at a level that won't allow this particular cohort, you may want to work with the player on this issue. Perhaps you can allow him to have a 3 HD worg and the next time it gains a level it has to take another magical beast HD. He will probably have a minor boost in power for that first level, but in the long run it will even out. Yep, I am doing something very similar to that. I really want to give him the option of having a Worg from the onset, since Worgs are commonplace in my campaign.