Cohort Stats? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cohort Stats? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
silverhammer
04-30-06, 11:42 PM I am wanting to take a griffon cohort and was wondering if I roll stats for it or take the stats from the MM.
runestar
04-30-06, 11:52 PM I would say roll, then apply racial stat modifiers, since you are paying for them with LA(since cohort's lv is based off ECL). :)
silverhammer
05-01-06, 12:23 AM Is there anywhere in the rules where it says that? I agree with you exactly but my DM is afraid I'll get a griffon with a 26 strength (roll an 18 and add the +8).
Loki5654
05-01-06, 01:47 AM When I was DM, and one of my players would take a cohort for their character, I would be the one to roll up the cohort. The player could choose race/class, but they would never see the character sheet.

That way, they still got the benefit of a cohort, but without the potential abuse to play it as a second character.
allenchan
05-01-06, 02:38 AM I deal with a very large group and just give the PC control over the Cohort. I make it clear its there responsibility to take care of two sheets and not slow down gameplay because of it. I allow them to use the normal stat method for PC gen, et al. Then again, a lot of players tend to adopt their Cohort as their main PC if the PC dies.
Nom
05-01-06, 02:46 AM Use the standard rules for non-player characters. Monsters get ability scores straight out of the MM. NPCs with PC class levels use the elite array.

If you must roll, remember that monster arrays are based around a variant of standard array, and that is considered equivalent to 3d6. However, since monsters don't have pre-calculated racial ability mods, you're making a lot more work for yourself.
celtredleg
05-01-06, 04:28 AM Use whatever you used to make the main charecter. Otherwise the cohort is to weak to hang with the party.
Seeker95
05-01-06, 07:51 AM As DM, I would make the griffon a standard one in the manual. For a cohort with class levels, I would use a point buy, but would let the player do the stat distribution, reflecting that the PC has a certain level of selection power in choosing a cohort. The reason I do not apply this to the griffon is simple... I doubt the griffon is so common in the world that the PC has lots of griffons to choose from.
runestar
05-01-06, 08:29 AM Look up Savage Species or MM. The rules for creating monsters as PCs is to roll/point buy etc to generate your base stats, same as for normal characters, then add the monster's stat mods on top of it. Thus, it is not uncommon for a PC ogre to start with 28str(+10 str on top of rolled 18) at ECL6. You don't play an ogre as it is straight out of the MM. ;)

A cohort is essentially another PC, whatever the flavour. I would use the same rules as generating a PC on the cohort. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
silverhammer 04-30-06, 11:42 PM	I am wanting to take a griffon cohort and was wondering if I roll stats for it or take the stats from the MM.
runestar 04-30-06, 11:52 PM	I would say roll, then apply racial stat modifiers, since you are paying for them with LA(since cohort's lv is based off ECL). :)
silverhammer 05-01-06, 12:23 AM	Is there anywhere in the rules where it says that? I agree with you exactly but my DM is afraid I'll get a griffon with a 26 strength (roll an 18 and add the +8).
Loki5654 05-01-06, 01:47 AM	When I was DM, and one of my players would take a cohort for their character, I would be the one to roll up the cohort. The player could choose race/class, but they would never see the character sheet. That way, they still got the benefit of a cohort, but without the potential abuse to play it as a second character.
allenchan 05-01-06, 02:38 AM	I deal with a very large group and just give the PC control over the Cohort. I make it clear its there responsibility to take care of two sheets and not slow down gameplay because of it. I allow them to use the normal stat method for PC gen, et al. Then again, a lot of players tend to adopt their Cohort as their main PC if the PC dies.
Nom 05-01-06, 02:46 AM	Use the standard rules for non-player characters. Monsters get ability scores straight out of the MM. NPCs with PC class levels use the elite array. If you must roll, remember that monster arrays are based around a variant of standard array, and that is considered equivalent to 3d6. However, since monsters don't have pre-calculated racial ability mods, you're making a lot more work for yourself.
celtredleg 05-01-06, 04:28 AM	Use whatever you used to make the main charecter. Otherwise the cohort is to weak to hang with the party.
Seeker95 05-01-06, 07:51 AM	As DM, I would make the griffon a standard one in the manual. For a cohort with class levels, I would use a point buy, but would let the player do the stat distribution, reflecting that the PC has a certain level of selection power in choosing a cohort. The reason I do not apply this to the griffon is simple... I doubt the griffon is so common in the world that the PC has lots of griffons to choose from.
runestar 05-01-06, 08:29 AM	Look up Savage Species or MM. The rules for creating monsters as PCs is to roll/point buy etc to generate your base stats, same as for normal characters, then add the monster's stat mods on top of it. Thus, it is not uncommon for a PC ogre to start with 28str(+10 str on top of rolled 18) at ECL6. You don't play an ogre as it is straight out of the MM. ;) A cohort is essentially another PC, whatever the flavour. I would use the same rules as generating a PC on the cohort. :)