Choosing a Cohort? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Choosing a Cohort? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Enphenitie
10-04-07, 09:15 PM I plan to use the leadership feat in a 21st level adventure to get a nice shiny cohort, but I don't know how to go about deciding if choosing X creature is balanced or not? I want to just go by CR, choosing a CR20 Buddy to join my crusades, but Epic Level Handbook's example powerful cohorts effective level are all higher than their CR.. I wouldn't know how to go about determining what a good ECL for a creature it's not listed for is..

So then there's the option to go by hit dice.. but then I feel like my companion is underpowered..

Maybe this should go in the CO Forums, but basically my question is - How does one determine the ECL of a powerful cohort? I really wanna go with basically any dragon, or a pheonix..
runestar
10-05-07, 03:43 AM When you consider that a cohort does not leech xp from the party, it definitely makes sense to use ECL over cr, and it is still very powerful even then for the cost of 1 feat.

What creature do you have in mind as a cohort?
Radijs
10-05-07, 04:16 AM There's a nice table in the Draconomicon to determine the level of a dragon for your cohort.

But a phoenix, well I don't know about that.
Darth Sephiroth
10-05-07, 04:37 AM Depending upon your class you can get some pretty nice Cohorts. If you play a Scout take a glance at the Marshal class for the Grant Move Action ability.

Also if you want an Uber Dragon grab the dragon cohort feat from the draconomicon and take a few levels in Dragon Lord (Basically amounts to a -6 to the requirements for a Dragon or Dragonblooded cohort).

Heroes of Battle also has several awesome Leadership based feats. And the Land Lord feat from Stronghold Builders Guide has a nice benefit (Boosts your Leadership score by granting a base of operations and a place to start building yourself a nice fortress).
Avenger314
10-05-07, 09:22 AM Are Cohorts allowed to take Leadership?
Cuz this may be an intriguing idea of party support.
A bard, with a dragon shaman, with a divine mind, with a Marshall...
Those are a lot of bonuses added to the entire party.
Darth Sephiroth
10-05-07, 10:56 AM I don't think that's legal to do, you'd end up with a swarm of people following you around pretty quickly. As it is there is a hand full of feats that grant Cohorts (Leadership, Dragon Cohort, Wild Cohort,...) as well as class abilities that can grant them or similar effects. And with Dragon Cohort I believe you can use a normal Cohort that is either of the Dragon type or the Dragonblooded subtype as a cohort three levels lower than its normal use. So Bard and Marshal are possible if you want.

For Followers you can snag leadership and extra followers and then get to level 10 as a Dread Pirate...
Radijs
10-05-07, 11:21 AM The normal rule is that the Dungeon Master builds the cohort you're getting. No DM would be so daft as to give someone who'se a natural follower a feat like Leadership.
Darth Sephiroth
10-05-07, 02:06 PM The normal rule is that the Dungeon Master builds the cohort you're getting. No DM would be so daft as to give someone who'se a natural follower a feat like Leadership.

I don't remember that being stated, every time I've played it's player made with one step down on the stat creation.
runestar
10-06-07, 02:27 AM The normal rule is that the Dungeon Master builds the cohort you're getting. No DM would be so daft as to give someone who'se a natural follower a feat like Leadership.

Really? I thought the general rule was that the person taking the leadership feat gets to decide on how his cohort is built?

Are Cohorts allowed to take Leadership?

I don't see anything in the rules which explicitly prohibits this.

Though just because you could do something doesn't necessarily mean you should.

This is one such scenario.;)
Enphenitie
10-07-07, 06:39 AM I decided screw it. Basically because this adventure isn't for any extended period of time, it won't run long, I'm just going to go by the rules in the Draconimicon to pay a dragon to serve me, I mean, I figure if I'm a divine crusader or justice or whatever, a Gold Dragon'll be glad to help me if the cause is righteous, and the money is there, also to further the cause... or something?

So basically I'll pay a dragon to be my buddy.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Enphenitie 10-04-07, 09:15 PM	I plan to use the leadership feat in a 21st level adventure to get a nice shiny cohort, but I don't know how to go about deciding if choosing X creature is balanced or not? I want to just go by CR, choosing a CR20 Buddy to join my crusades, but Epic Level Handbook's example powerful cohorts effective level are all higher than their CR.. I wouldn't know how to go about determining what a good ECL for a creature it's not listed for is.. So then there's the option to go by hit dice.. but then I feel like my companion is underpowered.. Maybe this should go in the CO Forums, but basically my question is - How does one determine the ECL of a powerful cohort? I really wanna go with basically any dragon, or a pheonix..
runestar 10-05-07, 03:43 AM	When you consider that a cohort does not leech xp from the party, it definitely makes sense to use ECL over cr, and it is still very powerful even then for the cost of 1 feat. What creature do you have in mind as a cohort?
Radijs 10-05-07, 04:16 AM	There's a nice table in the Draconomicon to determine the level of a dragon for your cohort. But a phoenix, well I don't know about that.
Darth Sephiroth 10-05-07, 04:37 AM	Depending upon your class you can get some pretty nice Cohorts. If you play a Scout take a glance at the Marshal class for the Grant Move Action ability. Also if you want an Uber Dragon grab the dragon cohort feat from the draconomicon and take a few levels in Dragon Lord (Basically amounts to a -6 to the requirements for a Dragon or Dragonblooded cohort). Heroes of Battle also has several awesome Leadership based feats. And the Land Lord feat from Stronghold Builders Guide has a nice benefit (Boosts your Leadership score by granting a base of operations and a place to start building yourself a nice fortress).
Avenger314 10-05-07, 09:22 AM	Are Cohorts allowed to take Leadership? Cuz this may be an intriguing idea of party support. A bard, with a dragon shaman, with a divine mind, with a Marshall... Those are a lot of bonuses added to the entire party.
Darth Sephiroth 10-05-07, 10:56 AM	I don't think that's legal to do, you'd end up with a swarm of people following you around pretty quickly. As it is there is a hand full of feats that grant Cohorts (Leadership, Dragon Cohort, Wild Cohort,...) as well as class abilities that can grant them or similar effects. And with Dragon Cohort I believe you can use a normal Cohort that is either of the Dragon type or the Dragonblooded subtype as a cohort three levels lower than its normal use. So Bard and Marshal are possible if you want. For Followers you can snag leadership and extra followers and then get to level 10 as a Dread Pirate...
Radijs 10-05-07, 11:21 AM	The normal rule is that the Dungeon Master builds the cohort you're getting. No DM would be so daft as to give someone who'se a natural follower a feat like Leadership.
Darth Sephiroth 10-05-07, 02:06 PM	The normal rule is that the Dungeon Master builds the cohort you're getting. No DM would be so daft as to give someone who'se a natural follower a feat like Leadership. I don't remember that being stated, every time I've played it's player made with one step down on the stat creation.
runestar 10-06-07, 02:27 AM	The normal rule is that the Dungeon Master builds the cohort you're getting. No DM would be so daft as to give someone who'se a natural follower a feat like Leadership. Really? I thought the general rule was that the person taking the leadership feat gets to decide on how his cohort is built? Are Cohorts allowed to take Leadership? I don't see anything in the rules which explicitly prohibits this. Though just because you could do something doesn't necessarily mean you should. This is one such scenario.;)
Enphenitie 10-07-07, 06:39 AM	I decided screw it. Basically because this adventure isn't for any extended period of time, it won't run long, I'm just going to go by the rules in the Draconimicon to pay a dragon to serve me, I mean, I figure if I'm a divine crusader or justice or whatever, a Gold Dragon'll be glad to help me if the cause is righteous, and the money is there, also to further the cause... or something? So basically I'll pay a dragon to be my buddy.