Cohorts of different feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cohorts of different feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Chrizzt
12-06-07, 12:07 PM Greetings my fellow players and DMs. My questions are the following:

1. Question

If I take Leadership, I get a cohort.
If I take Undead Leadership, I get a cohort too.

Since the Undead Leadership description contains the word "rather" (meaning: a undead cohort rather than a living one... or the like), does this mean you have to decide whether you want a living or an undead cohort?

2. Question

The Player Handbook II (or was it the Dungeon Masters Guide II?) contains the Master and Apprentice feats. If I become a Master and therefore my Apprentice becomes my cohort some time, is this cohort IN ADDITION to a possible cohort gained from Leadership?
LSMFT
12-06-07, 01:39 PM 1. Question

Since the Undead Leadership description contains the word "rather" (meaning: a undead cohort rather than a living one... or the like), does this mean you have to decide whether you want a living or an undead cohort?Yes. Of course, the whole point of this feat seems to be that you want undead followers and cohorts.

Basically, it is the Leadership feat. You can have undead followers and cohorts with regular Leadership, but with this version, you get around some of the ECL penalties you’d suffer under the core version

2. Question

The Player Handbook II (or was it the Dungeon Masters Guide II?) contains the Master and Apprentice feats. If I become a Master and therefore my Apprentice becomes my cohort some time, is this cohort IN ADDITION to a possible cohort gained from Leadership?There does not seem to be in any of the Leadership feats (Leadership, Undead Leadership, Draconic Leadership) any bar to having more than one cohort from different sources.

I don't know the feats you've specifically mentioned, but if they give you a cohort, and don't explicitly bar you from having another from a different source, you can get one.

As a house rule, I give a cumulative penalty to your leadership score for additional cohorts, similar to the one you'd get for having a familiar, special mount, or animal companion.

So if you had a cohort from an Apprentice, and then took Leadership, your score for that cohort would be at -2. If you then took Draconic Leadership, your score for the dragon cohort would be at -4.
Chrizzt
12-06-07, 03:56 PM I'm afraid I haven't made myself clear enough. I apologise.
I meant, what if I took BOTH leadership AND undead leadership.
Since the description of undead leadership contains the word "rather", I'm not so sure If you get both one living and one undead cohort. I'm pretty sure, concerning the followers, you'll get undead as well as living followers (though you have to include the quotet penalties for having both feats).
LSMFT
12-06-07, 05:05 PM You can take both Leadership and Undead Leadership.

Regular Leadership has rules for getting cohorts that are atypical, like undead ones. (See the DMG.)

You can chose to have a non-undead cohort with Undead Leadership, though it would seem like a poor choice.

If you take both, you can have an undead cohort for either, neither, or both feats.

Since the description of undead leadership contains the word "rather", I'm not so sure If you get both one living and one undead cohort.The Undead Leadership description reads: You attract followers and a cohort as if you had taken the Leadership feat....

If you choose to attract an undead cohort rather than a living cohort, you can attract an undead cohort with a maximum effective character level equal to two less than your ECL. It does not say you must have an undead cohort with this feat. It only gives rules regarding how to figure things if you do.

Therefore, the word "rather" only seems to apply to choices you make regarding cohorts you acquire with this feat, and as such, it has no bearing on choices you made regarding those obtained through other feats.
Darth Sephiroth
12-07-07, 02:36 AM You get a separate Cohort with each feat. However I'd apply the penalty for having a special ally to the leadership score for doing so.
Consul Vido
12-07-07, 10:00 AM I'm not sure about Undead Leadership, but the Leadership feat also penalizes your leadership score (by -2 I think) if you have an animal companion, familiar, etc. I would think that having another cohort would also incur this penalty.

I would add that I thought there WAS a ruling about only being able to have ONE cohort at a time. I could, however, be mistaken.
Chrizzt
12-07-07, 07:55 PM Thank you all for your help! I think finally I get it ; )

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Chrizzt 12-06-07, 12:07 PM	Greetings my fellow players and DMs. My questions are the following: 1. Question If I take Leadership, I get a cohort. If I take Undead Leadership, I get a cohort too. Since the Undead Leadership description contains the word "rather" (meaning: a undead cohort rather than a living one... or the like), does this mean you have to decide whether you want a living or an undead cohort? 2. Question The Player Handbook II (or was it the Dungeon Masters Guide II?) contains the Master and Apprentice feats. If I become a Master and therefore my Apprentice becomes my cohort some time, is this cohort IN ADDITION to a possible cohort gained from Leadership?
LSMFT 12-06-07, 01:39 PM	1. Question Since the Undead Leadership description contains the word "rather" (meaning: a undead cohort rather than a living one... or the like), does this mean you have to decide whether you want a living or an undead cohort?Yes. Of course, the whole point of this feat seems to be that you want undead followers and cohorts. Basically, it is the Leadership feat. You can have undead followers and cohorts with regular Leadership, but with this version, you get around some of the ECL penalties you’d suffer under the core version 2. Question The Player Handbook II (or was it the Dungeon Masters Guide II?) contains the Master and Apprentice feats. If I become a Master and therefore my Apprentice becomes my cohort some time, is this cohort IN ADDITION to a possible cohort gained from Leadership?There does not seem to be in any of the Leadership feats (Leadership, Undead Leadership, Draconic Leadership) any bar to having more than one cohort from different sources. I don't know the feats you've specifically mentioned, but if they give you a cohort, and don't explicitly bar you from having another from a different source, you can get one. As a house rule, I give a cumulative penalty to your leadership score for additional cohorts, similar to the one you'd get for having a familiar, special mount, or animal companion. So if you had a cohort from an Apprentice, and then took Leadership, your score for that cohort would be at -2. If you then took Draconic Leadership, your score for the dragon cohort would be at -4.
Chrizzt 12-06-07, 03:56 PM	I'm afraid I haven't made myself clear enough. I apologise. I meant, what if I took BOTH leadership AND undead leadership. Since the description of undead leadership contains the word "rather", I'm not so sure If you get both one living and one undead cohort. I'm pretty sure, concerning the followers, you'll get undead as well as living followers (though you have to include the quotet penalties for having both feats).
LSMFT 12-06-07, 05:05 PM	You can take both Leadership and Undead Leadership. Regular Leadership has rules for getting cohorts that are atypical, like undead ones. (See the DMG.) You can chose to have a non-undead cohort with Undead Leadership, though it would seem like a poor choice. If you take both, you can have an undead cohort for either, neither, or both feats. Since the description of undead leadership contains the word "rather", I'm not so sure If you get both one living and one undead cohort.The Undead Leadership description reads: You attract followers and a cohort as if you had taken the Leadership feat.... If you choose to attract an undead cohort rather than a living cohort, you can attract an undead cohort with a maximum effective character level equal to two less than your ECL. It does not say you must have an undead cohort with this feat. It only gives rules regarding how to figure things if you do. Therefore, the word "rather" only seems to apply to choices you make regarding cohorts you acquire with this feat, and as such, it has no bearing on choices you made regarding those obtained through other feats.
Darth Sephiroth 12-07-07, 02:36 AM	You get a separate Cohort with each feat. However I'd apply the penalty for having a special ally to the leadership score for doing so.
Consul Vido 12-07-07, 10:00 AM	I'm not sure about Undead Leadership, but the Leadership feat also penalizes your leadership score (by -2 I think) if you have an animal companion, familiar, etc. I would think that having another cohort would also incur this penalty. I would add that I thought there WAS a ruling about only being able to have ONE cohort at a time. I could, however, be mistaken.
Chrizzt 12-07-07, 07:55 PM	Thank you all for your help! I think finally I get it ; )