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Keeping my Cohort alive

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
jack_of_all_trades_02
Apr 18, 2008 10:55:08 So my DM let me have the coolest cohort ever. I need him to survive. He's a strong heart halfling that gets trackless step instead of a bonus feat. He's also allowing me to use precocious apprentice to qualify for mystic theurge.

He's a Wizard1/Archivist3/Mystic Theurge6/Arcane Hierophant10
He's decked out with item creation feats (including rods) and persistent spell. My DM thought it was too powerful to have a cohort crafting stuff for me so he's requiring me to split the xp cost with him. I don't think he realizes it but this is the coolest thing ever. I was afraid that he'd fall too far behind me on levels, but not anymore.

I'm pretty happy with him he's only sacrificed one archivist caster level. I just don't want to lose him and he's pretty low on hp. What can I do to keep him going?
#2
ieniemienie
Apr 18, 2008 11:37:38 what are his stats?
What books are allowed?
At what level are you playing / when will the campaign end?

you might want to take a look at this

PS; that lvl 21 cohort is the most powerful ever, with the vast amount of spells he got, he can have immunity to everything using shapechange/veil of undeath/mindblank/energy immunity, etc
#3
jack_of_all_trades_02
Apr 18, 2008 14:59:31 Fair enough. I'm sorry for being vague. I can use all of the WoTC books from 3.5 and anything from 3.0 provided it hasn't been updated as long as its not impossible to convert. This campaign just got started and I haven't gotten my cohort yet. I will be getting him when my character turns 6 which will make him level 4 to start. I'm not entirely sure how long the campaign will go, but the other players and myself have challenged him to take us into the higher levels and maybe even epic.

I corrected the typo on my cohorts build but here he is anyway. His ability scores are completely flexible on a 1 to 1 basis so I can rearrange them if I need to.

Strongheart Halfling Wizard 1/Archivist 3/Mystic Theurge 6/Arcane Hierophant 10. Note he's using the UA feat to replace his familiar with an animal companion. Oh and practiced spellcaster qualifies me for whatever I need it to.

Str 10
Dex 18
Con 18
Int 19
Wis 10
Cha 10

His feats are as follows

Trackless Step (Racial Bonus, yes my Dungeon master rocks)
Mercantile Background (1st)
Improved Initiative (UA Wizard Variant)
Precocious Apprentice (Flaw)
Practiced Spellcaster: Wizard (Flaw)
Scribe Scroll (Archivist)
Craft Wondrous Item (3rd)
Craft Magical Arms & Armor (6th)
Extend Spell (9th)
Persistent Spell (12th)
Craft Rod (15th)
Improved Toughness (18th)

Now I guess I wasn't very specific when I asked you guys for advice, I didn't really need a full build criticism. I mostly wanted advice on spells, gear, and tricks to keep a sissy low leveled mage alive during the early levels. I considered not taking him until later levels but I'm trying to use him to optimize so If I want that constitution enhancing gear he's going to make for me effective I'm going to need him as early as possible. Oh and for the higher levels He's going to make persistent metamagic rods for me but probably nothing more than a lesser rod.

Anyway since he's pilled out all over the page. What do you think. I wasn't going for a second main character more of a sidekick/apprentice type. What should I change, what spells should I rely on, and what gear should I try to give him? Like I said I was really just trying to keep him alive through the early levels but I'm very open to some long term strategy.
#4
starchild426
Apr 18, 2008 16:58:26 OK as for advice on keeping a low lvl wizard alive...I can only offer what I have learned through my experiences. Keep him away from the main battles if possible. Allow him to fill the role of the buffer with his spells. If you have to have him fight, let another party member get the attention of whatever it is you are fighting before he unleashes anything to devastating. I took my last wizard from 1st to 16th before we had a party wipe in undermountain. The key is being smart with tactics, spell selection and having a good escape plan in case things go badly. Oh and never ever ever have him engage in a fight without taking the time to cast his own personal defense spells...I know from personal experience that though shield and mage armor may not get your armor class up to where your tanks are, they do help in keeping you from dying a lot on that confirmation roll for crits.
#5
phaedrusxy
Apr 18, 2008 18:54:25 Cohorts don't go above 17th level without an epic feat.
#6
ronyon
Apr 18, 2008 21:37:59 Halfling? Get him a familiar carrier!
#7
auxitius
Apr 19, 2008 6:18:05
Cohorts don't go above 17th level without an epic feat.

Or unless you take the Dragon Cohort feat from Draconomicon

Granted he wouldn't get anything like that build at all then :P

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jack_of_all_trades_02 Apr 18, 2008 10:55:08	So my DM let me have the coolest cohort ever. I need him to survive. He's a strong heart halfling that gets trackless step instead of a bonus feat. He's also allowing me to use precocious apprentice to qualify for mystic theurge. He's a Wizard1/Archivist3/Mystic Theurge6/Arcane Hierophant10 He's decked out with item creation feats (including rods) and persistent spell. My DM thought it was too powerful to have a cohort crafting stuff for me so he's requiring me to split the xp cost with him. I don't think he realizes it but this is the coolest thing ever. I was afraid that he'd fall too far behind me on levels, but not anymore. I'm pretty happy with him he's only sacrificed one archivist caster level. I just don't want to lose him and he's pretty low on hp. What can I do to keep him going?
#2 ieniemienie Apr 18, 2008 11:37:38	what are his stats? What books are allowed? At what level are you playing / when will the campaign end? you might want to take a look at this PS; that lvl 21 cohort is the most powerful ever, with the vast amount of spells he got, he can have immunity to everything using shapechange/veil of undeath/mindblank/energy immunity, etc
#3 jack_of_all_trades_02 Apr 18, 2008 14:59:31	Fair enough. I'm sorry for being vague. I can use all of the WoTC books from 3.5 and anything from 3.0 provided it hasn't been updated as long as its not impossible to convert. This campaign just got started and I haven't gotten my cohort yet. I will be getting him when my character turns 6 which will make him level 4 to start. I'm not entirely sure how long the campaign will go, but the other players and myself have challenged him to take us into the higher levels and maybe even epic. I corrected the typo on my cohorts build but here he is anyway. His ability scores are completely flexible on a 1 to 1 basis so I can rearrange them if I need to. Strongheart Halfling Wizard 1/Archivist 3/Mystic Theurge 6/Arcane Hierophant 10. Note he's using the UA feat to replace his familiar with an animal companion. Oh and practiced spellcaster qualifies me for whatever I need it to. Str 10 Dex 18 Con 18 Int 19 Wis 10 Cha 10 His feats are as follows Trackless Step (Racial Bonus, yes my Dungeon master rocks) Mercantile Background (1st) Improved Initiative (UA Wizard Variant) Precocious Apprentice (Flaw) Practiced Spellcaster: Wizard (Flaw) Scribe Scroll (Archivist) Craft Wondrous Item (3rd) Craft Magical Arms & Armor (6th) Extend Spell (9th) Persistent Spell (12th) Craft Rod (15th) Improved Toughness (18th) Now I guess I wasn't very specific when I asked you guys for advice, I didn't really need a full build criticism. I mostly wanted advice on spells, gear, and tricks to keep a sissy low leveled mage alive during the early levels. I considered not taking him until later levels but I'm trying to use him to optimize so If I want that constitution enhancing gear he's going to make for me effective I'm going to need him as early as possible. Oh and for the higher levels He's going to make persistent metamagic rods for me but probably nothing more than a lesser rod. Anyway since he's pilled out all over the page. What do you think. I wasn't going for a second main character more of a sidekick/apprentice type. What should I change, what spells should I rely on, and what gear should I try to give him? Like I said I was really just trying to keep him alive through the early levels but I'm very open to some long term strategy.
#4 starchild426 Apr 18, 2008 16:58:26	OK as for advice on keeping a low lvl wizard alive...I can only offer what I have learned through my experiences. Keep him away from the main battles if possible. Allow him to fill the role of the buffer with his spells. If you have to have him fight, let another party member get the attention of whatever it is you are fighting before he unleashes anything to devastating. I took my last wizard from 1st to 16th before we had a party wipe in undermountain. The key is being smart with tactics, spell selection and having a good escape plan in case things go badly. Oh and never ever ever have him engage in a fight without taking the time to cast his own personal defense spells...I know from personal experience that though shield and mage armor may not get your armor class up to where your tanks are, they do help in keeping you from dying a lot on that confirmation roll for crits.
#5 phaedrusxy Apr 18, 2008 18:54:25	Cohorts don't go above 17th level without an epic feat.
#6 ronyon Apr 18, 2008 21:37:59	Halfling? Get him a familiar carrier!
#7 auxitius Apr 19, 2008 6:18:05	Cohorts don't go above 17th level without an epic feat. Or unless you take the Dragon Cohort feat from Draconomicon Granted he wouldn't get anything like that build at all then :P