Cohort Idol

[takasi]

First of all, is anyone playing a cohort, and if so what are you playing?

Second, I want to run a little contest, American (Pop) Idol style. Post up to 3 cohorts using WotC D&D 3.5 rulebooks. Cohorts must use the non-elite array (13,12,11,10,9,8), must be posted as 4th level and can use 3300 starting gold. Cohorts may use as much xp as necessary for item creation.

If we get enough contestants we'll start a new thread where we can vote for each cohort.

Feel free to correct stats and comment on ideas appropriately (Idol style).

 

[takasi]

Contestant #1

Starleska takes on the role of the coistered cleric who can fit in as a wizard in a pinch.

Background Ascetic, Personality Seeker, Combat Role Problem Solver

Starleska
Female human archivist 4
Init -1; Senses Spot +0, Listen +0
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal
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AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14
hp 20 (4 HD)
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +4
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Spd 20 ft.
Melee dagger +1 (1d4-1 / 19-20)
Base Atk +2; Grp -1
Combat gear potion of fox's cunning, potion of expeditious retreat, wand of cure light wounds, scroll of enlarge person, scroll of detect secret doors, scroll of comprehend languages, scroll of locate object, scroll of detect thoughts
Atk Options Dark Knowledge (move action, range 60', duration 1 minute, 3/day, allies receive up to +3 circumstance bonus to hit creature type depending on knowledge roll)
Spells Prepared (CL 4th, +1 ranged touch)
2nd - fog cloud, silence
1st - 2 command, sanctuary
0 - 2 detect magic, light, read magic
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Abilities (non-elite) Str 8, Dex 9, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 11
SQ Still Mind (class, +2 saves vs enchantments), Lore Mastery (+2 decipher script, +2 on one knowledge skill)
Feats Scribe Scroll (class), Skill Focus (knowledge dungeoneering), Skill Focus (knowledge religion)
Skills Concentration 7/+8, Decipher Script 2/+6, Knowledge (arcana) 7/+9, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 7/+12, Knowledge (the planes) 7/+9, Knowledge (religion) 7/+14, Speak Language (Celestial) 1, Speak Language (Draconic) 1, Spellcraft 3/+5
Possessions (26/54/80; , heavy) combat gear, dagger, breastplate, prayerbook, standard adventurer's kit
Prayerbook (38 pages, spent 2000 gp for scrolls and scribing, total worth 3800) 2nd - cure moderate wounds, detect thoughts (350 gp), fog cloud (350 gp), identify (350 gp), invisibility (350 gp), lesser restoration, locate object (350 gp), silence, zone of truth; 1st - command, comprehend languages, cure light wounds, detect undead, detect secret doors (125 gp), enlarge person (125 gp), hide from undead, magic weapon, sanctuary; 0 - all cleric spells

 

[Wycen]

Your rules don't fit anything I might have as a follower. I am playing a Noble, from Green Ronin's Noble's Handbook, so right now I have a retinue of followers. A retinue is not the same as followers from the Leadership feat, which I'll get automatically next level.

So, I'm not playing a cohort currently, but I will be soon.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

Currently using a cohort. A Rogue/Chameleon. We needed a rogue in our group as the player of the last one had just retired his character and the Chameleon PrC helps fill any gap we may have from a misisng player.

No entry for the contest since a 4th level cohort couldn't get the PrC and thus there is no point for the character.

 

[Drowbane]

My hat of American Idol know no limit!

I'm a Poll Junkie!

I run a Cohort in our Shackled City game. Basicly he is a cleric / monk type.

 

[Sejs]

Yep, playing one. Actually, I'm playing the cohort of one of the other PCs.

The stats don't fit well with the guidelines given.

It's a 10th level game; the cohort itself is a medium-size 4hd (down from the normal 7hd) Mimic, Psychic Warrior (1). His only known power thus far is Expansion... so he can pretend to be bigger things.

Everybody loves Sticky the Mimic.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

My character's cohort is built using 25pt buy because she has pc class levels.

She's a nature cleric of Ehlonna with sun and plant domains. She serves communities and performs crop rituals daily. She's quite good at combatting plants and undead, but usually she casts protections on my main character and counterspells incoming magics.

Her stats and equipment aren't very special however she is 7th level.

 

[Wycen]

Yeah, I have to say I wouldn't bother with a cohort who had a non-elite array of abilities.

The real winner of Cohort Idol would have to be better than all the cattle who show up to get raked over the coals.

 

[takasi]

Yeah, I have to say I wouldn't bother with a cohort who had a non-elite array of abilities.

What does everyone else think?

Is Leadership not worth a feat slot if your cohort uses the non-elite array/

What point buy do you use in your campaign?

 

[Rystil Arden]

Cohorts are already two levels behind. If they also have worthless stats, they will simply die and eat up money and resources.

Across the games I've GMed, many of the characters have taken cohorts. However, I'd be surprised if you find anyone who actually already has a cohort that will fit exactly into your guidelines except you, just because they are rather restrictive. In my home game, I let the players roll stats for a cohort just like a normal player. Let's see what cohorts I can remember from different games:

Game 1: Wild Elf Barbarian/Paladin of Freedom has Neutral Good Silver Dragon cohort, Azer Cleric has Pixie Assassin cohort, High Elf Wizard has a (homebrewed Bard replacement) Troubadour cohort.

Game 2: Monk/Fighter/Iajutsu Master has a Monk cohort, Rogue/Paladin of Freedom/Spymaster has a Healer cohort, Shou Disciple/Ninja and other characters have no cohort.

Online: One of the characters in a LEW adventure I'm running has a 5th-level Cleric cohort.