Cohorts & Hench-people in PFRPG

[malkav666]

Reference: (Leadership feat PRD) Feats

One of my players has mentioned to me in advance that they would like to have a cohort in a game I am running. They wanted to bounce some ideas off of me and find out my general stance on the issue, as some of the DMs in our gaming circles don't allow for travel along henchpersons in their games.

I a review of the rules for the leadership feat I noticed that cohorts do not get a share of the exp. Leadership is largely unchanged from 3.x (The only tyhing that seemed different at a casual glance was that PFRPG specifies that cohorts are given gear as NPCs, which is better then not getting any starting money at all for DMs who played it that way, and much less that getting starting money for a PC of that level), but my players don't typically ask to use the feat.

But this player wants to use the feat to get a paladin cohort to accompany his celric, and protect him in battle. The issue that comes immediately to mind has to due with balancing the encounters without inflating the exp awards.

With another NPC banging on the monsters it makes encounters of the appropriate level a good deal easier. But if I buff the encounters the PCs wil advance faster than I intended as the the cohort is not awards an actual share of the EXP.

I could think of a few simple house rules tro alleivate the problem like:

1. Bump the ECL up a point or two but leave the reward as an ECL of the original level.

2. Leave the ECL the same but give the monsters an HP increase.


But I am not sure that those are the best options. I will likely try it out unadjusted and see if it turns all of the encounters into cakewalks before I make up my mind. I don't really want to tell the player that they cannot have this cohort as it fits in to the game story and the characters concept very well. But I also want to make sure that play remains challenging and fun.

So I guess my discussion topics are:

1. Any of you folks that are using henchpersons and leadership. Do you use house rules to modify the experience point system when dealing with cohorts?

2. Are there any other areas of play that you find complicated by cohorts, if so how are you/would you deal(ing) with them?

I am just looking for some feedback from DMs who have run games with players using the system in full effect before I make a ruling for my player.

love,

malkav

 

[Papa-DRB]

Don't forget that a cohort must be at least 2 levels lower so the paladin, while protecting the cleric, may not last as long as a 'normal' level character.

And I have run games with a player having a cohort (DnD 3.5) and it was not a big factor as long as the cohort was not a primary spellcaster, ie. I would not let a cohort be the party's only wizard, etc.

-- david
Papa.DRB

 

[kitsune9]

I allow cohorts, hirelings, experts, and mercenaries in my game. I already got two players stating that they want cohorts at 7th level.

I have my own rules for mercs, experts, and hirelings, but haven't made any decision in terms of encounter management and all that when the PC's bring in the cohorts. I'm thinking I'll probably have monsters slightly more advanced in their HD to deal with the 9+ character party that I'll have.

 

[Belen]

We always played it so that a cohort was always two levels below the party. It was easy that way.

 

[Volaran]

One of our players has had a fighter cohort since we converted from the Beta to the final version of Pathfinder.

I have not had to adjust any of the encounters thus far. The cohort is useful, but they do spend party funds to equip him, etc. so they are spreading their resources thinner.

 

[pawsplay]

Leadership is a feat. You should no more worry about encounter XP for a cohort than you should for Weapon Focus or being able to cast a fireball, or as might be more intuitive, for having an animal companion or using a summon monster spell.