Cohorts - how do you handle them?

[silburnl]

So far I haven't seen this suggested WRT controlling/running cohorts so I will:

How about taking a leaf out Ars Magica's book, handling cohorts as companions and giving them as a secondary character to someone else in the group?

By the same logic, followers could be treated like grogs and used as a shared party resource as and when they need to come centre stage.

Regards
Luke

 

[Brown Jenkin]

So far I haven't seen this suggested WRT controlling/running cohorts so I will:

How about taking a leaf out Ars Magica's book, handling cohorts as companions and giving them as a secondary character to someone else in the group?

By the same logic, followers could be treated like grogs and used as a shared party resource as and when they need to come centre stage.

Regards
Luke

I would be opposed to giving the Cohort to someone else in the group. If you take a feat why would the benefits of that feat go to someone else. The biggest fear I have with this approach is that the second person controling the character now has the possibility of using that second character for thier personal benefit instread of for the benefit of the person who took it. You have essensially given the cohort to the second player instead of the first who wanted it. And if people are capable of running two independent characters why is the character given to someone else. No, I personally feel that the Cohort should be either under the control of the person who took the feat or the DM.

As for followers, they should never be out adventuring. They are exceedingly fragile compared to the players and dragging your followers out to death with only harm your leadership score. Let them stay back in town/base and run day to day operations like they should.

 

[rushlight]

My current rule on cohorts is: No cohorts.

IMC, I have 2 players at 20th level, and 2 at 19th level, with a 5th 19th level player possibly joining soon. The last thing they need is a horde of characters several levels lower running around causing me headaches.

One player does have the Leadership feat however, and it is used to recurit and maintain a standing army. This is more story-based in function however, and probably won't have a direct game-related effect.

 

[Arnwyn]

How can that possibly work? It won't be very long before the cohort is the same level as the PC's...

"Won't be very long"? *shrug* Beats me - I've never seen it happen. And if it does happen, so what? I know my players would appreciate a cohort of that high level who earned his/her XP. Works for my campaign.

 

[dagger]

What does the player have access to, full stats of the cohort, or something less?

The players usually make the cohort and completely control them (in and out of combat). That is for PC made cohorts. For NPCs in the game that players through role-playing managed to pick up with the leadership feat, the player still control them, but the DM has veto power on the cohorts actions.


What about character creation for the cohort? Do you use the same rules as PC creation, or something else? Who creates the cohort, DM, player, or a joint effort?

Same rules as PC's for PC made cohorts. NPC cohorts that the players have picked up through role playing are usually a little better or more unique.

How much control does the player have over the cohort, and when? From what I hear, many games just allow the player full control over the cohort, like a second player character. We will almost certainly go with something less than this, but the question is how much less.

see above. Usually full control.

How are XP and treasure rewards handled/divided (especially if other than per the DMG)? Are the new XP rules for cohorts working out, or are you using something else?

We use a different system. When the PC levels, he levels the cohort as well. Also the cohort must always be at least one level behind the PC. As far as treasure is concerned, it is up to the PC to give the cohort treasure. Sometimes, they get items the party deems it is necessary or helpful for them to have.

Especially concerning treasure, it seems like other players may get the feeling the the presence of a cohort takes away some of the party's treasure, almost like the player with the cohort is double-dipping. Any problems in this area?

see above.

What works and what doesn't -- DMing technique stuff, rather than rules judgments. What do you like about the system you use, and how would you change it?

We don't like to have all 5 players at the table have cohorts because it really bogs down combat, especially after 16th level. For the most part people pick up cohorts for roleplaying reasons or to vill a void in the party (lack of a rogue for instance), so we like the system.

 

[Norfleet]

I generally would go the old edition route and have the player run the cohort, with the DM overruling as needed, just like the old pre-3E henchmen system. I don't generally concern myself with issues of "treasure" or whatnot: In fact, it was only recently that I discovered people actually quibbled about this sort of thing, whereas we had always simply treated it as "the equipment" and distributed it in terms of maximum deployment bandwidth: Who should wield the items in order to deploy as many of them into effective service as possible?

One of the other unseen benefits of cohorts is that, if you get the player used to running them, they make a VERY quick replacement PC for when the original PC buys the farm: When a PC's main character buys it, I simply let him continue by adopting the former cohort as his new character. Please note that I said "when", not "if". In my campaigns, barring retirement, people engaged in hazardous occupations such as "adventuring" tend not to die peacefully, unless they retire while they're ahead: Either way, when the primary PC is removed from play for whatever reason, the cohort can be used instead.

 

[diaglo]

bumping this thread for JoeBlank

our next session is March 13th.

and Joe is very close to reaching level 12. so a new feat is in the offing.

he mentioned going leadership.

 

[Darmanicus]

Our DM let us create, equip and role-play characters.

We then proceeded to butcher most of them and loot their bodies and sold the survivors into slavery to earn us a steady income.

The paladin and sorcerer really made a mint outta this feat and the amount of cohorts their high charisma's got them.

 

[Insight]

I like the idea of Cohorts... in a small group. The number of Player Characters already in the group makes a difference in whether or not a Cohort make sense. Remember that the WOTC dictate says all parties must be 4 characters, so if you are really stretching the bounds (or even doubling the number of character to 8 or more), it becomes a balance issue. I realize that the Cohort is at most 2 levels lower than their controlling PC, but still... another set of actions, hp, saves, bab, etc, it still another set.

What I would like to see Cohorts be is like a contact, an NPC that is loyal to the character and provides assistance in areas where the character lacks skills or resources. I don't really see the need to have Cohorts be just like the PCs in all things, because that makes Cohorts more powerful than just about any other Feat in the rules. If you wouldn't let the Players have 2 PCs each, why would you let them have a Cohort they can fully control all the time? Isn't it the same thing?

 

[Voadam]

• What does the player have access to, full stats of the cohort, or something less?.

• 
  
  Full stats, just like animal companions and familiars
  
  

  [*]What about character creation for the cohort? Do you use the same rules as PC creation, or something else? Who creates the cohort, DM, player, or a joint effort?

  
  DM control of the loyal companion, just like animal companions and familiars.
  
  

  [*]How much control does the player have over the cohort, and when? From what I hear, many games just allow the player full control over the cohort, like a second player character. We will almost certainly go with something less than this, but the question is how much less.

  
  They are loyal servitors which we have built up in game reasons for them to be loyal and have an existing relationship (rescued former slaves, temple personnel, etc.)
  
  

  [*]How are XP and treasure rewards handled/divided (especially if other than per the DMG)? Are the new XP rules for cohorts working out, or are you using something else?
  [*]Especially concerning treasure, it seems like other players may get the feeling the the presence of a cohort takes away some of the party's treasure, almost like the player with the cohort is double-dipping. Any problems in this area?

  
  XP per 3.5 no cost to cohort presence (same as familiar and companion and summoned critters)
  
  Loot is as PCs adjudicate and depends on circumstances, usually full share to people sharing risks.
  
  

  [*]What works and what doesn't -- DMing technique stuff, rather than rules judgments. What do you like about the system you use, and how would you change it?

Thanks for your input.

They are NPCs, usually loyal helpful ones but NPCs, we treat them like familiars and paladin warhorses and animal companions, all run by the DM but PCs find out there capabilities and have a good relationship with them. Keep D&D a first person perspective for the players and keep them immersed in their roles, I say. Has worked for us.