D&D 3.x Creature Catalog 3.5 Overhaul Project

[Shade]

That would be the easiest solution.

From the Leadership feat:

"Cohort Level: The character can attract a cohort of up to this level. Regardless of a character’s Leadership score, he can only recruit a cohort who is two or more levels lower than himself. The cohort should be equipped with gear appropriate for its level. A character can try to attract a cohort of a particular race, class, and alignment. The cohort’s alignment may not be opposed to the leader’s alignment on either the law-vs-chaos or good-vs-evil axis, and the leader takes a Leadership penalty if he recruits a cohort of an alignment different from his own."

I've noticed some monsters have +x (cohort) on the LA line. So I'm now wondering...why the LA?

 

[BOZ]

i have no idea. my guess... the cohort gets XP too, and the LA helps determine its ECL, thus it gets an XP share.

 

[Shade]

That makes sense, and the MM's Monster Types and Abilities seems to agree:

Some creatures' level adjustment entries include the word "(cohort)." Although these creatures may be problematic as PCs, they make good companions for a character who has taken the Leadership feat. Some other creatures aren't intended for use as PCs or cohorts but can become companions through the use of the Improved Familiar feat. In these cases, the level adjustment entry is a dash followed by the words "(Improved Familiar)."

 

[BOZ]

so shall we give it a regular LA with the (cohort) thing on the end?

 

[Shade]

Sure. How about +8 (cohort)?

 

[BOZ]

how shall we modify our related text, then, eh?

Gods create lights to serve as familiars for very high-level worshippers. On very rare occasions, they also serve as companions for a specific quest. To request the help of a light, a worshipper must fast for three days and three nights, silently meditating in total solitude, bathing himself in holy water at the end of this meditation. If the ritual is done properly, the applicant's god will evaluate whether or not he is worthy. With less than one thousand lights in existence, each one cannot afford to stay with a single master for life.

 

[Shade]

The way I see it, a god may grant one as a cohort to a high-level worshiper with the Leadership feat. The ritual seems to be for anyone (Leadership feat or not) to request short-term assistance from a light angel. Is this how you read it?

 

[BOZ]

that's basically how i see it, yes. and though the term familiar is used, the concept doesn't seem to match any edition's definition of familiar since the relationship is not permanent, and is secondary to other familars: "If the subject already has a familiar, the light will not interfere with that relationship whatsoever."

 

[Shade]

In that case, how's this?

Gods create light angels to serve as cohorts for very high-level worshipers with the Leadership feat. On very rare occasions, they also serve as companions for a specific quest. To request the help of a light angel for such a quest, a worshiper must fast for three days and three nights, silently meditating in total solitude, bathing himself in holy water at the end of this meditation. If the ritual is done properly, the applicant's god will evaluate whether or not he is worthy. With less than one thousand lights in existence, each one cannot afford to stay with a single worshiper for long.

 

[BOZ]

works for me! updating once more...