Leadership Question

[Shane_Leahy]

One of my PCs has the leadership feat and for her cohort she chose a Cloistered Cleric that stays at her estate that runs the place for her and does research and crafts as needed. Now my question is how should I handle the leveling of the cohort. It is not out adventuring with the PCs but I do not want to punish the player for taking such a cohort. I am thinking of simply granting the cohort one level for every 2 that the player gains. It keeps the advancement slow but it is still there.

Thoughts?

 

[Bagpuss]

If the PC is just using the cohort to craft items (thus avoiding the XP cost) and it doesn't go adventuring if anything the cohorts level would effectively go down.

 

[pallandrome]

Well, not having the cleric with the party deprives the player of the massive usefulness of having a healbot on hand for pretty much any on-the-spot healing needed, so I'm not really sure what would be accomplished by depriving the cohort of levels. I'd just say that the cohort is having some small adventures around home, allowing him not to become gimped.

 

[Shane_Leahy]

Well I am not worried about experience because I am using an experience pool where the characters can provide the XP for items to be crafted.

As to the party not having the cleric, well there are 6 players, with a full cleric, dragon shaman and a paladin, there is very little need for other healing.

I am glad that my player did not want to bring the cohort there is enough characters as is.

 

[pallandrome]

Then why punish him for not bringing his cohort? No purpose is served by doing so, from the sound of it. In fact, all this would do, if give him a damn good reason to bring said cohort along, which you have stated would be against your preference. It's not going to break the game, since the cohort won't really be IN the game anyways, it'll make your player happy, it'll prevent the player from making the cohort tag along, in turn keeping YOU happy. You're the GM, make the cohort have dinky little adventures, "off screen" to keep him leveled up while the master is away.

That's my 2 cents. Don't spend it all in one place!

 

[Mistwell]

Just say that the cohort cleric is having to deal with a serious amount of political intrigue, house security against thieves, social encounters, and other things that provide experience while supporting/defending the home base.

Don't punish the player for using their cohort in a less optimal (but more RP appropriate) manner.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

Cohorts gain XP when the PC that recruited them gains XP. This XP is awarded to the cohort above and beyond that awarded to the party.

Cohorts can also gain XP by adventuring on their own, however their level is limited by the PC that recruited them.

The relevant rules are in the DMG IIRC under "leadership" and "XP awards".
I will have to find them as soon as I get My DMG back from a player of mine.