Defenders of the Faith includes (IMO nifty) rules for Paladins to take the Leadership feat, and have an unusualmount as both their cohort and their special "bonded" mount. Dragons included.
I have an idea for an epic Blackguard ... which involves using those rules for the Blackguard's Fiendish Servant (which can include a horse to serve as their steed).
What do you think would be the response to desiring an evil dragon as his Fiendish Servant, provided the Dragon also filled the Cohort slot gained with LEadership (and Epic Leadership to boot) ... ?
At present, the character is ECL 25, a Half-Fiend Drow Blackguard (20) (the old "paladin flush" trick). I want the mount to be an Adult Blue Dragon, with a level or two of fighter.
The character has a +4 Charisma modifier, and a base leadership score of 24. The Great Power and Great Prestige modifiers are +2 and +1; a -1 penalty for a reputation of cruelty (he is a Blackguard after all), gives a net of 25. The -2 for having a familiar, animal companion, etc seems ... irrelevant, if the cohort is that familiar/etc. This would permit, IIRC, a 19th level cohort.
Adult blue dragons are the equivalent, in teh DotF list, of 17th level cohorts. 2 levels of fighter on top of that makes for a 19th level cohort (one level below the Blackguard's, conveniently enough).
Given this as a PC (aligned LE) in an epic camapign, aside from issues with him being an evil bastard, what response would you expect form a GM to that arrangement WRT the Chort-as-Fiendish-Servant idea?
Personally I find it a neat concept at least ... I don't expect it to be overpowered (even the dragon's 12d8 breath weapon -- with a 25-ish DC -- is -piddly- for an epic campaign, IMO ...). As a GM, I'd approve of it, somewhat provisionally (IOW, "sure, unless it proves to screw teh whole campaign over, then we'll have to talk it over again ...").
What about you folks?
...
And in the meantime, is anyone interested in an ECL 25 or ECL 30 "mini-Smackdown" of sorts, just for kicks?
I have a great human fighter (ECL25, no racial templates involved), which I'd take against pretty much any ECL 25 character ... though spellcasters would warrant extra caution ... 
I have an idea for an epic Blackguard ... which involves using those rules for the Blackguard's Fiendish Servant (which can include a horse to serve as their steed).
What do you think would be the response to desiring an evil dragon as his Fiendish Servant, provided the Dragon also filled the Cohort slot gained with LEadership (and Epic Leadership to boot) ... ?
At present, the character is ECL 25, a Half-Fiend Drow Blackguard (20) (the old "paladin flush" trick). I want the mount to be an Adult Blue Dragon, with a level or two of fighter.
The character has a +4 Charisma modifier, and a base leadership score of 24. The Great Power and Great Prestige modifiers are +2 and +1; a -1 penalty for a reputation of cruelty (he is a Blackguard after all), gives a net of 25. The -2 for having a familiar, animal companion, etc seems ... irrelevant, if the cohort is that familiar/etc. This would permit, IIRC, a 19th level cohort.
Adult blue dragons are the equivalent, in teh DotF list, of 17th level cohorts. 2 levels of fighter on top of that makes for a 19th level cohort (one level below the Blackguard's, conveniently enough).
Given this as a PC (aligned LE) in an epic camapign, aside from issues with him being an evil bastard, what response would you expect form a GM to that arrangement WRT the Chort-as-Fiendish-Servant idea?
Personally I find it a neat concept at least ... I don't expect it to be overpowered (even the dragon's 12d8 breath weapon -- with a 25-ish DC -- is -piddly- for an epic campaign, IMO ...). As a GM, I'd approve of it, somewhat provisionally (IOW, "sure, unless it proves to screw teh whole campaign over, then we'll have to talk it over again ...").
What about you folks?
...
And in the meantime, is anyone interested in an ECL 25 or ECL 30 "mini-Smackdown" of sorts, just for kicks?

