Poll: Do you allow special cohort?

[abri]

Following the "what do you allow?" serie.
IMC, I've had few PC with the leadership feat, so haven't seen any abuse. Even allowed a monk to have a wyrmling black dragon (Ps: IMC dragon don't have fixed alignement)...
As a player though, I often takes the leadership feat and have been known to have weird cohort with pages of background: a succubus (for NE fighter), a fang dragon ( for NG psion), a song dragon ( for N with G tendency Psy warrior), and an awakened dire wolf with barbarian level (for a NG barbarian)
So what do YOU allow in your campaign?

 

[Berandor]

I voted for:
Only if it is common for the class (ie, Paladin dragon-rider...)

However, it would be more fitting if it said: if it is suitable for the character.

I wouldn't just allow everything, hands down - but if it fits for the character, I'm fine with it.

Berandor

 

[Victim]

It seems to me that the leadership levels required for most odd things, along with their more limited advancement, make special cohorts inferior to standard ones.

 

[Vaxalon]

True, victim, but how many cohorts can carry you around on their back all day long?

I love the idea of having flying mounts and if I'm ever a player I'm going to go in that direction.

 

[Rackhir]

It depends on what is permitted as a special cohort. Dragons being the most likely to be abused special cohort. Most of the others are useful, but lack the potential for abuse that a normal cohort can have and generally are weaker than characters of the same Cohort Level.

I have a character that just got a griffon as a cohort, which is great (high mobility, decent senses, moderately tough), but there are a lot of limitations. Doesn't fit well into most dungeons, relatively limited combat potential (vs a 9th lv character cohort), lack of communicative ability... etc...

Compare that for example with the things a 9th lv cleric or wiz/sorc could do for you (buffs out to wazoo, heals on call, fireballs on demand...). A wiz/sorc or cleric is clearly pound for pound far more powerful as a cohort than any of the special cohorts are with the possible exception of a dragon.

I think the best thing to keep in mind when trying to make a decision is

How badly can this creature be abused?

Players with a half an ounce of wit can always come up with a good reason/explanation for why they have a huge ancient dragon as their cohort. Ultimately, you have to just look at "Can this thing fit in without distorting everything else?"

 

[abri]

It depends on what is permitted as a special cohort. Dragons being the most likely to be abused special cohort. Most of the others are useful, but lack the potential for abuse that a normal cohort can have and generally are weaker than characters of the same Cohort Level.

I have a character that just got a griffon as a cohort, which is great (high mobility, decent senses, moderately tough), but there are a lot of limitations. Doesn't fit well into most dungeons, relatively limited combat potential (vs a 9th lv character cohort), lack of communicative ability... etc...

Compare that for example with the things a 9th lv cleric or wiz/sorc could do for you (buffs out to wazoo, heals on call, fireballs on demand...). A wiz/sorc or cleric is clearly pound for pound far more powerful as a cohort than any of the special cohorts are with the possible exception of a dragon.

I think the best thing to keep in mind when trying to make a decision is

How badly can this creature be abused?

Players with a half an ounce of wit can always come up with a good reason/explanation for why they have a huge ancient dragon as their cohort. Ultimately, you have to just look at "Can this thing fit in without distorting everything else?"

I agree with you: taking a special cohort actually gives you less power than a normal one.
Actually even dragons: a young green dragon is equivalent to L9, and even at high level (15-17) you can only get young adult metallic dragons. At these level a L14-16 cleric is going to help you a lot more.
What I've found is that a lot of DM (but not the one I play with ) won't allow most special cohort: they believe that they scare normal people away and as such could cause major problem in some campaign. I've never thought of it as a problem in my campaign (illusion spells, polymorph...), just needed some planning.
Surprisingly, I have yet to find a DM that doesn't allow dragon cohort!

 

[MythandLore]

I allow pretty much anything as long as the ECL is ok.