So how do you play cohorts, familiars and animal companions?

[lukelightning]

I allow cohorts, but they stay at home. It does make the Leadership feat less attractive.

Less attractive? It's virtually useless. It's like saying your Weapon Focus feat only applies to weapons that you aren't holding.

 

[XO]

I 2nd the Motion!

- Cohorts I would generally let the players run, with a caveat

That caveat being that the cohorts generally remain background characters. A cohort hangs around to provide support, whether that be through additional combat skills, spells, crafting abilities, whatever. I think it's great when cohorts have very distinct personalities, mannerisms, and so forth, but that should not be in disregard of the character's personality and "face time" in the game. In other words, I don't want a player sitting around having a conversation with himself.

Additional point: the cohort behaves as the player dictates until the DM finds the cohort may have conflicting interests or feels altogether differently...

"Slay the witch of Dunham Woods? Are you daft? She's Auntie Irma, she is!"

 

[lukelightning]

Additional point: the cohort behaves as the player dictates until the DM finds the cohort may have conflicting interests or feels altogether differently...

So basically the player spends a feat to have a ticking time bomb?

 

[DonTadow]

I don't see that as a compelling argument, since generally these secondary characters aren't role played at all. Or if so, just in a minor aside which doesn't detract from the game at all.

GM: You come to a fork in the road. Do you go left or right?
Cleric: My faith gives me a feeling that left is the way.
Fighter: Arrr! My dwarven bones tell me treasure is towards the right...in the mountains!
Rogue: Let's flip a coin! Left it is!
Wizard: Um, hey, Binky, which way looks better to your feline eyes? *meow meow meow* Left, you say? OK, I say left!

I doubt the other players feel that they are being cheated out of any role playing. Of course, not that the familiar doesn't really have a say in what happens, it's just an extension of the wizard.

I don't believe I've read an NPC (familiar, summon etc) description that says that hte player controls that NPC. I've read where the player commands an npc to do something, meaning the player must demonstrate some type of communication to that NPC. This is further enforced when you an NPCs abilities to communicate with the player are higher as they level. By allowing a player to play an NPC, (allowing him to play two characters) you're hand waiving away certain important abilities.

I"ve been, and talked to players who have been the victim of NPC overload. Initiatives take forever and interactions get drawn out extremely when the number of players go from 4 to 8 to 12. Suddenly a cool adventuring party of 3-5 turns into an armada of a dozen.

 

[el-remmen]

Additional point: the cohort behaves as the player dictates until the DM finds the cohort may have conflicting interests or feels altogether differently...

"Slay the witch of Dunham Woods? Are you daft? She's Auntie Irma, she is!"

Yep, that is how I handle it exactly.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

It's like saying your Weapon Focus feat only applies to weapons that you aren't holding.

That made me laugh.

But I agree. But Leadership is a great feat. Downright abusive if not checked by the DM. In game terms, that one feat grants you several levels in a new class. One feat gets you a personal healer and buffer, or a meat shield, or a magic item factory. Those are just two off the top of my head; I'm sure there have been some pretty creative uses of the cohort feat since its inception. So I think it's important that a DM monitor that somehow.

Granted, I've never actually seen this happen. Just theorizing. Plus, the level difference generally keeps one from getting too cocky with a cohort.

I just really don't want a player talking to herself for extended periods of time while everyone else watches. That's just creepy.

 

[lukelightning]

A combat takes just as long when the DM controls the cohort or animal companion or paladin mount or familiar as when the player does. In fact, letting the player control it will probably make the game go faster.

Moreover, a DM taking control of the cohort makes interactions go slower. Instead of just tagging along and obeying the PC, suddenly the players have to spend time interacting with or persuading the cohort.

 

[DonTadow]

That made me laugh.

But I agree. But Leadership is a great feat. Downright abusive if not checked by the DM. In game terms, that one feat grants you several levels in a new class. One feat gets you a personal healer and buffer, or a meat shield, or a magic item factory. Those are just two off the top of my head; I'm sure there have been some pretty creative uses of the cohort feat since its inception. So I think it's important that a DM monitor that somehow.

Granted, I've never actually seen this happen. Just theorizing. Plus, the level difference generally keeps one from getting too cocky with a cohort.

I just really don't want a player talking to herself for extended periods of time while everyone else watches. That's just creepy.

I've seen it happen far too much. For all the negatives of the feat it isn't worth it. It's around in my game, but heavily discouraged when considering hte other feats, as are familiars, companions and that blasted paladin's horse.

 

[el-remmen]

Moreover, a DM taking control of the cohort makes interactions go slower. Instead of just tagging along and obeying the PC, suddenly the players have to spend time interacting wiht or persuading the cohort.

Which is as fun to some folks (like my group) as interacting with any other NPC.

EDIT: If not more so, actually, as ostensibly there is a level of common interest and some kind of bond there

 

[thedungeondelver]

I've had endless fun in the current campaign with the intelligent swords (and intelligent mace) acquired by a couple of characters. The magic-user isn't very enthusiastic about familiars and therefore won't cast find familiar (something about permanently losing 4-24 hit points if the thing dies!)