What's a good, unobtrusive cohort?

[0-hr]

I'm making a 6th level gnomish wizard and am looking for a cohort that can either serve as a mount (like a Blink Dog) or sort of like a familiar (like a Pseudo Dragon). Basically, I want a companion with some class abilities but I don't want to role play two characters or even have another humanoid person tagging along with the group.

Ideally, I'd like to find something with very few HD or ECL so that it can take class levels (currently, the cohort can't be over 4th level).

Any suggestions would be much appreciated (and sorry if this is a repost; I thought I had posted but then could not find the threat).

 

[DarkJester]

You said yourself Pseudodragon. I think that would make a fairly unobtrusive cohort. More talkative include the Grig and Nixie, they'd make fairly decent portable spellcasters.

And there is something to be said about a mute grimlock barbarian for a cohort.
Wizard "Be my friend" ...
Grimlock: <throaty "Mmm Hmm">

 

[Darklone]

An awakened horse taking cleric or bard levels. Lucky Luke anyone?

 

[frankthedm]

An awakened horse taking cleric or bard levels. Lucky Luke anyone?

Awaken adds more HD, the OP only has 4 levels to work with.

A human healer is a popular cohort to atract.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

you want a ninja. They never talk, and they hide all the time so they dont get in your way.

 

[Three_Haligonians]

An awakened horse taking cleric or bard levels. Lucky Luke anyone?

Make it a fighter or a ranger and you can have 3030!

On a more serious note, you could play up the Gnomish affinity for burrowing animals and get yourself a badger or something. Possibly even using the rules on the WoTC website for Wild cohorts.

J from Three Haligonians

 

[Shazman]

Maybe a non-evil worg or an awakened wolf.

 

[0-hr]

I was looking at Pseudo Dragon or Blink Dog but both have so many HD+ECL that there isn't much room left for class levels. I'm surprised that there isn't some ECL +0 or +1 race out there that is tiny. With all the books put out, I figured there had to be something along those lines. Pixie would work well except all the special abiltiies drive the ECL up too high.

Maybe just a runt kobold....

 

[Wolfwood2]

I'm making a 6th level gnomish wizard and am looking for a cohort that can either serve as a mount (like a Blink Dog) or sort of like a familiar (like a Pseudo Dragon). Basically, I want a companion with some class abilities but I don't want to role play two characters or even have another humanoid person tagging along with the group.

Then maybe Improved Familiar is really more your speed. That would give you a creature who's basically an extension of your character, and I'm sure you could qualify for something that could serve as a mount.

That wouldn't give you class abilities, but... basically, what you are asking for is something that the game should not give you and the DM should not allow you to have. Leadership is a very powerful feat, so powerful that cohorts are discussed separately in the DMG.

It is supposed to be balanced by the fact that "you have to roleplay two characters". Or more accurately, by the fact the cohort (while loyal) is an NPC not fully under your control and should be portrayed by the DM as having his own interests and needs.

Leadership should not be used as a way to get an extra package of class abilities that will ride quietly underneath you and do what you want while not incoveniencing you in any other ways.

(Unless being used by a Fighter to get a cohort Mount, because we have to take pity on the poor fighter there.)

 

[0-hr]

That's a good point, and my research into finding a cohort along those lines is certainly bearing out your theory (since there don't seem to be any little cohorts without big ECLs). I haven't ever used the Leadership feat before but we're running with a 4 person group through some tough material so it seemed like something worth looking into.