Pathfinder Player Companion: Cohorts & Companions (PFRPG)

3.80/5 (based on 4 ratings)
Pathfinder Player Companion: Cohorts & Companions (PFRPG)
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Prepare for your adventures to get twice as exciting with Pathfinder Player Companion: Cohorts and Companions! Double the daring and fun with all-new rules for turning your adventurer into part of a dynamic duo. Whether you’re growing a towering treant to serve as your monstrous cohort or organizing a grand heist with your fellow thieves, Cohorts and Companions gives you the rules you need! New options allow you to make the most of your allies, or even make your allies from scratch! From binding outsiders to winning over artist patrons, this volume has cohorts ideal for any character concept.

Inside this book, you’ll find:

  • Character options to help class abilities benefit from a cohort’s assistance, from bardic harmonies to ally-oriented rogue talents.
  • Multiple new ways to gain and use cohorts, including using magical beasts to serve as animal companions, conscripting teams of low-level recruits, and using magic items as cohorts.
  • New archetypes that allow characters to focus on their cohorts, such as the esquire for cavaliers, construct rider for alchemists, and instructor for wizards.
  • Tables arranged by theme listing dozens of new monster cohorts of many different creature types, along with their effective cohort levels.
  • New campaign-focused rules allowing you to secretly recruit teams of criminals during downtime, win the love of enthusiasts of the arts, and arrange for contingency services!

This Pathfinder Player Companion is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder campaign setting, but can easily be incorporated into any fantasy world.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-734-5

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
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3.80/5 (based on 4 ratings)

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Nice breadth of options

4/5

Read my full review on Of Dice and Pen.

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with the Leadership feat. It’s a feat that requires some careful adjudication, but it’s also one that can add an interesting dynamic to the game. Overall, Cohorts and Companions does a good job expanding the options for cohorts without exacerbating the more difficult parts of Leadership (it’s already potentially one of the most powerful feats in the game). The best part of Cohorts and Companions, however, is that it provides so many non-Leadership-based options that increase the way PCs can gain allies. I’m often wary of Player Companion books these days (indeed, I ended my subscription to them quite some time ago and don’t have any of the ones from the last couple years) because they add so many options that just go unused and forgotten. However, I see potential for Cohorts and Companions to see more use than many do, which definitely makes the book worth having.


Average

4/5

As suggested by the name, this book introduces several feats, and archetypes that expands on the leadership concept. Not likely to show any promise in PFS games, EXCEPT FOR THE BEST CHANNELLING FEAT SINCE SElECTIVE CHANNELLING; but for homegames I expect that this can provide a way to improve the world's economy, or allow options to players to play in small er groups.


A grudging three stars...

3/5

This book has little to offer anyone who already gets to play at tables or settings with that allow leadership. 3.5 and third party material provide far more than what's found here and there's very little that's new or innovative. Unfortunately, a lot of it is necessary catch-up, such as providing a mechanical means of allowing a paladin to get a pegasus, or a druid to bond with a worg or winter wolf, an ability already suggested in the 3.5 core rulebook and often awarded during play, but not captured in terms of game mechanics. Also, the title is somewhat... obfuscating; "companions" in this book often refers to your fellow players as often as it does hirelings or cohorts, and much of it is devoted to what essentially amount to teamwork feats/traits/abilities.

There are a couple real high points, with some very unique archetypes that stand head and shoulders above the crowd, like a wizard that takes an apprentice, and alchemist construct-mounts. The book does expand on hirelings a bit more for nature-lovers as well, adding mechanics for growing plant allies.

As a whole it makes a very valiant effort to include something for almost every player or class, and like I said there are some high points. It still lags behind much of the other material out there, but it's a fair investment for a Pathfinder-only table.


Creative but expected more

4/5

When I first saw the summery, I was really excited and as a whole the book has validated my hopes but it has also dashed some of them in regard to society play.

For home games, this book is great and has some nice creative uses for companions.

The construct rider cannot pick anything but horses and other traditional quadrepeds as a mount, wich ruins my dream of a gnome with a power loader but that is beside the point.

If you are looking for some unique oppertunities for your characters, look no further.


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Announced! Cover image and description are not final and subject to change.


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Really looking forward to this book. Henchman and cohorts have always been one of my favorite part of D&D since I started back in the 90s.


Sweet, I am a huge fan of Leadership, Followers and Cohorts! I am really looking forward to this book. Hopefully it will continue the Bestiary entries for Monstrous Cohorts, etc.


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Will this also include some expansion of the Organization rules from Ultimate Campaign?

Scarab Sages Modules Overlord

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Swashbucklersdc wrote:
Sweet, I am a huge fan of Leadership, Followers and Cohorts! I am really looking forward to this book. Hopefully it will continue the Bestiary entries for Monstrous Cohorts, etc.

That's absolutely something we're looking at.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I realize it's just a placeholder cover, but the image there seems to present an altogether different meaning to the phrase "Cohorts and Companions" than I think is intended. :p

(Silly observations aside, this looks like it could be interesting. I wonder if there will be feats like the Squire from Knights of the Inner Sea?)


Owen K.C. Stephens wrote:
That's absolutely something we're looking at.

Awesome! Thanks Owen!

Another subject that is extremely popular on the boards is awakening an Animal Companion for use as a Cohort. Will the DT be covering this subject also?


Might have to get this one! And I hope they keep the artwork it looks appropriate for book :)


Adding to my previous post, the subject was touched upon in the Animal Archive (as far as Awakening an Animal Companion works, how the animal would react, etc.) Perhaps the DT could go from there and elaborate on that work further and make the now Awakened AC a Cohort.

Scarab Sages Modules Overlord

I'd love to tackle that - and I'm not sure we'll have room. I'd rather leave it for another book than do an unsatisfying job because of space restrictions.


This looks amazing. I've always had a thing for the goddess Brigh and atomotons in general.


Owen K.C. Stephens wrote:
I'd love to tackle that - and I'm not sure we'll have room. I'd rather leave it for another book than do an unsatisfying job because of space restrictions.

I totally agree with that Owen! Good to see it's on the radar though! I am really looking forward to seeing this product and know you will do an awesome job.


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Mythic familiar-cohorts and companion-cohorts! More companion and cohort archetypes! Please!


This might end up being a rather controversial book, or at least not an applicable one. Leadership is despised and discouraged by a lot of GMs.


I know are gaming group no longer allows it. Still sounds interesting to me though.


This is interesting, but it does run into the issue of leadership not being a popular feat with a lot of GMs. Not to mention it is completely disallowed in PFS. That said I do enjoy playing with a friendly animal companion.

Also as an aside the place holder image is cool, but I imagine most player characters walking into a place where the serving people are dressed like demons would get a quick splash of holy water. To be fair if they were dressed like angels I imagine something similiar would occur.


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Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:
Swashbucklersdc wrote:
Sweet, I am a huge fan of Leadership, Followers and Cohorts! I am really looking forward to this book. Hopefully it will continue the Bestiary entries for Monstrous Cohorts, etc.
That's absolutely something we're looking at.

Good news about yet another book that I simply Have To Get.

Hopefully there will also be some information on feats like Squire from Knights of the Inner Sea and Torchbearer from Dungeoneer's Handbook. Maybe we can get Apprentices for arcane casters and Acolytes for divine ones?


Ah, memories of the Golden Goblin and Vancaskerkin's "Cheat the Devil and steal his gold" gambling tournament!

Yes, I know that it's only a place-holder image, but the nostalgia overcame me nonetheless. :)


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A Monstrous Mount feat revised would also be in order. Flying mounts should be able to fly at full speed. Monstrous cohorts and flying companions are, after all.

Sovereign Court

Eric Hinkle wrote:
Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:
Swashbucklersdc wrote:
Sweet, I am a huge fan of Leadership, Followers and Cohorts! I am really looking forward to this book. Hopefully it will continue the Bestiary entries for Monstrous Cohorts, etc.
That's absolutely something we're looking at.

Good news about yet another book that I simply Have To Get.

Hopefully there will also be some information on feats like Squire from Knights of the Inner Sea and Torchbearer from Dungeoneer's Handbook. Maybe we can get Apprentices for arcane casters and Acolytes for divine ones?

+1

(It would really be nice to no longer homebrew the 'squire' into an apprentice anymore!)

Cohorts are neat and all... but for me, they never adequately filled the niche of an apprentice role (ex: someone you are training, in return for aid with menial tasks).


Bardess wrote:
A Monstrous Mount feat revised would also be in order. Flying mounts should be able to fly at full speed. Monstrous cohorts and flying companions are, after all.

+1

I fully agree with this, but unfortunately don't think it will happen. As ISC was a very recent book, an update so close is probably not going to happen.

Realistically, even if they folded Monstrous Mount and Monstrous Mount Mastery into one feat (that scales to fly at 7th level) it would be better. This is what I would do in my homebrew, but it's always good to have an official adjustment.


I'm guessing (hoping!) there will be some more Teamwork feats in this one. Some more casting-related teamwork feats (casting supporting casting and casting supporting melee/melee casting) in particular would be cool!


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Maybe we'll finally get a feat that will allow a PC to gain a Cohort without all those pesky followers to look after.

Grand Lodge

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Looks good. Perhaps it will add some rules about Leadership and mass combat rules.


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Cthulhudrew wrote:

I realize it's just a placeholder cover, but the image there seems to present an altogether different meaning to the phrase "Cohorts and Companions" than I think is intended. :p

Ha ha ha, true... and the outcries from the 'Feminists', Moral Guardians, etc...

Berselius wrote:
Maybe we'll finally get a feat that will allow a PC to gain a Cohort without all those pesky followers to look after.

That too.


For people who already have the Leadership Handbook, what, if anything, will this offer?


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

the blurb mentions "summoning guardian angels" - does that mean this book will also cover eidolons?


Timothy Ferdinand wrote:
the blurb mentions "summoning guardian angels" - does that mean this book will also cover eidolons?

I hope so, I';d love to see some more information for Summoners. Though it could be referring to the Planar Ally/Binding spells, which seem to be oddly underutilized in-game by heroes and villains alike.

Scarab Sages Modules Overlord

Timothy Ferdinand wrote:
the blurb mentions "summoning guardian angels" - does that mean this book will also cover eidolons?

That's not what we meant by that line. When we said angels, we meant creature of the angel subtype. :)

Which does not necessarily mean there's nothing for summoners in the book.

Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games

3 people marked this as a favorite.

This was a fun book to work on. All I can say is that there's lots of cool stuff for all kinds of characters and all kinds of special buddies. I think you'll really enjoy it.


Jason Nelson wrote:
This was a fun book to work on. All I can say is that there's lots of cool stuff for all kinds of characters and all kinds of special buddies. I think you'll really enjoy it.

I hope it makes the Leadership feat a little less messy rules / games wise and gives us the ability to gain a heroic-level cohort (possibly 3/4th the current level of the PC). Though I'd imagine there is some specific wording stating you can't have more than one cohort on any one game session or such.

Dark Archive

Doing kingmaker a second time. This will be useful.


I'd love something for the Investigator to have a dog companion akin to how Sherlock Holmes made use of a Bloodhound called Toby. The concept of the Investigator having a dog companion to help him out is too tempting not to utilise.

Silver Crusade

Mythraine wrote:
Bardess wrote:
A Monstrous Mount feat revised would also be in order. Flying mounts should be able to fly at full speed. Monstrous cohorts and flying companions are, after all.

+1

I fully agree with this, but unfortunately don't think it will happen. As ISC was a very recent book, an update so close is probably not going to happen.

Realistically, even if they folded Monstrous Mount and Monstrous Mount Mastery into one feat (that scales to fly at 7th level) it would be better. This is what I would do in my homebrew, but it's always good to have an official adjustment.

Second that this feat needs reworking. I think it needs to be less restrictive in classes that can use it (Rangers can but Druids and Hunters can't? wtf). And get rid of the silly skill rank requirements. There's no reason any of the companions couldn't be used from level 1 and avoid players from having to give their early level companions the boot to take on their fancy new griffon.

Dark Archive

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I agree that Monstrous Mount need to be opened up to Druids and others that can get animal companions. But other then that everything else is fine and to the fly speed if you are mounted on a creature the creature takes your weight as part of it's encumbrance. Flying creatures can only fly with a certain encumbrance. meaning they can not fly with 200bs. on their backs unless they are strong enough. That is why the feats allow for some fly speed.

Silver Crusade

brad2411 wrote:
I agree that Monstrous Mount need to be opened up to Druids and others that can get animal companions. But other then that everything else is fine and to the fly speed if you are mounted on a creature the creature takes your weight as part of it's encumbrance. Flying creatures can only fly with a certain encumbrance. meaning they can not fly with 200bs. on their backs unless they are strong enough. That is why the feats allow for some fly speed.

I don't really have a problem with the restricted flight except that it's kind of unnecessary. Like you said, the rules already exist for encumbrance so there's no need to tack on an extra speed tax to these two specific companions. I might be rusty, but as I recall, no mount can fly at any speed when carrying a medium or heavy load or any barding heavier than light. So as long as a rider and their carried gear are not more than a light load for a regular, non-AC griffon they are free to fly around willy nilly. Yet an AC griffon or hippogriff with More strength than a regular griffon are somehow unable to fly at the same speed with equal burdon? And there are plenty of other AC's that can carry riders and fly with no restriction on flight like the roc.

But, again, if the flight restriction stays it doesn't matter to me. In fact I don't even use the griffon as a mount for my ranger so the restriction doesn't apply to me at all. I let him dive bomb people while I snipe with arrows. xD I just love griffons and would like to be able to use them on more classes and from level 1.

Edit: Posted under wrong name, lol.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Berselius wrote:
Jason Nelson wrote:
This was a fun book to work on. All I can say is that there's lots of cool stuff for all kinds of characters and all kinds of special buddies. I think you'll really enjoy it.
I hope it makes the Leadership feat a little less messy rules / games wise and gives us the ability to gain a heroic-level cohort (possibly 3/4th the current level of the PC). Though I'd imagine there is some specific wording stating you can't have more than one cohort on any one game session or such.

Berselius, are you aware of Everyman Gamings Leadership Handbook? Might be worth a look...


Actually really looking forward to this one.

Community Manager

Image and description updated to final.


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Or how to do solo tabletop pathfinder.


Construct rider, you say? Color me intrigued.


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Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Axial wrote:
Construct rider, you say? Color me intrigued.

If that can combine with the internal alchemist archetype, not replace poison immunity, and replaces Mutagens, then sign me up! :)


Magical beast companions!!! Constructs for Alchemist, cool, though I was hoping for new types of Homunculi as companions/familiars. magic item cohorts?!


I probably said this before, but I am truly looking forward to this one. And I hope we get some variation for the old 'Torchbearer/Squire' feat that can be used to allow an apprentice for a few more classes.


So a sort of cohort companion is now allowed, uh? Maybe we could hope in a cohort familiar also?

Dark Archive

Liz Courts wrote:
Image and description updated to final.

I have no idea what that thing is on the cover, but it's awesome looking!

(Horned snake-beastie? Seems sort of Uktena-ish, but we are years out from any sort of Arcadia Bestiary... And the elephant on the pillar and shape of the lamp in the treasure give more of a Vudra/Kel vibe.)

Scarab Sages Modules Overlord

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It's an aghasura :D


"Recruit teams of criminals" sounds very cool. I wonder if that will mesh with some of Ultimate Campaigns' Downtime Systems (notably Team and Organization building).


That would be a great supplement, a book designed for players to form organizations.

Scarab Sages Modules Overlord

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Cthulhudrew wrote:
"Recruit teams of criminals" sounds very cool. I wonder if that will mesh with some of Ultimate Campaigns' Downtime Systems (notably Team and Organization building).

It's designed to only work with that system. :)

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