I'll be joining a 3.5 game soon (Age of Worms, in fact :-D), playing the cohort of one of the main PCs who took the leadership feat. Rather than hand me a pre-generated cohort, the player has left the story and build up to me. The PC is a Paladin of Heironeous, so I intend to turn the cohort into a devoted follower, something like the squires of medieval Europe who loyally supported a knight. By way of all sorts of house rule f~~@ery, the Paladin I'm following is going to have some limited arcane capability and diminished HP/martial prowess, so he could probably use a cohort who can absorb some damage for him and heal/buff his ass. Can anyone think of a build which fits this flavor/party role?
Be a bard! Brave Brave Brave brave Sir Robin....
Bummer that you're relegated to cohort status, but Bard makes a great cohort. You'll litterally be able to sing his praises...
There's actually going to be two cohorts in this game, by virtue of two PCs taking leadership. The other cohort is slated to be a Bard, so I'm trying to avoid doing the same. Good idea, though.
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For a Paladin of Heironeous, a militant sort of class would be suitable, such as a Marshall, which would 'stack' neatly with the Bard.
A Cleric of Heironeous would also work well.
Since Heironeous has an association with throwing bolts of power around, a really fun thematic concept would be a Sorcerer, Evoker or Warlock (focused on throwing spells like Scorching Ray, Lightning Bolt, etc. for the arcanists).
The more I think about it, the more I like the Heironean Warlock concept. Heironeous is famous for his magic axe, his damage resistant skin (very much following the Achilles motif) and his bolts of lightning / positive energy. Take the Eldritch Glaive power (IIRC) and describe it flavorwise as a battleaxe of glowing force, and color your Eldritch Blasts like bolts of holy white energy. Fiendish Resilience works as listed, but is called 'Celestial Tempering' or whatever, and the Warlock's skin starts to take on a metallic sheen as DR increases. The only mechanical bit that might change would be the 'must be Chaotic' alignment requirement, which could change to 'must be Lawful and / or Good' or something, to better suit the notion of this particular Warlock getting his powers from a higher source. (And it might not even be a pact or bloodline thing. Perhaps he used to be a petty, venal man, and he's been *cursed* with this holy power, and tasked to use it in service to the god of chivalry, whose followers rescued him from his own darkness!)
The Enlightened Soul prestige class (Complete Mage) is for warlocks who convert to the side of good.
I think the best would be a support cleric who focused on casting healing spells and especially on buff spells. The best buff spells for a cleric are between 3rd and 5th level, so a cohort who doesn't have the highest level stuff can still work well.
I did once have a player whose cohort also took leadership. For those who have read some of the journals this was The Great. This was because the character had a castle populated mostly by humans with a few half-elves. However his cohort was a dwarf who had brought along some clans men with him. It was a great way to represent the mixed population. Since he never had any of them come along with him, not even the cohort, it was just a good way of keeping track of how his property was doing.
Dragon Shamans (PH2) are decent buffers and healers (double-strength Lay on Hands via Touch of Vitality), with a nice breath weapon as a trump card....that can be used once every 1d4 rounds.
The Knight (PH2) might be a good bulwark of defense, but it isn't really much of a buffer/healer.
Can you play a regular Paladin? Or would that be stepping on too many toes?
I suppose a LN/NG Druid would be too weird?
I recommend making a cohort that makes sense -- mix class function with practicality (who would tend the horses, mend his boots, etc.)
For paladins, I have had fighter and reformed rogues filling the role of squire, and clerics following as an advisor.
One possible twist is to have a favored soul "ward" in the fine tradition of sidekick, deviating from the insane model of Robin, Bucky, Speedy, and others in that the paladin tried to protect his/her ward from danger, and now that the paladin is out of the way, the squire can get into the action he/she has longed for...
