When creating a cohort for the Leadership feat does the cohort start with the normal array or the heroic array? As they are NPC with PC levels. This come up while discussing the feat with one of my players. As my campaign is using a 15 point buy system for PCs I am somewhat concerned with the heroic array is effectively a 15 point buy as well. This would make a cohort more of a mini-pc than a companion like those of a Druid or Paladin.
Secondly how are monster cohorts considered for the level – 2 cap? If for instance a level 7 PC has a leadership score of 14 could they have a leadership level 10 monster like a Wyvern for a cohort?
Secondly how are monster cohorts considered for the level – 2 cap? If for instance a level 7 PC has a leadership score of 14 could they have a leadership level 10 monster like a Wyvern for a cohort?
The way I understood it, you would have to be at least 12th level to gain a level 10 cohort like a wyvern.
That is an additional requirement, you must still have a high enough leadership score....
Cohort Level: You can attract a cohort of up to this level. Regardless of your Leadership score, you can only recruit a cohort who is two or more levels lower than yourself.
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As I understand it, there is no set array/point-buy for cohorts. That would be a DM's call. If your game is running on a 15 point buy, then giving the cohort a 10 point buy would be what I would do. If you were running with the 25 point buy, I'd give them a 15 or 20 point buy. It pretty much all depends on how powerful the GM wants the cohort to be. If you are taking Leadership to cover a whole in your party (e.g. you've got a cleric, fighter and wizard PCs and you get a rogue cohort) I'd probably allow for a higher array/point buy than if it was simply an extra party member.
As for monstrous cohorts, they follow the exact same rules as humanoid cohorts. The table in the bestiary gives their effective level and you must always be at least two levels higher than your cohort, regardless of how high your leadership score is.
One thing to note is that this "level -2" cap only applies to your cohort. You followers are attained based on your full leadership score.
Our normal DM has always used the same creation method as the characters when dealing with cohorts. They will always be two levels below the character so that in itself limits how powerful they are typically. That and as time goes on there are penalties to your score if they die so there isn't much reason to make it more likely, also they can leave if not treated well unlike a companion and again there would be a penalty to the score for the new one.