I am running a campaign where there is a druid with a lion and a cohort fighter. They seems to bring quite alot to the table in combat. I was wondering if I should include them in the ECL when making an encounter?
Also, with the Improved Critical feat, does that make something that is 18-20 (three numbers) threat a 15-20 threat (six numbers)? Thanks you
Officially, cohorts are a part of a PC's overall power level, because they've expended a feat to get them. But, well, it is probably the single most powerful and versatile feat in the game.
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Yes felines tend to be very powerful animal companions. Start thinking of the terrain of your encounters a bit more and that might help lessen the pain on your bad guys from just the druid's team.
A cohort or animal companion shouldn't change the ECL of the party, the cohort should have much worse stats and be a level or two behind the druid's after all.
If you feel the need to beef up encounters a little, then try it out.
Yes felines tend to be very powerful animal companions. Start thinking of the terrain of your encounters a bit more and that might help lessen the pain on your bad guys from just the druid's team.
Just remember if they take nimble moves and acrobatic steps they'll still be able to charge out to 20 feet -- on the plus side they'll have to increase their intelligence by a point at least to get to take those feats.
Alright thanks for the responses. How many cohorts can you have with the Leadership feat?
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Just remember if they take nimble moves and acrobatic steps they'll still be able to charge out to 20 feet -- on the plus side they'll have to increase their intelligence by a point at least to get to take those feats.
Plus that's two fewer feats that they'll have to deal damage with. A fair trade off. :)
Yeah though, only one cohort per player character. Lots of followers but those shouldn't be terribly useful in high level combats.
Ah ok that's good. I kept getting them confused with followers in the book. Also, for the druid companion, does he need to do handle animal checks to control his creature in combat? It seems like he would have to, but I don't know if that skill applies to druids since they have a close bond with the AC.
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Yes, your druid does need to make Handle Animal checks to get their animal companion to do things. They have to be trained for things, though the druid grants them bonus tricks.
Now this isn't a difficult check to make for a druid given the bonuses they get dealing with their animal companion, but it's important that you as the DM know what tricks their companion knows.
Ah ok that's good. I kept getting them confused with followers in the book. Also, for the druid companion, does he need to do handle animal checks to control his creature in combat? It seems like he would have to, but I don't know if that skill applies to druids since they have a close bond with the AC.
He does, although the huge number of bonus tricks makes that somewhat moot.
Or, better still, use an attribute increase to give it 3 int - then it understands speech.