So a level 14 Fighter with Leadership/Monstrous Mounts gets a unicorn mount.
His leadership score is 20.
Can the unicorn now pick up 4 class-level?
I've been wondering that myself. I would think so (if only to make it match), but I dont have anything according to raw beyond "must match cohort level".
One option is that it doesnt gain class levels, but can gain 4 class levels (which shouldnt be hard since it gains the equivalent of half your EXP)
A monster cohort gains experience points as if it were a
character of its cohort level, and when it gains enough XP
to advance a level, it should generally gain a key class level
(fighter is often the best choice for most cohorts). You can
use the monsters on the following table as guidelines
when determining effective cohort levels for monsters
not on this list.
Pretty much 4 class levels.
I would agree that the Unicorn should gain levels.
Leadership 20 gives max cohort level 14, but reduced to 12 since Fighter is only 14th level.
Unicorn is level 8 equivalent, so add 4 levels. I think Ranger, Paladin, or Fighter make the most sense for class choices.
Personally, I would restrict the Unicorn option to good aligned female characters, due to the specific description of Unicorn, but I don't think it is a RAW restriction.
I always got the impression that the monstrous companion chart was still using the old el rules. I'm pretty sure a unicorn with 4 levels of most classes is no where near a lvl 12 character. In general depending on the monster what classes your cohort takes should matter for this.
And a unicorn with no class levels is nowhere near a level 8 character. I mean, it's CR 3 with four hit dice. It does, however, have some very nice spell-like and special abilities that are well above the level implied solely by its CR and hit dice due to the fact that they don't typically pose a threat (and thus increase the challenge) to a typical party.
You sacrifice some of the raw power of a regular cohort to gain the special abilities and flavor of a monstrous one. Class levels are a suggested means of continuing advancement, and the quoted text mentions that such class levels should be key class levels. For a unicorn, this would be Combat classes, and fighter, ranger, and barbarian could all thematically appropriate. (A huntmaster cavalier might also be an interesting choice, if a bit aggravating for the GM due to the hunting pack). The GM is free to consider different methods of advancing the cohort, such as advancing it by raw hit dice, CR, size, templates, additional spell-like abilities, and so on.
well, that just gets back into the "Monster Cohort effective levels are stupid high" I have harped on in a few different threads now.
As I said in my previous post its because the chart uses ecl. I don't knor if its just a copy paste from the 3.5 srd.
Basically its best a dm follow the suggested rukes from the core book and just eyeball the monster cohorts power level.
One of the things they had in 3.5 which I cannot remember if pf has was a monsters cr was dependant on compatability when adding class levels (for cr not ecl which is an abomination). Basically a nymph with 7 class levels of fighter is not the ssme as one with 7 lvls of druid.
So really if a pc wants a monster cohort its best to eyeball it. Arg rules are not really needed.
I don't find a unicorn's cohort level to be too high. Their spell-like abilities are quite good. I'm more irritated by things like worg, which have no spell-like abilities and are short a hit die with only some heightened skills to make up for it. (Devil's advocate: one of those skills is Perception, which is extremely useful.)
As I said in my previous post its because the chart uses ecl. I don't knor if its just a copy paste from the 3.5 srd.
Basically its best a dm follow the suggested rukes from the core book and just eyeball the monster cohorts power level.
One of the things they had in 3.5 which I cannot remember if pf has was a monsters cr was dependant on compatability when adding class levels (for cr not ecl which is an abomination). Basically a nymph with 7 class levels of fighter is not the ssme as one with 7 lvls of druid.
So really if a pc wants a monster cohort its best to eyeball it. Arg rules are not really needed.
Pathfinder's mechanic is that a monster normally cannot advance via a non-key class level.