We have a party of six running through Carrion Crown:
LN Aasimar Cleric of Ragathiel (Leadership & Rage domains)
NG Human Cleric of Pharasma (Knowledge & Repose domains)
Ratfolk Beastmaster Ranger, w/badger animal companion
Ratfolk Rogue
Half-Elf Wizard
Half-orc Fighter
We're close to 6th level now. At 8th level the Cleric of Ragathiel will gain Leadership as a domain power. I'm not sure whether to attract an NPC with class levels (and if so, what kind) or a creature of some sort.
Best guess as to her Leadership score at 8th level should be around 15 or 16, so the limiting factor will be her own level; she can't attract a cohort above 6th level.
She probably will not try to collect followers during the campaign; just don't need dozens of 1st levels trailing along. If it makes any difference to the type of cohort you might suggest, she's optimized for influencing people: high CHA, plus trait/racial/feat bonuses give her Diplomacy +17, Intimidate +20 at 5th level.
Suggestions?
Strong party you got there. Take a bard to make it even stronger.
This bard does not need a lot of skill ranks, because you already have that covered.
Bard-Bloatmage seems interesting. You could use Aasimar Racial SLA to get 3rd level spells requirement for early entry, but taking Bard to 5 for Inspire Courage +2 and a good amount of Perormance Rounds seems like a good idea.
The Bard abilities should help out your group well, and the Casting side should work well with Bloatmage.
Probably not the most powerful, but do you really need/want to do that with Leadership?
The Bloatmage stuff makes juicy fodder for NPC roleplaying.
Is the GM buffing up the NPC enemies for such a large group?
Adding a Leadership NPC Ally will just make the group that much stronger, especially a bard.
for ragathiel, i'd say an oath of vengeance paladin or a cavalier with the order of the star or sword would probably be the best thematic fits...
unfortunately, a pally won't serve a LN cleric and your large party needs a cohort with its own pet like you need another whole in the head.
maybe a barbarian with the celestial totem (or a celestial bloodrager)... or an inquisitor with the anger inquisition (or rage domain)?
It's hard to argue against bard with a party that size. If you want something with a little more staying power that can still buff, a standard bearer cavalier wouldn't do badly, or maybe a paladin.
What are you interested in and perhaps more importantly, what does your DM do with the Leadership feat? Does he create the NPC, control the NPC, or anything else? (and if he doesn't, he should really have a say in building the NPC).
Also, based on your levels, I'm guessing you are in the 2nd adventure, Trail of the Beast, but correct me if I'm wrong. That might provide info to suggest monstrous cohorts.
I thought it was Trial of the Beast, but yes, that's where we are. Not sure how far through that book (no spoilers, please) but we have gathered a good bit of circumstantial evidence to suggest the Beast is innocent of two of the past crimes he's on trial for. Haven't looked into the third yet. We strongly suspect there's more to find at the Chemic Works but haven't been able to get in there yet. But I digress...
DM lets us run our own loyal NPCs, and should be pretty flexible about letting us create a cohort (no player under this DM has had a cohort before, but we've had intelligent familiars and such.)
What I'm interested in is a character/creature that will add utility to the party without a big bump in power. Exactly what kind of utility, I'm undecided about. A bard would do that, and I won't reject that out of hand, but too often a bard ends up being a one-trick pony, breaking into song at the start of every combat and never doing anything else. The buffs we get from the bardic performance are useful, but the bard himself is often really boring. Maybe we haven't found the right archetype yet, or maybe it's just our group.
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Based on that, try a reach bard with Blistering invective, combined with performance. They can inspire courage, cast spells on their turn, and provide attacks of opportunity against people that move in threatened areas when it inst their turn. Bard up to 5th level, and then Dragon Disciple if you want to make them more melee formidable.
Well you have the god of heroes. I would suggest a bard or chronicler that tries to get you to be a better hero. He would buff the party and you specifically. But mainly tries to remind you want Ragathiel holds dear.
Constantly goads you challenge the BBEG on your own. Volunteers you to be the decoy while the party circles in to position. Suggest you give your share of the loot to the orphanage. Etc...
bard would be a good fit for your party, but given that you're gaining this cohort as a benefit of the granted power from your domain i still think it would be nice to have some thematic link with ragathiel...
you could make an arcane duelist bard who worships the general of vengeance, or you could take another look at an inquisitor (that would also bring a lot of utility, including some heals and buffs).
Very wel, let's assume a single-classed Bard for now. Any particular archetype? (Okay, or prestige class, since Dragon Disciple was already suggested.)
I've looked at and dismissed several archetypes: Animal Speaker, Archaeologist, Archivist, Buccaneer, Celebrity, Court Bard, Daredevil, Dervish of Dawn, Demagogue, Diva, Geisha, Lotus Geisha, Sandman, Sea Singer, Songhealer, Street Performer.
These are possibilities: Arcane Duelist, Detective, Dervish Dancer, Dirge Bard, Magician, Savage Skald, Sound Striker, Thundercaller.
Well, like I wrote, Bloat-Mage is an interesting PrC with Bard here.
For your sole PrC most would find it underpowered, but that's not really a concern here.
Bardic Performance would not be progressed, but Casting would be, and Bloat-Mage effectively gets more spells to boot,
so it's a better Caster than a pure Bard. Just the basic levels of Performance are a nice boost but not OVERLY powerful.
Magician Archetype is interesting because of the non-Bard spell access. If doing a Bloat-Mage dip, I would recommmend 'pacing' it so you can advance Casting with B-M, and then dip back into Magician Bard to grab a non-Bard spell, taking advantage of the higher spell levels that B-M granted you. Your group rather has a lack of Arcane, so some extra there can always be nice: this will be lower level than your Wizard, but if the Bard can cast lower level but crucial Wizard spells, that frees up the Wizard for other stuff. Magician's Dispel Spell Level=Rounds Already Performing is interesting and very action economy friendly. I would just say a few levels of vanilla Bard + Bloatmage are a good combo though.
unfortunately, a pally won't serve a LN cleric ...
Huh? Paladin Code specifically allows them to work with EVIL, so what is the problem with a LN cleric?
Paladins are members of Hellknight Orders than include LN or even LE members.Paladins can worship LN gods, in fact the Sacred Servant Archetype (which specifically receives powers from a Deity, unlike normal Pallys)
explicitly says they can worship and receive powers from a LN (or NG) Deity, so why could they not serve a LN Cleric?
But I agree, you don't want a cohort who also brings along their own Pet. Familiar might be OK.
You don't really want a particularly powerful/strong class, period. Full Bard really rises to that level with the existing party.
Most people don't allow Leadership Feat normally, AFAIK. This is an opportunity to enjoy a lower power build, IMHO.
I think a Bardic Bloat-Mage really fulfills that, more slots but otherwise same Spell Progression, not progressing Performance.
Other Casting PrC might be similar in that regard, although I can't think of an appropriate one of the top of my head. (???)
Paladin Code specifically allows them to work with EVIL, so what is the problem with a LN cleric?
Paladins can worship LN gods, in fact the Sacred Servant Archetype (which specifically receives powers from a Deity, unlike normal Pallys)
explicitly says they can worship and receive powers from a LN (or NG) Deity, so why could they not serve a LN Cleric?
hmmm... i guess, technically, you're right... the paladin's code states, "a paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good," so i guess i kind of assumed that went both ways (they'd also only serve as cohorts to LG as well), but i guess that's not specifically stated. as a GM, personally, i wouldn't allow it but i guess by RAW it is possible (remember, too, though that you take a penalty to your leadership score if your cohort's alignment is different than yours).
sure. it seems like good RP opportunity to hilight the difference, and the cohort would occasionally differ.
if there is a situation where it really matters, the cohort may not go along with the master, certainly if doing so means they would fall.
so having such a cohort is LESS powerful in some ways.
in fact, if the leader's personality is so persuasive they get the cohort to change alignment/act against their code,
the cohort will fall and lose powers, becoming a glorified warrior.