A player in my campaign asked if he could use the leadership feat, and given we're both reasonable adults I assented (I don't have any fear of him trying to min/max and it's a party of three, so it seemed reasonable).
He's level 7 and he has the appropriate leadership score for a level 5 cohort, and he wants to give his riding dog (been in the campaign longer than some of the players) class levels in barbarian.
I'm not 100% on how giving class levels to monsters works in terms of CR and cohort level, so I'd like some advice.
This is his mock-up of the riding dog Biggles.
At this stage I feel like it's less powerful than it should be (I get that cohorts aren't supposed to be able to wade in with their masters all the time, but this looks pretty weak...).
Any suggestions/places you can point me to to work out how things should go?
well, i don't know about giving class levels to a riding dog - may seem weak now, but in 5 levels it can start to get pretty powerful, particularly if the rider and animal start taking certain teamwork feats. Auto-flanking, d6 precision damage multiple attacks of opportunity, and all these benefits applied to both the rider and the animal.
I'd say that unless he could get that animal's Int up to at least 3 or 4 somehow, it's a no go, but otherwise it's slightly less powerful than say, a summoner with an eidolon. If your player isn't already a summoner, and is say, a cavalier, he could really make some use out of those extra feats his mount's going to get.
I'd suggest having him pay for an awaken spell on the animal, then allowing class levels freely and cohort viability.
+1 Awaken.
The Blink Dog is Level 4, and a Worg is Level 5.
Biggles, as listed looks to be Level 3 with one level of Barbarian. Animals have d8 not d12, so he should have 2d8+1d12, assuming the 3d12 listed is animal plus class.
Compare the power of Biggles to the two monsters listed above. If not more powerful, then you should be OK. [Add a level of Barbarian when comparing to the Worg.]
/cevah
+1 Awaken.
The Blink Dog is Level 4, and a Worg is Level 5.
Biggles, as listed looks to be Level 3 with one level of Barbarian. Animals have d8 not d12, so he should have 2d8+1d12, assuming the 3d12 listed is animal plus class.
Compare the power of Biggles to the two monsters listed above. If not more powerful, then you should be OK. [Add a level of Barbarian when comparing to the Worg.]
/cevah
Yeah, he wrote 3d12 but used 2d8 + 1d12 for the calculation for HP.
Regarding awaken, given that it brings the HD up by 2 (which I believe has the flow-on effects to saves etc listed here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/monster-advancement), doesn't that bring him up to ~level 6?
And where would the values such as improvements to saves be listed?
Edit: Also, we rolled for the awakened Biggles' intelligence and he's now the smartest individual in the party...