I am trying to decide what cohort I should build to help my lvl 7 hafling mesmerist. It should be another halfling since it is his brother. The rest of the party is a half elf magus, lizardfolk shark druid, and super special snowflake life oracle.
We try not to abuse leadership, and I just want a support character. The biggest reason I am taking it for the followers, I am building an Intel network. The campaign involves a large amount of infiltration and intreage.
Thoughts?
Bump
I'd suggest a bard. Back up healing if needed, supports whole group, plenty of skills to fall back on, spellso for support and can make passable archers.
We build our own cohorts, again with the understanding that we not break the game. Trying to avoid the bard, at least the vanilla. I had a bard cohort on my character in a previous campaign.
Right now thinking a cleric of Calistra with the trickery and luck domains, unless I hit upon something better.
I find Alchemists to be great cohorts. Between their potion brewing, bomb throwing, extracts and Craft: Alchemy they provide all sorts of useful boons, especially when they get the healing bombs discovery. When they run out of bombs, extracts and other useful tools they can just pop a Mutagen and Hulk out!
If you can fund his projects, a Clone Master makes a hilarious suicide bomber!
you could do aasimar life oracle
They have a life oracle.
I recommend a Bard because they can buff the rest of the party with performance.
The way you break leadership is by making Crafter cohorts who crap out cheap magic items for the entire group. Stay away from craft feats and just make the Cohort take feats like Toughness, Improved Initiative, Great Fortitude. This improves his survival and makes it easier to keep him alive since he will be a few levels behind.
Mechanically, I'd probably go with an evangelist cleric. Get your bardsong on, have access to condition removal spells that the oracle might not have, and of course extra healing. Probably go with a long spear and have him serve as protection for your character as well. Not a great class fit for a halfling, but certainly doable, especially if you aren't planning on casting spells that require saves at enemies.
Thematically that would still work out if you have some sort of religious connection with your character and spy network. If not, I might just go with a bard instead, as that would be a better flavor fit, and bards make great additions to any intelligence gathering effort. You magic coupled with his mundane skills would make for a pretty good team.
Since you're building an intel network why not an Investigator or some Rogue archetype? It wouldn't be as much for combat and party balance (thus not overpowering) but would thematically fit well and give you a skill monkey when needed.
Any class with a CHA focus can work as a face to support the intel network. As a ninja, I have a lot of CHA and am a diplomancer. The ninja tricks can make for some great synergy. The vanishing trick can be great for hiding and defending, and later invisible blade can really help. Go for a strength build, and wear heavier armor, and get some type of bodyguard feat. Heck, even get a tower shield. You can't use it well and your BAB will tank, but your AC will skyrocket.
Also remember, as a halfling, you can have the hempful trait and make your aid-another a +3 rather than a +2. That can be quite usefull.
/cevah
Bard would have been my first suggestion, but if you want to add some variety I understand. With that, I'll echo the suggestions of an alchemist (having the Infusion discovery helps them help the other players more) or a cleric (evangelist if you like). A skald can also be a fine support character if your party depends heavily on Strength-based combat, although it is somewhat close to bard in concept.
Another alternative, based off of Cevah's suggestion, is to go heavily into building for aid another - there are several class abilities and feats that can make it give a bigger bonus or let you do it more times a round. Investigators in particular can take a discovery that lets them aid as a move action, and they also get lots of skill bonuses and extracts that can help others out, too. (Side note: everyone can make their aid another a +3 with a trait. Halflings get to take it to a +4.)
Or play a bard. There are enough archetypes available that you can change things up fairly significant from bard to bard, and they really are just about the best for support characters.