hey all! how many class lvls can a skeletal champion have to to be appropraite for a lvl 7 pc with leadership??
It looks you can't command a skeletal champion at level 7.
Monsters on the following list all work well as cohorts (be they bodyguards, mounts, assassins, etc.) — their effective cohort “level” corresponds to the level available to the PC as afforded by his Leadership score.
Regardless of your Leadership score, you can only recruit a cohort who is two or more levels lower than yourself.
So you could take the ghoul from Bestiary 1, but nothing else. A skeletal champion becomes available at character level 8, and given the competition at "effective cohort level" 6 (giant eagle, pegasus) it seems to be the CR 2 example skeletal champion with just 3 HD.
Since you could also take a living 6th-level NPC at character level 8, you basically exchange 3 HD for undead immunities and a bunch of minor benefits (see the template). The example is geared towards melee, but 17 HP (and destroyed at 0) is frustratingly low, when CR 8 creatures can deal twice as much per round. Greater invisibility, a reach weapon, good equipment, some buffs and careful tactics might help, but one mistake and you need a new cohort.
Undead and cold immunities are great for some special missions, though. Like walking through poisonous mist to pull the lever to remove it, or handing out helpful potions to the contagious sick.