Designing a Cohort to Aid Spellcasting

[Elric VIII]

I am trying to make a cohort that helps my spellcaster by being both a meat-shield and a save reducer to enemies. What I have so far is this:

Hexblade 5/Crusader 1/Blackguard 10

I will be using the CW version of Hexblade with the Dark Companion ACF. The Crusader is in there just to allow it to do something other than stand and attack without being too thought-intensive. I will be taking the Improved Bind Vestige feat for Focalar's aura. I plan to take the Divine Might feat.

This build vields me a full BAB noncaster that can give a few enemied up to -6 to saves. Focusing on Str for attack and Cha for Divine Might will allow it to deal decent damage if it needs to.

I just want to know a few things:

-Just to clarify, can the Blackguard's Command Undead ability can be used with divine feats?

-Are there any other easy to access save reducers like Dark Companion, Aura of Despair, or Focalar's Aura that can stack with those three?

[Last Laugh]

-Are there any other easy to access save reducers like Dark Companion, Aura of Despair, or Focalar's Aura that can stack with those three?

You touched on Focular's Sadness, there is a another Vestige in ToM that grants an aura, it begins with an 'h' (AFB) Binder could be a more effective class than blackguard in this build. Or Blackguard/Binder/Anima mage persistent swift invisibility For The Awkward. If I remember correctly the other vestige is level 7, meaning you have to be a level 11 binder with Improved Binding.

Paladin of Tyranny has a -2 saves aura (UA, Might be confusing it with paladin of slaughter) at level 3ish, Probably a superior choice to blackguard because you don't lose a feat to Cleave.

I think that the -2 saves feature for the Hexblade is in PHB II, as CW houses the class.

Does Hexblade gain its companion at level 5? I thought it was at level 4.

[Elric VIII]

You touched on Focular's Sadness, there is a another Vestige in ToM that grants an aura, it begins with an 'h' (AFB) Binder could be a more effective class than blackguard in this build. Or Blackguard/Binder/Anima mage persistent swift invisibility For The Awkward. If I remember correctly the other vestige is level 7, meaning you have to be a level 11 binder with Improved Binding.

Paladin of Tyranny has a -2 saves aura (UA, Might be confusing it with paladin of slaughter) at level 3ish, Probably a superior choice to blackguard because you don't lose a feat to Cleave.

I think that the -2 saves feature for the Hexblade is in PHB II, as CW houses the class.

Does Hexblade gain its companion at level 5? I thought it was at level 4.

-The second vestige would be good, but I don't want to go too in-depth with this as it is meant to be a cohort. I will have to remember that second vestige as I have been thinking about Cleric/binder gestalt that uses Focalar to lower saves. I've never taken a very close look at the class, but thanks.

-Paladin of Tyranny has the exact same aura, so it doesn't stack. The paladin is much better than Blackguard but I keep almost playing the class myself, so I figured w/e I'll just do it.

-You're right about the location of the Dark Companion.

-5th level of Hexblade is for the 2/day use of curse, along with a bonus feat.

Thank you.

[Chilingsworth]

Well, I can't think of anything else that lowers enemies' saves, but the 2nd lv bard spell harmonic chorus (Spell Compendium Pg. 110) increases raises both the caster level and the save dc of the targeted (allied) caster's spells by +2. If the character casts sonorous hum (Spell Compendium Pg. 196) the he wouldn't have to worry about concentrating on it. Both of these spells can be placed in wands, though you'd want a high caster level for harmonic chorus, since it only lasts rounds per level.

[Malbordeus]

theres some good giggles along those lines with a Dark Bard. from the LM. has debuffs and the animate badguy for lols ability.

[Elric VIII]

theres some good giggles along those lines with a Dark Bard. from the LM. has debuffs and the animate badguy for lols ability.

Just checked this out, it's pretty cool. I can make use of harmonic chorus as well, if I make a dirgesinger.

[Pechvarry]

If you go the bard route, remember Doomspeak from Champions of Ruin (I think). It doesn't actually say what it's action usage is, but since it's used as bardic music, it's assumed it inherits the rules of bardic music making it a Standard Action. As discovered in the Iron Chef tournaments, Seeker of the Song can turn this into a swift action.

For a non-spellcaster direction, there's the quite-interesting Paragnostic Initiate from Complete Champion. It's a lot of very minor benefits, but it's only a 3 level PrC with easy entry reqs that also nets you 6+int skills.

A funny character I've wanted to try (but would probably work better as a cohort) is a Spell-thief/War Weaver (Heroes of Battle). In addition to janking enemy spells for kicks, he can take your buff spells and use them on the entire party. Obviously, this sort of character isn't a tank. However, Sneak Attack means Ambush feats. Sickening Strike + Frightening Strike + Aleval School = if he can land a SA, you're almost guaranteed -4 to 2 saves and -6 to a 3rd save of your choice.

Oh that reminds me. Most save debuffing builds (like the one you've outlined) SHOULD have the space in their build to also be a decent fear build. Since you're tanking saves of nearby foes anyway, your best bet is grabbing... that one feat I can't remember the name of which basically attempts to scare everyone around you whenever you charge, full attack, or cast a spell. If you don't want to spare the feat, then Never Outnumbered skill trick + Fearsome armor enhancement + max intimidate ranks makes for a good scary tank.

EDIT: found it. Dreadful Wrath; Player's Guide to Faerun. Regional feat so check with DM and all that.

[Elric VIII]

Oh that reminds me. Most save debuffing builds (like the one you've outlined) SHOULD have the space in their build to also be a decent fear build. Since you're tanking saves of nearby foes anyway, your best bet is grabbing... that one feat I can't remember the name of which basically attempts to scare everyone around you whenever you charge, full attack, or cast a spell. If you don't want to spare the feat, then Never Outnumbered skill trick + Fearsome armor enhancement + max intimidate ranks makes for a good scary tank.

EDIT: found it. Dreadful Wrath; Player's Guide to Faerun. Regional feat so check with DM and all that.

I was thinking of just maxing out Intimidate, but Dreadful Wrath is pretty good, I'm going to try for that.

[Thurbane]

You may want to consider a level of Marshal (add his CHA to your SR checks).

[Bugbeartrap]

A little synergy to string together some of these ideas:

There is an alternate class feature in champions of valor that gives paladin's inspire courage which you could use for doomspeak with paladin of tyranny.

There is also unseelie fey template in dragon compendium which has a stacking aura that gives -CHA mod to saves. I think it goes quite nice with your divine grace ability.

[J.Gellert]

I once had the Spellcaster Support feat from Oriental Adventures on my cohort. Of course my DM was not very strict on RAW - the feat says it only works for a shugenja, even if you ignore the setting-specific prerequisite.

Also, +1 for a debuffing bard.

[Tael]

If you're okay with your cohort being another caster, Cloudy Conjuration is a great save reducer.

[Elric VIII]

A marshal dip would not be a bad idea, 1 less BAB won't hurt too much and SR penetration is excelent.

As for Cloudy Conjuration, I have that feat myself, so it might be redundant on a cohort unless I'm just going to play 2x my character. However it is an excelent feat and always a good recommendation.

Spellcaster Support may be a bit far, my DM is hesitant about letting me use Bone Knight since it is technically from a different campaign setting.