My Wild Cohort died, what now?

[Yajirobe]

Hi everyone. I tried to look for this answer, but couldn't find it.

If I take the Wild Cohort Feat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) and said animal dies, what happens?

Do I "lose the feat"?

Must I ressurrect (or reincarnate) the animal?

May I do some kind of ritual to bond to a new animal (akin to the Animal Companion of the druid)?


In a semi-related note, the feat says


When selecting an alternative animal cohort, use the list of alternative animal companions on page 36 of the Player's Handbook, but treat yourself as a druid three levels lower than your character level. For example, once you reach 7th level, you can choose an animal cohort off the list of animal companions available to a 4th-level druid.

Does this also applies on the table to find out the bonus of the Cohort? (so if I choose a Leopard as a Cohort, as a 7th level PC, does it acquires the bonuses of a cohort of a 1st level PC?)

Thanks for the help

[Waker]

I would assume you'd go through the same routine a druid would go through when they lose a companion to replace a cohort.
As far as unusual cohorts go, I think they would treat their cohort as being lower leveled, but that is just my guess.

[ShriekingDrake]

. . . at least you won't starve. I say, light a fire and dig in.

On a more serious note, it's not clear that you do get to call another wild cohort, at least not from the description of the feat.

I would not say you lose the feat, but if you don't get to call another wild cohort, your feat would now be useless. It certainly becomes a much more risky feat to take if you only get to use it once. If the RAW doesn't allow for using it more than once, I suspect you could apply the optional "retraining" rules to either replace the feat or replace it with itself and take another wild cohort.

It's an interesting problem.

[Flickerdart]

Does this also applies on the table to find out the bonus of the Cohort? (so if I choose a Leopard as a Cohort, as a 7th level PC, does it acquires the bonuses of a cohort of a 1st level PC?)
Yes. Because "these alternative animal cohorts work like the alternative animal companions available to a druid", you subtract the creature's level modifier (3 for the leopard) and the additional 3 from your level, and the result determines the bonuses your cohort gets.

[Malvanis]

I don't think that you would gain a new animal. Though you wouldn't lose the feat because there would still be the chance that you could raise said creature from the dead. If you retrained the feat, then even if you rose the animal from the dead it would not longer be bound to you.

[Gavinfoxx]

You simply do the 24 hour ritual, and get a new one. Simple.

[Malvanis]

You simply do the 24 hour ritual, and get a new one. Simple.

I think that only applies to animal companions.

[Urpriest]

RAW, you can't get a new one. Also RAW, nothing stops you from picking one up with a template or HD advancement. Hence, a DM needs to houserule it to work like an animal companion anyway, so they will probably houserule the ritual to be the same.

[nedz]

Hmm, it does appear to be a minor rules dysfunction.

The text does state
Like a druid, you can choose more powerful animals as you increase in level. which implies that you can change them, and that they work like animal companions — but it doesn't actually state this of course.

[eggynack]

Hmm, it does appear to be a minor rules dysfunction.

The text does state which implies that you can change them, and that they work like animal companions — but it doesn't actually state this of course.
Well, there's some kind of implication there that you can trade away from dead wild cohorts, but only if the new one is more powerful. There's a logic there, as stupid as it is.

[Coidzor]

Hi everyone. I tried to look for this answer, but couldn't find it.

If I take the Wild Cohort Feat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) and said animal dies, what happens?

Do I "lose the feat"?

Must I ressurrect (or reincarnate) the animal?

May I do some kind of ritual to bond to a new animal (akin to the Animal Companion of the druid)?

Just do that last one, since losing the feat is just ridiculous, even with Exalted Feats.

And since it's modeled on animal companions and it's animal companions for everyone...


In a semi-related note, the feat says

Does this also applies on the table to find out the bonus of the Cohort? (so if I choose a Leopard as a Cohort, as a 7th level PC, does it acquires the bonuses of a cohort of a 1st level PC?)

Thanks for the help

I read it that you count as 3 levels lower for selection, but not for benefits. So a 7th level PC can choose from the 4th level druid list, but still counts as a 4th level character for the benefits the wild cohort gets.

[ShriekingDrake]

Hmm, it does appear to be a minor rules dysfunction.

The text does state which implies that you can change them, and that they work like animal companions — but it doesn't actually state this of course.

I don't thanks the only implication to draw from the quote--even if it is one that would make the feat more worth taking. I think another plausible implication is that a character who selects the feat when further along, can select more powerful wild cohorts.