Cohort Levelling up (D&D 3.5)

[NapazTrix]

For the leadership feat Players can attract a Cohort based on their Leadership level, at higher levels it is rather hard to attract a Cohort of 2 levels below your level. So my question is this, do cohorts level up after you gain them above the level that your leadership level allows?

The text says they will stay at 1xp before reaching 1 level below you but doesn't reference the leadership level. It just says "attract" a cohort of that level.

For example, a level 15 PC with Leadership level of 16, gains a Cohort of level 11. Will the cohort level up to 13 through experience, or be capped by the PC's Leadership level?

[Troacctid]

Cohorts do gain experience and level up, but there are special rules for calculating their xp, as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, pages 104–105.

[NapazTrix]

Cohorts do gain experience and level up, but there are special rules for calculating their xp, as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, pages 104–105.

I know they gain exp, I insinuated that knowledge with the 1xp. But it doesn't say if they are capped at leadership level, just player level.
I would assume they can go past the leadership level "attract" level but can't see if it says that anywhere.

Also, regarding their exp, it is less then what the player gets isn't it? Multiplying by a decimal means that the xp is reduced.

[prufock]

I know they gain exp, I insinuated that knowledge with the 1xp. But it doesn't say if they are capped at leadership level, just player level.
I would assume they can go past the leadership level "attract" level but can't see if it says that anywhere.

Also, regarding their exp, it is less then what the player gets isn't it? Multiplying by a decimal means that the xp is reduced.

They get lower XP, but mathematically they should level up when the PC levels up, if they are involved in all the same encounters. The level difference should remain the same.

[NapazTrix]

They get lower XP, but mathematically they should level up when the PC levels up, if they are involved in all the same encounters. The level difference should remain the same.

I don't really see them gaining much on them either, with the lowered amount but needing around 2000xp less to gain a level.

1500 * 0.73 = 1095. 405xp less then the PC, meaning after 10 of those the cohort only gains 10950. If we start the characters off at the base xp, that means the PC levels to 16, but the Cohort is 50xp off a level.
Though that is only one example, it would be pretty similar for most encounters. While they could level up at the same time, I don't see the Cohort gaining any ground. If it's 16pc, 12 cohort the divide moves to 0.75, giving them a smidgen more exp (30xp).
So yes, the gap should stay the same like you said.

I take it there is no way for them to level faster? The feat to increase the cap to 1 level below the PC kind of seems pointless if they won't catch up.

[prufock]

I don't really see them gaining much on them either, with the lowered amount but needing around 2000xp less to gain a level.

1500 * 0.73 = 1095. 405xp less then the PC, meaning after 10 of those the cohort only gains 10950. If we start the characters off at the base xp, that means the PC levels to 16, but the Cohort is 50xp off a level.
Though that is only one example, it would be pretty similar for most encounters. While they could level up at the same time, I don't see the Cohort gaining any ground. If it's 16pc, 12 cohort the divide moves to 0.75, giving them a smidgen more exp (30xp).
So yes, the gap should stay the same like you said.

I take it there is no way for them to level faster? The feat to increase the cap to 1 level below the PC kind of seems pointless if they won't catch up.

That's correct, they wouldn't normally catch up. Taking the feat would allow you to release your cohort from service and recruit a new one of the improved level, though.

As a DM, I'd just allow the level bump, but I'm fairly permissive.

[NapazTrix]

I haven't heard of releasing a Cohort too often. Since the mostly die or live until the end of the game. Are there any rules in place for this, or just DM discretion?

Kinda feels cheap for a player to go "I don't like this NPC, I will throw him out and look for a new one".

[prufock]

It would be DM call, as I don't think there are any specific rules for releasing a cohort. The DMG has this to say:

"If a leader loses a cohort... he can generally replace them, according to his current leadership score. It takes time (1d4 months) to recruit replacements."

So I guess it depends on how your DM reads "loses a cohort". Can firing him be losing him?

You can, of course, get one killed as well, but recruiting a replacement takes longer and your leadership score drops.