Help with leadership

[WilfredWhaleson]

Hello fellow GMs and players. I would like some help according the leadership feat.

I have a paladin player, level 13 and with 24 charisma score that wants to take the leadership feat. His leadership score, if I have calculated correct, is 20 (13 level and +7 charisma mod) and he wants a golden young dragon, which is has CR of 11, so his effective cohort level is 19 (dragon's CR +8). On the leadership table the cohort levels only go up to 17. So that means that he can't get a golden young dragon as a follower now or never. Am I reading this correct? Cause that will be a problem, since a paladin can only take lawful good companions and a dragon cohorts must always be young.

[The_Jette]

Hello fellow GMs and players. I would like some help according the leadership feat.

I have a paladin player, level 13 and with 24 charisma score that wants to take the leadership feat. His leadership score, if I have calculated correct, is 20 (13 level and +7 charisma mod) and he wants a golden young dragon, which is has CR of 11, so his effective cohort level is 19 (dragon's CR +8). On the leadership table the cohort levels only go up to 17. So that means that he can't get a golden young dragon as a follower now or never. Am I reading this correct? Cause that will be a problem, since a paladin can only take lawful good companions and a dragon cohorts must always be young.

With a leadership rating of 20, his cohort can have a max ECL of 14, meaning the cohort he's asking for is too high, anyways, since it's sitting at 19. You may want to suggest he go for something of a smaller dragon, if he really wants one.

[OldTrees1]

Hello fellow GMs and players. I would like some help according the leadership feat.

I have a paladin player, level 13 and with 24 charisma score that wants to take the leadership feat. His leadership score, if I have calculated correct, is 20 (13 level and +7 charisma mod) and he wants a golden young dragon, which is has CR of 11, so his effective cohort level is 19 (dragon's CR +8). On the leadership table the cohort levels only go up to 17. So that means that he can't get a golden young dragon as a follower now or never. Am I reading this correct? Cause that will be a problem, since a paladin can only take lawful good companions and a dragon cohorts must always be young.


Have you considered using the 3.5 cohort rules for even younger dragons? The Paladin is 13th level and thus has a maximum of a 11th level cohort(12th with a feat). A Wyrmling Gold dragon is a 12th level cohort and a Wyrmling Silver dragon is a 11th level cohort.

[WilfredWhaleson]

I will look into it OldTrees1, thank you very much for the idea.

My question though also is: Since the Cohort levels go up to 17 and the cohort level of a young gold dragon is 19, RAW speaking, he can never get one as a cohort, right?

[PacMan2247]

The table does max cohorts out at level 17, regardless of how much higher than 25 the leadership score goes. This wouldn't be an issue until you're closing on level 20 anyway, at which point you can of course try to work out a house rule for it that works for your group.

Paladins also get a special mount at level 5, which applies a -2 penalty to the leadership score. I could easily see that offset by a reputation for kindness and generosity, and possibly special power as well, but I thought I'd toss out a reminder that those modifiers exist as well.

[ATHATH]

Have him take Dragon Cohort (from the Draconomicon) instead.

[OldTrees1]

I will look into it OldTrees1, thank you very much for the idea.

My question though also is: Since the Cohort levels go up to 17 and the cohort level of a young gold dragon is 19, RAW speaking, he can never get one as a cohort, right?

Correct.

You could always extend the chart if you find doing so appropriate. I think there are better options in this case, but know your options as a DM.