A Question of Leadership

[GryffonDurime]

So, just a little question that popped into my head--the Leadership feat says that a Cohort must be two levels lower than the character. Does this mean that the Cohort must have an overall ECL two levels lower? Or is it just based off hitdice? For that matter, does two levels lower mean two hitdice lower?

Just a question. Read nothing into it.

Or else.

Thank you and have a nice day.

[Fax Celestis]

I believe it's ECL, but ask the monocled beholder for a verified answer.

[Jasdoif]

I believe the DMG says that you use ECL when determining what's acceptable for a cohort. I don't have access to it right now though, so I can't double-check.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

All my DM's told me ECL, and I believe I read it myself as well. I've always used that to determine when I can have the half-dragon stone giant hulking hurler cohort I'm so fond of asking the DM for.

[Mewtarthio]

Think about it this way: If you could take any creature based off of HD rather than ECL, then nothing would prevent you from taking a Pseudonatural Paragon Phrenic Greater Barghest. Granted, no DM would allow that, but you can see how unbalanced basing things solely off of HD can be. As a slightly less drastic example, there'd be no reason to take a seventh-level druid cohort over a 6 HD Nymph Druid 1 chohort: The latter casts as an eighth-level druid and gets a host of other abilities, while the former just trades the Reflex save for a Fortitude save and gets slightly more hit points.