Looking to build a cohort

[Anarch]

First time having a character survive long enough to be able to attract a cohort.

Anyways, the stats.

Level 12 character, Leadership score hovering around 14-15.

Fighter 6/Barbarian 1/ Frenzied Berserker 5

Trying to figure out a cohort that would be able to tag along without dying, and would be the most beneficial for the character. Only rules here are no psionics; exotic stuff is okay, depending on what books are being used.

So far, only things that I've come up with that fit the character are a drunken master (fashioned after "The Town Drunkard", an NPC a friend of ours RP'd for the hell of it when he was sitting in on a session. In response to any significant action, the player would respond, "The Town Drunkard takes a drink.") and a caster of some sort; maybe a Rage Mage.

Go nuts, kids.

[Adumbration]

Maybe a cleric of some kind. A heal-bot wouldn't be bad, and if your character goes completely out of control, Calm Emotions will help with that.

[SilentNight]

I second Cleric. Maybe a buffer sorcerer.

[playswithfire]

How about a Druidic Avenger variant Druid? Good divine spells, including healing, some barbarian-like aspects so they could get along, decent melee fighter. Add a prestige class if you like or levels in ex-monk/swordsage for the wisdom to AC.

[Kioran]

Maybe a favored Soul of Gruumsh/Kord/whatever fits better - a follower of a god of strength and chaos, who admires your "work" and thinks it embodies the work of that god - built for durability, with the Fav-souls good saves, some medium armor and other goodness. Can heal you or cast calm emotions before you run amok and kill the party.

Say, we can deduct the ECL, but what are the other conditions used?

- What kind of Point buy/Dice rolling is used to determine stats?
- Can we take your opening statement about available sources to mean any published WotC except for Psionics?
- What kind of a flavor do you desire? Are your characters more of the "flashy" or "earthy" tyepes?

I guess O could build you something....

Or maybe a cloistered Cleric of Gruumsh? A nerdy half-orc that admires you .......

[Telonius]

A straight-up Bard might not be that bad. You're a frenzied berserker ... maybe he's looking for a drummer? Anyway, a Bard has access to Calm Emotions, and he's the gold standard as far as making other people better at what they do.

[Anarch]

Reading through all of that and thinking for a bit, I'm leaning towards a cleric of some sort. Our group is short on healing; everyone is usually too busy covering their own asses while I'm beatin' the ever-loving snot out of anything and everything.

A semi-effective gnome wizard/fatespinner(? can't remember the prestige class name for the life of me); more time spent buffing herself and applying Greater Invisibility to make sure I don't kill her when the fight ends and I'm still frenzying.

Bard with a backstory that makes a good effort, but doesn't have the oomph or enough actions to keep up with the rest of our spastic party.

A Large solar cleric/ex-monk/something...with Monkey Grip...and a spiked chain big enough to anchor a sizable boat. Broken? Not yet, but damned if he isn't trying.

And a reincarnated (into a lizard-something) druid that heals...grudgingly. He's got evil in his future, and will likely betray the party at some point in the near future.

My character was fashioned after a homeless man I met in a diner. He was deranged in the extreme, but I shared a fun conversation with him. Anyways, the cleric will probably worship the particular god that's tied into my character's back story; "The Wizard of Eye" (actual name taken from the conversation with the homeless fella). Cleric is going to be completely in awe of my character; their initial meeting is what inspired the cleric to learn more about my character's back story, which in turn led the cleric to worship The Wizard (neutral deity; kinda of a half-insane over-god. Fun at parties).

So, with all of that in mind...ideas for builds? I'll love y'all forever.

[Keld Denar]

Your cohort would be level 9...
Bard1/Marshall4/Bard4

Gets great Martial auras, which can increase your init check, your AB, and some other stuff. Going first is GREAT! The grant move action feature at Marshal4 gives you effectively pounce, since your marshall moves you into position and then you frenzy and shred. He also knows Calm Emotions which can help end your frenzy. He can have up to a +4 bard song (+2 normal, +1 Insp Boost, +1 Badge of Valor) and can follow that up with Inspire Greatness to give you outstanding buffs. Give him a Belt of Battle and watch his abilities make you nova.

Don't ever say bards are weak. My high level Living Greyhawk fighter would rather have a compentant bard than a mediochre fighter at his table any day.

[Anarch]

So, any ideas for a cleric/whatever (doesn't have to be straight; prestige classes, non-PHB divine classes that fit the concept, etc.)?

I've never built a cleric/divine caster up high enough to get a proper feel for 'em. I'm not lookin' for cheese, but I wouldn't object to a little; this campaign is running solely on the fact that we keep outwitting the DM and inexplicably surviving the over-powered stuff he's throwing at us. A little extra oomph on our side won't hurt things.

[Toliudar]

Cleric and bard are both solid choices - especially since it gives the PC's someone who always keeps a Calm Emotions spell in reserve, to deal with an out of control Frenzy.

I kind of like the idea of a cloistered cleric of Kord - someone who has been drawn to you as a kind of exemplar of what Kord believes in. Maybe he/she believes you are an avatar of Kord?

Mechanically, nine levels of cleric isn't bad. You usually don't want cohorts taking the spotlight too often, but for a major battle, he/she could power up with divine power, righteous might, and still become clericzilla. Crafting feats might mean he can help out the party. Divine metamagic Persistent would mean that he can buff once or twice (more if you abuse nightsticks) for an all-day benefit.

[Bag_of_Holding]

How about:

Cleric (heal and sun domain; spontaneous healing domain substitution) 6/Radiant Servant of Pelor with Dragon Prophesier and Prophecy's Shephard feats (both from MoE)?

You'll have Quickened Empowered Cure Critical Wounds (CL 10th) and Empowered Cure Critical Wounds (CL 10th) once per round with no increase in spell level whatsoever. Of course DP has a duration limit but it's long enough to last an encounter, and usable often enough to be a good healbot feat choice.

[Anarch]

Cleric and bard are both solid choices - especially since it gives the PC's someone who always keeps a Calm Emotions spell in reserve, to deal with an out of control Frenzy.

I kind of like the idea of a cloistered cleric of Kord - someone who has been drawn to you as a kind of exemplar of what Kord believes in. Maybe he/she believes you are an avatar of Kord?

Mechanically, nine levels of cleric isn't bad. You usually don't want cohorts taking the spotlight too often, but for a major battle, he/she could power up with divine power, righteous might, and still become clericzilla. Crafting feats might mean he can help out the party. Divine metamagic Persistent would mean that he can buff once or twice (more if you abuse nightsticks) for an all-day benefit.

That's sounding pretty close to what I'm looking for (9-10 straight levels of cleric; if 9, with maybe one level of cheese/extra thrown in). I've never really thrown a cleric together, so I may need a bit of hand-holding on this. For the campaign, we're using a 28 point buy (hatehatehatehatehate). Everything else is open; source's for books used, no psionics. Thanks very much for the help so far, folks.

[Hectonkhyres]

Kobold trapbastard. Why? I don't know, but the contrast just rocks. And if you get out of control, your godawful Frenzied Berserker will find himself dangling from a branch as the kobold calmly sips tea not ten feet away.

We had a NPC partymember (he got a share of the plunder and the joy of killing smoothskins left, right, and down the middle) who was like that once. We had more fun. And spontaniously igniting cities. And all orders of chaos and destruction. And skinned gnomes. But such things only add to the fun!

[sonofzeal]

Bard 1 / Marshal 2 / Divine Mind X

....seriously, I've played a character like this, and with a little optimization (Word of Creation ftw) I made him into hands-down the most brokenly powerful character I've ever played, to the point where I retired the concept after one (and a half) sessions. The guy himself couldn't fight worth beans, but even his horse could take on an ogre with ease. Pick up the Saint template if possible to continue the cheese.

[leperkhaun]

I second the bard idea. They help out everyone without taking the spotlight.

Frenzied bezerker is just too easy for a bad guy to make go off at the wrong times.

[Prometheus]

You really do have to make a cohort make some sort of sense to be attracted to the cause of your character. I would imagine that limits you to Rangers, Fighter, Barbarians, Bards, & Rogues. The bard is a good idea, but if your party doesn't have a rogue, it will function as the perfect a skill monkey, scout, and occasional flanking friend. The only drawback would obviously be threats to their health, so make them have a hearty constitution score.