Most powerfull +1 or less tank

[Lightlawbliss]

I'm looking for a race (templates included) that provides the most powerful melee tank (thinking crusader for the class, but might go something else if the race works better for that). +1 or less LA or 1 or less racial HD is preferred.

BTW: This is for an npc loosely allied with the PCs (commander of the local army), so abusable stuff is a lot less likely to be game changing.

So far, Half ogre is the best I have found.

Edit: If it is really good at the job (and worth the cost) Feel free to post that as well. LA buyoff is allowed in the game in question.

[Gwendol]

Human mineral warrior is quite the tank.

[Alabenson]

I think Mineral Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) might be something you'd like to consider, I see it brought up fairly often as one of the stronger "tanky" +1 templates.

[Rubik]

A dvati crusader with the highest Con you can manage.

Twice the actions, so long as you don't cast spells, which means you heal twice as much and deal twice as much damage. Add in some White Raven, which is even more powerful now than before.

[Urpriest]

If it's for an NPC, why do you care about LA?

[Fyermind]

Half Minotaur Dragonborn Water Orc.

Alternatively Feral is a great tank template for the fast healing and massive natural armor.

[Lightlawbliss]

Let's just say I have plans for this character and the LA matters for those plans. Those plans may or may not involve a memorable battle and/or heroic death. If you want to post something that isn't +1 or 1 racial HD then feel free.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Warforged Crusader or Human Mineral Warrior Crusader are your best bets for low LA nonsense. List of immunities for one (and some DR with a feat) and massive Con for the other (and RETARDED DR). Crusader's are just plain great at tanking (especially since NO magic is involved).

[Tvtyrant]

Mongrelfolk Dragonborn of Bahamut Mineral Warrior Warblade with a pumped con? It nets you +10 Con and a D12 HD, so you should have 21 HP guarded by DR 8/Adamantine.

[Rebel7284]

Mongrelfolk Dragonborn of Bahamut Mineral Warrior Warblade with a pumped con? It nets you +10 Con and a D12 HD, so you should have 21 HP guarded by DR 8/Adamantine.

I theorycrafted a fun build around that before. Went into Stoneblessed->Dwarf Paragon->Deepwarden->Fist of the Forest.

Nice in meelee, but probably makes a poor tank due to no one wanting to attack you. :-P

[Tvtyrant]

I theorycrafted a fun build around that before. Went into Stoneblessed->Dwarf Paragon->Deepwarden->Fist of the Forest.

Nice in meelee, but probably makes a poor tank due to no one wanting to attack you. :-P

Yup. The way to do it is to have all of your party members shrink down and ride on you, so attacking them allows you AoOs against enemies. For best effect grow up to colossal and have them shrink down to fine, and then pretend they don't exist and you simply get 4 turns each round. "I am a CR 25 creature! Fear me!"

[Immabozo]

the otherHalf ogre and half minotaur from Dragon Mag, templates, if stacked together on a medium creature, +1 LA for +16 str, +8 con, -2 Int, -2 wis and -4 cha with +8 NA (ish) and large size and some nifty traits, like giant blooded and a natural gore attack.

Mineral warrior and feral on top of that would also be fun, nut thats jacking up LA

edit: war hulk with the skilled weapon enchantment would be a very scary tank

[JaronK]

Half Minotaur and Mineral Warrior are definitely your best options for LA+1 templates for tanks. For a base race, consider Water Orc, Dwarf, or Human. If you're going Mineral Warrior it can be applied later, so consider Dragonborn Water Orc as a base race.

JaronK

[ericgrau]

Half-Minotaur mineral warrior water orc. Half-Minotaur water orc is the most broken choice if you have to choose 1 LA. But at +8 con and DR 8, you make up for the hp lost to LA at the 1st or 2nd level. Or by level 4 (ECL 6) if you expect him to die entirely to fireballs and not even a single physical attack. i.e., before fireballs or similar are a big issue. Pick up a +2 int magic item, a spiked chain and start tripping. This is all highly abusive btw. You're not DMPCing the abusive tank, good, but what if the players start asking to use the race and templates?

I'd go with water orc over human. By the time you get 6 BAB for shock trooper you can squeeze in the 5 feats you need for a guisarme tripper-charger. Finally get spiked chain proficiency afterwards and then combat reflexes.

[Lightlawbliss]

...You're not DMPCing the abusive tank, good, but what if the players start asking to use the race and templates?
...

Conveniently, My players all fall under the "get highly attached to a character" category. I'd be shocked if they wanted to get rid of one character and replace it with another. I wouldn't really have much of a problem with them using mineral warrior, Righteous might is well used (abused) by them anyway. Oh yeh... and casters tend to not like loosing mental stats.