How Would You Create a Mundane Bodyguard?

[grae]

Hey folks! I am thinking about possibilities for my Leadership cohort. S/he will need to be mundane -- no magic involved. Primary purpose is protection, a Huell (http://weknowgifs.com/gif/huell-breaking-bad-gif/) to my character's Saul Goodman. I was thinking about maybe some kind of tripper who readies actions triggered by attacking my character, or some other way to interrupt attacks against me. Cohort would begin at level 4, but feel free to build out. Any ideas from the Playground?

[Red Fel]

Hey folks! I am thinking about possibilities for my Leadership cohort. S/he will need to be mundane -- no magic involved. Primary purpose is protection, a Huell (http://weknowgifs.com/gif/huell-breaking-bad-gif/) to my character's Saul Goodman. I was thinking about maybe some kind of tripper who readies actions triggered by attacking my character, or some other way to interrupt attacks against me. Cohort would begin at level 4, but feel free to build out. Any ideas from the Playground?

Is this for 3.5? If so, Crusader, easy.

Start with Iron Guard's Glare stance, keeping your Crusader bodyguard near you at all times. Anyone attacking you instead of your cohort takes a penalty.

At higher levels, switch to Thicket of Blades, have your guard stand ahead of you. Take EWP: Spiked chain, Stand Still and Combat Reflexes. Your guard now takes an AoO at anything that so much as breathes, and can use that AoO to stop them dead in their tracks before they can even get close.

In addition, your bodyguard's Devoted Spirit maneuvers can give you some helpful spot-healing. And her Crusader delayed damage pool will keep her alive to keep taking hits for you.

[Fax Celestis]

I'm actually playing one right now (http://pifro.com/pro/view.php?id=9790), though it is using the Generic Classes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm) variant.

[OldTrees1]

In order to better protect you, I recommend a Large Flying bodyguard. Say a Half Minotaur Raptorian. This would even open up the idea of knocking enemies away via attacks of opportunity (Knockback feat).

[Gwendol]

I recommend looking up the Devoted Defender PrC, it's "Bodyguard - the class"

[OldTrees1]

I recommend looking up the Devoted Defender PrC, it's "Bodyguard - the class"

The first 3 levels are Great! You get to trade places with your ward as a free action whenever they are attacked, attack anyone that attacks your ward and deflect attacks against your ward.

However the remaining 7 levels are merely small numerical bonuses.

[grae]

Crusader isn't exactly mundane with ToB maneuvers, but I appreciate the advice.

The Devoted Defender is more what I'm looking for. That's a pretty nifty class.

[Fax Celestis]

Crusader isn't exactly mundane with ToB maneuvers, but I appreciate the advice.

The Devoted Defender is more what I'm looking for. That's a pretty nifty class.

Note that Constant Guardian + Dutiful Guardian from DotU does basically the same thing.

[OldTrees1]

Note that Constant Guardian + Dutiful Guardian from DotU does basically the same thing.

The feats only copy the first level of Devoted Defender. The second level is good deterrent and the third level can deflect 1 attack per turn.

[Flickerdart]

A bodyguard gnome riding on your neck can use the Ride skill to prevent 1 attack per round from hitting you.

[Fax Celestis]

The feats only copy the first level of Devoted Defender. The second level is good deterrent and the third level can deflect 1 attack per turn.

Constant and Dutiful Guardian are prereq-less fighter feats, so you can start bodyguarding from level 1. Devoted Defender requires two crappy feats to get in and four cross-class (for most fighter-types, anyway) ranks in three skills. The easiest way I can see to get in is Rogue 1/Knight 5, but Rogue 2/Knight 4 is probably a better entry since you can get Evasion on that good Reflex save. Still, Evasion requires light armor, and if you're bodyguarding you're going to want to tank, which light armor is not very good at doing.

EDIT: Actually, Urban Ranger 5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rangerVariantUrbanRang er) is the best entry for this, as nonsensical as that may seem. All skills required are class skills, full BAB. Still need to drop two feats on Alertness and Weapon Focus (gross), but at least you can use Alertness to grab Keen-Eared Scout and Weapon Focus for whatever other prereq-needs you have.

The range for the feats is superior--10' instead of Devoted Defender's adjacent requirement.

Defensive Strike is okay, but can be replicated with feats or maneuvers.

Deflect Blow is nice, but the prereqs and three-levels-deep-ness of the ability is daunting, it still requires adjacency, and frankly I don't like it because the mechanics are weird.

[ArqArturo]

In order to better protect you, I recommend a Large Flying bodyguard. Say a Half Minotaur Raptorian. This would even open up the idea of knocking enemies away via attacks of opportunity (Knockback feat).

Something something Buffalo Wings in BBQ sauce.

[dascarletm]

Knight might not be too bad of a class to use as a base. Shield ally lets Huell absorb damage, and if you get him some reach, makes terrain difficult for enemies thus allowing you to 5ft. step away and forcing them to disengage you or eat an AoO (possibly a trip). With a d12 hit dice Huell'll have some more meaty goodness, and the ability to move quicker in heavy armor will allow Huell to keep up with you.

[Fax Celestis]

Knight might not be too bad of a class to use as a base. Shield ally lets Huell absorb damage, and if you get him some reach, makes terrain difficult for enemies thus allowing you to 5ft. step away and forcing them to disengage you or eat an AoO (possibly a trip). With a d12 hit dice Huell'll have some more meaty goodness, and the ability to move quicker in heavy armor will allow Huell to keep up with you.

A Knight can't get into this class until 8th level and has to have at least INT 13 and be willing to spend all his skill points on prereqs for this class.

Urban Ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rangerVariantUrbanRang er) can get in at 5th and still has 3+INT skills per level left over to actually put in things like Tumble, Gather Information, Use Magic Device, or Knowledges.