1E: What's the best way to get a butler i can keep around?

[togapika]

The character concept is based on an old time British hunter of big game. The kind who only became an adventurer to hunt bigger and bigger things. I'll be building him as a Lion Catfolk so that he can be a "Dandy Lion"
I'd like for him to have a guy to carry his stuff or hold a parasol over him in the heat, but the problem is if i just hire a commoner or something they would easily be killed by monsters we face.

I'm not looking for them to do anything worthwhile in a fight or even on an adventure, just be someone I don't have to worry about replacing as they continue to wipe my face with handkerchiefs, make dry comments, and help me coordinate my fashion choices.
My first thought was a disguised skeleton who could somehow reform himself if someone knocks him to pieces, but i haven't the foggiest if such a thing exists, and as an unintelligent undead he wouldn't be able to talk, as well as me potentially being in trouble with the law if his undead nature is discovered.
Any ideas?

[NightbringerGGZ]

The character concept is based on an old time British hunter of big game. The kind who only became an adventurer to hunt bigger and bigger things.
I'd like for him to have a guy to carry his stuff or hold a parasol over him in the heat, but the problem is if i just hire a commoner or something they would easily be killed by monsters we face.
I'm not looking for them to do anything worthwhile in a fight or even on an adventure, just be someone I don't have to worry about replacing as they continue to wipe my face with handkerchiefs, make dry comments, and help me coordinate my fashion choices.
My first thought was a disguised skeleton who could somehow reform himself if someone knocks him to pieces, but i haven't the foggiest if such a thing exists, and as an unintelligent undead he wouldn't be able to talk, as well as me potentially being in trouble with the law if his undead nature is discovered.
Any ideas?

If you don't want the character to have any significant effect to gameplay, just talk to your GM. You can probably just pick up a butler as a hireling. Alternatively, look into the various ways to pick up the Leadership feat early.

[Firebug]

Unseen Servant maybe? It has the same problem as dying to AoE, but if you can cast it yourself it would be trivial to replace. Or just get a wand and spam it. Spirit Ally (https://aonprd.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Spirit%20Ally) feat if you already have CL 8, permanent(? since it says 'constant') though it takes 24 hours to replace when it dies. Ushabti of the Willing Servant (https://aonprd.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Ushabti%20of%2 0the%20Willing%20Servant) summons an Unseen Servant for 1 hour... but on command with no daily limit for 3,900 gp. This is probably your best bet.
Mud Buddy (https://aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Mud%20Buddy) is similar though a little more (barely) survivable. Different classes, level 2. Actually has a combat use too.
Extended Toil (https://aonprd.com/TraitDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Extended%20Toil) trait increases the duration by 50% of these summon friend type abilities.

For the undead side of things, there are Bloody (https://aonprd.com/MonsterTemplates.aspx?ItemName=Skeleton) variant skeletons that come back after being destroyed unless by positive energy (or a few similar things).

[Particle_Man]

Monks? They are usually considered to be "too defensive, not offensive enough" but that would seem to be a boon in this case. They can run away fast from combat, they have all good saves (and soon get Evasion), they are lawful (which seems very butleresque), Diplomacy and Sense Motive are class skills (also very butleresque) and if all else fails they can Hide (another class skill). Heck you could literally spend ranks on the class skill Profession: Butler! Free feats help a bit: Improved Grapple has defensive uses, as does Deflect Arrows. And if your DM targets them (hopefully not!) at least they are not caught unprepared, as they are always "armed" with unarmed strikes.

[aglondier]

Use the downtime rules to create an organisation, your household. A valet, porters, cook, guards, trackers, butchers, taxidermist, majordomo, kennelmaster, stablehands, and any other miscellaneous staff needed.

Did this once, had my people following me everywhere, stripping the countryside of anything not nailed down, and coming along with prybars for the stuff that was. Had administrators and bureaucrats in my employ to make my acquisitions legal. Had herbalists, lumberjacks, and butchers, prospectors, merchants and overseers. Any resource we encountered, we claimed.

GM hated us by the end, but it was hilarious while it lasted...

Alternatively, get the Leadership feat, and take a Lich as your cohort. He is your family butler, having served generations of your family...and even if he does get killed, he will later respawn in the bat-filled cavern beneath your family's ancestral manor, teleporting to your side to resume his duties.

[Rynjin]

Get leadership and make him a Battle Butler (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/battle-butler).

[Septimus]

I actually found that the Soulbound Mannequin (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/soulbound/soulbound-mannequin) has the perfect spell-like abilities for a butler ;)

[Dimers]

I'll be building him as a Lion Catfolk so that he can be a "Dandy Lion" ... Any ideas?

I'm no help regarding the butler, but I'd like to point out that "Dandy" is a ranger archetype, one that fits catfolk stats better than standard ranger does.

[Buddy76]

I think the Rajah class is what you're looking for. It's a noblemen that uses both Veilweaving and Path of War maneuvers, plus some other unique mechanics. It's a support class (but there's a more martial archtype) and it can summons servants at will. Those servants can't fight but they also can't really die and can look like anything you want. As you gain more levels in the class you can choose new powers such as making your servants carry you and your allies around in a summoned palanquin (that also functions as a mage's magnificent mansion when you're high level enough), or conjure up fine meals or fine clothes for you.

Heres's a handbook (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F-dswG9GKdEnnHDzCzGOj6ZESaXBRA3n6wjgkUedCnI/edit)

[Ashiel]

The character concept is based on an old time British hunter of big game. The kind who only became an adventurer to hunt bigger and bigger things. I'll be building him as a Lion Catfolk so that he can be a "Dandy Lion"
I'd like for him to have a guy to carry his stuff or hold a parasol over him in the heat, but the problem is if i just hire a commoner or something they would easily be killed by monsters we face.

I'm not looking for them to do anything worthwhile in a fight or even on an adventure, just be someone I don't have to worry about replacing as they continue to wipe my face with handkerchiefs, make dry comments, and help me coordinate my fashion choices.
My first thought was a disguised skeleton who could somehow reform himself if someone knocks him to pieces, but i haven't the foggiest if such a thing exists, and as an unintelligent undead he wouldn't be able to talk, as well as me potentially being in trouble with the law if his undead nature is discovered.
Any ideas?

The reanimating skeleton thing is pretty easy to do with a little Spheres of Power black magic.
Reanimate (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/death#toc2) + Expanded Necromancy (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/death#toc10) + Sustained Necromancy (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/death#toc19) + Permanent Undead (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/death#toc55) + Summon Spirit (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/death#toc60) us enough to give your Butler a Bloody Skeleton body (bloody skeletons reform in 1 hour if not killed with positive energy or holy water). Combine with the Twisted Reanimation (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/death#toc85) dual-sphere feat and you can even make him look and appear as he did in life (or however he would prefer) granting him a +10 bonus on Disguise checks made to appear to be a regular Butler.

If you want to pay an NPC to do it for you, you're looking at about 300 gp (150 gp to create the body and 150 gp to stuff the willing spirit into it).