Ultimate Body Guard cohort


Advice


Upon hitting level seven with my witch I was going to take leadership. I want a bodyguard, the ultimate bodyguard, so what would be idea for this class wise? I was thinking a human fighter because of the feats. Any suggestions?


First, I would avoid the monstrous cohorts. With any of them, you'd be giving up meat (Hit points, BAB, Saves, etc.) for special abilities.

So, you'll be picking a class. Since this is supposed to be a bodyguard, but will be 2 (or more) levels lower than the party it's traveling with, you'll want to maximize defenses (HP, AC, Saves) or your bodyguard will go down like a chump to anything you would need guarding from. Also, its net +hit should be maximized or it won't be able to land a blow against higher level enemies. All this points to choosing a melee class with full BAB. That has the added benefit of being a bit easier to manage as a second character - no magic item crafting, no spell list, etc.

  • Barbarian - I'm not a fan of this, since it's based on Rage. That's the opposite of the attitude I'd want in a bodyguard.
  • Cavalier - Based on being mounted, so only useful of the party will be able to keep mounts with them consistently.
  • Fighter - Solid, straightforward, and it's easy to build with one with few combat options, making it quick to play.
  • Ranger - Lower AC. It may be fun to make a switch-hitter with very good ranged attacks. Also, if your party is lacking useful skills like survival & tracking, this might be a place to pick them up.
  • Paladin - This would be my first choice, IF the alignment will fit. A Paladin is about the toughest thing on a battlefield, high HP plus Lay On Hands, very high saves, full plate + shield, etc.


The Cavalier archetype (note: not Order) "Honor Guard" from Ultimate Combat:

Sworn Defense (Ex): At 1st level, whenever an honor guard issues a challenge, he can select one ally as his ward for the duration of the challenge. Whenever the honor guard is adjacent to his ward, he takes a –1 penalty to Armor Class, and the ward receives a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This modifies the challenge ability.

Intercept (Ex): At 3rd level, an honor guard learns to better disrupt the attacks of his enemies. He gains Bodyguard (Advanced Player’s Guide 151) as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisite. In addition, whenever the honor guard uses the aid another action to increase an ally’s Armor Class, the bonus to Armor Class granted by the aid another action increases by +1. This ability replaces cavalier’s charge.

Warding Charge (Ex): At 11th level, an honor guard can flash across the battlefield to protect his ward against the target of his challenge. Whenever the target of the honor guard’s challenge makes an attack against his ward, the honor guard can move up to his speed and make a single melee attack against the target of his challenge as an immediate action. This movement and attack can be made as a charge if the movement qualifies. This ability replaces mighty charge.

Defensive Challenge (Ex): At 12th level, whenever an honor guard declares a challenge, his target must pay particular attention to him and his ability to intercept attacks. As long as the target is within the threatened area of the cavalier, it takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls against anyone other than the honor guard. This ability replaces demanding challenge.

Stack that and the Samurai's Order of the Warrior and you've got a fairly nifty bodyguard (who isn't as dependent on his horse as most cavaliers).

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
Stack that and the Samurai's Order of the Warrior and you've got a fairly nifty bodyguard (who isn't as dependent on his horse as most cavaliers).

Love the Cavalier bodyguard, but I was thinking Order of the Dragon... my reasoning is that Bodyguard allows you to use Attacks of Opportunity to "Aid another" to increase your AC, and the Order of the Dragon cavalier's aid another bonus grows as he levels, meaning WHEN you get the bodyguard, his aid another to AC is a +4, and will increase (albeit slowly) as you progress.

Really, this bodyguard would peak at lvl 8 (so when you hit lvl 10) at which point he:

-Grants you a +1 dodge bonus to AC 3/day for basically a whole fight

-Can increase your AC by 5 with an untyped bonus 1+(dex mod) times a round

-Can spend his standard action to either move you out of harms way or increase your AC once per BATTLE

-Gives a +3 bonus to attacks on targets of its challenge whom he threatens (so, anyone in melee with you he challenges and your allies can destroy them)

Mount dependency isn't a terrible thing, either... if you take a Halfling cavalier (+2 dex means more bodyguarding!) then the mount can easily accompany you in narrow corridors, etc. Plus, if you throw a point into its INT (qualifying it for the general feat list) you could give the MOUNT bodyguard and In Harm's Way as well, doubling the meat shielding.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Oh, and a Halfling cohort could take Lucky Halfling as a feat, and reroll one of your saves for you once a day!

Lvl 1: Combat Reflexes
Lvl 3: Bodyguard (for free) and In Harm's Way
Lvl 5: Lucky Halfling

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