My current PC is a 5th level CG halfling wizard (diviner).
He's pretty squishy (aren't they all).
Our group is not real good at always keeping the big meats away from him.
I am considering recruiting a body guard (leadership feat at 7th).
Thinking about what type of build to look for in a body guard. I am not wanting something to increase party power or really do alot of anything. Don't want something with a lot of decisions to make or actions to take. Our combats are slow enough as is. I want someone to stand next to me and intercept any charges or reach attacks heading my way. Could use some missile fire if nothing else is threatening me, but that isn't a priority.
My first thought was a paladin. Armored, good hps's, great saves if high char, loyal, can heal me at need, etc... But I'm chaotic good and the group already has a paladin. Though a lower level body guard shouldn't steal any of his thunder.
My second thought was some type of a monk. Decent AC, HP's, good saves, very fast, maneuvers to stop a charge, etc...
Waht do you think? One of the above or something else? how would you build whatever you select?
{ Not certain if GM will have me build or if he will do it. If I build it, it would be a 15 point buy (PC's are 20) and probably starting at level 4 or 5. }
What about a Cavalier? Honor Guard archtype, Order of the Shield, and the Swap Places teamwork feat from Tactician. Note that you'll have to make the cavalier another Small creater for Swap Places to work properly based on my reading of the feat description.
Plus, s/he can pick you up and run away on the mount if it all goes south.
I forgot to mention. No 3.x or other 3rd party material is allowed for this campaign.
I don't know if it's the best solution, but one of my players made a flowing monk that serves as basically an intelligent shield. At 5th level it can reposition or trip an opponent that he threatens if it attacks any ally 5/day as an immediate action. At 6th level it could grab Bodyguard to grant a +2 to AC to an adjacent ally with an immediate action and the spending of an AoO, then at level 10 could grab in harm's way and fully intercept attacks meant for an adjacent ally.
What about a Cavalier? Honor Guard archtype, Order of the Shield, and the Swap Places teamwork feat from Tactician. Note that you'll have to make the cavalier another Small creater for Swap Places to work properly based on my reading of the feat description.
Plus, s/he can pick you up and run away on the mount if it all goes south.
I will consider it, they would be good at getting me away from the charge. But I'm worried about the saves. I would not want my body guard dominated and thumping on me. Cavaliers have 2 bad saves. I might just take swap places teamwork feat with my cohort. Not sure.
You want your bodyguard to deny attackers actions, and survive himself. That said, HP and AC are more important than offensive abilities. Having a reach weapon isn't a bad idea, either. Teamwork feats that defend you (granting AC bonus, intercepting attacks, etc.) are solid, as well as constantly readying actions/delaying to intercept attacks on you.
Consider unorthodoxed tactics, too. A paladin or cavalier with a high AC and a slew of bear traps, caltrops, marbles, and the like. Create hard-to-maneuver terrain. Tanglefoot bags to take down flighted enemies. Weapons that can be set against a charge. Reach weapons and Combat Reflexes. Tower shields for cover. Hunting hounds and Handle Animal ranks. Mounts (large creatures still grant cover, right?) are solid choices, and can be dismounted for flanking and extra AoOs.
Also, if you have divine casters that you're not worried about making skill checks with, give them full plate (ironwood fullplate for druids). It hurts their attacks, but not their spellcasting or defensive abilities. Druids and Clerics can buff, heal, and summon. :)
Having a few undead around (cleverly disguised in armor or robes?) is nice, too. Hirelings, even without Leadership are a solid option if your GM isn't an evil fink. Getting yourself a mount, or trained combat animals is also a decent idea. Remember Friar Tuck? The earlier legends had him accompamied by 900 whie hounds (the hounds of Anwyn, essentially). You could totally be a wizard with wardogs, or pet wolves.
So many options.
Another wizard, devoted to casting the spells you don't have time to. Either giving you more defense buffs quicker, or holding actions to hold or blind etc anything that targets you. If you can get something naturally tough to detect or target, so much the better.
Whatever you do, make sure that the bodyguard has the Spellcraft skill, or some manner of Arcane knowledge skill, trained up.
Why?
So that he/she knows when you are casting something to get out of the way of, and so that the same skill can be used to determine which enemies are about to throw something that will definitely harm you.
The best bodyguards are the ones who know what to watch out for. Class, race, feats, none of those matter if the Bodyguard can't effectively guard your body. Whatever you pick, you want high Perception, and a knowledge of your profession. Knowing what you do, will help the Bodyguard know what to look out for.
Just my two copper.
... What is the party composition, and how do they operate together?...
Dwarf paladin, sword and board
Human gunslingerDwarf soul knife / rogue
Human fighter (not really specialized in anything as far as I can tell)
Halfling wizard (diviner) me
And we do not always operate very well together. {sigh} That's why I feel I need the body guard.
Lots of undead and outsiders. Saves are important.
I do not want another spell caster. Keeping up with what I can and should do is enough work for me.
Check out Right-hand Manny from the Useful Party Member Olympics thread
I would get something with Combat Patrol and CMB based feats such as trip or stand still. Making the bodyguard large at times to increase it's reach will also help.
Summoning monsters will also put a physical barrier between yourself and the bad guys, along with fog spells, and other battle control spells.
I would get something with Combat Patrol and CMB based feats such as trip or stand still. Making the bodyguard large at times to increase it's reach will also help.
Summoning monsters will also put a physical barrier between yourself and the bad guys, along with fog spells, and other battle control spells.
When it comes up, I usually don't have time to cast a spell or I need to save the spell. As a wiz I have to prepare them, so I usually only have 1 or at most 2 of the most useful spells. I have started taking sum mon x a fair amount though.
I would also speak to them about their lack of tactics outside the game. Mirror image, and displacement also help. Get fly asap also, along with expeditious retreat.
Here is a PC I built for a game that might not get off the ground. He is 9th level, but you can scale it back to see what something like this will look like at 5th level.
Init +3 Senses: Darkvision 60 ft; Perception +13
Defense
AC 26, touch 15, flat 22
hp 55 + 8d10
Fort +13 Ref +10 Will +11 ( + 13 vs mind-affecting)
Offense
Speed 40 ft
Melee
+2 glaive
1st or std attack + 16/+ 8 (1d10+18/x3)
Reach 10 ft
Statistics
Str 20, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 7
BAB +9; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Stand Still, Combat Patrol, Iron Will, Power Attack (-3/+9), Furious Focus, Spring Attack, Endurance, Diehard, Heroic Recovery (2/day), Heroic Defiance
Traits Conspiracy Hunter (perception), Carefully Hidden
Racial Sacred Tattoo, chain fighter, scavenger
27 Skills
9 perception 13
6 k. dungeon 10
6 k engineer 10
3 climb 10
3 swim 10
0 Acrobatics 3 (8 jump)
Racial Modifiers +2 appraise and perception to find hidden objects, determine if food is spoiled, or ID potion by taste
46000 gp
+2 silversheen glaive 8758
+2 Belt of Physical Might (str/con) 10,000
+3 Cloak of Resistance 9000
+1 Full Plate 2500
+1 Ring of Protection 1000
+1 Amulet of Natural Armor 2000
Handy Haversack 2000
Boots of Striding and Springing 5500
MW Cold Iron Cestus (left hand) 310
36, 928 gp spent
Stats were rolled and include the belt.
Check out Right-hand Manny from the Useful Party Member Olympics thread
I like this, but I don't want to detract from the any of the PC's (including myself). I might do something like this scaled back a bit.
I would also speak to them about their lack of tactics outside the game. Mirror image, and displacement also help. Get fly asap also, along with expeditious retreat.
Been trying to work on this a little bit at a time. There's some progress, but not as much as I'd like. Working together does not seem to come naturally to a few of them.
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Check out Right-hand Manny from the Useful Party Member Olympics threadI like this, but I don't want to detract from the any of the PC's (including myself). I might do something like this scaled back a bit.
You might be interested in some of the features of my Ranger's cohort : a Halfling DEX-based melee Paladin with the Bodyguard's feat chain and the Helpful trait (from Halflings of Golarion) which gives a +4 bonus to the Aid another action.
He goes into melee quite willingly but will usually use the Aid another action to the benefit of PCs or lay hands on them, unless faced with an opponent that he is obviously better at hurting (such as an Evil enemy with DR that other PCs cannot bypass) or his own personal nemesis : Evil Outsiders (he has taken the Oath against Outsiders from UM).
Note that thanks to the wording of the Bodyguard and In Harm's Way feats, you can make him an archer paladin who can stay by your PC's side far from the fight and still be useful in combat.
Since you are playing a Diviner (and thus always act in the surprise round) you may also be interested in the teamwork feat Lookout for both you and your cohort as well as other party members who deem it useful. And if your cohort gets a Mount/Animal Companion, it can take the feat too for added goodness.
Thanks for the helpful replies.
However, do to some situational changes, i will probably not get a follower. Unless of course, things change back.
We have a 5th regular player, a NPC who usually accompanies the group, 2 good spirits have been hanging around alot, and the paladin just got a baby shadow dragon (don't ask).
So the group has gotten kinda unwieldy already. I will probably also stop summoning elementals unless the need is dire.