Reading this I had an off topic question from what I read. Can I get a link or something about how "everyone" can get arcane strike feat?
Any spell-like ability qualifies you.
There is a trait for that, or most of the cool-kid special races like Aasimar.
(I also adjusted your quote to fix the last name you referenced incorrectly.)
Hah, Jason Freston is a guy at my work. Love when my fingers type something other than what I'm reading.
I mostly brought up the potential issues around multiple Bodyguards with Benevolent armor in case concerns over them might influence any FAQ which comes out of this discussion. I’d actually like to see Bodyguard work as the original author intended. That's the way we've been playing it this whole time, and it hasn't been a problem up to this point. I'd hate to change it in midstream only to change back later when a FAQ comes out. My current PC who uses Bodyguard is a Monk1/Summoner13. His eidolon has it too. We're only granting a +3 and a +2 bonus, but it has made a big, and fun, difference in the game. If it were a stacking +8 and a +7 bonus I think the DM would absolutely flip out (stuff like this is probably why he only allowed Core and APG)
@Cap.Darling - I’d think that a bird in “soft” armor such as padded or studded leather wouldn’t be too unusual and at the very least should work "per the rules".
@Rogue Eidolon - I actually like the idea of Bodyguard working against reach and ranged attacks. If there needs to be a limitation I'd rather see it be something else (which is basically why I brought it up)
@Darksol - Obviously somebody with a very high or even infinite AC can still be hurt by Fireballs at least until he or she buys a ring of evasion. The same could be said of somebody who gains DR100/- though.
I mostly brought up the potential issues around multiple Bodyguards with Benevolent armor in case concerns over them might influence any FAQ which comes out of this discussion. I’d actually like to see Bodyguard work as the original author intended. That's the way we've been playing it this whole time, and it hasn't been a problem up to this point. I'd hate to change it in midstream only to change back later when a FAQ comes out. My current PC who uses Bodyguard is a Monk1/Summoner13. His eidolon has it too. We're only granting a +3 and a +2 bonus, but it has made a big, and fun, difference in the game. If it were a stacking +8 and a +7 bonus I think the DM would absolutely flip out (stuff like this is probably why he only allowed Core and APG)
@Darksol - Obviously somebody with a very high or even infinite AC can still be hurt by Fireballs at least until he or she buys a ring of evasion. The same could be said of somebody who gains DR100/- though.
And it's not just fireballs. Situations that require separation (or suffering of consequences) come in many forms, not just fireballs. Walls of Fire/Ice/Iron/Whatever work just as well, Create Pit, Flame Strike/Flaming Sphere, etc.
It's a lot like the Spartan/Roman style of fighting, where they're all packed together and create an almost complete shell against missile effects with their shield. That's a lot of how I see people stretching the "overpoweredness" of the Bodyguard feat. Quite frankly, the bulkiness of the troop being bunched together is its own flaw; targeting the creatures themselves with this supposedly "impossible" physical defense is a foolish endeavor. Those with even a 10 Intelligence would figure this out quick and devise another means of offense, the most common of which would be Battlefield/Crowd Control. Divide and Conquer is the best strategy against such centurion tactics.