Help with making a bodyguard - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 iamthatguy Mar 12, 2009 16:25:01	Hello and thanks in advance to nayone reading this. In a campaign I am in, I want to play a bodyguard type character. Note:I prefer not to use game-breaking loops, etc, but something as devious as the ultimate magus trick is fine by me. I was thinking of being amonk (mostly cause I would feel like a bouncer) and goping for good unarmed damage and grappling. Preferably I would like something that is either melee or about 30 ft range (Thrower maybe?) However I don't want to make myself completely based on defending another, just mostly. And if you need any ideas of flavor, I was going for a neutral-neutral mercenary bodyguard. Any thoughts?
#2 CantripN Mar 12, 2009 16:41:47	Look at Maquar Crusader, Crusader (ToB) amd Divine Crusader. Example: Human Paladin 2 / Fighter 2 / Warblade 1 / Maquar Crusader 5 / Divine Crusader (Hero) 10 Feats: 1 - True Believer (The Adama - Torm) (?) 1B - Weapon Focus (Falchion) 3 - Combat Reflexes 3B - Combat Expertise 4B - Karmic Strike 6 - Improved Combat Expertise 6B - G. Weapon Focus (Falchion) 8B - Allied Defense 9 - 12 - Robilar's Gambit 15 - 15B - Weapon Specialization (Falchion) 18 - Items: Dark Blue Rhomboid Ioun Stone (Alertness)
#3 iamthatguy Mar 12, 2009 16:51:31	hmm interesting. This could work but I would lie to know which books those last 2 prestige classes are from (Maquar and Divine Crusaders). Also I would rather be good at neutralizing a single opponent (although not neccesarily killing them). Plus absorbing damage is great, but Area Effect stuff is a personal favorite of this DM, so I cant block him all the time. That's why I liked the monk's fast movement plus initiative which could allow me to get my current employer out of there.
#4 CantripN Mar 13, 2009 2:26:00	Divine Crusader - Complete Divine Maquar Crusader - Shining South Hero Domain, amongst others, gives you Divine Power and Giant Size.
#5 iamthatguy Mar 13, 2009 15:23:09	Unfortunatly I do not yet own shining south.. Is the Maguar really necessary?
#6 phaedrusxy Mar 13, 2009 17:24:14	I made a bodyguard build a long time ago that I rather liked. There is a link in my sig to three threads on the topic, and the build is in one of them (or more... I forget). Edit: Ah crap, the thread with the build itself is gone. Edit2: Ah, found it. It was also in another thread. Show Monk2/Shaman8/ShouDisciple5/DevotedDefender3/BladeDancer2 BAB +17, Caster level 8 Base Saves: Fort +12, Refl +15, Will +11 HD 4d8+8d6+5d10+3d12 Special Benefits: Cha to saves and damage, Wis to AC (if unarmored, unlikely), 2 Domains, Martial Flurry, 2d6 unarmed damage, enhanced Dodge bonus, Devoted Defender abilities, movement is doubled, Acrobatics +10, Enchanted Blade 1 1 monk1 [IUS], Stunning Fist (monk), Dodge, Combat Expertise (human) 2 sham1 3 sham2 Wpn Focus: Unarmed 4 sham3 5 sham4 Improved Trip (bonus) 6 sham5 Alertness, [Cha to saves] 7 monk2 [Evasion], Combat Reflexes (monk) 8 Shou1 9 DD1 Karmic Strike 10 Shou2 Power Attack (bonus) 11 DD2 12 DD3 Divine Might 13 Shou3 [Martial Flurry, light] 14 Shou4 Improved Disarm (bonus) 15 Sham6 Mobility 17 Sham8 Deflect Arrows (bonus) 18 BD1 Spring Attack, [Fast Movement], [Acrobatics +10] 19 BD2 [Enchanted Blade 1] 20 Shou5 [Martial Flurry, any] Ability scores: Need Int and Str 13, good Cha, and decent Con, Dex and Wis. So this build suffers from MAD like mad. ;) But that probably won't be a problem in the campaign I'll play in, because that DM usually gives us a very healthy point buy. Heck, with the emphasis on Cha for saves and damage in this build, maybe I should make this the main character and the mage the cohort. :P One really nice thing I just noticed that this build will get: there is a 3rd level shaman spell called Substitution. It basically transfers half the damage that the shaman takes to a figurine. Combine this with Shield Other, and it will make up for the lower HD and then some. I have to take Community as one of my domains (for Shield Other). Not sure what the other will be, maybe War. The Blade Dancer levels and the 5th level of Shou Disciple are really just fluff, and the build could do without them easily. I was just looking for easy things to fill in the last few levels with, and those both looked pretty good.
#7 chibishuffle Mar 13, 2009 18:52:10	Devoted defender I think the prestige class is called it was in sword and fist. Might be right up your ally.
#8 CantripN Mar 13, 2009 20:43:10	Maquar Crusader is by far the best at defending other people. Crusader comes near, though.
#9 iamthatguy Mar 13, 2009 21:22:31	Yeah the entire concept was based on the premise of the devoted defender EXCEPT I didn't want so much as to be a shock absorber rather than prevent the shock in the first place. But that sounds more like a slayer or incapacitator.... I'm more of a bouncer or private security than the Secret Service. I'll do almost all I can to save you, But I won't take a flaming, explosive runed bolt for you....
#10 playswithfire Mar 14, 2009 11:58:10	What about some unarmed swordsage instead of monk, probably with some Setting Sun to throw the attacker 10+ feet away from the person you're protecting?
#11 reis Mar 14, 2009 12:09:13	ruby knight vindicator from tome of battle makes a fine bodyguard with cleric dominant esp

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

iamthatguy

Mar 12, 2009 16:25:01

Hello and thanks in advance to nayone reading this.
In a campaign I am in, I want to play a bodyguard type character.
Note:I prefer not to use game-breaking loops, etc, but something as devious as the ultimate magus trick is fine by me.

I was thinking of being amonk (mostly cause I would feel like a bouncer) and goping for good unarmed damage and grappling.
Preferably I would like something that is either melee or about 30 ft range (Thrower maybe?) However I don't want to make myself completely based on defending another, just mostly.

And if you need any ideas of flavor, I was going for a neutral-neutral mercenary bodyguard.
Any thoughts?

CantripN

Mar 12, 2009 16:41:47

Look at Maquar Crusader, Crusader (ToB) amd Divine Crusader.

Example:

Human Paladin 2 / Fighter 2 / Warblade 1 / Maquar Crusader 5 / Divine Crusader (Hero) 10

Feats:
1 - True Believer (The Adama - Torm) (?)
1B - Weapon Focus (Falchion)
3 - Combat Reflexes
3B - Combat Expertise
4B - Karmic Strike
6 - Improved Combat Expertise
6B - G. Weapon Focus (Falchion)
8B - Allied Defense
9 -
12 - Robilar's Gambit
15 -
15B - Weapon Specialization (Falchion)
18 -

Items:
Dark Blue Rhomboid Ioun Stone (Alertness)

iamthatguy

Mar 12, 2009 16:51:31

hmm interesting. This could work but I would lie to know which books those last 2 prestige classes are from (Maquar and Divine Crusaders). Also I would rather be good at neutralizing a single opponent (although not neccesarily killing them). Plus absorbing damage is great, but Area Effect stuff is a personal favorite of this DM, so I cant block him all the time. That's why I liked the monk's fast movement plus initiative which could allow me to get my current employer out of there.

CantripN

Mar 13, 2009 2:26:00

Divine Crusader - Complete Divine
Maquar Crusader - Shining South

Hero Domain, amongst others, gives you Divine Power and Giant Size.

iamthatguy

Mar 13, 2009 15:23:09

Unfortunatly I do not yet own shining south.. Is the Maguar really necessary?

phaedrusxy

Mar 13, 2009 17:24:14

I made a bodyguard build a long time ago that I rather liked. There is a link in my sig to three threads on the topic, and the build is in one of them (or more... I forget).

Edit: Ah crap, the thread with the build itself is gone.

Edit2: Ah, found it. It was also in another thread.

Show

Monk2/Shaman8/ShouDisciple5/DevotedDefender3/BladeDancer2
BAB +17, Caster level 8
Base Saves: Fort +12, Refl +15, Will +11
HD 4d8+8d6+5d10+3d12

Special Benefits: Cha to saves and damage, Wis to AC (if unarmored, unlikely), 2 Domains, Martial Flurry, 2d6 unarmed damage, enhanced Dodge bonus, Devoted Defender abilities, movement is doubled, Acrobatics +10, Enchanted Blade 1

1 monk1 [IUS], Stunning Fist (monk), Dodge, Combat Expertise (human)
2 sham1
3 sham2 Wpn Focus: Unarmed
4 sham3
5 sham4 Improved Trip (bonus)
6 sham5 Alertness, [Cha to saves]
7 monk2 [Evasion], Combat Reflexes (monk)
8 Shou1
9 DD1 Karmic Strike
10 Shou2 Power Attack (bonus)
11 DD2
12 DD3 Divine Might
13 Shou3 [Martial Flurry, light]
14 Shou4 Improved Disarm (bonus)
15 Sham6 Mobility
17 Sham8 Deflect Arrows (bonus)
18 BD1 Spring Attack, [Fast Movement], [Acrobatics +10]
19 BD2 [Enchanted Blade 1]
20 Shou5 [Martial Flurry, any]

Ability scores: Need Int and Str 13, good Cha, and decent Con, Dex and Wis. So this build suffers from MAD like mad. ;) But that probably won't be a problem in the campaign I'll play in, because that DM usually gives us a very healthy point buy. Heck, with the emphasis on Cha for saves and damage in this build, maybe I should make this the main character and the mage the cohort. :P

One really nice thing I just noticed that this build will get: there is a 3rd level shaman spell called Substitution. It basically transfers half the damage that the shaman takes to a figurine. Combine this with Shield Other, and it will make up for the lower HD and then some.

I have to take Community as one of my domains (for Shield Other). Not sure what the other will be, maybe War. The Blade Dancer levels and the 5th level of Shou Disciple are really just fluff, and the build could do without them easily. I was just looking for easy things to fill in the last few levels with, and those both looked pretty good.

chibishuffle

Mar 13, 2009 18:52:10

Devoted defender I think the prestige class is called it was in sword and fist. Might be right up your ally.

CantripN

Mar 13, 2009 20:43:10

Maquar Crusader is by far the best at defending other people. Crusader comes near, though.

iamthatguy

Mar 13, 2009 21:22:31

Yeah the entire concept was based on the premise of the devoted defender EXCEPT I didn't want so much as to be a shock absorber rather than prevent the shock in the first place.

But that sounds more like a slayer or incapacitator....
I'm more of a bouncer or private security than the Secret Service. I'll do almost all I can to save you, But I won't take a flaming, explosive runed bolt for you....

#10

playswithfire

Mar 14, 2009 11:58:10

What about some unarmed swordsage instead of monk, probably with some Setting Sun to throw the attacker 10+ feet away from the person you're protecting?

#11

reis

Mar 14, 2009 12:09:13

ruby knight vindicator from tome of battle makes a fine bodyguard with cleric dominant esp