Can you suggest a bodyguard cohort for this situation?

[dagger]

I wanted some help with a cohort that will be good at defending my 8th level wizard. The party has everything covered when it comes to the arch types, so my cohort will only really have two missions.

1) Protect me at all costs while I cast spells in the rear
2) The second mission with less priority is to help the party in some way from the rear. I was thinking an archer would be ideal for this part but an archer normally does not make a good bodyguard.



We use all 3.5 WoTC books and all FR books.

Thank you

 

[Shallown]

If you have access to 3.0 sword and fist pick a devoted defender if not use a dwarven defender and give them some range weapons. Ethier makes for a solid body guard. You could also go for Spiked chain for area control and tripping people trying to get to your wizard. There isn't a perfect body guard just look at what sorts of things threaten your wizard. This will depend on both your party make up and style. I know our rouge/bard has just picked up a cohort so he can be shielded from a fight since he is not at all tweaked for combat, though he comes in handy with small contributions. He has a warforged fighter moving toward devoted defender.

Just some ideas alsoa cleric works well becuase they can be a dedicated healer and make for decent shield men.

later

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Dwarven Fighter/Devoted Defender.

 

[Felix]

Dwarven Fighter/Devoted Defender, and a Trip, Disarm, or Sunder specialist. I'd say give him a halberd to do all that with.

And use a whole lot of readied actions. That, more than anything will make him a support character. Have him use the Aid Another action to give AC or attack bonuses to others, and make the opposition go batty by tripping them, knocking their weapons away, or breaking things. Sure, the party might not like it when the cohort sunders the blackguard's +2 wounding longsword, but they'll get over it.

 

[xazil]

What about misdirection? Take a Warlock with fell flight who flies around throwing blasts and acting intimidating. Most creatures should attack him instead of you. Make sure you have a druid buddy who can reincarnate, you might get a bugbear.

 

[uzagi_akimbo]

Fighter type with good shield skills might be of interest - Devoted Defender Jumps to mind.

Excellent skills to consider are Combat Expertise, Improved Combat Expertise (CW) and Allied Defense (FR-SS ) this will add up to a maximum of +10 ( +8 at 8th level ) to your and his AC (through allied defense), as long as he stays in an adjacent square (and anyone else, too, so even other peope in your party might incidentally profit from it ). High shield bonus and Combat Expertise will make him pretty much invulnerable vs melee and missile attacks he is going to interpose himself in to protect you.
Consider taking "Blooded" or "Stubborn" Feats (Regional feats FR-PG ) or even "Fearless" to make your 'meatshield' highly resistant to fear and mind effects, so he will stick around even if something wicked comes your way. Increased initiative or Will-save are added boni.

Consider picking a non-humanoid race (say a native outsider) to render him immune to charm person and some other stuff, too, so he can't be charmed off you.

The "Combat Reflexes" and "Hold the Line" feats might help keeping people from charging the two of you, although the effectiveness of these feats are hampered some by using a bigger part of one's base attack for Combat erpertise defense.

Hope this helps some

 

[Abstraction]

How about an ogre with a reach weapon?

 

[Liquidsabre]

It never ceases to amuse me when I see these posts about characters seeking a cohort and asking what the cohort should be:

DMG p.106, Attracting Cohorts: "A character can try to attract a cohort of a particular race, class, and alignment...The DM determines the details of the cohort."

It isn't exactly up to the PC what they end up with for a cohort.

 

[dagger]

Well thankfully not everyone plays the same way or 'by the book'.


Thanks for all the advice so far!!

 

[smetzger]

Monk or Paladin