front-liner for a new campaign.

[Aus_Snow]

But of course the wizard has a big sign rotating around his head, reading "arcane spell caster".

Yeah. Like that 'look ma, no armour!' sign. Crazy.

 

[krupintupple]

so i take it that my initial idea of being the bodyguard - dwarf or human kitted out with a tower sheild and the heaviest armour possible - isn't a good one?

 

[Runestar]

so i take it that my initial idea of being the bodyguard - dwarf or human kitted out with a tower sheild and the heaviest armour possible - isn't a good one?

Well, it depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to be a glorified tortoise with a toothpick (hard to kill, but limited mobility, and limited damage output, so no one really bothers with you anyways)...

If you want to be a defender, then you need to rethink your build, because I doubt it will be capable of anything you want it to be able to achieve.

You could just wield a 2-handed weapon and focus on boosting your damage output. Your idea of defense is a good offense - kill the foes ASAP before they can significantly pose a threat to your party.

 

[Dragonwriter]

Dragon Shaman is a pretty good choice... The auras provide good bonuses for you and your teammates (or any ally within 30 ft.) and Vigor can save lives (I would know; a buddy got down to -HP in one encounter, my Vigor kept him alive and healed him up).

Maybe go Medium armor or you could take Heavy Armor Proficiency and wear a nice, thick steel suit. And carry a big, heavy shield. Might want to be a human, going with Str, Con and Cha as your focus stats.

Depending on group style and personal style, your totem dragon choice is important. If your ranged warriors/casters are good at single target spells, choose a dragon that gives a cone breath weapon. If they do mass blasts a lot, choose a line breath weapon. And go with whatever dragon you like better with the alignment you want.

 

[green slime]

Yeah. Like that 'look ma, no armour!' sign. Crazy.

Yeah, like every peasant on the planet... Must be tough trying to travel to the market. People keep mistaking the peasants for magic users, and slaughtering them on sight. No wonder Jack went up the beanstalk...

 

[green slime]

so i take it that my initial idea of being the bodyguard - dwarf or human kitted out with a tower sheild and the heaviest armour possible - isn't a good one?

Yes, it is a good one. Races of Stone has a variety of tough Dwarven armours. As to mobility, being a dwarf means that you aren't losing more mobility than a human in heavy armour anyways. Secondly, you can always get boots of flying later on in your career for added mobility, should you last that long.

But I'd drop the tower shield, and go for a great big bloody weapon. My personal preference is for scythe + massive strength: makes for fun criticals that really matter, no matter who the opposition is.

 

[Khuxan]

Yeah, like every peasant on the planet... Must be tough trying to travel to the market. People keep mistaking the peasants for magic users, and slaughtering them on sight. No wonder Jack went up the beanstalk...

A peasant travelling with a band of heavily armed men and women, carrying a spellbook and scrolls and a bag full of components... Even a wizard disguised as a commoner will reveal himself/herself in the first round of combat when casting begins.

 

[green slime]

A peasant travelling with a band of heavily armed men and women, carrying a spellbook and scrolls and a bag full of components... Even a wizard disguised as a commoner will reveal himself/herself in the first round of combat when casting begins.

..... belt pouch obviously is labelled "Spell components" in a flasing Neon sign, and has exotic ingredients falling out of it. And the rucksack obviously states its contents in TimesNewRoman Bold 36. And of course, the second level wizard, with his amazing arsenal of 3 or 4 1st level spells obviously starts casting spells as soon as a potential adversary appears on the horizon.

Or he stands around with his crossbow, looking exceedingly incompetent in its use, and in the event of a conflict starting, will conserve his arcane energy, weighing up his options, in order to be able to release it when the situation really calls for it, and not to waste those precious spells on a threat that the rest of the party can handle with ease.

But somehow, the random encounter bandits, realising that the guy looks far too smart to be a simple commoner with a crossbow, blast him with arrows in the surprise round. Sounds like fun. I mean, why shoot the ½-orc guy with the Great Axe and nasty scar, or the shiftyfooted elf armed with a long bow, when you can kill the incompetent crossbow dude. Maybe the others will surrender when wimpy dude falls over?

 

[green slime]

I've played in too many really sucky games, when the DM couldn't get past metagaming themselves. Mindless Skeletons in a 1st level adventure, posted as guards, rushing past frontliners to attack the wizard on the other side of the room, for instance (WTF? did it have a special command to slaughter all non-armoured creatures entering the room?)

Its pathetic.

Intelligent foes may recognise the wizard as such. Depending on the wizard acts, how he is dressed, his mannerisms and such. If the character describes himself as wearing a pointy hat with spell components coming out of his ears, and holding a large musty volume, then by all means kill the weenie. Otherwise, wizards should be played smart. Smart wizards stay alive. Smart wizards tip the battle, just when it is needed most. Because they still have spells available to do so.

 

[Runestar]

Otherwise, wizards should be played smart. Smart wizards stay alive. Smart wizards tip the battle, just when it is needed most. Because they still have spells available to do so.

There seems to be this funny notion that only PCs can be played intelligently, and DMs are seemingly incapable of devising clever strategies to challenge the party.

I have heard of wizards played so carefully that they were hit only 3 times over 10 lvs. But not everyone is capable of such a feat, nor does it appear dependent on the party having a fighter.

Unless I have the DM's personal assurance that he will never target the wizard, I feel it best to just assume that the wizard will be a key target each battle and make preparations accordingly to deal with this. There is nothing stopping the OP from playing a high AC sword+shield fighter and calling himself a tank. Just bear in mind his limitations and don't start complaining when he realizes that he can't really do anything to protect the other players from harm if such an issue ever arises.