Options needed for a shifter bodyguard NPC CR ~9

[blargney the second]

I have a couple of Inspired bad guys with a shifter house bodyguard. I'm looking to make him able to take hits for his masters, punish foes who go after them, and generally foul things up for anybody who messes with the bosses.

So far I'm considering knight/crusader, but I'd love to hear any other suggestions! Feats, PrCs, anything really. The only things set in stone are that he's a CR 9 or 10 shifter and the people he protects are a wilder and a soulbow. I would like to avoid making him use psionics or spells, if at all possible.
-blarg

 

[Runestar]

A crusader wielding a spiked chain or spinning sword (secrets of sarlona could work. Combat reflexes + thicket of blades gives you a lot of AoOs, stand still (XPH) messes with the PCs' movement, and your class features let you soak up ample damage. Either crusader9 or crusader8/warblade1 (for precise mind, wall of blades and iron heart surge) should do great.

I suppose a knight4/crusader4/warblade1 could work as well, never played a knight before, so I can't comment. Knight4/warshaper4/crusader1 sounds ugly for the enhanced reach and strength (as does anything with lvs in warshaper). And you can still get thicket of blades/martial spirit and 3rd lv maneuvers such as white raven tactics and that healing strike maneuver (but a problem is that this competes with the ever-so-important extra maneuver granted feat).

Note that stand still is a normal feat (despite being printed in a psionics-themed book), so it should still be acceptable.

 

[blargney the second]

Great ideas, Runestar! I never noticed that the spinning sword is a one-handed weapon with reach. *jawdrop*

He could do the crowd control stuff and the shield blocking stuff at the same time. Woohoo!

 

[irdeggman]

Get a hold of Races of Eberron.

The racial substitution levels are real good for shifters and pretty much any of the Eberron races.

My son is running a druid and IIRC there is a a barbarian one there too - which might be real good.

There are also a lot of real nice racial feats in that book.

 

[blargney the second]

Here's what I've decided to go with. If anything stands out to you, fire away!

Race: Longtooth Shifter
Classes: Fighter 1/Shifter Paragon 3/Warshaper 3/Crusader 2 (paragon by SaveOrDM)
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Deft Opportunist, Stand Still, Shifter Multiattack, Longtooth Elite
Stances: Iron Guard's Glare, Thicket of Blades
Maneuvers: Shield Block, Crusader's Strike, Douse the Flames, plus two others
Items: shield with crystal of arrow deflection, breastplate, spinning sword (we use UA's weapon groups), shifter braids of dire shifting
Str 20, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8

He should be able to hit pretty hard with really good reach and do some defendery-type stuff with the occasional spot of healing. He can shift 3 times a day for 12 rounds each, giving him serious combat boosts. All that while looking stylish, which is pretty important!
-blarg