Bodyguard, “Sentinel of Valor”

“Unyielding Guardians: Masters of the Bodyguard Prestige Class!”

The powerful have powerful enemies, and they rarely have the skills and strength to deal with a determined physical attack. They rely on bodyguards for their safety, and the best command a high price for their services.

Dynasties and Demagogues
Author Chris Aylott
Series Campaign Style Series
Publisher Atlas Games
Publish date 2003

Bodyguard work requires special training, and most fighters are surprisingly poor at the job. fighters focus on doing a lot of damage and not getting hurt, but a bodyguard focuses only on protecting the principal. Rogues, monks, and rangers make excellent bodyguards, since the job emphasizes speed and flexibility.

Their first priority is to keep his principal out of danger. They are dangerous fighters, but a smart bodyguard will flee an assassin rather than fight him. Once the principal is safe, the bodyguard can turn his attention to eliminating the threat.

The best bodyguards prevent danger with careful research and preparation. They go over every place their principal is going to visit in advance, eliminating ambush opportunities and preparing avenues of escape. They remain constantly alert to detect and head off trouble before it gets close. And when all these preparations fail and a determined assassin gets within the principal’s critical space, the bodyguard uses all his fast reflexes and skills to get in the way of the killing blow. It’s a dangerous job — but you can’t beat the adrenaline rush.

Hit Die: d10

Requirements

To qualify for this prestige class, the character must fulfill the following criteria.

• Base Attack Bonus: +4
• Skills: Jump 4 ranks, Listen 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Tumble 4 ranks
• Feats: Dodge, Combat Expertise

Class Skills

Theirclass skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Intelligence), Gather Information (Charisma), Heal (Wisdom), Jump (Dexterity), Listen (Wisdom), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Spot (Wisdom), and Tumble (Dexterity).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Special
1	+1	+2	+2	+0	Scan the Crowd
2	+2	+3	+3	+0	Uncanny Dodge (Dexterity bonus to AC)
3	+3	+3	+3	+1	Interpose (Reflex save to protect principal)
4	+4	+4	+4	+1	Critical Space +2
5	+5	+4	+4	+1	Uncanny Dodge (can’t be flanked, principal retains Dexterity bonus to AC)
6	+6	+5	+5	+2	Interpose (Reflex saves protect principal and avoid damage)
7	+7	+5	+5	+2	Critical Space +4
8	+8	+6	+6	+2	Uncanny Dodge (principal can’t be flanked)
9	+9	+6	+6	+3	Interpose (principal is automatically safe)
10	+10	+7	+7	+3	Complete Protection

Class Features

All the following are class features for this prestige class. The DCs for required skill checks are included where appropriate.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: He is proficient with light and medium armor and with all simple and
martial weapons.

The Principal: Most of their abilities focus on protecting a single person from harm. That person is known as the “principal.” The bodyguard may only protect one principal at a time, and the character designated as the principal can only be changed once per play session. The principal may not be another bodyguard.

Scan the Crowd: They practice looking for threats in crowd situations. When he looks for a possible threat in a group of five or more people, he receives a +2 competence bonus to all Spot and Sense Motive checks.

Uncanny Dodge: And 2nd level, he acquires the Uncanny Dodge ability if he does not already have it. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)

• At 5th level, he can no longer be flanked; he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies a rogue the ability to use a flank attack to Sneak Attack the bodyguard. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the bodyguard can flank him, and thus Sneak Attack him.
• At 5th level, he also gains the ability to guide his principal. If the bodyguard is within five feet of the principal, the principal retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)
• At 8th level, their principal can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to use a flank attack to Sneak Attack the principal. The bodyguard must be within five feet of the principal, and a rogue at least four levels higher than the bodyguard can still flank her, and thus Sneak Attack the principal.

Interpose: At 3rd level, he learns how to interpose himself between danger and his principal. If the principal is required to make a Reflex save, the bodyguard may make a Reflex save (at the same DC as the principal’s save) to push or guide the principal out of danger.

If the bodyguard is successful, the principal automatically succeeds at her Reflex save. However, success leaves the bodyguard vulnerable to the same threat the principal faced, and the bodyguard is considered to have automatically failed his own Reflex save against this threat. If the bodyguard fails the Reflex save to push aside the principal, both he and the principal must make Reflex saves to avoid the threat.

The bodyguard may also make a Reflex save (DC 20) to take a blow for his principal; the save is made after the attack has been declared but before the attacker makes his attack roll. If he succeeds, he moves the principal five feet in the direction of his choice and steps into the space the principal vacated.

The attacker must then make his attack roll against the bodyguard, who defends with his normal AC. This maneuver is a free action, but it exposes both the bodyguard and the principal to attacks of opportunity from anyone other than the original attacker. It’s most effective when used against a single attacker. The bodyguard must be within five feet of his principal to use Interpose.

• At 6th level, they may make a normal Reflex save to avoid the threat after succeeding at the Reflex save to protect his principal. Failure still leaves both the bodyguard and the principal vulnerable. The bodyguard must be within ten feet of his principal to use this ability, and must still be within five feet to take a blow for his principal.
• At 9th level, he automatically succeeds at protecting his principal. He must still make a Reflex save to avoid the threat himself, or to take a blow for his principal. The bodyguard must be within ten feet to use this ability or to take a blow for his principal.

Note: Combat Expertise, Evasion, and Improved Evasion combine with Interpose. For example, a 3rd-level bodyguard with Interpose and Improved Evasion may succeed at pushing his principal out of the way of a lightning bolt and then take half damage from the automatically failed save. A bodyguard may also use the Dodge bonus from Combat Expertise while interposing himself between an attacker and his principal.

Critical Space: At 4th level, his trained senses become hyper-acute within the critical space,” the few feet immediately around his principal. They receives a +2 insight bonus to all Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks when he is within ten feet of his principal. He also receives a +2 insight bonus to Initiative when he is within ten feet of his principal.

At 7th level, this bonus increases to +4 for both the skill checks and the Initiative roll.

Complete Protection: At 10th level, he becomes completely aware of all threats within twenty feet of his principal. If the bodyguard is within five feet of the principal, the principal may not be targeted by any physical attack and automatically succeeds at all Reflex saves as the bodyguard guides her away from danger. This effect can only be stopped by killing the bodyguard, incapacitating him, or moving him away from the principal.