Meat-Shield

Be it a bodyguard or a tank, a Meat-Shield is a common accomplice to many potent-but-vulnerable enemies heroes might face. Meat-Shields are likely to be among among the most physically durable enemies on a battlefield, and they're the ones who put it to the best use. Unlike other NPC archetypes, the Meat-Shield is more than capable of leaping to the rescue and taking a hit that might fell another ally. They tend to enhance the durability of another associated NPC by taking blows that would otherwise debilitate them.
Meat-Shields are usually second-line warriors, despite their great toughness, because they need to stay close to more vulnerable (and usually more important) NPCs. They essentially give “softer” targets like artillery, enchanters, and boss an extra shield, allowing the “big guns” a measure of safety with which to act. Having someone like a Meat-Shield around can drastically increase the life-expectancy of other NPCs in a fight, so long as the Maet-Shield stays close to the NPC he's supposed to be guarding! What's more, while Meat-Shields have low Will resistances, having Second Chance (Mind Control) gives a tank another opportunity to avoid a compulsion which might compromise his devotion. Thus most tanks have slightly better Will resistances against such things than you might otherwise expect.
In a fight, a Meat-Shield usually takes advantage of weapons with increased reach or ranged weapons, so that the Meat-Shield can remain behind the front lines and protect his charge while still contributing to the fight in some way. Against more mobile PCs, the Meat-Shield will more likely be carrying a melee weapon and will attempt to swat away anyone who gets too close to his charge, relying on his Interpose trait (just like the Defender ability) to prevent his charge from being taken out.
A Meat-Shield's biggest obvious weakness is an otherwise low Will resistance, which puts him at risk from other mind-affecting abilities. Beyond that, realize that a Meat-Shield is going to be hit many more times than most other NPCs, and will be subject to more damage than others. In spite of a Meat-Shield's high Toughness, he'll simply be struck by attacks so many times that Meat-Shields rarely will remain standing for very long in a battle. Their loss won't lead to instant ruin for the NPCs, since Meat-Shields contribute little offensively, but it will open the “softer” NPCs to attacks that they'd likely prefer to avoid.
==Meat-Shield Table==
==Common FX/Gear==
Damage (PL) (Extras: Extended Reach, Mighty) (PL + 2 cp)
==Sample Meat-Shields==
* Secret service agents
* The corrupt sorcerer's loyal thrall
* A noble, devoted shieldbearer
* A mad scientist's mechanical bodyguard
* The extremely devoted second-in-command for the platoon
Category:Rulebook
Category:NPCs
Category:NPC Archetypes