Bodyguard

Your target could be a Bodyguard, Godfather, Arsonist, Apprentice, or Mercenary.

**Coven Expansion Results**
Your target could be a Bodyguard, Crusader, Godfather, Arsonist, Apprentice, or Mercenary.

### **Consigliere**

Your target is a trained protector. They must be a Bodyguard.

## Game Information

### **Summary**

You are an ex-soldier who secretly makes a living by selling protection.

### **Abilities**

Protect a player from direct attacks at night.

### **Attributes**

If your target is directly attacked or is the victim of a harmful visit, you and the visitor will fight.If you successfully protect someone you can still be Healed.

### **Goal**

Lynch every criminal and evildoer.

A young man, ex-military, dressed in black, patrols the houses of the town at night. Struggling to make a living, he decided that he could make money protecting others. Knowing that anyone, and anything could be lurking in the night, he could use his skill from battle to protect the town members.

The job paid well, so well that the Mayor offered to pay him personally for protection, and so far, nobody he protected had been attacked. But one fateful night, seemingly so much like every other night he had experienced, would be his last.

It was 1:00 in the morning, and he was standing by the Mayor's house, listening and watching for any strange occurrences. Suddenly, he heard a bang - the door of the Mayor's house had been forced open. The **Bodyguard** sprinted into action. He turned the corner into the house, loaded his own gun, and yelled, "Freeze!" at the Mafioso bolting into the Mayor's study. The Mafioso had no choice: he turned around and unloaded his machine gun, fatally wounding the Bodyguard. But as the loyal guardsman crumpled in pain, he shot the Mafioso three times, killing him before he hit the floor.

The Bodyguard knew he would die, as there was no Doctor to be seen. But despite his fate, he had saved a fellow Town member from the Mafia. He had finally done his job. He closed his eyes, smiled wistfully, and passed into eternity. (credit)

## Mechanics

### Protection - Counterattack

* You can protect your target from **one** attack during the Night and counterattack their attacker. You and the attacker both be dealt an indirect Powerful Attack by you, and will die unless either of you are healed. If multiple killers attack your target, you will die and kill one, but the other will survive and attack your target. At the same time, your target can still be protected by other Town Protective roles.
	+ Your cause of death would be stated as "He/She died guarding someone." The person you kill will have the death message "He/She was killed by a Bodyguard."
* You will counter an attack made by a Vigilante, Seeker (when protected target is a Vampire), Godfather, Mafioso, Vampire (attacking or converting), Necromancer's Ghoul, Coven Leader (with the Necronomicon), Potion Master, Medusa (visiting), Poisoner (initial visit), Pestilence, a Pirate (who wins their duel), and any Neutral Killing except for Arsonist.
	+ If your target is attacked by the Necromancer's Ghoul or an attacking zombie, the Necromancer will receive a notification that a Bodyguard countered their ghoul/minion. However, you will be killed protecting your target while the Necromancer will live.
	+ If your target is a Escort, Consort, or Pirate who was attacked from visiting a Serial Killer or Werewolf, you will attack the Serial Killer or Werewolf and save your target.
	+ The Coven Leader will only attack with the Necronomicon, so you will not protect your target from being controlled on the first two Nights.
	+ If a fully-powered Juggernaut attacks your target, you, your target, and the Juggernaut will die, as well as anyone who happened to visit your target that Night.
	+ Pestilence will not be killed by your counterattack. You will die and they will survive, but your target will still live.
	+ You cannot counter or protect your target from attacks made by the Jailor, the Veteran, Town Protectives, an Ambusher, the Medusa (gazing at home), the Hex Master, Arsonists, and Jesters.
	+ If you guard the Jailor and they jail an incautious Serial Killer or a Werewolf on a Full Moon but they do not execute them, you will attack the Serial Killer or Werewolf and save the Jailor. The Powerful Defense given in jail will **not** protect them from a Bodyguard's attack.
* If there are multiple Bodyguards protecting the same target, the Bodyguard who joined the lobby first will counterattack. If there are multiple attackers, each Bodyguard will take out a separate attacker.
* A Bodyguard cannot save another Bodyguard who is dying to save their target.
* You cannot have a Lover or be the VIP due to being a passively suicidal role.

### Bulletproof Vest

* If you target yourself, you will use your bulletproof vest, gaining a temporary Basic Defense.
* Your vest does not act like a guard; you will not counterattack any attackers.
* If you use a bulletproof vest and get transported, you will still use your bulletproof vest.
* If you are controlled or transported into yourself, you will **not** use your bulletproof vest.
* You will receive a message stating: "You were attacked but your bulletproof vest saved you!" if you successfully vest on the Night that you are attacked.

### Why did my target still die?

* You will **not** be able to protect your target in the following situations:
	+ Your target was killed by the Veteran while on alert.
	+ Your target was another Bodyguard who died in a counterattack.
		- You can protect another Bodyguard from being attacked by a killer, but not their counterattack. Only Doctors, Potion Masters, Crusaders, and Guardian Angels can prevent a Bodyguard from dying in a counterattack.
	+ Your target committed suicide (by leaving the game), being haunted by the Jester, or over guilt as a Vigilante.
	+ Your target was attacked by an Ambusher or Crusader.
	+ Your target visited the Medusa using a Stone Gaze.
	+ Your target was attacked by a Trap or another Bodyguard.
	+ Your target was killed by a Hex or an Arsonist ignite.
	+ The target was jailed and/or executed by the Jailor.
		- If a Werewolf attacks a jailed target and you guard them, you will be mauled. The Werewolf will survive.
	+ Your target died to Poison.
	+ Your target was directly attacked by a fully powered Juggernaut (you will still kill the Juggernaut).
	+ Your target died from a broken heart in Lovers Mode.
	+ Your target visited the target of a role with rampage.
	+ **Multiple** killing roles attacked the target (you counterattack only one of them, so your target died).
	+ If none of the above apply, yet your target still dies, at least one of the following may have occurred:
		- You were controlled by a Witch or Coven Leader to visit a different target. You would have received a message.
		- You were role blocked by an Escort or Consort. You would have received a message.
		- Your target was transported with another target because of a Transporter. You will **not** know if this happens.
* A Doctor, Crusader, Potion Master or a Guardian Angel can prevent you or the attacker from dying.
	+ Being healed while counterattacking does **not** allow you to counter more than one attack on your target.
* If a Werewolf attacks your target directly, you will attack the Werewolf but only save your own target from death.
	+ You will only attack the Werewolf if your target was attacked directly by them or they visited them as a roleblocking role.
* Bodyguards are unable to save a player from being Doused or ignited.

## Strategy

* On the first Night, it is very unlikely that you will be able to do anything. Thus, it is a good idea to guard anyone who asks for "TP/LO" since if a Lookout watches said player, they can prove your innocence later.
	+ Be wary when doing this though, as some Veterans use this to bait in evils.
* The Bodyguard's counterattack pierces through Basic defense when someone attacks the person you guard at Night. With this in mind, a Bodyguard can be critical in taking down a Serial Killer, Godfather, or Werewolf.
* If you are attacked but your bulletproof vest saved you, do not publicly announce it because you will most likely be attacked the next Night and there might not be a Doctor or a Lookout to be on you. Announce it to confirmed Townies via whispers and try to act like an Executioner or a Neutral Killing role to avoid being targeted again.
	+ This might backfire as Neutral Killing roles have Death Notes and might out you for being immune. This may bring suspicion on you and you might be lynched.
* The Bodyguard is unlike the Crusader in that it will only counterattack attackers, not visitors in general. Therefore, you should guard every Night.
	+ The only exception would be a game with at least one Seeker and one or more Vampires since you will kill attacking Seekers.
* The Mayor is your priority (especially in a non-Coven game, as there are no other Town Protective roles). After being revealed, they cannot be healed by Doctors and are extremely dangerous to killing roles, making them a primary target. Keep in mind evil roles may try to kill you first, then target the Mayor.
	+ Some Mafia and Neutral Killings may not attempt attacking a revealed Mayor, so you could guard someone else, increasing the chance you take down an evil. This could be seen as gamethrowing by some people though, so be careful.
* If the Mafia seems to be attacking people with certain names, try protecting a player with a similar name.
	+ Likewise, if the Mafia are attacking in a pattern, protect a player who would be next on their hit list.
	+ Other roles that are usually attacked if known are the Jailor and confirmed Town Investigative roles.
	+ The defense you give your target blocks Pestilence's attacks, which can be used to stall someone's death. This does not kill Pestilence, however.

* In All Any, you can claim to be a Survivor on Day 1, use your bulletproof vest the same Night, and then secretly guard others. This allows for you to secretly protect others while not being a target yourself.
	+ However, this can backfire if an Investigator investigates. They may assume that you are the Arsonist or Godfather pretending to be a Survivor.
	+ The Town may also simply hang you because they do not need Survivors to win.
* If you have no leads (this applies especially on Day 2), guard the first person who talks that Day. Since evil roles tend to be quiet, the person you guard will most likely be a Townie.
	+ Take caution doing so, as that person may be a Veteran or a Medusa baiting people.
	+ Some Mafia and Neutral Killing also can talk first in the Day to act like a Townie.
* Remember that you will become the priority of most killing roles if you are revealed, since you can kill them. Having a Jailor, Doctor, a Lookout or even another Bodyguard help you is a wise idea.
* Since a Werewolf and an Arsonist can go through your bulletproof vest and are at the top of your priority list, try the best you can to get them hanged.
* Finding and protecting other Town Protectives while they guard you can prove very useful later on. If any killing roles attack your target, you will take them down. If the person you protect is a Doctor or Crusader, you can repeatedly protect each other no matter what you are attacked by.
	+ Roles that mess with visits (ex. Consort, Witch), astral Hex Masters, Ambushers, killing roles being healed, Arsonists igniting, (etc.) can disrupt this.
* If you protect a player that was killed indirectly by a rampage attack, but they show up as a non-visiting role (such as a Medium), then that player was most likely forged by a Forger, and you should be wary of their Last Will (unless a Witch interferes).
* It is better to prioritize trying to kill roles with defense such as a Serial Killer, since a Bodyguard killing a Mafioso is the equivalent to the Mafioso shooting the Bodyguard and the Bodyguard being a Vigilante shooting the Mafioso. Taking advantage that the Bodyguard deals Powerful Attacks is a good idea.
* Another useful strategy is getting a Doctor to heal you while you protect them. This way, if you die protecting the Doctor, you will live (as they healed you). This keeps both of you alive for a nearly unbreakable chain. However, an Escort, Consort, Pirate or Witch/Coven Leader can break the chain, and the chain can be broken if two attackers attack the Doctor, as you only can save them from one attack.
	+ Note that this also makes the Doctor very susceptible to an Ambusher who can set up an ambush on you.

## Achievements

*Main article: Achievements*

1 Only achievable if the Godfather attacked instead of commanding their Mafioso.

## Trivia

* Prior to Version 2.3.2, Bodyguards were able to defend from and kill an Arsonist visiting their target.
* There used to be a bug where the Werewolf would not be counter-attacked by a Bodyguard while jailed on a Full Moon.
* Bodyguard used to be known as "BodyGuard" in-game, however this was changed.
	+ There is currently only one place where the Bodyguard is still referred to as "BodyGuard", and that is in the statistics section for the "Number of wins with BodyGuard" statistic.

## History

* 3.2.4
	+ Temporary Defense given by certain roles through game mechanics now give attackers the message "Your target's defense was too strong to kill.".
* 2.5.5.12200
	+ The Bodyguard's role icon has been changed. Old one was File:Achievement Bodyguard.png.
	+ Added Bodyguard's circled role icon (File:RoleIcon Bodyguard Circled.png).
* 2.5.1.10655
	+ Werewolves can now be killed by a Bodyguard while jailed when they attack the Jailor.
	+ Fixed Guardian Angel "target was attacked" feedback.
* 2.3.2.9706
	+ Arsonists can no longer die to a Bodyguard.
* 2.0.0.6501
	+ Bodyguard now only protects from direct attacks.
	+ Vampires can no longer convert through a used vest.
* Town of Salem Release
	+ Introduced.

fr:Garde du corps is:Lífvörður ru:Телохранитель