[PF] Please Post Your Lvl 10 Optimized Tank Build (Non Paladin) All 3PP Allowed.

[ZDPhoenix]

So I've been fooling around on paper and in Hero Lab for a replacement character, in our current Carrion Crown game. For when the inevitable happens and my Paladin bites it.

Why? Well, we're level 9, starting the 4th book and none of the PC's have died yet. However, the end of book 3 almost wiped out 3 of our party. Our party is a Pharasma Cleric, Iomedae Paladin (Me), Necro-Wizard and Shadowdancer.

It's fairly difficult to sift through this forum for suggestions, without a search (Google search is fine for basics, but added Optimized Tank to a Google search regardless).

Anyway, I've been researching tanking for a week now; and saved a few builds, mostly Fighters and Paladins. I also was able to find the Oradin thread; and made a build based off that.

However, I'd love to see what the optimizing community here manifests for suggestions and alternatives for tanking.

Rules:

Level 10. Pathfinder only. No 3.5, please.
No Paladin only builds, please. Been there, done that. Want to try something new.
3PP's classes, etc. are fine, but please cite the book (chances are I own it).
Multi-Classing encouraged!!

I saw Synthesist in the Summoner Archetypes and thought that might be interesting to try. I also read an interesting idea about making a Hulk type of character, as a tank. Sadly the thread didn't have anything listed.

Thanks in advance, gang. Now that I've learned to subscribe to threads, search-less issue... shouldn't be a problem again!

[grarrrg]

Invulnerable Rager Barbarian.
DR/- equal to half you level.
Add the Increased DR Rage Power up to 3 times.
Guarded Life (normal and Greater) Rage Powers can help you if you would drop below 0HP by converting some damage into Nonlethal.

Go Half-Orc, you get better Barbarian feats.
One feat gives +2 CON while Raging, and lets you keep Raging if Unconscious.
Another lets you convert rounds of Rage into reduced damage if you would otherwise die.
A Feat for 1/day (2/day at +10 or more Bab) to convert half the damage of a Crititcal hit into Nonleathal.
Fire God's Blessing heals you 1HP every round you do Fire damage to something. Buy a Flaming Weapon and go crazy (bonus points if you currently have Nonlethal Damage taken, as it'll count DOUBLE! +2HP ROUND WOO!!)
There's a Feat to upgrade Orc Ferocity into Full Ferocity.

Alternately to Ferocity, you can take the Shaman's Apprentice Alt-Racial Trait to get Endurance, to get Diehard (overlaps with Ferocity), to get Stalwart (normal and Improved) which can convert Defensive AC bonuses into DR/- which DOES stack with your Barbarian DR.

Also recommend Gore Fiend to regain rounds of Rage throughout the day (get a weapon with a decent Crit range).

There's a few more feats, and I also have non-barbarian ideas (some of which you've come across already), but it's late, and I need to sleep now.

[Psyren]

I assume that by "tank" you really mean "frontliner." D&D/PF doesn't really have tanking in the MMO sense - you can get someone big to stand next to the monsters, sure, but "aggro" is the sole province of the DM.

I saw Synthesist in the Summoner Archetypes and thought that might be interesting to try. I also read an interesting idea about making a Hulk type of character, as a tank. Sadly the thread didn't have anything listed.

The Hulk thing sounds like a melee Alchemist, otherwise known as Mr. Hyde. You drink a bunch of chemicals (mainly your mutagen, plus perhaps a buffing infusion or two) and your mild-mannered Bruce Banner turns green and begins smearing the bad guys across the landscape.

Anyway, I found you a Synthesist guide here and a meleechemist guide here that you can look over. From a pure power standpoint the Synthesist is stronger, but Hyde is no slouch himself. It ultimately comes down to how you want to play.

[Malroth]

Survivor path Psionic warrior with Psicrystal Affinity, Power attack, Combat Reflexes,Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Expanded Knowledge Metamorphosis, Expanded Knowledge Share pain, Extend power.

For powers manefest extended share pain on your psycrystal and cast extended vigor on yourself which you share with your crystal. Any damage you take will be halved between yourself and your crystal then reduced by your respective hardnesses (3 for you 8 for your psycrystal) then gets applied to your 5/level temp HP you're getting from Vigor.

[avr]

An orc scarred witch doctor (witch archetype) could choose some defensive spells (e.g. wreath of blades, cape of wasps) and go into melee. Con as your casting stat and a +4 racial bonus to strength are more than a little useful.

Alternately, a half-orc or orc with an animal companion or mount could take the Beast Rider feat and ride a tank triceratops; if you're feeling like multiclassing this works well, as you'd only need to dip one level in druid or whatever to qualify for the feat.

[Zerter]

I played this character, I'll just c/p the entire build. It's a swashbuckler fighting with nothing but a rapier (no shield, no armor) and a lot of finesse. Note that you can optimize it more by going for a +6 dex race (which adds +4 AC/CMD and increases your dmg/to hit/all saves +2), we were restricted to standard races.

Your AC is your touch AC (pretty much all dodge). You crit on a 13. You have extra actions. All your saves are reflex saves, thus you have improved evasion on all your saves. I was going for this feat that resetted my iniative to 20+iniative modifier next. You could also go acrobatic dodge so you can dodge 20's.

Spoiler

Show

Odin "John Doe"
Chaotic Neutral
Human
Worships Pelor & Desna
Age: 31
Weight: 140 lb
Height: 178 cm

Swashbuckler 10

Str. 15 +2
Dex. 25 +7
Con. 16 +3
Int.14 +2
Wis.14 +2
Cha. 11 +0

Rapier
to hit: +20, +15 - dmg: 1d6+10 - crit. 13-20 x2

Longbow
to hit: +19, +14 - dmg: 1d8+4 - crit 20 x3 - range 110 feet

HP: 99
AC: 36 (touch 36, flat-footed 12)
CMB: +12
CMD: 48
Saves: 10 17 5
Iniative: +11
Speed: 40'

Racial
Heart of the wilderness

Class
Evade +3
Find the Mark
Thrust +3d6
Improved Uncanny Dodge
Weapon Training (2): Blades, Light
Weapon Training (1): Bows
Improved Evasion

Feats
Unarmored Specialist (racial bonus)
Weapon finesse (class bonus)
Agile Defense (level 1)
Athletics (level 3)
Improved Iniative (class bonus)
Improved Unarmored Specialist (level 5)
Lightning Reflexes (class bonus)
Physical Adept (level 7) -3/day
Avoid the Arcana (level 9) - 10/day
Improved Critical (class bonus)

Skills
10 Acrobatics +20 (+9 to jump)
9 Autohypnosis +11
9 Bluff +12
1 Climb +8
1 Diplomacy +4
1 Intimidate +4
1 Knowledge (sm) +3
10 Perception +12
1 Swim +8
3 Spellcraft +5
7 Survival +14
9 Use Magic Device +9

Traits
Lessons of Chaldira
Deft Dodger

Items
+1, agile adamantine rapier
rapier is intelligent with speech
Ring of protection +2
Belt of incredible dexterity +4
Boots of striding & springing
Handy haversack
+1 darkwood composite [+3] longbow
Quiver with 20 arrows
Explorer's outfit
Cards, Marked (DC 25)
Superior Loaded Dice (DC 30)
Board Game
Kite
Pocketed Scarf (+4 to hide objects)
Battle Mask (+1 to demoralize)
False Jewelry (+8 to hide tiny objects, no +4 for frisking) - 500 gp jewelry
Ring, Poison Pill
Royal Outfit
Masterwork Backpack with waterskin
False bottomed cup (DC 15)
Spider Silk Rope
Whistle (0.25 mile = perception 0, every 0.25 = -2 perception, functions as signal horn)
False Manacles (function as masterwork, DC 25 perception)
Weapon Cord
Wrist Sheat, Spring Loaded (2) (+2 perception, swift action)
5 tangle foot bags (loaded in wrist sheats)
5 smokesticks (loaded in wrist sheats)
1500 gp
Deathblade poison 2d6 (DC 18)
Alcohol x4
Shampoo
Zeep
Eten
Schaal met lekker eten
Wijn
Hoofd van Orc leider
Hoofd van Halfling

[ThiagoMartell]

Half-Elf Summoner (Synthesist) 10.
I used biped eidolon because I think quadruped is ugly, but hey, pounce.
Evolutions: Improved Natural Armor x3, Increased Ability (Dexterity) x2, Reach (Slam), Pull (Slam), Slam, you still have 4 free evolution points
Feats: Agile Maneuvers, Step Up, Following Step, Step Up and Strike, one free feat

This is a sticky frontliner with high AC, lots of hp and respectable damage.

[Chained Birds]

Fire God's Blessing heals you 1HP every round you do Fire damage to something. Buy a Flaming Weapon and go crazy (bonus points if you currently have Nonlethal Damage taken, as it'll count DOUBLE! +2HP ROUND WOO!!)

Maybe taking the Elemental Rage Rage Power (min lvl 8) would help in this if you don't want to limit yourself to a +X Flaming Weapon as your primary. That feat does make this power more awesome though, especially with a Natural Weapon specialist Barbarian.

Claw x2 + Bite [Toothy Trait or by other means] + Gore = +4HP per round (Or 8HP nonlethal per round), not including AoOs

[Snowbluff]

Damn good Oradin: Halfling Life Oracle3/Paladin(Hospitaler)7
1) Fey Foundling
3) Extra Lay on Hands
5) Power Attack or Combat Expertise
7) Selective Channel
9) Quick Channel

Heal and not die and stuff. Take Life Link and Channel for your Oracle mysteries. Heal party passively, and heal yourself with a Swift action. Burst healing with Channel, Quick Channel, then Lay on hands yourself.

Alternatively, be a Demonspawn Tiefling (+2 Str, +2 CHa) with the +2 Cha option replacing your SLA. The Tieflings favor class bonus is +1 healing to LoH if you heal yourself.

Wolfscarred Oracle Curse is worth the Bite attack. Then take Maw or Claw (Claws) if you are Tiefling. Fight with bite/claw/1hander for Smiting full attack for extra attacks.

Assuming you get a 16 in Cha, becoming a 20 after Tiefling Adjustment
Lay on hands: 3d6+13 x10 =235
Channeling (Paladin +Oracle): 2d6+4 x14 = 154
389 Self healing per day.

[grarrrg]

Claw x2 + Bite [Toothy Trait or by other means] + Gore = +4HP per round (Or 8HP nonlethal per round), not including AoOs

Nope.
You get 1 HP per round.
Period.
Link
"When in combat, if you deal fire damage to an enemy, you heal 1 hit point. You can only benefit from this healing once per round."
It's small healing, but it's reliable, and just think how many times you Hit something throughout the day.
The 2 best ways to make use of this (without almost dying in the process) is the feat converts Criticals you take into 1/2 Nonlethal, and 2+ levels of Order of the Shield Cavalier:
"while wearing heavy armor, the cavalier can convert 1 point of lethal damage to 1 point of nonlethal damage"
Granted, Heavy Armor turns off a Barbarian ability or two, although you could take the Armored Hulk archetype, but that isn't compatible with Invulnerable Rager.

Halfling Life Oracle3/Paladin(Hospitaler)7

He said he found the Oradin guide already, but thank you for the plug

[Chained Birds]

Nope.
You get 1 HP per round.
Period.
Link
"When in combat, if you deal fire damage to an enemy, you heal 1 hit point. You can only benefit from this healing once per round."
It's small healing, but it's reliable, and just think how many times you Hit something throughout the day.

Hmm, oh well. The build felt cluttered anyways. Flaming Weapon it is!

[Snowbluff]

He said he found the Oradin guide already, but thank you for the plug

Your welcome!

I was just showing the cool stuff you can do with the material. Smiting with extra attacks , etc.

I would have done the same if my Oradin wasn't a PFS character.

[doko239]

A bit of inspiration hit me as I read this thread, and I came up with the following. I call it the Spartan. Not really optimized that far, but it seems like a solid battlefield denial build, using Lunge and a Longspear coupled with Stand Still to protect a 15-foot diameter circle, while still using a shield for defense per Phalanx Soldier. If they breach the circle, fall back to 2WF with sword and shield. Golden Legionnaire gives you a bonus to CMD for Stand Still as well as Battlefield Command.

Damage output is obviously low, but you should be able to keep enemies locked down pretty well while your team takes them out.



Human Fighter (Phalanx Soldier) 5/Golden Legionnaire 5
Alternate Racial Ability: Dual Talent

Abilities (20 pt buy): Str 20, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10

HP: 10d10+30
AC: 30, Touch 14, FF 23
Fort: +13, Ref: +9, Will: +8 (+10 vs charm or compulsion)
CMB +13 (+15 for Stand Still), CMD 29 (30 vs Bull Rush, Overrun, Trip)


Attacks:

Longspear +13/+8 (1d8 + 6)20x3, OR
Power Attack Longspear +11/+6 (1d8+10)20x3, OR
Scimitar +13/+8 (1d6+6)18-20x2, OR
Power Attack Scimitar +11/+6 (1d6+10) 18-20x2, OR
TWF Scimitar +9/+4 (1d6+6)18-20x2 AND Shield Bash +9 (1d8+3)20x2 OR
Shield Bash +13 (1d8+6)20x2 AND Bull Rush OR
Power Attack Shield Bash +11 (1d8+10)20x2 AND Bull Rush


Feats:

Power Attack (1st), Improved Shield Bash (F1st), Two Weapon Fighting (F2nd), Combat Reflexes (3rd), Endurance (F4th), Iron Will (5th), Lunge (7th), Stand Still (GL2nd), Shield Slam (9th), Bodyguard (GL4th)


Equipment (62000 gp):

+1 Longspear, Mithral +2 Heavy Shield of Bashing, +1 Keen Scimitar, +2 Mithral Fullplate, +3 Cloak of Resistance, Belt of Physical Might +2 (Str/Con), Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Ring of Protection +1

[Hiro Protagonest]

Take a wagon, plate it with metal, mount a large repeating crossbow (light or heavy) on top with an extra large magazine (maybe twenty or thirty bolts), and come up with a spell sorta like Awaken Plant/Animal, but for objects. Calculate (read: whimsically assign) a level adjustment and add class levels.

...

Whaddya mean "not that kind of tank"? It's a lvl 10 armored vehicle with a machine gun mounted on it, what more could you want?

[Drothmal]

Survivor path Psionic warrior with Psicrystal Affinity, Power attack, Combat Reflexes,Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Expanded Knowledge Metamorphosis, Expanded Knowledge Share pain, Extend power.

For powers manefest extended share pain on your psycrystal and cast extended vigor on yourself which you share with your crystal. Any damage you take will be halved between yourself and your crystal then reduced by your respective hardnesses (3 for you 8 for your psycrystal) then gets applied to your 5/level temp HP you're getting from Vigor.

+1

PsiWar can be a ridiculous tank at all levels (Vigor for HP, full plate, Shield, expansion for reach and keeping enemies focused on you)

[grarrrg]

A bit of inspiration hit me as I read this thread, and I came up with the following. I call it the Spartan. Not really optimized that far, but it seems like a solid battlefield denial build, using Lunge and a Longspear coupled with Stand Still to protect a 15-foot diameter circle,

WHOA! Slow down there buddy.
Lunge only works on OFFENSE, not Defense.
Linky:
"reach of your melee attacks by 5 feet until the end of your turn"

Lunge is still a great feat, just not for Lockdown purposes.

[doko239]

WHOA! Slow down there buddy.
Lunge only works on OFFENSE, not Defense.
Linky:
"reach of your melee attacks by 5 feet until the end of your turn"

Lunge is still a great feat, just not for Lockdown purposes.

Now why you gotta go and be like that

Ah well. So you'd only cover a 10 foot radius. Still works ok.

[ThiagoMartell]

Well, you could use Combat Patrol instead.

[grarrrg]

Now why you gotta go and be like that

Will a build that can Punch people from 25ft. away make it up to you?

[ZDPhoenix]

Wow. First off, thanks for the amazing brainstorm!

I'm totally digging all these suggestions.

The Swashbuckler's a great idea. I love that he wears absolutely no armor; and has such a crazy high AC.

And the Scarred Witch Archetype was a great read! If I played a beefy caster, I would probably go Synthesist. More than likely, I'd also go for Wyrd as the race, or something custom (that would have the 1/4 evo per level class perk).

I'll also re-read Psionics Unleashed after reading about PsiWar's here in the thread.

[doko239]

Well, you could use Combat Patrol instead.

hmm, that would work very well, thanks

That makes for a 20-foot radius area of NO.

[Blyte]

This guy is more of an innovator of offense than a tank. He does have good HP, being mainly barbarian and fighter though, but he does not focus on AC. His main defense is a good offense.

"ATV Overrun Machine"
Human

Barb(inv rager) 1-6
Mnk(mar art) 7
Ftr(brawler) 8-10

traits-
adopted (dwarves): dwarven racial trait relentless (+2 overrun/bullrush)
optimistic gambler +1d4 rounds of morale bonuses (conserve rage rounds when the fight is winding down, and also don't die immediately when you get KO'd)
alternate human racial trait (heart of the fields)

1 pow atk
1 cmb ref
3 imp overrun
5 spiked destroyer
7 gtr overrun
7 vicious stomp
8 dragon style 1
9 dragon style 2
9 xtra rage pow(quick reflexes)

2 strength surge
4 overbearing advance
6 overbearing onslaught
*9 quick reflexes

basically he turns everything upside down and inside out before they can kill the party. unlike trip, overrun has a good long life in pathfinder. (so long as you are large, as large can overrun huge, and 99% of the monsters are huge or smaller)

equipment:
+1 furious long spear (just to threaten some extra squares)
+1 furious amulet of mighty fists
rhino hide armor
+1 furious armor spikes
STR/DEX belt +4/+2
gloves of dueling
cloak of the manta ray
winged boots
enlarge person permanency (or a friendly caster)

so 22 STR base(18+2human+2level-ups), +4 rage, +4 item = 30 STR (higher enlarged)

unarmed strike damage: d6+15(str x1.5)+9(pow attack)+3(brawler)+2(furious)+2(gloves) = 34.5 avg damage

armor spike damage: d4+10+6+3+3+2 = 26.5 avg damage

charging overrun damage:
10(overbearing advance)+armor spikes(spiked destroyer)+2d6(rhino hide)+unarmed(greater overrun)+2d6(rhino hide)+unarmed(vicious stomp)+2d6(rhino hide) = 10+26.5+7+34.5+7+34.5+7 = 126.5 avg damage

and you aren't limited to one overrun! if you can line 2 or more up for a charge, you are in business, and it's not that hard to do, especially when you are large and/or some of the monsters are large/huge. if you can't line them up, then you can always overrun on a double move action (just no +2d6 from rhino hide). I have overrun 4 targets in a single round and made them all splode. You can also generate such a high overrun CMB that you can knock over 6 legged large opponents and laugh.

What's that? it's on difficult terrain? no problem! What's that? it's flying? no problem, you can overrun them too! What's that? it's swimming, no problem, we can overrun them too! Why there's simply nothing this guy can't overrun, people! (ATV overrun does not suggest the overrun of black puddings or green slimes)

[Jaxile]

Lore Warden 6/Master of many styles 2/Duelist 1
dump str. max dex, keep int high, 14 or so, and have positive wisdom. Get Dervish dancer with ftr 2 feat.
Take 2 levels of lore warden before the 2 monk levels, making sure you have Crane style before the monk levels. (take IUS at 1)
Take Crane ripost and crane wing with the bonus monk feats.
you fight with one scimitar, so dump money into it. your lore warden levels git you bravery and combat mastery, as well as know your enemy.
At 10, your naked ac fighting defensivly will be around 22 (10 + 4dex +2wis +1int +1dodge +4 defensive) and you block one hit a round, countering at you bab (which is only one less than a full fighter.) buy gloves of dueling asap.
add int/wis headband and dex/con belt. take toughness if your con was crap. you have an abundance of feat slots to build into whatever floats your boat. better saves (your fort and ref will both be excellent, and those 2 levels of monk are awesome for evasion.) with iron will, damage with critical focus, (works great with duelist capstone) or lock down with combat patrol (you already have mobility!) and combat reflexes.
untouchable in meele at high levels. you have 3 stats that increase you AC and they all stack. drink potions of barkskin and grab a mage armor for another cool +8

[Zerter]

The Swashbuckler's a great idea. I love that he wears absolutely no armor; and has such a crazy high AC.

Thanks . If you end up using the build, please show me the results. Would be interested to see what someone else does with it. The +6 race I was talking about is this one btw.

[ZDPhoenix]

This guy is more of an innovator of offense than a tank. He does have good HP, being mainly barbarian and fighter though, but he does not focus on AC. His main defense is a good offense.

"ATV Overrun Machine"
Human

Barb(inv rager) 1-6
Mnk(mar art) 7
Ftr(brawler) 8-10

traits-
adopted (dwarves): dwarven racial trait relentless (+2 overrun/bullrush)
optimistic gambler +1d4 rounds of morale bonuses (conserve rage rounds when the fight is winding down, and also don't die immediately when you get KO'd)
alternate human racial trait (heart of the fields)

1 pow atk
1 cmb ref
3 imp overrun
5 spiked destroyer
7 gtr overrun
7 vicious stomp
8 dragon style 1
9 dragon style 2
9 xtra rage pow(quick reflexes)

2 strength surge
4 overbearing advance
6 overbearing onslaught
*9 quick reflexes

basically he turns everything upside down and inside out before they can kill the party. unlike trip, overrun has a good long life in pathfinder. (so long as you are large, as large can overrun huge, and 99% of the monsters are huge or smaller)

equipment:
+1 furious long spear (just to threaten some extra squares)
+1 furious amulet of mighty fists
rhino hide armor
+1 furious armor spikes
STR/DEX belt +4/+2
gloves of dueling
cloak of the manta ray
winged boots
enlarge person permanency (or a friendly caster)

so 22 STR base(18+2human+2level-ups), +4 rage, +4 item = 30 STR (higher enlarged)

unarmed strike damage: d6+15(str x1.5)+9(pow attack)+3(brawler)+2(furious)+2(gloves) = 34.5 avg damage

armor spike damage: d4+10+6+3+3+2 = 26.5 avg damage

charging overrun damage:
10(overbearing advance)+armor spikes(spiked destroyer)+2d6(rhino hide)+unarmed(greater overrun)+2d6(rhino hide)+unarmed(vicious stomp)+2d6(rhino hide) = 10+26.5+7+34.5+7+34.5+7 = 126.5 avg damage

and you aren't limited to one overrun! if you can line 2 or more up for a charge, you are in business, and it's not that hard to do, especially when you are large and/or some of the monsters are large/huge. if you can't line them up, then you can always overrun on a double move action (just no +2d6 from rhino hide). I have overrun 4 targets in a single round and made them all splode. You can also generate such a high overrun CMB that you can knock over 6 legged large opponents and laugh.

What's that? it's on difficult terrain? no problem! What's that? it's flying? no problem, you can overrun them too! What's that? it's swimming, no problem, we can overrun them too! Why there's simply nothing this guy can't overrun, people! (ATV overrun does not suggest the overrun of black puddings or green slimes)

If I'm usually flanking with the shadowdancer (rogue) in our group; that gets 7 AoO, would this be the penultimate build for team damage? Meaning, when I knock my foe down with an Overrun, she'll always be able to get her AoO's in, thus being better damage output than just me pounding on the bad guys.


Am I understanding this right?

[Blyte]

yes, the greater (trip/overrun/bullrush/reposition/etc..) builds are great for melee heavy teams, because you also grant the AoOs to neighboring melees. (Also at a +4 bonus because they are knocked prone, which is great for helping rogues hit hard targets)

another build good for this would be a 9 fighter (brawler) + 1 monk (maneuver master) who is all about greater repositions.

the brawler is the king of forcing monsters to stick to him like glue at 9th level when he gets "no escape" and has the "standstill" feat.

simply maneuver around the battle field balling up bad guys, and using flurry of greater repositions on 2 of the guys stuck to you, moving them near to a flanking rogue.

You are truly filling the "tank" role with this build, because you are not allowing these monsters to run and attack squishies. you are the only option for them to hit.

and incidentally, with disruptive (feat) and menacing stance (brawler ability), none of the casters, you force to stick to you, have no shot at getting a spell off.

[Theonlyjanitor]

For a incredibly tanky build, I would reccomend the Armiger by Super Genius Games. Its included on the pathfinder OGC site.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-...-games/armiger

d12 Hit die, treats rolls lower than 6 as six, good fort and will save, provides cover to allies, and it's entire progression is all about becoming as hard to kill as possible.

I have a character playing one in a campaign I'm running, he's 3rd level atm and rarely gets hurt badly, but also has trouble hitting other things, but that's the tradeoff for having incredible AC.

[grarrrg]

For a incredibly tanky build, I would reccomend the Armiger...
d12 Hit die, treats rolls lower than 6 as six, good fort and will save, provides cover to allies, and it's entire progression is all about becoming as hard to kill as possible.

"Being hard to kill" is not the same thing as "the only one TRYING to be killed".

That said, find someway to be a worthy target as an Armiger and you're set.

[Blyte]

indeed, I would suggest a warlord over the arminger if you are itching for 3rd party.

I would go pure warlord and get your DM to agree that "cry havoc" should increase the threat range of all attacks by 2 or simply give a flat damage bonus equal to half your level or something. The current wording is terrible and can possibly even hinder a crit build party member.

Also give him a shtick like, demoralizing combat feats to utilize the Cha the class needs, and if you have the feats, take body guard and saving shield as well, to help protect your flanking buddy.