Bodyguard

Bodyguards (用心棒, Yōjinbō) are both characters and an integral gameplay element from. Since Tingle is not much of a fighter himself, early on he is forced to hire and team up with one of the many Bodyguards around if he wants to continue his journey. Each Bodyguard has their own set of traits that subtly alters the way Tingle moves through the many islands. Bodyguards, apart from Drifter Bodyguards, are hired in Bodyguard Salons.

Function
Bodyguards, once hired, accompany Tingle throughout the continent and aid in battles with the local wildlife. They can fight independently or with Tingle. When battling together, Tingle will take less damage. Tingle can restore a salon-hired bodyguard's health with potions so long as they still have some energy left. If a bodyguard's health completely depletes and they collapse due to their wounds, they will not be effected by potions. Instead, Tingle will have to hire them again for their services. Some time is given for this, but if they are not paid, they will go back to the Bodyguard Salon without warning. Hiring a new Bodyguard at a salon or in the overworld will terminate any existing bodyguard contract.

The three main traits of a Bodyguard are related to their continent of work, their size class and their behaviour. Salon-hired Bodyguards cannot travel between continents and are instead bound to the continent in which they are hired. If Tingle travels to another continent, his bodyguard will not meet him there and he may decide to hire one of the local Bodyguards for help - at the cost of the contract on the other continent. If no other Bodyguard is hired though, the old one will loyally await their employer's return to their continent. Each continent has the same set of nine Bodyguard types, with power levels appropriate for that continent. The nine types are comprised of three behavior patterns among three size classes. The size class' immediate use is the ease with which enemies are destroyed. Small-sized Bodyguards need more healing and take longer to destroy an enemy whereas large Bodyguards can handle nearly any battle with ease. The size classes come with a secondary function, a so-called "special ability". In dungeons, some Treasure Chests are out of reach because they lie deep in a small hole, are located behind a locked door or are obstructed by a large boulder. Small Bodyguards can crawl into holes to fetch the treasure, medium Bodyguards are skilled lock-pickers and large Bodyguards have the strength required to lift the boulder out of the way. Behavior is what sets the members of one size class apart. There are passive Bodyguards who will not engage in battle alone unless forced to, often ignoring a direct commanded to attack. Aggressive Bodyguards in turn attack everything in sight, whether they can defeat it or not and whether it ruins the chances of getting multiple enemies in one fight or not. Generally the most useful, and therefore most expensive Bodyguards in a given size class, are the assertive ones, who only engage in battle if ordered or if their employer is in trouble.

Drifter Bodyguards
There are three Drifter Bodyguards Tingle can employ in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland: Teddy Todo, Yamori and Ronny. They work very differently from the normal Bodyguards, being easier to handle in some regards and more difficult in others. They work without a license, so they cannot be hired in the Bodyguard Salons. Instead, Tingle must stumble upon them by chance, at first to win their respect, then later to actually hire them. They are significantly more powerful than regular Bodyguards and are capable of trademark moves during battle. Not being bound to a Salon also means they can travel with their employer across continents. However, Drifter Bodyguards do not take potions when injured and refuse to re-sign a contract when they have collapsed, leaving the length of their use limited. To re-hire them, Tingle must seek them out once more.

Unofficial Bodyguards
Throughout the game, there are several compulsory contracts that need to be made in order for the storyline progress. These contracts are always temporary, and dissolve once a particular task has been achieved. These Bodyguards, with the exception of Teddy Todo, are unofficial Bodyguards and will not be added to the bodyguard list in Tingle's notebook. They cannot be taken far from where they were first engaged.

Teddy Todo Health - 5 hearts Behaviour - Aggressive Location - Hero's Shrine Before becoming a full-powered Drifter Bodyguard, Teddy Todo is found in the Hero's Shrine, where he can be hired for a minimum of 20 rupees. This transaction is essential to progress any further into the dungeon. The contract terminates after completing the dungeon. Teddy Todo is also found in the Insect Cavern. Despite fighting alongside Tingle in the boss battle, there is no formal Bodyguard contract and Teddy Todo will not follow Tingle around.

Junglo Health - 1 heart Behaviour - Passive Location - Western Deku Forest, near the waterfall Once a fearless jungle hero, Junglo has become weak in old age. He has a lower health than any other Bodyguard in the game, and requires Tingle to escort him to his home after being rescued from three insects. If Junglo's health is depleted he will retreat to the waterfall. The contract is terminated on arrival at Junglo's house.

Town Guard Health - 10 hearts Behaviour - Aggressive Location - Icy Plain cemetery The Town Guard travels to Icy Plain after discovering his wife is being plagued by ghosts. He will offer to join Tingle as a bodyguard to defeat the Ghost Ringleader. The contract terminates when the Ghost Ringleader initially defeats the guard.

Town Guard Health - 20 hearts Behaviour - Aggressive Location - Icy Plain cemetery Once revived the guard's health reaches 20, making him comparable to the Drifter Bodyguards. His contract with Tingle will renew instantly and terminates with the defeat of the Ghost Ringleader.

Trivia

 * Since the Stalfos pirates are deathly afraid of dogs, Tingle can't go to their hideout when one of the dog Bodyguards tags along.
 * It seems Tingle's sidekicks from Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love, are based on the three Bodyguard types. Kakashi's smaller size, Buriki's ability to solve puzzles and Lion's strength are alike to the small, medium and large size classes' special abilities.