What is the best defensive character?

[Screaming Johny]

Given a party that has a couple of offensive characters (like Archers, Kensai's, Mages, or whatever else you like), in your opinion, what is the best defensive character to stand in front and take the punishment?

Some ideas I have:

Paladin: Plate Armour, Holy Avenger immunities, some clerical spells, and the kits have immunities.

Barbarian: Immune to backstab, by level 19 damage reistance 20%, extra hit points.

What are your ideas, and why?

(Note: Please do not turn this into an offensive character thread. We have enough of those.)

[nephtu]

One word

Jaheira.

Fighter HPs, all kinds of armour, Ironskins, Armour of Faith, plus the Rat Cloak & Hardiness.

No one else is even close.

[Archeron]

Or a Mage- just load up with protections and they are untouchable- its all in the prep. specially with contingencies.

[Coconut_Crab]

Berserker fighter, enraged + Cloak of Mirroring + Ring of Gangx + Blackrazor + some other equipments and protection spells.

Tomorrow never dies for a berserker fighter.

[Galmar]

Id say it was a tossup between Berserkers and barbarians, Berserkers are basicly fighters that cant specialise in ranged weapons, but can use berserk skill, this makes them immune to nearly everything while it lasts.

barbarians have more hitpoints, move faster and have a similar rage, that gives them extra damage, extra hp and immunites to qutie a few things too, the downside is that they cant wear plate armor or full plate, making their AC not as high as it could be.

Short term however you can let a mage take hits if he has the right spells (mirror image. stoneskin, absolute immunity .. ect). But you need your spells for other purposes.

Clerics can actually make good tanks too, not bad hp / level, healing spells and can wear most armor / blunt weapons.