Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland/Bodyguards

There are 30 bodyguards in total: 27 regular bodyguards and 3 special ones called "drifter bodyguards". You don't need bodyguards for big parts of the game, but eventually you will need some help. Tingle is too weak to fight the stronger enemies on his own. Also, there are a couple of Rupee Goods hidden in each dungeon (except Hero's Shrine) and only with the aid of the bodyguards can you get them.

The regular bodyguards have to be hired in one of the Bodyguard Salons that can be found on every island except Hometown Prairie. Each continent has its own set of nine bodyguards, who have the same sprites (but different colours) as their counterparts on the other continents. Since each of the nine bodyguards has a certain behavior-skill combination, you can easily recognize your preferred bodyguard-type on each continent.

To hire the salon bodyguards, you have to talk to the one you want. If you can't find one you like, ring the bell to change the current line-up. You'll be asked to pay commission to be allowed to make an offer to a bodyguard, which is 10 rupees on the first continent, 50 on the second and 100 on the third. If it is not accepted, all your money except for the commission will be returned to you.

A salon bodyguard will automatically appear on the island Tingle is on (except of Hometown Prairie), as long as that island is part of the continent the bodyguard is connected to. If you travel to a different continent, you'll be without a bodyguard. Hiring a new bodyguard on a different continent will cause the contract with the bodyguard on the other continent to end. Other ways to end a contract are entering Hero's Shrine or letting the bodyguard collapse. In the latter case, you can choose to make a new contract with the bodyguard, which means paying them again. They will then be revived. To prevent having to make a new contract, you have to keep the bodyguards health up by cooking and feeding them health potions.

Drifter bodyguards work a tad different. For one, you have to prove you're worthy of their assistance before you get a chance to negotiate with them. Secondly, after you've proven your worth, you still have to randomly find them somewhere in the world in order to be able to make them an offer and recruit them. As such, if you offer too low, you have to find them again. Thirdly, they do not take healing potions and when they collapse, they can not be hired again at that time. You'll have to find them again later. Additonally, trying to enter a Bodyguard Salon with a Drifter Bodyguard will cause them to leave. These disadvantages are compensated by their impressive stats, their "stronger moves" which they perform quite regularly and them being able to travel between continents.

There is also a third group of bodyguards. You have to team up with Junglo and the Guard at some point in the game to progress. They aren't registered as bodyguards and thus have no description or title. In fact, while they act as bodyguards, it's actually Tingle who is their bodyguard.

Two small notes:
 * Bodyguards do not steal items or rupees. Everything they pick up goes to Tingle's inventory.
 * Bodyguards are capable of doing two special moves once in awhile. This event is known as a "Tingle Chance" and happens randomly in battle. You get to see a slot machine and the first two reels will automatically stop at the same symbol. By touching the screen, you have to stop the third one. If you get the same symbol as the first two, a small movie starts. When it's finished, all enemies on the screen die (even those not in battle) and the reward is a lot better.