Charisma Gish, sorta (I hate empty forum segments)

[Muazen]

Okay, so I like Bards and I like mages with big spells that level groups of monsters but I find them clumsier to play than just click&wait fighter types.
So here's my take on defensive warrior who can melee in the front row but still bring in the heavy artillery from time to time.
(Note, this is another 'weird build', I just like having a 'super attack' ready few times a day, lot of abilities on this build can be dropped and replaced with whatever feels like more fun.)

Advantages:
Lvl 5 bard spells, healing, buffing/utility and silence (cast it on yourself before meleeing the wizardy types) are always fun.
+9 attack +9 damage in addition to medium strength and 26 bab
+8-15 divine might damage (or something like that) 8-15 times a day, whew!
Mithrall full plate and large shield give nice ac
Absurd saves & no autofail (aka. dc-immunity)
Great team player (heals, inspires and even drops enemy saves, has an excuse to use leadership)
Great solo character (no weaknesses or need to hide behind anyones back)
Caster level 35 and high dc Storm of Vengeance to spice up the melee

Disadvantages:
Err... ... Can't disable traps? (Pretty much immune to them though.)
A specialist could do any one thing it does little bit better.



And the part that actually maters:

Race: Yuan-Ti is the cheeserace, anything where you can afford 18 starting charisma is good
Alignment: NE or CE, we frown on the goody orderly types
Deity: Talos (Oh, c'mon!)

My starting stats
Str 16 (hey, I'm supposed to do little melee, you need at least 13)
Dex 10 (and even that is from +2 yuan-ti dex, it only hurts at first but that full plate only gives little leeway for some small dex item)
Con 14 (no class should go below)
Int 16 (Anything you want really, I like my skills)
Cha 18 (Or more, if you want less you'll lose epic feats)

Must raise charisma up till level 24, on 28 its whatever you like depending on the campaign and items, I took uneven strength to go with one of many.


Skills: Besides class requirements I took 5 ranks of sleight of hand, half of a open lock for laughs, full perform, lore, spellcraft, tumble and use magic device, only the perform is compulsory.


Abbreviations:
SS - Schutzstaffel, er, Stormsinger
BG - Blackguard

LVl Class CLvl Feats (and other stuff)
1 Bard 1 Luck of Heroes (Its really good, Yuan ti also gets blind fight)
2 Fighter 1 Power Attack (For Blackguard, you may want it before stormsinger)
3 Bard 2 Able Learner (Those fighter class skills wont get you far)
4 Fighter 2 Cleave (Blackguard, also, on low levels it actually helps!)
5 Fighter 3 (Because I want fighter version of the Sword of Gith)
6 SS 1 Battle Caster (Because a fighter with silence > mages)
7 SS 2
8 SS 3
9 SS 4 Toughness (Prerequisitive for epic feat, also good one)
10 SS 5
11 SS 6
12 SS 7 Song of the Heart (We rely on inspire)
13 SS 8
14 SS 9
15 SS 10 Leadership (This also raises your inspire)
16 BG 1
17 BG 2
18 BG 3 Divine Might (We have a high charisma and a sword, do the math)
19 Bard 3 (You got that sword already, right? Good)
20 Bard 4
21 Fighter 4 Epic Toughness, Epic Resilience (We are now invincible)
22 Fighter 5
23 Fighter 6 Great Charisma, Medium Armor Specialization (Armor spec is optional)
24 Fighter 7
25 Fighter 8 Widen Aura Of Despair, Epic Prowess (Prowess is optional)
26 Fighter 9
27 Fighter 10 Epic Inspiration, Great Cleave (Cleave is optional)
28 Fighter 11
29 Fighter 12 Improved Aura Of Despair, Melee Weapon Mastery: Slashing (or any)
30 BG 4

The improved aura is a big question, I like to throw in an occasional Storm of Vengeance and know that my opponents will fail their saves, its not much however so if you have no wizard buddy maybe its not super important.

And this is how we can play a melee character and still feel like a badass desctructive mage once in a while.