How about:
1) This event gives as an opportunity to start down the road to full intervention in Syria, which we would like to do so that a government more amenable to establishing a very important pipeline can be put in place. At the moment, that Assad has almost won his civil war, but perhaps we'll be able to steer events our way after all. And as a bonus, we seem like we care about people being gassed to death, even if we or our allies in the region have far more motive for carrying out the chemical attack than Russia and Assad.
It sounds to me like your DM has the following problem with you:
Since you optimize so well, whatever role you pick will overshadow any other character at the table playing a similar role. If you and another player both have controller spellcasters, you'll always be the much more effective one, same for healers, same for blasters, same for finesse melee, ranged, what have you. While that is fun for you, over time, it will become apparent to the other player that they are just a sidekick to your superhero, the Robin to your Batman. I think, in a very clumsy way, your DM is trying to protect the other player's fun. You are too good in your mastery of the mechanics for your own group. If my guess is accurate, the solution to the problem may be the following:
1. You have to get all the players to have somewhat close power levels, respective of their niche or specialty. If you're willing, you can build your character to a lower standard. If the other players and the GM are willing, you can help them revise their characters to bring them up to your level of optimization.
2. Find a niche that the party doesn't have covered and optimize the heck out of it like you enjoy. Some interesting examples were already mentioned in this thread. The key is that it's different enough from the other players that their characters won't feel useless by comparison.
3. Last resort, find a group that has mastered the mechanics and enjoys optimization as much as you do.
4. Become a GM instead and see how these things look from the other side :D (For what it's worth, I think your DM is trying to do the right thing by the group in a way that is wrong by you, and explaining the problem poorly)
(Secretly hoping to still be considered, all info in bio and below, and thank you either way)
Appearance:
Bogden is a rough looking hard-faced fellow, the type who makes respectable folk immediately wonder if they will be killed or merely robbed should he follow them down an alley. It's the type of look that will get you arrested for no reason other than "just in case". He wears his hair nearly shaved off, doesn't shave neatly, or bathe often. His skin is aged by sun, tavern brawl scars, and the sea. His calloused hands mark him a commoner, the kind no respectable person invites to dinner nor takes any pity on.
He looks like a criminal no one would miss, and has clearly led a hard and poor life. He can fit in with criminals and thugs just fine, but sticks out like a greasy stain on a silk napkin among polite society. In mannerisms he is forceful and unsophisticated, his language clearly infested with the slang of the underbelly of society. Despite his intimidating appearance and tone, he is somewhat naïve and easily tricked.
Backstory:
Bogden grew up on a so-called merchant ship, remembering from his earliest times the feel of the ocean waves on undulating wooden boards. His uncle was a semi-legitimate businessman who occasionally turned to slightly more violent negotiations, or piracy when the profit and risk were in good balance. It was a family business, and most of the crew were some relation of Bogden's parents. Thus, Bogden's earliest life consisted of the menial tasks of sailing, and occasional hiding below deck when the adults were engaging in something dangerous. Of course, when you constantly take chances, luck sometimes favors the other side. Bogden's family ran afoul of a more powerful ship, or a more canny captain, or perhaps just some bad luck. Young Bogden found himself one of the survivors fished out of the sea from the remains of his uncle's boat. He never got to know what happened or why, who survived or what happened to the adult prisoners taken along with him.
Dressed up in respectable attire, Bogden was sold to a wealthy heiress as a servant boy. His life among the rich and privileged lasted the better part of a week. Finding himself amazingly unsuited to his new circumstance, Bogden quickly managed to escape the estate. He became a child of the streets and quickly fell into the usual groups of pickpockets and young beggars. During his teenage years, Bogden tried his hand at robbery, thievery and other petty, violent crime. He quickly found he was unsuited to the rogue's life, and turned away from it. The issue was that he would nearly always be tricked out of his share of the loot, or tricked into taking the blame when caught, or worse still, be the distraction while his "friends" did the real job. It didn't help that he had a decent sense of morals for a street kid.
Bogden, like many, viewed the times of his young childhood with a certain golden nostalgia. He found that he missed his days of sailing, and felt that would be his true calling. He slowly saved enough money to pay for passage to Port Peril, and figured he could get work as a sailor. Perhaps, if he was lucky, he could even use his Uncle's name to earn a place among a respectable crew of mostly businessmen...
Stat Block:
Bogden
Human Gunslinger 1 (Buccaneer)
CG Medium Humanoid(Human)
Init: +4 ; Senses: Normal; Perception: -2
Ranged:
Battered Pistol: +5 to hit, 1d8 damage (x4, B and P, Firearm, Range Increment 20')
Special and Class Abilities: Gunsmith – Gain gunsmithing feat, gain battered pistol
Deeds: Seadog’s Gait (Ex) – Gain Sea Legs as bonus feat, For 1 grit poiny Ignore difficult terrain until end of turn
Gunslinger’s Dodge(Ex) – When a ranged attack is made against the gunslinger, she can spend 1 grit point to move 5 feet as an immediate action; doing so grants the gunslinger a +2 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. This movement is not a 5-foot step, and provokes attacks of opportunity. Alternatively, the gunslinger can drop prone to gain a +4 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. The gunslinger can only perform this deed while wearing medium or light armor, and while carrying no more than a light load.
Grit Pool: 2 points
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STATISTICS
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Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 7, Cha 14
Base ATK: +1 CMB: +1 CMD: 15
Feats: Deadly Aim
Human Bonus Feat: Rapid Reload (Pistol)
Class Granted Feats: Gunsmithing, Sea Legs (+2 untyped bonus to Swim, Climb, Acrobatics)
Armor Proficiencies: Weapon Proficiencies: Alternate Racial Trait: Heart of the Sea: +2 racial bonus to Prof. (Sailor), +2 Swim, Always class skills, hold breath twice as long as normal, +4 bonus to concentration checks to cast spells underwater Lose the “Skilled” racial trait
Campaign Trait: Buccaneer’s Blood (+1 Intimidate, +1 Prof. (Sailor) trait bonus),one time +1 trait bonus to infamy and disrepute)
Second Trait: Born to the Water (+1 untyped bonus to swim, only need to make swim checks once every 2 hours to avoid fatigue)
