Paladin for 4 levels, then 1 level of Sorcerer, and you qualify for Dragon Disciple at level 6. ignore the arcane spell failure chance, wear armor, and pick spells like True Strike, Shield, Enlarge Person, and etc that make you a better combatant, and ignore the blasty spells.
Fighter for 4 levels, 1 sorc, dragon disciple. Arcane armor feats.
Young template until the DM tells you it's the middle of the game, and then you can drop that template.
Form of the Dragon spells are very important.
Bard to dragon disciple possibly with a dash of fighter.
Bard makes the healing magics he has possible, and casting in armor without a swift action.
...Which one? All five have been pretty different ;p
Considering the back-story for my character, the first one fits best. Though I do kind of want to take leadership so I can turn some stolen hideout into a small thriving town. :)
As to Bard, well there will be No!Singing!... He's the strong silent type anyway. ;)
Yeah bardic performance doesn't have to use singing (or indeed any perform skill). I've always been partial to the third and fourth incarnations myself.
I would probably go Bard/Dragon Disciple even though he was quite (I'd probably go with perform oratory). On a side note can I be Cray lol?
We have a kobold battle sorcerer with the draconic bloodline in our campaign, and he is a melee monster.
Battle sorcerer gives you light armor, +3/4 BAB, 1d8 HD, Good Fort and Will, but you cast 1 fewer spell per spell level and know 1 fewer spell per spell level (minimum 1).
He uses Wraithstrike a lot (2nd level, swift action to cast, for 1 round, all attacks are considered touch attacks) with his claw/claw/bite/tail. It's pretty bad.
I play a dragon shaman. They're tough and buff, but pretty hit or miss damage-wise.