Alright, so I'm about to jump into a high level campaign (We start play at level 16), and the GM gave us full permission to play any creature we wanted, and to use the "Monsters as PC's" Guidelines in the Bestiary as rules (including the CR buyoff aspect.)
We're playing with 20 point buy, and pretty much all of 3rd Edition splat material is open to us (except Incarnum lol) There are a fair number of houserules in play, I'll do my best to mention them when they come up.
So... I flipped through the Bestiary and an epic concept came to me. A Copper Dragon Gish.
Thus...
Young Copper Dragon Ability Adjustments:
+8 strength
+4 dex
+6 con
+4 int
+4 wis
+4 cha
Arathos, the Young Copper Dragon CR 6(bought down from CR 8), Fighter 1 Abjurant Champion 5, Eldritch Knight 4 (he's determined to sacrifice the access to Fighter only feats and fighter bonus feat ability of the Eldritch Knight prestige class, in exchange for a 'Channel Spell' ability, similar to that of the Duskblade. Additionally, he's houseruled away the lost caster level at level 1, on the condition that the character has at least one level in some non-casting Full BAB class, such as fighter)
Channel Spell: As part of the attack, an Eldritch Knight can channel a spell that deals HP damage into his weapon, inflicting the spells damage in addition to the weapon's damage should the attack hit. If the attack misses the spell is lost with no effect. If the spell offered a saving throw other than reflex (such as the fortitude save offered by disintegrate), the target is still allowed that saving throw.
Special: In the case of Cleave/Great Cleave/Whirlwind attack a Touch Spell so Channeled lasts throughout the entire attack.
Channel Touch Spells: At 10th level an Eldritch Knight gains the ability to hold the charge of a Touch Spell for longer than other spells. Touch Spells channeled into his weapon last until the beginning of his next turn. (This replaces Spell Critical)
Casts spells as a 10th level sorcerer (5th level spells) with caster level 19, and has the following feats (I'm still thinking over his spell list.) Keep in mind the feats are based on hit dice.
1: Power Attack
3: Combat Casting (strangely enough it doesn't require spellcasting, so I chalk this feat up to being a natural talent he had that reveals itself after he gets spellcasting, rather than actual training)
5: Dodge
7: Mobility
9: Spring Attack
F: Whirlwind Attack
11: Arcane Strike (PF)
13: Arcane Armor Training (houseruled to grant bard-like unlimited light armor spell casting)
15: Battle Caster (3.5 Complete Warrior, Improves Armored Spellcasting like the bards to include Medium Armor)
17: Arcane Strike (3.5 Complete Warrior, sacrifice a spellslot as a free action to add +1 attack and +1d4 damage per spell level to all attacks that turn)
19: Vital Strike
I would appreciate any opinions/advice on potential changes. The Gold Fullblade was part of his father's treasure that the old man never used, and is a large part of why he took up adventuring.
I've been considering taking flyby attack in place of Arcane Strike (PF) for the synergy with Vital Strike and a big weapon, but I have no idea what the party composition is going to be like at this point. It's possible I could be the most melee oriented character there.
(For those wondering, I'm working on a pretty kickass backstory for him, but I have to go for now, so I'll be posting that later. And yes, I've already checked with my GM, I am allowed to use both edition's Arcane Strikes if I wish.)
And yes, he wears Mithril Fullplate. The Sword is obviously for charges/standard actions/whirlwind attacks. He will occasionally full attack with it as a normal Fighter, but when it gets REALLY serious, he'll drop it and go hardcore with the natural attack routine.
Isn't one feat for Flyby better than three feats for spring attack? I don't see the appeal.
The freebies you have been given are TREMENDOUS. I would have VERY serious concerns about the opposition. If the judge's idea of balance is "I always say yes", then you should expect some terrible, terrible opponents (or ridiculously easy ones)
Finally, the general consensus is that Abjurant Champion is one of the least balanced prestige classes to ever exist. I mention this because a chanracter that is out of line, power-wise or complication-wise, with the rest of the party will stand out as 'broken'. This tends to summon the nerf bat. If everyone else is lining up their incantatrixes and halfling outriders, then it won't matter so much.
Finally, can dragons use weapons? Armor? Do dragons even have hands? Are you remembering to pay extra for non-standard barding? There are objections someone could make if they wanted to. As a fall-back, half-dragon is cheap, and dragon disciple is available, if you have to redo the build.
