Help me build a Dragon Rider (using RAW)

[AlQahir]

I have wanted to play a Dragon Rider character for quite awhile now, and with the summoner I have the tools to make that character concept happen. Summoner is by no means perfect, and there are a lot of things I don’t like about the class, however you work with what you have and this is the only way I can see making the character using RAW.

Character concepts: My character is just a regular adventurer (fighter) who is wandering the forest and discovers a small rift into the elemental plane of energy. Being quite curious he ventures into the rift to see what lies beyond. He enters the plane and is instantly bombarded by raw energy, but instead of destroying him it infuses him with energy. After his transformation/energization he sees a planar lord and his minions chasing after one of the denizens of that plane, a young elemental dragon. The dragon heads for the rift, and the adventurer, wisely not wanting to get involved with planar politics, follows. The planar lord screams in rage and slams the rift shut, before all of the dragon’s energy/essence can enter the adventure’s plane, leaving the dragon greatly reduced. The adventurer finds that all the energy he absorbed while on the other plane has come through the rift with him. The dragon did not bring enough energy to stay alive and starts to fade. The adventure intuitively helps the dragon imparting some of his new found energy into the dragon, preventing it from dying. During this process the adventurer discovers that he can access a small pocket of the plane of energy (a necessary story element since the dragon will have to go somewhere every time the summoner sleeps) a place of refuge for the dragon. The dragon and adventure decide to team up each benefitting from the other.

I would like help optimizing this class, which I have admittedly severely handicapped with my restrictions. Please give me good eidolon evolution and feat choices, as well as good feats and stats for the summoner. So here are the restrictions Core + APG only, 15 point buy, evolutions cannot be changed once chosen (meaning you cannot recreate the eidolon each level, just add new evolutions), the ‘Summoner’ is going to be focusing on mounted combat of some type, the ‘Summoner’ will not be using the SLA (role playing that he doesn’t even have the SLA), and the ‘Summoner’ will not be using much magic (Eidolon buffs only, no summons, damage, or control spells). Caveat if there is a way to work sorcerer levels in without overly crippling the eidolon I may pursue that option for blasty goodness while riding the eidolon.

The concept I came up with is:
Halfling Dragon Rider (Summoner) Outrider Racial Trait
Favored classes: Summoner 19HP
S- 11, D- 18, C- 10, I- 12, W- 8, Ch- 14 (15pt buy)
Level 1 Fighter Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Level 2-20 Summoner
Feats:
3- Mounted Combat
5- Mounted Archery
7- Rapid Shot
9- Ride-by Attack
11- Many Shot
13- Dodge
15- Weapon Focus
17- Trick Riding
19- Mounted Skirmisher

Dragon (Eidolon)-
Level 1: Quadruped, Tail, Claws, Mount [3 Evol. Avail./ 3 Used] Power Attack
Level 2: Pounce [4EA/4]
Level 3: Improved Damage (claws) [5EA/5] Toughness
Level 4: Sing [7EA/6]
Level 5: Wings [8EA/8]
Level 6: None [9EA/8] Dodge
Level 7: None [10EA/8]
Level 8: None [11EA/8]
Level 9: Large [13EA/12] Cleave
Level 10: Energy Attacks [14EA/14]
Level 11: None [15EA/14] Bloody Assault
Level 12: Improved Natural Armor [16EA/15]
Level 13: Rend [17EA/17]
Level 14: Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack (Sting) [19EA/19] Combat Reflexes
Level 15: None [20EA/19]
Level 16: None [21EA/19]
Level 17: None [22EA/19] Mobility
Level 18: Breath Weapon [23EA/23]
Level 19: Natural Armor Boost, +20ft flying [25EA/25]

I originally had half elf for the option of getting a bow without dipping into fighter and for the 4 extra evolutions, but that character couldn’t actually get air born until level 8. I would also consider gnome for race.

[lrichter]

I am going to do this very thing - in fact I came on to the messageboards looks for advice on how to do it well.

I am hoping to have a PFS character and I am excited that I can do this without having to ask for special permission or something like that.

Personally, I am going with half-elf but that is because I don't mind the wait until I can ride the "Dragon." I think the role-playing of the earlier levels when the character is rearing and training the admittedly not so bright dragon will be fun levels so I don't mind using reduce person or a warhorse until then. But there obviously a lot of advantages to not being a medium sized creature with this idea... but in the end I am trying to recreate or create a story moment with a character other players can relate to out of fiction - i.e. someone like us, full sized.

My build is basically trying to imitate everything out of the beastery. I have actually found that you can purchase more attacks that are dragon like then you can have so... I am holding off on tail slap and wing buffet for quite some time. But, even as a half-elf, one doesn't really get to the dragon thing until about 11th level summoner. This makes it hard to multi-class... which as you will see is a bit troubling due to all the crunchy goodness that could make this character a bit more viable.

I am going with the melee mounted combat build. I think it uses a few less feats to optimize.. but I can't be sure about that. AND I am really thinking about taking three levels of fighter somewhere down the line so that the character can take advantage of the two-handed specialty build that allows a character to add double strength to damage when charging.

In living greyhawk I make a character somewhat similar, he was a mounted combat druid. And although this character wasn't the most devastating thing in the world, I still really enjoyed the build. So no matter how you do it, I think you'll enjoy the RP that comes along with this idea. I'm looking forward to it.

[YawarFiesta]

Including Arcane Strike would greatly benefit you in the damage area, better with the +2 to caster level trait. The feat that grants a +4 to effective master level for familiars, animal companions and similars(eidolons) would allow you to dip up to 4 levles without damaging the eidolon. 4 figther levels would net you 3 extra feats, plus 1 to AC for you and the Eidolon, no ACo for riding and +1 BAB.

Also, the Bounus Bestiary has the option of using the Dragonaes as special mounts for those with 10 effective druids levels and leadership. This opens dragon riding posibilities to rangers, cavaliers, barbarians, druids, paladins and oracles. Paired with the feat for a +4 to effective druid level even ranger and druids can reach the requisites by level 10.

Finally, leadership is viabe way of gaining access to dragons, specially for halfings. Picking a rider variant figther and advancing dragon as a savage figther is a solid option. This also allows full sorcerer blasty goodness.

Humbly,
Yawar