Have you considered the magus class? kensai seems to be calling your name--if you're wanting to avoid the shocking grasp stigma, just focus more on true strike or mobility spells (bladed dash, force hook charge, etc.)
anyway, off the top of my head:
CG elf urban barbarian 1 / dawnflower dervish (dervish of dawn on d20pfsrd) fighter 19
stats (20pb):
str 13 (3), dex 16 (5+2), con 12 (5-2), int 14(2+2), wis 14 (5), cha 10
traits: indomitable faith (+1 will) / warrior of old (elf, +2 init)
feats:
1 - weapon finesse
2 - power attack
3 - combat reflexes, weapon focus (elven curve blade)
5 - step up, weapon spec (elven curve blade)
7 - following step, lunge
9 - step up and strike, greater weapon focus (elven curve blade)
11 - iron will, dazing assault
13 - ???, greater weapon spec (elven curve blade)
15 - ???, penetrating strike
17 - ???, greater penetrating strike
19 - ???, ???
grab agile and courageous enchants whenever.
consider a few 'extra rage' feats to bolster the amount of rounds you can rage.
i prefer the dawnflower dervish over mobile fighter AT since it doesn't compromise your weapon training and you get the final ability earlier.
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Because maybe he wants to be something other than Shocking Grasp Magus Number 12893?Why would he not want to go the Shocking Grasp Magus route?
It works, and your distaste should not hinder a new player.
He's new, probably never seen any, and would likely like an effective build.
So, your bias hurts a new player, because, well, why?
No need to throw some badwrongfun preaching, at some new player, just because you are bitter about a popular, effective build.
i only brought it up since some people DO have a distaste for cookie-cutter builds. im not saying he cant go that route or shouldnt go that route, just that there's alternate ways to go for a magus besides the instant choice.
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I just tire of the "holier than thou" gamers, who try to ruin a possible fun experience for a new player.
This "that's been done so much" response is just silly to say to a new player.
They haven't done it.
Hell, the fact that it is popular helps with established tactics, and possible tweaks to fit character concepts.
It is like, when someone chooses to run a pregen.
You gonna give some new player crap for running a pregen, because your gaming tastes/style considers it "doing it wrong"?
They won't have any system mastery, and I hate to see new players, choose a 7 Con Elf Rogue, not knowing what they are getting into, and having a bad time.
it's cool, i gotcha.
How about an alchemist? Specifically a grenadier? I mean, saying a 'brash young youth' and the image of someone going into battle with sword and bomb in hand go hand in hand (until one of those hands gets blown off when you accidentally misjudged how long the fuse was; there were too many in that sentence anyway).
I suggest grenadier specifically since you can grab a single martial weapon (thus the Elven Curved blade; you already have longbow proficiency), and it trades away all that distasteful poison use in return cool stuff like coating your sword in burning oil and other alchemical items. Alchemist is also interesting because you can get that 'rage mode' through mutagens. Plus, all those spells and bombs can be used as a variety of useful buffs and battlefield control options.
Anyway, it is not TOO hard to make a strength based build with 20 pt buy (I know you aren't using that, but hey, we are using it for argument anyway). A few suggested score:
STR: 16 DEX: 14 (12+2) CON: 12 (14-2) INT: 15 (13+2) WIS: 10 CHA: 10
STR: 16 DEX: 14 (12+2) CON: 13 (15-2) INT: 14 (12+2) WIS: 10 CHA: 9
STR: 16 DEX: 14 (12+2) CON: 14 (16-2) INT: 14 (12+2) WIS: 10 CHA: 7
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Another obvious possibility, if allowed, is the Swashbuckler. It's from the Advanced Class Guide and only the playtest version is available at the moment...but it is basically made for this concept and available for free.
But honestly, Magus is my go-to class for battle-trained Elven nobility. It's both extraordinarily thematic and mechanically effective.
He looked like he wanted to go pure martial, so Swashbuckler seems the right way...although he wants to use an Elven Curve blade, which is an...unusual choice.
Another way of approaching it would be to be an Elven Ranger, reflavored with the high skill points to reflect a noble education, and his pet to be an elven animal companion. 'Going nuts' could be his favored enemy bonus kicking in. Start with terrain: Urban and he's made for castles.
===Aelryinth
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Swordlord is a solid Prestige Class. Personally, I'd go into it from something other than Fighter...Urban Ranger is solid, as would be Urban Barbarian...though both are slightly Feat-starved, admittedly.
If going Fighter, I strongly recommend Lore Warden rather than the Swordlord Archetype or anything else. It fits the character as described and is generally the most mechanically effective Fighter option available.
To pipe up again, the ACG's Swashbuckler, or even Slayer, would also be excellent if you're allowed to use the playtest document.
Guide ranger with skirmisher tricks to avoid spellcasting. You pick an enemy as your target and duel with him. You might even be able to stack the wild stalker to get rage instead of an animal companion. Elven curve blade is a great path to go, and you can stack power attack and other feats that drop accuracy against your guide target because accuracy and damage will increase. Favored terrains would be urban, and that could help social skills in cities, etc.
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I just tire of the "holier than thou" gamers, who try to ruin a possible fun experience for a new player.
I'm even more tired of cynical, jaded, "old hands" who immediately try to lock new players into the "Only one right way to play" mentality. You can actually be an effective magus without locking yourself in to either dervish dance or shocking grasp.
I am of the belief that new players should be allowed as much as possible to make mistakes, and that help should be limited to giving them the basics, and answering specific questions, trying as much as possible not to "lead" them unnecessarily.
We all made our mistakes in our early days. Let them have the growth experience of making their own.
Nobody was "locking in" anyone.
It is just an option. Letting new players know what their options are, and what they are getting into.
If a popular build, or a 7 Con Elf Rogue is what they want, it is best just to let them know what that means, and that neither way is "badwrongfun".
I sure hope this wasn't some kind of personal attack, in response to my comment.
I was speaking more in general, and not really trying to attack anyone.
there's two ways you can go with someone who "goes a little berserk"... you either just roleplay that, or you take something with rage. either option can make for a great character, but they will be very different.
if you want to have the rage mechanic you could go with an urban barbarian (the rage is actually less like what you're describing but the flavor of the archetype is the closest to your concept of any barbarian), but be aware that any barbarian will sort of be defined by their rage... its more than just a quirk or characteristic. you could also look at the wild stalker ranger- they lose the bonus combat feats but gain some rage; their skills (like barbarians) aren't very castle/highborn-esque but if you had him be from a woodelf area it could work (he'd maybe be a little more Legolas-ish).
if you're willing to just roleplay the temper, a Lore Warden fighter could be a good possibility. they get plenty of bonus feats so you can be good at finessing an exotic weapon, and they get a little more mileage out of Int which seems very elven.
Something similar to Foxy Slicey, maybe? Just adapted to be an elf instead of a halfling.
Mobility, finesse, skill, ability to "go crazy"... It seems to fit the character concept you're going for.
The build is displayed at levels 1, 3, 6 and 10. I also added an small summary of what the character can do at each of those levels.