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If you want to be melee halfling tank - consider the Swashbuckler class (Or the Daring Cavalier archetype). It benefits from both high Dexterity and Charisma - and strength doesn't really matter. In fact - I'd argue that halflings make for the best Swashbucklers/Daring Cavaliers. Just make sure to take the racial trait variant which bumps your movement speed up to 30ft. (all you give up is a couple skill bonuses)
Example - Halfling Swashbuckler - Inspired Blade
Str:7
Dex:18
Con:14
Int:12
Wis:12
Cha:14
Feats: Weapon Focus: Rapier (Bonuse feat from Inspired Blade archetype) / Fencing Grace
This build lets you use your dex for both attack and damage with your rapier. So at level 1 : +7 to hit and 1d4+4(18-20) damage.
AC:20 (chain shirt/buckler)
Fort:+3
Ref:+7
Will:+2
You can dump your strength down to 5 if you want to get your dex up to 19, but if you do you should take the trait which lets your strength count as 2 points higher for encumbrance purposes or you'll have carry capacity issues.
Ask the "healer" if he will be an active participant in melee. It would be nice to have someone to flank with.
Remember to save your money and buy the best armor and shield you can whenever you have the opportunity. Getting a darkwood heavy shield is a cheap way to keep your armor check penalty. You should decide soon if you wil be a ranger or fighter. If you plan on ending up in platemail, then you won't need a Dexterity higher than 12.
What weapon do you plan on wielding? There are a few routes to take:
-Get a weapon with a critical range of 18-20 such as a rapier or scimitar. The damage die is lower but you'll enjoy getting those crits more often.
-Pick up the two-weapon fighting and shield bash feats, and you'll be making attacks with both the sword and the board. If playing a fighter, you will need to invest more ability score points in Dexterity. Your attack bonus will be lower, but you will have twice as many attacks.
-Pick up the shield bash feat, don't carry a weapon at all, and make two handed attacks with the shield. Your attack bonus will be higher and your damage per hit will be higher.
Going sword-and-shield can be either very simple if you just want a bit of defense, or quite complex if you want to do some dual-wield/shield bash sort of thing.
If you choose to take sword and shield or two-weapon combat style as a Ranger it can simplify things, as the combat style feats can be taken without meeting prerequisites. This way you can effectively dual wield without needing sky-high dexterity.
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You've got a few choices.
I would first decide if you want to be more simple or a little more complicated. The Fighter is easier to play (and will generally do more damage) while a Ranger offers in more skill monkeying and can out-damage a fighter when fighting against favored enemies, plus you eventually get spells and a pet.
Personally, I would recommend going with the Ranger. The Fighter would get you heavy armor and more feats but I feel what you gain from the Ranger more than makes up for it.
Either way, generally it is better to focus more on offense than defense in Pathfinder. So between a Defensive S&B and a Offensive S&B style, I would recommend offensive.
As Corvino was mentioned going down the Two-Weapon Fighting Tree as a Ranger will let you pick up the Two-Weapon Fighting feats without a super high dex score. The Weapon and Shield tree would also be okay. I don't have enough experience with S&B characters to really recommend one over the other. I think, depending on the level you plan to go to, that the Two Weapon Fighting tree would be better for bypassing Dex requirements for Improved TWF+Greater TWF. The Shield+Weapon tree get's you early access to shield feats. So if you plan on hitting level 10+ I'd go TWF tree for your combat style, otherwise I'd say whichever you really prefer.
Here is a possible breakdown of what I might recommend:
As far as being a Halfling I agree with what Charon's Little Helper posted above, grab the Fleetfooted alternative racial trait.
Ability Score Breakdown:
1st Way (my preferred)
Strength= 17-2=15
Dexterity=12+2=14
Constitution= 14
Intelligence= 7
Wisdom= 13
Charisma=7+2=9
Proceed to pump that strength at every available opportunity.
Alternative Buy
Strength= 16-2= 14
Dexterity=12+2= 14
Constitution= 14
Intelligence= 8
Wisdom= 12
Charisma=8+2= 10
Equipment Wise:
Armor: Agile Breastplate (eventually mithral) or MWK Chain Shirt
Weapons: Scimitar, Composite Bow (w/ appropriate str rating)
Shield: Quickdraw Light Steel Shield w/shield spikes
Feat Wise:
1) Improved Shield Bash
2) Two Weapon Fighting
3) Power Attack/Quick Draw
5) Boon Companion (p.s. Wolves are awesome)
6) Shield Master/Improved Two Weapon Fighting (depending on tree)
7) Quick Draw (lets you switch hit)/Power Attack/Outflank (see notes below)
9) Shield Slam
10) Bashing Finish/Greater Two Weapon Fighting (Tree Dependent)
11) Shield Master/Bashing Finish
Other than that I would recommend on asking your GM for good choices on which favored enemy to take.
Another idea, instead of Power Attack at level 3 is to take Quick Draw here. The main idea behind Quick Draw is to get your Sword out quickly (since you can draw shield as a swift) which let's you full-attack. Alternatively it also let's you draw a bow and full-attack past level 6.
A cool idea is (if you use the first stat bump on your AC for intelligence at level 4) is to take Outflank teamwork feat on them and you. This will let you get a +4 to flanking. You need the intelligence bump on the pet to let them qualify for it though, otherwise they can only take the feats listed for animal companions.
