
Abyssian |

So, according to the CORE Campaign Challenge, I'll be playing a half-elf bard.
I'm thinking about a mithril full-plate, shield-bashing paladin 2 or 3/bard x, maybe with a whip, maybe buff focused...
Any ideas welcome, the only hard rules are: half-elf, bard. Soft rule: utilize the multiclass abilities of the half-elf.

Abyssian |

So, according to the CORE Campaign Challenge, I'll be playing a half-elf bard.
I'm thinking about a mithril full-plate, shield-bashing paladin 2 or 3/bard x, maybe with a whip, maybe buff focused...
Any ideas welcome, the only hard rules are: half-elf, bard. Soft rule: utilize the multiclass abilities of the half-elf.
Um, how about breastplate. Gotta cast those spells!

The Shaman |

Is the soft rule something you set for yourself or something the challenge set for you? I'm generally not too fond of multiclassing, but it could work. Only I'd suggest a two-hander instead of a shield in the off-hand - if you are multiclassing with a full BAB class it should not be too hard to be a secondary combatant anyway. Something like a glaive could be interesting, and you can tie it conceptually with the character being a fan of Shelyn (who happens to have paladins and love bards*).
*Well, she loves most anybody, being the goddess of love and all, but she reallly has a thing for bards.

The Shaman |

The racial class is interesting, but I really wish there were more options to trade it without trading the skill focus. Anyway, that doesn't really matter for a core character...
The classes can mesh well enough. Just how much you want to mesh the classes depends on you - imo either could be a dip, a few paladin levels give you proficiencies, smite and divine grace, a few bard levels get you a slew of abilities and versatile performance for skill check substitution (and paladins are really skill-starved). Perform Oratory for example can be awesome for a paladin who likes to go ham (which, come on, is pretty much iconic paladin behavior. You can also use it to pick up a few potentially useful skills paladins don't normally have access to, like intimidate. Also, remember the half-elf skill focus? It works really well if you have a signature perform skill you are using with versatile performance - such as if you only dip bard and it's your only versatile performance skill.
By the way, were traits considered core?