I'm leaning towards a Warblade//Warlock, but that build is so MAD it's not even funny.
Str: Atk and damage.
Dex: Eldritch blast atk.
Con: HP
Int: Lots of the warblade abilities
Cha: Warlock saving throws.
Ideas?
You can go sword and board as Knight gives some good shield synergy, or pick up Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain) to help. At third level, the Bulwark of Defense makes squares you threaten rough terrain (Knight), and a reach weapon just makes sense.
Human Knight 20 // Crusader 6 / Stoneblessed 3 / Deepwarden 2 / Bloodstorm Blade 4 / Deepstone Sentinel 5
You still get 8th level Maneuvers and a constant D12 HD, but you also get +2 CON, and can use Dexterity as a dump stat, since you use CON for AC and STR for thrown weapon attacks. Wear glasssteel Mechanus Gear for a non-magical +13 armour bonus without any movement penalty.
We're going to be playing a gestalt DnD game, just to see how it works out. We have a wizard//sorcerer, a monk//cleric, a rogue//fighter, and me. I'm playing the main meatshield.
I'm leaning towards a Warblade//Warlock, but that build is so MAD it's not even funny.
Str: Atk and damage.
Dex: Eldritch blast atk.
Con: HP
Int: Lots of the warblade abilities
Cha: Warlock saving throws.
Ideas?
Using Eldritch glaive you could lower dex. If you wished to focus on just using warlock buffs and Eldritch glaive (Can't remember if you can apply essences) then you can knock it down to just 3 attributes needed, same as for a standar warblade. Maybe even add 3 Hellfire Warlock and tell the cleric to get a bundle of restores//shape strognheart vest.
Where do you find mechanus armor?
Where do you find mechanus armor?
Planar Handbook.
This starts to really sing from levels 5-10.
-Swany
Another option if you want to focus on melee is actually to go with Swordsage/Warblade. With that you're getting d12 HD, full base attack, all good saves, 6 skill points per level, and more maneuvers than you can shake a stick at-- plus dual boosts and stances. If I were playing the meat shield in a gestalt game, I would give that serious consideration. (With stats like Str > Dex > Con > Wis > Int > Cha). I don't think you can beat that for basic abilities, the only thing you're missing is 8 skill points per level.
Warnings: Incoming cheese. Controversial rulings involved. First version assumes no multiclassing experience penalties. I am doing this partly from memory and some of it may be wrong. The version I actually worked out in detail was part skill monkey and made some sacrifices both to support that and to pick up some more feats, so I'm not sure how well this version works...I recommend tweaking. These are adapted from other people's ideas.
Changeling
Ardent 6/Warshaper 4/War Mind 10//Crusader 20
or
Ardent 6/Warshaper 4/War Mind 10//Crusader 6/{alternate:Crusader +7,Ardent+7}
The controversial ruling is that a changeling who doesn't look like a freakish white thing is in "a form other than his own." Changelings definitely qualify to enter Warshaper due to their subtype, but whether their ability triggers the Warshaper benefits is a question for a DM.
The idea here is to use the combination of a polearm and your Warshaper weapons (or armor spikes, or spiked gauntlet, or what have you) to threaten an appallingly large area, and use a combination of Thicket of Blades, Combat Reflexes, perhaps Improved Trip or Stand Still, Sweeping Strike, Ardent powers, Crusader maneuvers, Stone Power, Fast Healing...well, you have a LOT of options at your disposal, many of which can be used to help protect your allies and try to keep enemies focused on you. If you aren't too strapped for feats, you may find it worthwhile to get an exotic weapon proficiency and a bit of Exotic Weapon Master so that you threaten past soft cover.
Second possibility:
This is more of a suggestion for something to build into an idea than the idea itself.
A Mongrelfolk Ranger/Stoneblessed/Fist of the Forest/Deepwarden with Steadfast Determination is...almost alarmingly durable.
Probably not best options by any means, but a couple suggestions to consider anyhow.