Building a Solo Character...

[nonsi256]

Permitting Serpet Kingdoms and Savage Species, but expect an eyeroll with the Feral template, or Anthromorphic hippos and such. But yes, anything is legit. You can offer up crazy Char-Op munchkins, but I'm ideally looking for playable builds that won't make people groan at the thought, instead think "Oh, that's clever". I realize the subjectivity of such a criteria, feel free to ignore it.

Assume no Gestalt builds, simply because that opens the can-o-worms that screws with CR's.

As for level, Figure a build that could handle him/herself across the entire level progression. Perhaps cross section this character at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 if that's helpful, or simply put together a level-by-level build.

...Here's what I'm trying to get at for myself when wrestling with this question: What are the sorts of things a character needs to be self-sufficent? Some things I've thought of include...
-A form of healing HP (Cure spells, Class abilities, +2 Vampiric Weapons...)
-A way to deal damage to all possible creature types (Feats, +1 Bane Weapons, Force effects...)
-Surviveability (AC, Feats, Great Saves, Immunities, teleport away...)
-Allies (Trained pets, Animal Companions, Summoned monsters...)
-An array of skills or options or spells that simulate skills (Open lock or a Knock spell or a door-busting strength score...)

...and so on.

A solo character desperately needs all the conditions-resistance as possible. This calls for Warforged, or that plant-based biped character race who's name I can't remember right now.

The class-combo needs as much versatility as possible, so start with Rogue/Factotum at 1st level and then you can go DFA (The New DFA handbook has a One-Man Party build - it's for humans, but again... conditions). You could continue with Archivist, but if something happens to your book, you're basically FUBAR.
Another option is to just go straight Artificer (but I personally prefer innate power to item-dependency).

If you intend to hire an aid, then the conditions-immunity might be less of an issue and you could go for Raptorian DFA who's also a Dragonborn of Bahamut and embody all 3 draconic aspects (but don't skip that 1st Rogue/Factotum level... probably Rogue).
The aspects, invocations, breath effects and skills will combine quite nicely to cover most scenarios out of the box (if you choose them wisely).

 

[xigbar]

Tiefling Wizard with LA buy off, Immediate Magic variant from PHB2 for Abrupt Jaunt. 8/10/18/20/8/6 for scores. Progression is Wizard5/DivineOracle2/Loremaster4/IotSV7/Archmage2.
1st Quicken Spell
1st B Scribe Scroll
3rd Knowledge Devotion (CMage)
5th Sculpt Spell (CArc)
6th Spell Focus (Abjuration)
8th Greater Spell Focus (Abjuration)
9th Skill Focus: Spellcraft
12th Arcane Mastery (CArc)
15th Metamagic School Focus (CMage
18th Spell Focus (Conjouration)
It'll kill most things on it's spells alone, and can summon something to do it in the extremely low number of instances it can't.

 

[Trance-Zg]

Cleric would be best option fore pure hack n slash beating CR one level less than yours but it would not be all round character for adventuring.

for solo play I would take barbarian 1/cloistered cleric 1 and rest with ranger(2H variant) and scout with swift hunter feat.

cleric would be taken for devotion feat abusing for self healing and damaging and barbarian for rage and movement.

 

[Zireael]

What about Druid?

I've heard it's a really good class for soloing... can do most things, and if he can't, he can wildshape, and he has animal companion and spells...

 

[Angrydad]

I agree with the Warforged sentiment from above. I'm running a warforged Paladin/bard (archaeologist from Pathfinder) at the moment and being immune to so many things has saved our 3 person party's collective bacon so many times already. Combine Warforged with something like Artificer (to repair itself) will allow you to use pretty much any and all magic items while also building your own for bargain prices. Awesome combo right there.

 

[Empirate]

Warforged Cloistered Cleric/Crusader/Warblade/Ruby Knight Vindicator

Cloistered Cleric for spells, skills, domains and turning. Crusader for staying power. A sprinkle of Warblade purely for Iron Heart Surge and the DM save replacers. Ruby Knight Vindicator for overall goodness, especially the extra swift actions and maneuver recovery.

Should be rather survivable at all levels, and have an answer to most threats.

 

[Voadam]

I'd want self healing and combat.

Pretty much anything that can use a wand of cure light wounds (bard, cleric, druid, ranger, paladin, or sorcer or rogue with UMD).

Cleric works well. Paladins are good solo tanks as well with heavy armor, great saves, good hp and strong melee combat.

Druids of course get their own pet, get healing magic, are full casters, and pretty tough on their own.

I played a ranger/wizard/eldritch knight who did a ton of soloing and he did very well. Not a powerhouse in an equal level group but he did fantastic as a solo or when teamed up with a paladin for the two of them going through the banewarrens.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Anything will work.

It's still a game run by a human DM, and if you're the only player, he's going to have to mold the adventure around what you are capable of regardless of what you build lest there be no game at all.

 

[Dandu]

Warforged Cloistered Cleric/Crusader/Warblade/Ruby Knight Vindicator

Cloistered Cleric for spells, skills, domains and turning. Crusader for staying power. A sprinkle of Warblade purely for Iron Heart Surge and the DM save replacers. Ruby Knight Vindicator for overall goodness, especially the extra swift actions and maneuver recovery.

Should be rather survivable at all levels, and have an answer to most threats.

I see your Warforged godbotherer and raise a Necropolitan Sorcerer Incantatrix who carries around Black Sand.

At low levels, use Fell Drain Sonic Snaps, Fell Drain Caltrops, Fell Drain Magic Missile, and Power Word Pain to ruin other peoples' days.

At higher levels, Wings of Cover, Ruin Delver's Fortune, and Greater Resistance cover defense quite nicely. Melf's Unicorn Arrow deals untyped damage, and Wings of Flurry deals Force Damage, so you can hit pretty much anything for damage. Throw on a sprinkling of my patented special blend of utility and control spells and I think we're good.

 

[Empirate]

Is there anything your Sorcerer builds can't do, Dandu?