Compensating for Low Str/Dex

[Jhamin]

Overall, though, I agree with most of the posters here: with those physical stats, I would sure stick to ranged spellcasting...

I would have to concur. 3.5 heavily rewards layering multiple complimentery abilities. Jacks of all trades tend not to work well, and you are trying to do OK in a form of combat that is already stacked against you.

In 3.5 you can either be minimally acceptible several capacities while sacrificing feats and caster levels that could be building you up elsewhere or you can focus on your strengths and become truely scary in a couple of areas.

I do think I see where you are going, but that character concept just isn't very viable in the rules set your group is using. The guy with awful stats who does ok in a fight work alot better in games like Hero, Storyteller, or some sci-fi games. Even there it is a struggle.

 

[MarauderX]

I gotta vote spells, baby, spells. Spells should compensate for all of the things that Dex and Str apply to, so take more spells than enhance those weaknesses. If you are going to be a more physical character, use that mage armor to enhance your AC, haste to give you another action to deal out damage, true strike to boost your weak dex/str bonuses to BAB, bless to do the same along with a song or two, and use more boosting spells for your allies so they can deal out more damage for you. Sing a little song as a free action in one round then go about casting for a few rounds until the effects wear off, then sing again as a free action while moving, attacking, whatever to get it started again. Bards never seem to use up all of their song abilities in a single combat - be the first. It sounds like your character is a diplomacy PC, and should be taking on a cohort or bodyguard, or someone to soak up/deal out some damage for you.