HELP! Need Ideas for a PC...

[The Cardinal]

I'm currently playing in a D&D3e Mystara campaign, and the death rate in the party has risen quite a bit in recent sessions. I always like to have 1-3 back-up characters (just in case), and I also like to choose my next character with an eye on the needs of the party: now it looks like a really brutal fight could eliminate all melee specialists of our party, especially since the back-up characters of almost everyone (including me) are wizards, sorcerers, or bards...
So I'm looking for some suggestions for a good and interesting "tank" PC (or some other melee fighter).

Preferred race: no dwarf, the final PC should *not* have a low Intelligence or (extremely) low Charisma, no ECL above +1

Books, classes, feats, etc.: everything from WotC, but (sadly) no OA classes, FFG's "Path" books are also allowed.

Level: 7-8

Abilities: 18, 13, 9, 11, 16, 14


Any ideas????

 

[Kyramus]

18,13,11,11( 2 points for being level 8) ,16,14

Str 18
dx 14
con 16
int 13
wis 11
ch 11

Human Fighter
10 feats 1 for human, 4 for level advancement, 5 for class advancement
1st level, improved init, quickdraw, weapon focus longsword
2nd level power attack
3rd level Iron Will
4th level wpn spc longsword, cleave
5th level great cleave
6th none
7th combat reflexes
8th improved critical longsword

uses a sword and shield combo. armor is breastplate.
if you can get your hands on a keen longsword, then he'll be even worse.
you could replace iron will with deathblow. drop someone then use coupdegrace as a standard action to make sure they are dead.

 

[Sniktch]

you could replace iron will with deathblow. drop someone then use coupdegrace as a standard action to make sure they are dead.

Or go for the Human Fighter, but make sure to pick up Expertise, Improved Trip, Knock-down, and then Deathblow. Any time you do 10+ points of damage you have a chance to trip your opponent, and if they are still on the ground on your next attack you can coup de grace them. Combine with Haste for a killing machine.

with str 18(+2 for levels) 20 and weapon specialization you'd have +7 damage not counting other modifiers. Drop the Dex to 13 or lower and pick up a greatsword and you'll do 2d6+9 per hit. In other words, every hit becomes a possible knock-down.

 

[gariig]

Or go for the Human Fighter, but make sure to pick up Expertise, Improved Trip, Knock-down, and then Deathblow. Any time you do 10+ points of damage

Somone in our group just did this with a spiked chain, disgusting!

Gariig

 

[megamania]

I like the first character but use a Falchion vs a Long Sword. Instead of a 1d8 (min 1 max 8 Crit 19-20) you get (min 2 max 8 Crit 18-20)

Improve Crit then rises to 15+ vs 17+
Damage remains the same
The only draw back is Longswords (magical) are more common.

 

[sigfried]

Alternate tanks

Halfling Druid!

Pump the con to get as many HP as you can. Armor yourself as best you can, and summon giant animals till the cows come home. Take feats that increase your HP or give you damage resistance or the like. Take lots of concentration skill. Get nice high HP animal companions.

The key to tanking with this character is that all the monsters you summon soak up the damage for the party. You have to use them well.

 

[Drawmack]

Just a concept. Battle Mage Cleric with the domains of War and Desctruction or War and Strength.

That'd be one nasty cleric.

 

[Henry]

Or go for the Human Fighter, but make sure to pick up Expertise, Improved Trip, Knock-down, and then Deathblow. Any time you do 10+ points of damage you have a chance to trip your opponent, and if they are still on the ground on your next attack you can coup de grace them. Combine with Haste for a killing machine.

Unless the deathblow feat does something I'm not aware of, a prone opponent is NOT helpless.

 

[Magius del Cotto]

You could go with a defense specialist.
Str: 20 (with +2 from levels)
Dex: 13 (+1 to AC, which is the most the high-end armor will allow you)
Con: 16 (so you can soak up the damage)
Int: 14 (I just like having skills to choose from)
Wis: 9 (I know, I know, but you can pick up feats like Iron Will to up your Will save)
Cha: 11

Plate Mail, Large Shield, Longsword
1st: Expertise, Weapon Focus (LS), Iron Will (so you can still put in a hit or two during the fight, up your defense to ungodly levels, and have a decent will save)
2nd: Dodge (an extra +1 to AC, as well as a step toward Whirlwind Attack)
3rd: Mobility (Set yourself up for a whirlwind and hope they don't notice)
4th: Whirlwind Attack
5th: no feat
6th: Quick Draw, Specialization(LS)
7th: no feat
8th: Improved Critical (LS)

This should set you up so you can get into the middle of the fray and either do some damage (with Whirlwind, +13 AB to all within 5' of you) or keep them occupied (by fighting defensively and using max expertise; AC 28 with nonmagical full plate and mail and shield, but only a +5 to attack, excluding magical bonuses). Your Con should let you handle whatever hits get through your defenses, and, voila, you've got yourself a serious tank. FOr magic items, take stuff that ups your AC if you can, since you're going to be the one in the middle of it all most the time, and you want to survive long enough to do something cool.
Magius out.

 

[The Cardinal]

Or go for the Human Fighter, but make sure to pick up Expertise, Improved Trip, Knock-down, and then Deathblow. Any time you do 10+ points of damage you have a chance to trip your opponent, and if they are still on the ground on your next attack you can coup de grace them. Combine with Haste for a killing machine.

since when can you CDG someone who is just prone?