Min/max... kinda

[Plane Sailing]

I need help with making a character. The trouble is, I have a decent character concept in mind, and don't really want to vary from it. On the other hand, I don't want the character to be totally useless in combat or the other players will hate me.

I have picked out my stats, skills, and abilities, but these can change if it's needed. I haven't picked out my feats, or spent my gold.

male human Ari1: CR ½; ECL 1; HD 1d8+1; hp 9; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Melee longsword +1 (1d8+1/crit 19-20); AL LN; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 14.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (ancient history) +7, Knowledge (Coryani) +5, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +7, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +4, Sense Motive +4, Spot +4;
Equipment: longsword, 465 gp

If you are not going to be in dungeons a lot, I'd certainly go for Ride skill and mounted combat + ride-by attack, fighting with sword and shield. The extra height from your horse will be helpful, and noble/aristocrats are the people above all who you would expect to see riding. You would be very effective in outdoor combat.

 

[0-hr]

You might consider carrying a satchel full of thunderstones, tanglefoot bags, and other expensive alchemical toys. That seems like something an aristocrat-come-adventurer might invest in. Later on, even poison could become a trademark; use your money to do your fighting for you

Weapon-wise, the rapier (eventually with expertise, disarm, and what not) seems the aristocratic thing to do; though mounted combat would certainly fit well. On a different tangent, you could go the leadership route and hire yourself a bodyguard to do your fighting for you...