[3.5] Rusty at 3.5, need to build a gestalt character!

[Zaeron]

Basically, I just found out that I'll be playing 3.5 for the first time in more than a year. I need some help throwing together a decent gestalt character!

What I know:
80 point buy (straight 1 for 1, an 18 costs 18 points, a 10 costs 10.)
Gestalt
Level 6
No multiclassing, no PRCs (yet) - It has to be two straight 6th level classes. After that, I can multiclass/PRC freely, following normal gestalt rules.
Races outside core have to be okay'd by DM (he's pretty lenient)
Classes are allowed on a case by case basis (but again, lenient)
Spells are allowed only from PHB, PHB 2 and Spell Compendium (but that should be okay!)
Flaws - up to two but they need to be at least somewhat relevant.

What I know - I'd like to play a beguiler on one side of it for sure. On the other side, I'd really love to get some kind of gish-y thing going. But my munchkin-fu is weak after playing 4.0 for so long - I can't think of any charisma based melee classes except the samurai, and I'd rather be kicked in the balls by an ogre than play a samurai.

Alternatively, suggestions as to other classes that mesh well with the beguiler are fine by me. Also, racial suggestions are cool!

... yeah, pretty much all I know is that I want to play a beguiler for sure.

[AstralFire]

Paladin. Paladin//Beguiler would be pretty damn nifty, Arr Pee wise, and wouldn't do terribly in effect.

[Tempest Fennac]

Do Beguillers use Cha rather then Int in your games? (I just wanted to check because they use Int for spells normally.) If you have access to Tome of Battle and Beguillers use Int, I was going to suggest Warblade due to them using Int for some rolls such as Initiative and damage against Flat-Footed opponants. If Beguilers use Cha, Crusaders use it for 2 incredibly minor abilities (Smite, which can be used 1 or 2 times/day and as a bonus to Will saves).

[kamikasei]

If you're playing a beguiler, Int would be as or more important than Cha, so perhaps warblade, duskblade, or even something like swashbuckler (anything with full BAB, really?).

[Tempest Fennac]

I forgot about Swashbucklers and Duskblades (thanks, kamikasei). They are both detailed on http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Classes-Base.pdf (I know you have the book with Duskblades but I don't know if you can access Complete Warrior).

[Coidzor]

Hmm, if he allows paladin to cast from CHA instead of WIS that'd help make you a bit less MAD if you made a Beguiladin.

The Sorcadin is still a classic if you're not completely married to Beguiler.

Duskblade, Swashbucklah, and warblade are also good suggestions of course.

[Jalor]

Warblade//Beguiler. You win every encounter ever.

[Thorin]

Beguiler // Duskblade can do. The low HP (d8) can be "arrenged" using all the beguiler defensive spells AND puting a decent score in con.

If you go this way you should keep duskblade until you can deliver touch spells in a full-attack; and even then, you can lower spell resistance AND can Quicken freely x/day spells... So yeah, Duskblade 20/Beguiler 20 is a solid choice i`ll say. But I don`t really know if you play optimized or not.

Before buying the scores, be sure of the class you`ll be (dah)

[Uin]

Warblade//Beguiler or Duskblade//Beguiler would both be made of unadulterated win. I think Warblade would be easier to build with less tough decisions due to their bonus feats. Although they are from a limited list you will struggle for feats as a Duskblade//Anything in Gestalt. I made a Duskblade//Factotum as an exercise recently and while I was delighted I could have done with a couple more.... font of inspirations.

EDIT: Are there any good melee touch spells on the Beguiler list? With Duskblade to can full-attack channel any spells from any classes you have... full-attack Otto' Dance...

[Eloel]

Go Halfling Beguiler//Fighter. Fighter side PrCs into Invisible Blade asap, following with Master Thrower. You get high SA, the ability to feint it in, the ability to shoot them as a touch attack, basically hitting 10+Size AC. If you're allowed double-PrCing, take both as soon as you can. You'll be throwing daggers for high SA damage, and can even go in melee with the daggers.

Messing Spellthief with Beguiler. Nvm.

[AstralFire]

Aside from the fact that Tempest reminded me that Beguilers are Int, not Cha, I have to second Warblade. Also, the idea of a 20th level Warblade//Beguiler Power Attacking with Time Stands Still while Arcane Strike is active amuses me.

[Thrawn183]

Alright...I'm gonna vote for a pure insanity character.

Ninja 1/Ranger 3/Swordsage 1/Chameleon 10/Warblade 5//Psion 20

Basically, you can do anything. You can also focus on doing any one thing really, really well at any time.

[Indon]

Well, do you want to emphasize the spellcasting or the melee side of things?

If you want to emphasize spellcasting, go with something like Fighter, and grab feats that can passively bolster you while you go around zapping things.

If you want to mix them up, or emphasize fancy melee combat, you could try a Tome of Battle class and you'll basically have two distinct vancian skillsets.

If you want to focus on melee, go with something like a charge-oriented build on the other end (Paladin with a lance sort of thing), and use your Beguiler power out of combat or to assist tactically between bringing on the pain.

[Zaeron]

Hey guys, after reading this extremely helpful thread, I'm back with some tentative ideas!

As far as stats go:
STR: 8
DEX 18
CON 12
INT 19 (+1 from level 4)
WIS 8
CHA 16

Human Beguiler 6/Duskblade 6

Feats: 4 (plus any flaws I take)
Weapon Finesse
Arcane Strike
Silent Spell (bonus feat)

Skills:
Bluff
Concentration
Diplomacy*
Disable Device*
Disguise*
Hide
Move Silently
Open Lock*
Search
Slight of Hand
Spellcraft
Tumble
Use Magic Device
*Skills with asterisks are at half ranks

Concept:
He's a sort of swashbuckling arcanist, who passes himself off as a noble from some far off land. Using bluff and disguise, he attempts to hide his ability to use arcane magic. He carries a rapier concealed within a cane (affecting a limp).

I have a series of followup questions:
First off, using a rapier pretty much cuts out any chance of the power attack line being worthwhile. However, my assumption was that Arcane Strike would allow me to convert my Beguiler spell slots into direct damage as needed, and the Duskblade's more about striking with spells than it is about hitting with a big sword anyway. Am I gimping myself terribly, or am I right?

Second, I'd REALLY love a way to convert some of the Beguiler's really awesome spells into touch spells, so I can cast them through my sword. Any suggestions?

Third - am I better off as a swashbuckler rather than a Duskblade? It SEEMS like Duskblade works perfectly here, but... I'm open to alternative suggestions. One of the big advantages of the duskblade is that I've got armor proficiencies, for later in the game once I can start stacking armor modifiers to get heavy armor down to light, or negate its ASF.

Finally, just a sort of open question - any advice on the build?