tiny bit of help would be much appreciated

[bobspldbckwrds]

first off, thank you for considering helping me, i am bad a optimization.

here is the deal, i am going to be playing in a game real soon that i decided that i want to play a trip-monkey fighter. the race is going to be human, i honestly don't want to use any templates, and the two things i am shooting for with him is human paragon (hey, i already have the prereqs out of the way!), and horizon walker.

any other suggestions, and to be honest, i am a little gun shy of ToB.

and, to answer any questions, i am indeed using the spiked chain, and my dm is a bit squishy on prereqs (we have to have them, but we can get them with what we need them for) so i already have imp. trip and combat expertise.

[Math_Mage]

Edition? If 3.5, then Saph's Horizon Tripper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80415) build is what you seek.

[herrhauptmann]

and, to answer any questions, i am indeed using the spiked chain, and my dm is a bit squishy on prereqs (we have to have them, but we can get them with what we need them for) so i already have imp. trip and combat expertise.
??
So at first level you've got EWP: Chain, Expertise and Trip?
Perhaps you should tell us what your stats are, and what level you're starting at, intending to play to, and your stats.
A build that becomes awesome at level 12 is useless if you expect to play from 2-9.

Saph's Horizon Tripper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80415) A great start, especially if you're allowed non-core.

Feat Jotunbrud: Players guide to faerun.
NOTE: It is not powerful build. It does not affect your weapon size. It only lets you count as large when doing an opposed roll if being large is to your advantage. 1st level feat only.
-Combat Reflexes.
-Vexing/adaptable flanker. You shouldn't be the main melee, so help the others do their thing better. Also, sometimes things jsut aren't trippable.
-Skill tricks: You want the ones which let you stand up without taking an AOO. Now if you fail a trip, and fail the opposed trip, you can just fall over and jump right back up. Rather than dropping your weapon.
-Take a level of rogue, now you qualify for craven. A damage bonus equaling your level. It multiplies on crits. Rogue also makes all those skill tricks easier to gain. Also opens you up to UMD shenanigans.
Vae School (Drow of underdark)
-Knockdown, knockback. Either are ideal to lockdown builds. Knockdown comes into play anytime you can deal 10 points of damage, giving you a free trip attempt. Whether that trip lets you make a free attack on a success is up to your DM. I think by the rules, the answer is YES.
-Boost your strength as much as possible for trip attempts. Dex a close second.
-The living chain, in MIC, is cheaper than it should be. Buy one of those specifically, then improve it using the given rules as you continue to play. At later levels, the saved 1000gold or so is useless, but at level 5-7 it's huge.