[3.5] 9th lvl Crusader Build Help!

[Dusto]

Hey everyone, I am looking for some build ideas/help for a 9th lvl crusader. I got some great ideas from everyone on a warblade idea, but I am also thinking a crusader might be better for our group instead. The jist, we are getting a complete rebuild, stats start 30pts, and I can use all regular 3.5 hardcover books. Character must not be dependant on stat gear, as our DM just wiped our equipment minus my legacy weapon which I can shape into any weapon.

Our current group has:
druid(mostly summons, throws fire and shape changes)
swordsage/duskblade(he mostly works on critting with his bursting rapier)
warlock(he does what warlocks do, pew pew)
and another player that seems to play a new character everytime he shows up

Thanks in advance!

[Keld Denar]

Oh man...I worked hard on that Warblade...

What type of Crusader do you want to be? Do you want to be a resiliant tanks? A lockdown controller? An AoO trading masocist?

What race? Warforged are pretty decent, and humans are good at anything.

Do you want to splash in some spellcasting? Ruby Knight Vindicator is a fun option.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If you can pick a new race, go with a Water Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/elementalRacialVariants.htm#racesOfWater), Dragonborn of Bahamut (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060105b&page=1), and possibly also Mineral Warrior (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) if you can pay 3,000 XP to negate the level adjustment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm). You'll keep the ability score adjustments, size, and land/swim speeds of Water Orc, gain the Dragonborn traits, and get Mineral Warrior afterward so you don't lose anything it grants.

If you go with the Wings aspect you'll still have a fly speed because Mineral Warrior doesn't retroactively remove flight abilities gained after it was applied. That will give you a land speed, swim speed, fly speed, and a burrow speed, but you would have to spend a feat on Reinforced Wings to fly in medium armor, and another feat on Heavyweight Wings to fly in heavy armor.

If you go with the Heart aspect you'll get a breath attack which doesn't do all that much damage, but get the feat Entangling Exhalation in Races of the Dragon and you can keep an entire encounter severely debuffed and thus greatly increase your party's chances of success. For a tanky character Entangling Exhalation is probably the best way to keep opponents focusing on you instead of the softer party members.

I'd go sword-and-board and pick plenty of healing strikes and shield-based counters. Get Extra Granted Maneuver, Entangling Exhalation or Reinforced Wings, Shield Specialization, and Shield Ward. If possible take two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) to also get Heavy Armor Optimization and either Heavyweight Wings, Stone Power, or Combat Reflexes, or maybe Extra Smiting if it will give extra uses of both your Crusader Smite and your Earth Strike ability from Mineral Warrior. If you're considered proficient with your legacy weapon even when it's in the shape of an exotic weapon, then turn it into a Kusari-Gama (DMG p144-145), it's a one-handed reach weapon that can also strike adjacent squares.

At 9th level, your stances should be Martial Spirit, Bolstering Voice, and Thicket of Blades. Maneuvers known (and readied*) should be Leading the Attack, Charging Minotuar, Shield Block*, Battle Leader's Charge, Revitalizing Strike*, Bonecrusher, Divine Surge*, White Raven Strike*, and Elder Mountain Hammer*.

Between entangling foes with your breath attack and delivering nasty strikes you should be able to pose a significant threat to opponents while still being ridiculously difficult to hurt.

[Dusto]

Your warblade help did not go wasted, I've got the character written up and I am definitley going to playtest that before I make a final decision.

For the crusader, I would be looking to the resliant tank option. Everyone else in the party does all sorts of combat tricks and damage, so basically I would like to get in there, take the punishment, and let everyone else run around doing their tricks.

I'm almost always sold on human, the extra feat and skill points are huge. Though if I end up in heavy armor, it might be too big of a loss to not go dwarf.

The build listed is really cool and seems to offer a lot of options. I'm not big on the wings in armor thing, but I can see that being a huge benefit. Also unfortuately I'm not proficient with the weapon beyond what I am normally proficient in.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The build listed is really cool and seems to offer a lot of options. I'm not big on the wings in armor thing, but I can see that being a huge benefit. Also unfortuately I'm not proficient with the weapon beyond what I am normally proficient in.

You have to choose between having wings or having a breath weapon, and the breath weapon with Entangling Exhalation is probably the better choice anyway so just go with that. There are plenty of other ways to gain flight.