Rakshasa

[leegi0n]

Playgrounders,

I'd like to build a Rakshasa (CL of about 25), but don't really know where to start as far as class(es) go or what would be the best approach. He will be for an epic level campaign, obviously, and we have been challenged to play a race/class that we've never done before. Thus...

Can you all give me some advice or help with a build?

Thanks in advance

[Yora]

You mean ECL 25?

With LA+7 and 7 HD, LA-Buyoff does not become an option until you are ECL 35. If you expect to get that high, you should ask your DM for it. That way you lose 34,000 XP and LA is reduced to +6, which pays in the long run.

You get 11 class levels at character creation. That will provide you with Spell Resistance 38 and damage reduction of 15/piercing and good is so oddly specific that it will probably apply to almost any attacks you'll ever face. And at a value of 15, it should still be relevant at level 25.
Change shape can not be dispelled and only be detected by true seeing. Which is easy to get at those levels, but still not that common.
Detect thoughts will probably be useless since the save DC is extremely low.

Since a rakshasa is considered a 7th level sorcerer, you could take 11 levels of sorcerer and cast spells just like a 18th level sorcerer. The worst thing about LA for spellcaster is access to higher spell levels, but since you would start with 9th level spells anyway, that's not really much of a problem. +6 Charisma isn't too bad either.
However, you should look into ways to increase the characters Caster Level.

[Urpriest]

You could also qualify quite easily for Spellsword and Abjurant Champion, since your Rakshasa HD give full BAB. Even if you're building a dedicated caster that could be nice for durability.