Need help building a character

[Revweiler]

There's a chance I may be joining a 'Realms game this Monday. They had one session already (I wasn't able to make it because of a family vacation, but the DM may let me come in late). The only problem is, I have no idea what to do for a character.

The party consists of:
Dragonborn (Heart) Dungeoncrasher Fighter
Aasimar Healbot Cleric
Feytouched Scout (who I've been told dropped a 17 into Charisma)
Edit: Tiefling Bard (using Pathfinder's Rakshasa tiefling ancestry while fluffed as being descended from a demon or devil)

So, it appears to be mid-to-low optimization game, and they mentioned the DM is gonna be using a lot of pre-published adventures.

I'm fairly certain the game uses UA spell points rather than spell slots.

From previous games with the DM I've been in, I know the following is banned:
Factotum (for being "overpowered")
Chameleon (for the same reason as the Factotum)
Warblade, Swordsage, and Crusader (see above)

Prestige classes and feats in the Tome of Battle are still on the table. Maybe.

He'd prefer no Truenamer on account of how totally borked it is.

Personally, I'd prefer to stay away from prepared casters because of all the bookwork.

As far as race goes, I think nothing too extravagant or you run the risk of being lynched or something (but for some reason Drow is still on the table?)

LA is not bought off, but rather for every 3 or 4 levels (I forget which) you just gain another level until you're equal to the no-LA characters.

Starting at level 5, I think. Any advice?

EDIT: No evil characters.

[rockdeworld]

It sounds like they don't have any kind of BFC, but they do have a tank, trapfinder, and 1.5x healers (and hopefully one of them is a buffer). If you want to go low-power, why not make Saph's Horizon Tripper, so you get some of that in? Alternatively, I vote sorcerer, possibly The UPS Man (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208620).

[dungeonnerd]

For low power, could go a bardbarian build. Inspire courage and the like aren't interrupted by rage. Shoot for the temptest class, and just sing your way through battle - this way you can also sing highly inappropriate songs for the encounter.

A medium power build, as you have a tank, healer/buff, and skill monkey here, would be to do either melee damage or magic damage. Straight wizard wouldn't be a bad choice, or one of the battlemage variants.

Warlock or Warmage, if available, would work pretty well in either of those power levels.

[dspeyer]

The party has no battlefield control, no area affecter, no utility caster and no face. This adds up to sorcerer. There are other classes that can do most of this, but not all of it, not as well. In particular, there are very few classes that can cast web, an extremely useful skill at this level.

If you start overshadowing your companions, multiclass into rogue and pick up the social skills.

Don't use the UPS tricks. That's way too strong for your party.

[Revweiler]

All these sound good, but I think I'll try a sorcerer out, as I've never really played one before. I may take a few mailman/UPS tricks, but definitely not the whole shtick. I'm thinking I'll opt for Metamagic Specialist instead of a familiar.

After that... I'm not sure where to go. I guess I'll aim for a blaster with some degree of versatility.

[only1doug]

If you are wanting a sorcerer consider going dragonwrought kobold (and don't use the age cheese).
You will be able to gain a 1/day L1 spell (increased to 3/day at 3rd level) and at 6th level will be eligable for gaining a free level of sorcerer casting (so you cast as a L7 sorcerer at ECL6) (source: RotD web enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a))

[Revweiler]

At this point, I'm considering something along the lines of either

Human Battle Sorcerer 5/Force Missile Mage 5/Argent Savant 5/Abjurant Champion 5, possibly dropping the last level of Abjurant Champion for something else (Mindbender or something, I guess), or possibly dropping the FMM and AS for more gishy classes

or a Kobold Sorcerer (still debating on Dragonwrought)/dragon or kobold themed PRC's to taste

[only1doug]

At this point, I'm considering something along the lines of either

Human Battle Sorcerer 5/Force Missile Mage 5/Argent Savant 5/Abjurant Champion 5, possibly dropping the last level of Abjurant Champion for something else (Mindbender or something, I guess), or possibly dropping the FMM and AS for more gishy classes

or a Kobold Sorcerer (still debating on Dragonwrought)/dragon or kobold themed PRC's to taste

The only cheese of Dragonwrought is the age category thing, if you don't take advantage of it then dragonwrought is a flavourful feat which offers some advantages and opens up further options. Playing a venerable dragonwrought is cheesy and I don't recommend it in a low op group, but a young dragonwrought shouldn't evoke that issue.

[Keld Denar]

Drop the battle part of the sorc build above. The benefits only really persist for 5 levels (extra BAB and larger HD) but the penalties last forever (stunted spells known). It really doesn't sound like you are building a gish with FMM and Argent Savant, so stick to vanilla sorc.

[Revweiler]

I just realized that I said Tiefling Cleric when I meant Tiefling Bard. So uh, that may change some recommendations now.

Dropping Battle Sorcerer, then.