Unusual and involved optimization help request

[katyusha]

Hi Playground. I am joining a new, unusual campaign, and I would like to create a specific type of character. Before I begin, let me describe the campaign.

Long term campaign over multiple years. Clever veteran DM. Most players are veteran, sans me and one other.
Start at level 1. Possibly hits epic level. (No need to worry about that yet.)
Multiverse game. There are some material planes that draw from d20 Modern and d20 Future. Mostly this will be in the D&D 3.5e ruleset, with some adapted PF classes. All published material allowed, barring Dragon magazines.
Reasonably optimized in a Tippyverse-esque fashion; the game will be realistic and gritty. High level combat will resemble some clever sort of rocket tag. Even low level fights resolve quickly (and in a deadly manner).
No forced encounters or railroading. Everything will work out naturally.
Things like Divine Minion into MoMF are allowed. Things like chain-gating solars, energy tranformation fields into epic spells, or Dweormerkeeper class feature into epic spells are barred.

Alright, anyways, I want to create a spear using dragon-shaping elemental-summoning druid by level 20, who has good senses, and is sneaky and athletic. With a dragon animal companion.

But the centerpiece is spear combat. I want my druid to actually be good with the spear. With dragon shaping second in priority, and elemental summoning last. Yeah, I know this isn't an optimal choice for druid combat, but it fits in with my character, and the game isn't THAT optimized.

As a side note, I want my character to also be athletic and sneaky, with good senses.

I have a 28 point buy. I need to be effective and useful from level 1.

[Private]

I just suggest Druid 5/ Planar Shepherd 10/ X 5. That build gives you tons of versatility as far as shaping. It'll help you in your attempt to melee with the spear by wildshaping into forms with high physical ability scores. The Elemental Summoning reserve feat helps with summoning, but your regular spells will help you summon as much as you want.

On getting a dragon companion, I've got nothing.

[Spuddles]

Dragon cohort from draconomicon. Get a spell hoarding(dragon313) loredrake (dragons or eberron) tome dragon (dragon magazine). That gets you a cohort dragon with wizard casting of your level -3 or so.

[Piggy Knowles]

I'd probably go Legendary Ape (MM2) for your main spear fighting form at high levels. It'll give you +6 NA, Str 30, Dex 17 and Con 16, and it's medium size and should be able to wear equipment, wield a spear, etc. Doesn't help you much early on, though.

In general druids get a lot of neat spells for tweaking staffs, but no real weapon support otherwise. Any chance the DM will allow you to refluff them to work with spears? Brambles/Spikes should still work with a wooden spear (although the striking surface itself must be wooden, so you'd have to see if you can craft or buy a spear with a wooden head), but it'd be nice to have access to Shillelagh and Entangling Staff as well.

If you want to be a spear fighter at all levels, it means you'll be starting off a little MADer than the typical druid, as you can't dump your physical stats.

For elemental summoning, the Rashemi Elemental Summoning feat in Unapproachable East is pretty nice. This adds the orglash or thomil template to your air/earth elementals. Orglash template gives your air elementals access to Cone of Cold 3/day, bonus cold damage on attacks, and boosts saves, attack bonuses and HP. Thomil template gives your earth elementals the ability to engulf enemies, plus DR/SR and the same save/attack boosts. Just check with your DM, because they are unupdated 3.0 material. If nothing else, you'll have to reconfigure the thomil's DR.

You can certainly go Planar Shepherd, since it boosts your wild shape and spellcasting, and gives you several extra abilities. Straight druid is also a very nice option. I probably wouldn't go for any other PrCs.

[Spuddles]

Regarding spears & spikes spell- both fr and eberron have wood as iron materials, such as bronzewood.

Girallon's blessing is good for getting more hands to hold your weapon, or a shield, etc.