New to D&D: Need help with a gestalt char/campaign

[Ionsniper]

The title pretty much says it all. Im pretty new to D&D and only played maybe 3 games so far. Since some of our players are dissapearing for the summer, were putting our main campaign on old for a while and starting up a new gestalt game. All I know so far is that gestalt lets me run a char like he has two classes with no negatives to it. So ive been told.

So far my idea is to run a Half Dragon, Human or half elf, Paladin/Sorcerer combination. My eventual goal paladin wise is to become a dragon rider/platinum knight. My sorcerer side is going to be there more in a support capacity providing buffs and damage reduction as well as the occasional damage spell. Since Paladins are str and cha based I figured it would mesh well with the Sorcerer. Im wondering how this combination would stack up together along with taking certain feats to enhance my ability to cast with Heavy armor and while riding.

We are open to all main first party books but no third party and no dragon magazine. Another point is that i will most likely be grouping with an evil caster who will be summoning demons. I have a feeling my char will not like grouping with him and may kill him. Any help for this would be appreciated.

[Fouredged Sword]

I would recommend the following.

Paladin 2 / duskblade 3 / paladin 5 / Paladin PRC 10 // Sorcerer 5 / Abjurant Champion 5 / Sorcerer 10

[Ionsniper]

Like I said im pretty new to this. I can see why abjurant champion is nice for the sorc but I have no idea what paladin prc is.

[Svata]

He's just saying to take 10 levels of any paladin prestige class. Also, instead of 10 more levels of sorcerer, might I recommend taking 7 of them as Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil?

[Ionsniper]

Ahh thanks Svata. The sevenfold veil looks interesting and I might pick it up if I cant find anything that looks or meshes better. Were starting at lvl 7 so I have a bit of time. Curious as to what kind of armor I should be wearing as well. I figure Mithral armor +1 with the Twilight affix if I can get it and a +1 two handed sword. Any other items that would be good would be helpful as well.

[Fouredged Sword]

I figured the last 10 levels can be focused on your paladin PRC like Platinum Knight.

You don't need armor because your abjurations do awesome things, so Protection from evil grants +7 to AC, and shield grants +9.

You can't take a paladin PRC while taking a sorcerer PRC, so I think front loading the abjurant champion to free up your action economy with swift action abjurations is a good idea.

Another build, with a slightly different flavor is

Cleric 5 / PRC paladin 3 / Cleric 12 // Sorcerer 8 / abjurant champion 5 / ISFV (the class mentioned above) 7

You end up more casty, and they made divine power for those days you just want to hit something with a mace. Also, you get to swift action those clerical abjurations as well.

For less power, but more focused on charisma and all spontaneous casting (some people like it better) switch cleric in the above build for favored soul.

[Svata]

One warning, though. These builds are fairly MAD, the only stat you can really dump is INT, though having the d10 hit die from the paladin makes CON not as big of a priority. So, in order of importance, your stats would be something like this. STR/CHA > WIS/CON > DEX > INT. If you choose the one with cleric levels, switch around STR and WIS. I might be wrong, though, not exactly an expert.

[Ionsniper]

These are the stats I rolled up.

17, 17, 15, 14, 14, 13

Since ill be playing a half dragon I figure I can toss 13 into my str and use the two 17's for cha and con, 15 for str, and 14 in dex and wis and 13 for int.