Pyromaniac Gish: How do?

[Nicrosil]

So, I want to make a backup character. In this campaign, I've played a bard and a tanky fighter. I want to try something new and make a Gish. I've read the Gish handbook, but I wanted some advice. My DM is OK with a lot of things, but he's banned psionics and discourages me from using new subsystems (Tome of Battle, Incarnum, etc.) and keep the cheese to a minimum.

Now, I like roleplaying and wanted to do something... different with this character. So, I was bouncing some ideas around, and wanted to make a character who cleanses the unclean with holy fire.

Level wise, I'm not sure, somewhere in the teens, maybe even into epic level, but that's a whole other can of worms. I was thinking of playing him as a buffer/DPS as well. Advice on feats for him would be very welcome as well.

Any advice?

[MilesTiden]

Hmm. A fiery gish who cleanses things with holy fire. Might I suggest Sanctified One of Kord? Make a grappler who uses Balor Nimbus (w/ Holy Fire to make it Divine damage), Enlarge Person and the like, buff the hell up, and grapple them into the dirt?

[kernal42]

You might consider some bard for dragonfire inspiration if you're excited about burning lots of things, all the time.

-Kernal

[Troacctid]

The first thing that comes to mind for "fire gish" is Jade Phoenix Mage: the hybrid arcane caster/martial initiator with Desert Wind (fire) and Devoted Spirit (holy) maneuvers. It's from Tome of Battle though.

[Flickerdart]

I would default to a Pyrokineticist dip. It has psionic prerequisites but neither requires not advanced manifesting. You just want the first few levels, where you get things like the ability to make a fire whip, or set your hands on fire.

There is also a spell called Flame Whips that turns your arms into whips made of flame. Cast it and then scourge people!

[Nicrosil]

Ooh, Sanctified One + Balor Nimbus + Holy Fire looks awesome. So maybe focus on grappling? As for Dragonfire inspiration, it looks cool as well, but a whole 8 levels of bard for 2d6 of fire? It seems a bit much. I have played a bard before, so I wanted to try something different...

Also, my DM has banned all psionics, so I'm not sure how well it would fly.

How should I build the early levels? Sorcadin?

[Flickerdart]

Ooh, Sanctified One + Balor Nimbus + Holy Fire looks awesome. So maybe focus on grappling? As for Dragonfire inspiration, it looks cool as well, but a whole 8 levels of bard for 2d6 of fire? It seems a bit much. I have played a bard before, so I wanted to try something different...
Psh, no.

Bard 3 + Song of the Heart + Badge of Courage = +3d6 right there, before Words of Creation shenanigans.

[Nicrosil]

Oh. OH. Well that's neat, but I kinda wanted to try something besides bard.