Help with a Martial Practitioner/Thrallherd

[theIrkin]

Hey guys, I want to make a Martial Practitioner/Psionic Class/Thrallherd who is level 10, and who's shtick is that his thrall/believers compose a mercenary company, and have him be a primarily melee character. My concern is what's the easiest way for me to get into Thrallherd with a minimal number of Psionic class levels so that I can be primarily focused on my martial maneuvers. I know I need manifested level 5, but I've been away from DnD for a few years and can't remember if there are any easy ways to get one or two free manifested levels. And once I get Thrallherd I would only take Thrallherd and martial practitioner class levels.

Without any free manifested levels I'm stuck at Psionic Warrior 5/Thrallherd 1/Swordsage 4 (I tend to prefer Swordsage over Warblade, not for any mechanical reasons). I really like some of the Shadow Hand Manuevers, although the character concept almost screams for Warblade. I'm allowed to use pretty much anything I want from 3.5, even magazines and way out there publications are allowed as long as they are reasonable. And arguments for just using a few feats to get select maneuvers/stances will definitely be appreciated, but my heart is kind of set on at least a dip or a few levels in a martial class.

Thanks for any suggestions you guys might have for me!

[torrasque666]

Kalashtar (ECS 16). They get Mindlink as a Psi-Like and its ML=1/2 HD. So you can totally abandon any sort of psionic class, and if you're only dipping the one level for the pseudo-Leadership, then you don't even lose out on anything, not really. So earliest you could get in would be 11th using this.... so at the beginning your leadership score would be 12+Cha. Which means an 8th level thrall and 8 believers. Minimum.

Though if you take the Kalashtar Mindlink feat (Secrets of Sarlona 117) they get it at ML=HD

[theIrkin]

See, this is why I ask you guys! Thanks for pointing that one out. Get it early for the cost of 1 feat? Hm...