Making a Red Mage

[Zakerst]

So one of my player's has decided we wanted to run a rather odd and probably high powered game, he had us roll 3d8 rerolling ones, and most sources are open game.
With that in mind he also seemed to like how the 90% off discount of mundane items and double cost of magic items skewed item choices so we're doing that again and he loves a lot of the items particularly the guns from d20 modern, so those are in too...
The game is gestalt, so far we have a paladin//knight, a paladin of tyranny//something "maybe wilder," a ranger//generic warrior (I think)
So I figure with a group like this some kind of magical support is needed, but at the same time everyone seems to be able to mix it up in melee so why buck the trend?
The end conclusion was play a Red Mage, now for my question, how would I best go about this? my first thought is go with the simple generic spell caster//generic warrior, but I'm pretty sure I'm over looking some important options so I ask the playground if you were in my shoes (i.e. making a Red Mage with the above considerations) how would you do it?
stat line 16 20 16 14 18 18 (you can see why paladins are a decent option with stat generations like this I hope)

[mabriss lethe]

You could always go for something like Warblade//Factotum. Very good melee support from Maneuvers, some spellcasting support and downright ugly action economy shenanigans once you hit level 8.

[ComaVision]

I'm going to assume that by Red Mage you mean like in Final Fantasy? (ie white magic, black magic, and martial ability)

Warmage//Divine Bard

Also, I assume your group completely ignores alignment issues so you can have a Paladin and Paladin of Tyranny in the same group?

[Nohwl]

warmage/rainbow servant works well if you wanted it all on one side of the build.

[Gildedragon]

Crusader//Cleric/Prestige Paladin/RKV

Or

Warblade//Wizard/JPM

Or

Crusader//Sorcerer/JPM

Or Factotum8//Wizard/otherstuff for extra actions

Factotum 8/RKV//Archivist/warblade

[Shpadoinkle]

Cleric/wizard. Use Divine Metamagic shenanigans to buff your melee ability.

[Zakerst]

when I asked the DM about the two paladins he said "let me worry about that"
I worry a bit about going with factotum and the like because I don't want to break the game over my knee and make the rest of the party superfluous.
and yeah by Red Mage I do mean the FF type, though looking closer at the party skills might be more valuable so factotum might be needed, so long as I don't abuse the action economy too much...

[Gildedragon]

when I asked the DM about the two paladins he said "let me worry about that"
I worry a bit about going with factotum and the like because I don't want to break the game over my knee and make the rest of the party superfluous.
and yeah by Red Mage I do mean the FF type, though looking closer at the party skills might be more valuable so factotum might be needed, so long as I don't abuse the action economy too much...

Factotums are nowhere near as destructive as a cleric or wizard or sorcerer

[Troacctid]

In gestalt, there are virtually limitless combinations that could work for this kind of character. Some of my personal favorites:

Generic Spellcaster//Warblade
Generic Spellcaster//Swordsage
Divine Bard//Crusader
Cleric/Ordained Champion//Swordsage
Psion//Warblade
Generic Spellcaster/Swiftblade//Rogue
Warlock//Ranger/Master of Many Forms
Generic Spellcaster//Barbarian/Champion of Gwynharwyf

[KillianHawkeye]

I think a Bard//Duskblade could work, but it'd be a little light on blasting ability compared to what you'd normally see in the simpler universe of a Final Fantasy game where non-combat magic basically doesn't exist.

I would normally just say Bard for a reasonable Red Mage facsimile since the Bard gets healing and a few attack and utility spells plus light armor and some weapon proficiencies, but given that it's gestalt it makes sense to get a better BAB and even more magic. I would consider this to be Red Mage +, essentially.

[Âmesang]

Is it bad that I immediately thought of 8-bit Theater? 'Cause I was about to suggest Improved Unarmed Strike (http://www.nuklearpower.com/2007/04/19/episode-835-refining-moment/). :smalltongue:

[Mato]

How about a magical trickster spelltheif // divine bard?
It gets two progressions of bardic spellcasting which means dual 6ths (red mages don't get top tier anyway). It has plenty of melee support and a built in mimic upgrade by stealing spells/supernatural and using it.

[Zancloufer]

(Divine) Bard//Crusader was already mentioned, and might be the best "Do everything" character, though what about a Beguiler//Warblade? Int synergy, d12 HD, all good saves, high BaB, 6+int skill points (pretty much ALL the skills). Bit light on offensive magic though.

[digiman619]

Four words: Back-port Spheres of Power.

[Snowbluff]

You can do a Chameleon. They get get Divine and Arcane Casting up to 6th level. It even cuts down on the MAD a bit but buffing the casting stats itself. You can even leg yourself by being an Illumian and use an alternate stat for the bonus spells (assuming your DM uses the "Human like races" sidebar).