Building a paladin themed marshall

[Halfelf ninja]

Hi everyone! Im halfelf ninja, the new guy(:. Anyway, i am playing a half elf marshal in a current 3.5 game, and i need your advices.
1st-about hiw to roleplay a marshal that try to live up to the code of the paladins but he dont have to.
2nd-mechanics. We just leveld to level 3 yesterday, and i am looking for some builds. The only prestiquies are that the character will have a griffon as a mount (fluff reasons) and that the character try to be some kind of a spiritiual and martial commander of the team.
Almost every sourcebook allowed.
Thanks!

[Thurbane]

Well, pretty much everyone is going to come back and tell you not to be a Marshal, as they are underpowered. But if that's the class you want to play (and are already playing), don't worry about that.

I'd suggest maybe a dip into Crusader to pick up some White Raven maneuvers.

If your DM is using BoED, and is using level buyoff rules, maybe consider the Saint template later on. You're going to need 3 exalted feats to qualify, which is a heavy feat tax...Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance and Stigmata are good for the Paladin theme.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Fun story! There's a prestige class for that! You're looking for Aglarondan Griffonrider, from Unapproachable East, and will get you a griffon mount at ECL 8 with pretty mild prereqs. After that, you might try to see if your DM will let you enter Cavalier, which will make you absolutely disgusting with a lance and mounted charge. Wild Planes Outrider is also pretty good, and all have a lot of common prereqs.

[Twurps]

On the roleplaying part. You can have a code without being a paladin. Just set yourself a code, and live up to it. You can even seek attonement if you (have to) break it. Only difference is your DM can't make you fall (which I gather from this forum is a good thing, I've never had that problem myself)

As for a build: If you want a mount, you could always take actual levels in paladin. 5 will get you a mount, and paladin and marshal have a very nice CHA synergy. Other options for mounts were covered pretty well by Grod.

If you want to build on the whole 'motivate others' theme, have a look at 'emissary of Barachiel' from BoED. You need a 'good' party (preferrably lawful good). If you have, the calling ability of the EoB can be a powerfull boost to your allies, while debuffing your enemies. It takes a charisma-check that you can boost using your 'motivate charisma' from Marshal. So nice synergies there.