Roleplaying and some crunch advice on disgraced paladin

[Sir_Chivalry]

My girlfriend (the only other DM in our group willing to step up) has offered to take over for me once the current campaign is over. She plans to run Age of Worms as the party had a lot of fun playing Savage Tide previously, with some modification of the campaign path to allow for the Kyuss stuff from Elder Evils and the Tolstoffs from Exemplars of Evil

I was inspired by a post by Keith Baker on his blog saying that in 5e a fallen paladin can be nicely represented by a fighter (cavalier or battlemaster) and as I still haven't played that in 5e successfully, I thought about transplanting it to 3.5. Long-term fallen pally, long enough that they're reclassed and just flavoured. Not a "I'm gonna get an atonement and be fine" sort or a "sell my soul to a demon and become a blackguard" type, just a guy who lost his nerve, and possibly his faith, and is now out to get his and keep living.

Note: As the campaign is a "save the world" story, especially if the Tolstoffs and their grandfather from Elder Evils are involved, the self-absorbed pragmatist is at odds with the progression of the plot by design, allowing for tension and growth over an arc. Also at odds with an "out for myself" mentality is the crusader modus operandi, tanking and shielding those in reach and prioritizing getting damaged

So maneuvers and highly defensive protection abilities? Look no further than the Crusader, with some Warblade splashed in!

Warblade 4/Crusader 16 (some dipping may occur later)

This is mostly to get the Diamond Mind maneuvers that replace saves with Concentration checks, as well as Iron Heart Surge and Wall of Blades, to increase livability of the character

The plan is working as a smuggler and all around errand man for one of the criminal types in the Free City of Greyhawk and that being the reason the character ends up in Diamond Lake for the plot to start

Questions:

1) what are some good ways to get this jaded and fallen personality across without becoming an annoyance to the party or consuming too much spotlight (especially as the "DM's girlfriend" so to speak in this game)

2) are there ways to get Hide/Move Silently on a fighter type without dipping ranger, rogue? If I do end up dipping should I go swordsage and use it to grab some of those diamond mind maneuvers in lieu of equivalent levels in warblade?

I'm sure more questions will occur but mainly I'm looking to take this rare opportunity to actually play rather than DM and I want to play a character that is fun and interesting to roleplay but don't want to see it get too complicated and self-indulgent

If it helps as I find out more about the rest party I'll post them (and my best guesses otherwise):

Venerable age Druid
Druid/arcane class/arcane archer?/arcane heirophant
Tibbit Rogue (hopefully handling trapfinding but with this group who knows)
Something high damage, low complexity, "I charge and attack"

[pabelfly]

1) what are some good ways to get this jaded and fallen personality across without becoming an annoyance to the party or consuming too much spotlight (especially as the "DM's girlfriend" so to speak in this game)

Maybe you're the quiet type? You don't speak much but every word you say is important. You can also drop hints about your backstory when it's appropriate but only go into detail if someone asks you.


2) are there ways to get Hide/Move Silently on a fighter type without dipping ranger, rogue? If I do end up dipping should I go swordsage and use it to grab some of those diamond mind maneuvers in lieu of equivalent levels in warblade?

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?491181-Alternative-ways-to-get-new-Class-skills

Good thread if you ever want to work out how to get extra class skills onto your character.

You could also discuss with your DM in swapping out a skill or two for your character to get Hide and Move Silently. It isn't RAW, but it seems like you have a decent enough backstory and character concept that I'd let it slide if I were DMing.