Idea help!

[ReluctantDragon]

So, I am considering rebuilding a character in a current game I play. It has been hinted at that we might encounter airships in this game and I plan to pursue this idea with quite a bit of fervor.

I wish to be a Cid knockoff!

More to the point, I want to pursue being an airship captain.

I wish to do so with the following guidelines:

-Arcane caster(not bard)
-Charisma focused, but not socially so(again, not a bard, as we already have a bard in the group). I plan on investing in Leadership, and using that to segue into building a crew for the airship.
-Starting out at level 5(that's the level we're playing at the moment).
-Assume that all 3.5 books are available.

And...that's pretty much it. So far, I'm playing a batman-wizard, but unfortunately, I've come to find that my playstyle doesn't really match the type of mechanical/crunch style that a batman-wizard is focused on. A batman wizard is incredibly boring to play, particularly at lower levels, in my experience.

I would appreciate any assistance in trying to make this possible.

Thanks in advance!
RD.

[Protecar]

Is this 3.5? If you want a Charisma-based Arcane caster that's not a bard, I think Sorcerer would be the choice for you.

Edit: (I've no idea who 'Cid' is, though the name rings a bell)

[jiriku]

Avast, matey! The Dread Pirate prestige class wants to have a word with you.

If you're getting a COMPLETE rebuild, a high Charisma and strong social skills will make you an effective leader, which suggests classes like bard, sorcerer, cleric, crusader, paladin, warmage, marshall, or carmendine monk. Some of those classes are better than others.

[G3N3R3L GHOST]

Yeah what Jiriku said. Also think about looking into the stormwrack material. Although specifically made for water based campaigns I am sure with a little bit of imagination and maybe some help from your DM you could make it work to be a better Cid than even Cid was...make sure you go to your local armory and grab yourself a spear too ;) haha

[ReluctantDragon]

Edit: (I've no idea who 'Cid' is, though the name rings a bell)

Final Fantasy 2 is his origin...

Yes this is 3.5.

I was thinking sorceror or warmage, potentially, but I'm looking for build help and optimization assistance as well. Are there feats I should be taking?

[Another_Poet]

Personally I think Setzer would be a better rolemodel, but Cid is cool too I guess.

In any case, cha-based arcane caster who builds things and forms teams and captains an airship? Ummm..

Dread Necromancer.

Taking the undead to the roof of the heavens... because when it rains bones, it pours XP.

[jiriku]

If you're going all the way with sorcerer, you can do gruesome mailman builds with hail of stone + arcane fusion + arcane spellsurge + liberal application of metamagic reducers.

If you play a blasting-focused sorcerer or warmage, I am partial to Sculpt spell, Sudden Maximize, and Residual Metamagic. If necromancy is your thing, swap in Black Lore of Moil in place of Sculpt spell.