help me build this reflavored character

[sleepy]

So somehow I got a character concept into my head I'd like to play. Somewhat based on the Word Bearer chaos space marine chaplain fluff, I envision this zealot overflowing with psychotic conviction, far beyond the point of reasonable and well within the realm of dangerous. He is the sort who will charge into battle unleashing litanies of hatred while his sword rises and falls, terrifying foes and encouraging allies with his blind certainty. He is a man who will stand on a rooftop demagogue-ing to the populous, dispelling fear, inspiring mob mentality, and quite possibly inciting riots. He is a fearless man who won't hesitate to cross blades, but can back his steel with magic of the sort that can be hurled like blasphemy with more determination than scholarly understanding. Ever confident, there would be few tasks he would admit no knowledge of how to approach, and he would catch his allies up in his raging arrogance and accustom them to the chaos he would incite. He would worship Chaos itself and unleash it on the world in all its mind-warping glory.

So I started looking at mechanics that would fit this guy. He needs to be somewhat combat capable, have some, but not full, spellcasting (preferably spontaneous), a high Charisma, and hopefully some mechanical way of emphasizing his endless, ensorcelling sermons.

Then I realized, oh snot. That would be a bard. I'd have to heavily reflavor pretty much every class feature and most spells (grease = warping chaos? suddenly, the guard's sword begins to twist and writhe with a mad refusal to retain the confines of its shape?), but bard definitely meets my requirements by the numbers better than anything else could.

Thing is, I have always ignored Bard-related material across the splatbooks and have no real experience with arcane spellcasting either. I understand bards are godawful unless you want to cheese Diplomacy (I do not) and what with prestige classes usually requiring specific feats/skills/tenancies/fluff, I find it difficult to imagine something built for a bard to go into looks anything like this guy. Hell, I don't even know where to start looking for Bardic Music feats or interesting spells.

So, help me out. What are some cool options I could look at to help make this barddemagogue happen? I'd love to hear about some options for bards that this guy might do... if it requires yet-more reflavoring that seems to be the soup of the day, though if it's straight up not fitting the concept I wouldn't want it for the build.

((incidentally, anyone running a 3.5 pbp want to host this character? I promise unique reflavored spell descriptions, extensive character sketch, and other fluffy goodness ;) ))

[Kizara]

Use proper grammar in the thread title and better formatting/word flow in your post if you want this to get more attention.

The title doesn't attract well and the post is very Wall-of-Texty. Just trying to help you out a bit here; from what I skimmed it does seem like an interesting character.

[playswithfire]

Just going to offer a few suggestions as they occurred to me.

Thing is, I have always ignored Bard-related material across the splatbooks and have no real experience with arcane spellcasting either.

I might recommend the Divine Bard variant introduced in Unearthed Arcana and now available in the SRD. You will eventually need a wisdom of 16 to cast your highest levels spells, but the DCs are still Charisma based

I understand bards are godawful unless you want to cheese Diplomacy (I do not) and . Hell, I don't even know where to start looking for Bardic Music feats or interesting spells.

Bards aren't quite that godawful, provided you have the right splat books (e.g. the bardic badass build, which mentions a number of feats and items that boost Inspire Courage, in particular Words of Creation from the Book of Exalted Deeds that doubles your Inspire Courage bonus). Another bardic music feat often used by battle bards is Snowflake Wardance from Frostburn; spend a use of bardic music to add CHA bonus to attack rolls.

what with prestige classes usually requiring specific feats/skills/tenancies/fluff, I find it difficult to imagine something built for a bard to go into looks anything like this guy

So, help me out. What are some cool options I could look at to help make this barddemagogue happen? I'd love to hear about some options for bards that this guy might do... if it requires yet-more reflavoring that seems to be the soup of the day, though if it's straight up not fitting the concept I wouldn't want it for the build.

There's the Evangelist prestige class from Complete Divine which is designed for religious bards and gives them new uses for their bardic music to convert listeners to their cause. It's got the right level of zealousness, but has 3/4 BAB, and doesn't advance spellcasting, though it does seem to advance bardic music.

What I might recommend is a Divine Bard (further tweaked to give up something in exchange for turn/rebuke undead) X / Crusader Y / Ruby Knight Vindicator (refluffed to not have to follow Wee Jas) Z with the Song of the White Raven feat to stack Bard and Crusader (and with a friendly DM some amount of RKV) levels for the purposes of Inspire Courage. Focus of Devoted Spirit and White Raven maneuvers.

Outside of class levels, you need some gear. The Magic Item Compendium has the Crystal Echoblade, which does extra damage equal to half your bard level whenever you're inspiring courage and the Harmonizing weapon enhancement (+1 cost, inspire courage lasts 10 rounds after you stop singing). It also has the Vest of Legends which lets you treat yourself as fve levels higher for the purpose of Inspire Courage bonus. DMGII (i think) has the slippers of Battledancing that let you use your Charisma bonus for to hit and damage instead of strength after moving 10 feet. Combine with the Press the Advantage stance (White Raven 5) for ease of use.

Hope some of that helps.