Need help min/maxing character

[ribs206]

I am trying a to make as powerful a character as possible given certain limiting restraints.

I am level 7 and I want to be a Warblade/Crusader. For ability scores we are using a 36 point, point buy system.
I can take 2 flaws from Unearthed Arcana at character creation.
All official books are available for use, no homebrew or 3rd party stuff, also no dragon magazine.

The biggest limiting factor and the part that I am having the most trouble with is that we only get 18,000 gold to buy stuff with.
There is no shortage on equipment and if it exists I can buy it.
Also creating custom items is both possible and encouraged.
One thing that helps is I do not need to buy armor, I have special armor that has a +10 AC and a +3 max dex.
I'm trying to be rather tanky, but without sacrificing too much on damage output.

As for houserules that apply, ToB classes can select new maneuvers every time they level any class.

Thank you for your feedback and help!

[Jackinthegreen]

Do you want "tanky" as in just able to take hits, or "tanky" as in drawing the monsters to you and keeping them off your party as well as taking hits?

The former is straightforward of course.  The latter will require some feats like Stand Still perhaps and the Thicket of Blades stance most likely, which won't be a problem of course.

Or you could go with another kind of control build.  How much cheese is the DM willing to go with, specifically with the Aptitude weapon enhancement?  One of the cheesiest tricks is making use of it with Bloodstorm Blade and Boomerang Daze.  More info on a specific build for that can be found http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=12015.0]here.

Even if your DM won't allow a chain to count as a boomerang, being able to throw your weapon around and use that to bull rush and trip stuff is awesome.

Do you expect damage itself to actually matter a lot?  Sure, it's possible to get thousands of damage in a round, but that can be pretty difficult to set up for and so it's generally better to control the enemy in such a way that you can reliably splat it without going splat yourself.

How far are custom items allowed to go?  It's possible to get a continuously active item of True Strike for 4,000g by going strictly by the rules, which likely isn't intended at all.

[ribs206]

For "tanky" I mostly mean able to take hits, not necessarily force them to attack me.
Damage is important, but I'm not looking to go too over the top.
As for custom items, I'm just about to post my first attempt at this, which will have some examples, but the true strike item would be allowed.
I may not understand how to do magic items properly looking at the price for the True Strike item, how did you get the 4000 gold price. Was it slotless?

EDIT
The true strike item would not be permanently on, it would be use activated

[ribs206]

My first attempt at this character:

Crusader 4 / Warblade 3
Dragonborn Mongrelfolk

Starting Ability Scores after racial
Str: 18
Dex: 14 (16 - 2)
Con: 20 (14 + 6)
Int: 10 (12 - 2)
Wis: 8
Cha: 4 (8 - 4)

+1 Str gained at level 4

Weapon:
+1 Warning Minotaur Great Hammer (Cost ~8000)

Feats:
Extra Granted Manuever (ToB 30)
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Minotaur Great Hammer)
Power Attack
Cleave
Improved Initiative

Flaws:
Inattentive (-4 Spot)
Shaky (-2 Ranged Attack Rolls)

Other Equipment:
Custom Item with continuous "Fist of Stone"(Complete Arcane 107) cost 2000
Custom Item with use activated "Psionic Dimension Hop"(Complete Psionic 83) cost 2000
Custom Item with continuous "Force Sceen"(EPH 108) cost 2000
Grey Ioun Stone with command word "Cure Minor Wounds" cost 900
Ring of Deflection +1 cost 2000
Cloak of Resistance +1 cost 1000

Total cost ~ 18000

[Raineh Daze]

I thought Dragonborn wiped out previous racial traits?

And why dual-classed?

[ribs206]

With Dragonborn you keep ability score adjustments, or at least my DM thinks that.
I go both so that on Warblade side I will always have Mind Over Body and Moment of Perfect Mind in a pinch, and will have combat maneuvers from Crusader at all times, using the Warblade as "utility/ oh shit" and crusader as "I smash 'em in the face", but if you think just one is better please let me know and why.

[phaedrusxy]

Multiclassing between different ToB classes can be excellent if you time it right. The ToB prestige classes also progress ALL of your ToB base classes fully. Check out the Tome of Battle for Dummies thread for details and example builds.

And yes you keep the stat adjustments with dragonborn.

[Raineh Daze]

Ah, it's been a while since I read things in detail. Sorry. XD

[ribs206]

Oh, sorry I forgot to mention this, I will go back and edit original but, my DM has houseruled that you can select new maneuvers every time you level any class.