Need Ideas for new character

[playswithfire]

Also, I'd avoid Bards in this case due to how they gain spells at a much slower rate then primary casters, and they miss out on a lot of spells which could be useful (eg: Remove Blindness/Deafness and Remove Disease) as well as Heal. I don't think you eally need another skill monkey, and I don't think the party is big enough for the Bardic support abilities to be really useful.

Saw this in the character builder thread, but wanted to respond here as I don't actually have a build for you.

I was actually going to suggest a bard; or more specifically, a Bard/Crusader with Song of the White Raven, possibly going into Jade Phoenix Mage.
Rough idea is Bard 4/Crusader 1/JPM 10/X 5
You'd have maneuvers, decent BAB, inspire courage and (i'd have to double check ToB when I get home) only give up 3 caster levels by level 15 if you go all the way through JPM. So you'd have options.

Just throwing this out there since you liked characters with different options, the party seemed to be lacking a face as well as a caster and the Crusader level will get you CHA to will saves so the wisdom penalty won't hurt. Also, having a sparrow become a phoenix seemed fun thematically.

You could do it with any other CHA based caster, I just picked bard because I like song of the white raven.