Crusader 1st level. Feats selection help needed.

[jha85]

I'm making a new character the campaign starts at level 1. So I have heard read that Crusader makes a damn good tank at early levels. I wanted to be a warforged Crusader with the [Adamantine body] feat but I didn't get it approved by the DM.

So now I'm back to my original Human Crusader wielding a Glaive
Feat:
 H  - Extra Granted Maneuver (ToB)
1st - Improved initiative / Stone Power / Stand Still ??

I don't like the Stone Power or Stand Still feats that much though, but am at a loss as what I feat I should pick at 1st...? Weapon Focus? I have not rolled stats yet. Low powered game 3d6x6 :-\

As for Books. Everything from Core/Srd is open. But from other books it needs permission. (But most Complete and Tome of Battle ofc should get accepted)


In advance, thanks!

[Akalsaris]

Well, I'd say it depends on your stats, and if the DM allows retraining at higher levels.  Stone Power is actually quite good for a tank at low levels in my opinion, since it works so well with the crusader's Furious Counterstrike.  Don't forget to get spikes on your armor to take advantage of AOO's when your glaive can't reach something too close.

Good rolls: If you get good rolls, I'd go with something like this:
H  - Extra Granted Maneuver (ToB)
1st - Combat Expertise Improved initiative / Stone Power / Stand Still ??
3rd - Improved Trip
6th - Combat Reflexes
9th - ?
12th - Robilar's Gambit
15th - Defensive Sweep

That's basically a standard tank control build.  Enemies provoke AOO's for moving with your stance, attacking you, or for not moving with defensive sweep, you trip them with the AOO's, etc. 

Bad rolls:
H  - Extra Granted Maneuver (ToB)
1st - Stone Power
3rd - Law Devotion (Complete Champion)
6th - Combat Reflexes
9th - ?, retrain Stone Power for Stand Still
12th - Robilar's Gambit
15th - Defensive Sweep

This one's similar, but doesn't have 13 int as a stat prerequisite.  Law Devotion is only 1 min/day without cleric levels, but it's a great defensive or offensive boost for that time. 

[jha85]

Stone Power is actually quite good for a tank at low levels in my opinion, since it works so well with the crusader's Furious Counterstrike.

Can you please elaborate a little more on that. At level 1 I get 2 temporary hp's for one round when I sacrifice my only 1 bab.

Don't forget to get spikes on your armor to take advantage of AOO's when your glaive can't reach something too close.

Thanks! I had forgotten about that. I will get an AoO when they go from the square I threaten with my Glaive to the one I threaten with my armor spikes?

[JaronK]

The thing about Stone Power is that if you take a hit, it goes to delayed damage.  NOW use Stone Power, and when the damage actually comes through, it gets absorbed by the temporary hitpoints.

It's awesome for tanking that way.

JaronK

[Wih]

Until you have more than 10 points in your delayed damage pool, Stone Power will pretty much let you ignore up to 10 points of damage a round, which is perfect for tanking.
Extra Granted Maneuver will give you your best maneuvers 1 round quicker (Stone Bones, Crusader's Strike at first level), so if you can fit it in, get it.
If you're wanting to concentrate on the whole "making yourself a target" part of being a tank, Combat Reflexes is a must. Combine it with a reach weapon such as a Glaive, maneuvers/stances such as Defensive Rebuke and Iron Guard's Glare, and you can't go wrong (having a party member to cast Enlarge Person on you helps).
Once you have Thicket of Blades as an option, consider the feat Stand Still (from the SRD) - this will literally let you stop any person within your threatened space physcially moving, for the cost of an average roll and an AoO - however I don't think the feat is much use below 5th or so level, as at that point d10+8 damage can likely kill any mook that you'll be AoOing. Add Mageslayer (from Complete Arcane) to the mix to do a similar thing for casters.
What I would personally suggest for a feat progression for a Human Crusader is:

H: Combat Reflexes
1: Stone Power
3: Extra Granted Maneuver
6: Stand Still
9: Mage Slayer
12: Robilar's Gambit
15: Defensive Sweep

Other feats (may or may not be) worth throwing in are Supernatural Opportunist (ToM), Overwhelming Assault (PHBII), Pursue (ECS) and Deft Opportunist (MiniHB/CAdv).
The Tripping build posted before isn't a bad way to go either, but when you start facing foes much bigger than you, you'd wish you had Stand Still instead.
Another couple of ideas I've had about builds like this would be the feats Sidestep (MiniHB), and/or Double Hit (MiniHB) and TWF. Not sure how good it would be tho.
Glaive/Spiked Armour is definately the best way to go...no need to spend a feat on an EWP that way. Plus, you get to enchant your armour spikes with Warning and Eager and such, which replaces the need for Improved Initiative (though it's always a good addition).