I've got a character concept that would work best as some kind of very strange caster-type, and I want to reinforce that strangeness with its mechanics- have capabilities that will make the other players at the table go 'WTF just happened?' Not really looking for something off-the-hook broken here, nor comedy builds like the Sandwich Psion, just stuff people won't be familiar with. But my creativity is failing me- the best I can think of is shadowcaster.
We start at 5th level, or 4th level if we pick an option for gestalt (which will also slow XP progression). Gestalt characters also can't have any side of the gestalt go over tier 3 and can't have more than one side of the gestalt be a casting or martial initiating class. Ability scores use a high but random pick: more or less any source is available, including GITP homebrew and Dragon on approval. No LA buyoff.
I'm interpreting 'casting' extremely broadly here: psions, shadowcasters, binders, all that kind of thing counts. Individual sorc/wiz spells with strange effects might also work if I can find enough of them to build a decent spells known list out of.
It also helps my concept if the build is viable with warforged, elan, or other race that can be easily fluffed as being artificially created.
