TheSagaContinues

I'll applaud you for not going crazy and trying to show 20th-level builds as some kind of standard.  I look at 12th level as being pretty close to the achievable "goal level" where the stuff you do after that  doesn't matter so much.

Now on the other end I guess I generally look at "well rounded" starting characters as still being 3rd-4th level.  I know 1st-level is vitally important for setting certain things up but sometimes it takes a couple more levels for the character concept to start showing through which is why if I were doing some kind of introductory campaign using pre-gen characters I might start there.  I guess the only thing here is some concepts really can be seen from 1st-level so I may leave some blanks that can be filled in later.

Now in my DoD roster I've got a pair of characters starting in each Noble and Scout. 

For the Nobles starts one is intended have a dual identity and may act primarily as party support.  Her first levels are Noble2/Jedi1/Soldier1; this may seem odd but the Noble levels will be for Wealth (and later Connections) to help finance the party while all the skills make her a social butterfly and help with her identity as an entertainer who knows people.  The Soldier level is mostly to get AP-light and Armored Defense enabling her to easily wear light armor which in effect is a separate identity.  The Jedi level is for Force Sensitivity because she'll start with a very low WIS score (species penalty) and use it for Skill substitutions (Force Perception being a key here).  She'll be a Noble3/Jedi3/Solder1 before going into Crimelord where Impel Ally would let her pass her actions to someone who can use them more effectively.  Her primary weapon is likely to be a grenade launcher.

My other Noble start is for what would better be described as a Jedi Consular build although with some tweaks it makes a good diplomat.  First level is all about the Skill and taking Inspire Confidence to boost allies (and an ability which will take advantage of a species trait making the bonus even bigger) along with Force Sensitivity to start with UtF trained.  After that it's on to the Jedi class for lightsaber proficiency (granted it wouldn't be a primary attack mode until much later when Weapon Finesse and Ataru come online around 9th level) the Negotiator talents (again taking advantage of a species bonus to Persuasion) and the classic Deflect and probably Block talents.  The 9th-level would probably be Jedi Knight.

I've often said there are at least 3 ways I could build a Noble1/Jedi3 be they Saber Rake, Diplomat, or Jedi Consular/Force Wizard.

My Scout starts are similar in some ways but very different in others.  One would be the Wookie Warrior who starts as a great Survivalist/outdoorsman who will eventually be looking at Bounty Hunters (and Gunslinger for the CT-Killer build using Aiming) likely using some levels of Soldier in there to keep him tough.  I may also look at some other PrCs for the +4 class bonus to FORT.  The other I see as a Jensaarai Scout who is starting in Scout for the Skills (but no Endurance and only CON 12 so no Shake It Off) before multiclassing into Soldier and Jedi likely on the way to Jedi Knight and also Vanguard; this character may not hit hard but is intended to get into places using Stealth and then get out and with some very high Defense scores (and Evasion from Vanguard) be very hard to kill.

The class I have the hardest time starting in is Scoundrel simply because I only see starting in it if you feel you need to train at least two more than are on another class's starting list.  Generally this may mean combining something like Persuasion/Deception with Stealth and Mechanics which would otherwise take 12 levels to boost INT to get the additional trained skills or require using feats on Skill Training.  On the other hand I think it's a pretty nice target to multiclass into.  I have a hard time with my armored, heavy weapon, pilot, tech character figuring out if I want that level of Scoundrel to open up class skills (INT will be a rising stat for the character) and provide Point Blank Shot (Gunslinger and Elite Trooper are both target PrCs as will Officer.)  When it comes to "tech" characters I often start them in Soldier just because it only loses one trained skill on the Scoundrel yet has more hit points and start feats  to work with.

While characters may start at First level I still like encouraging players to look at the first few levels as a "concept development" phase.  Some concepts can be pretty clear at 1st-level others may require extensive house rule to give a player everything he thinks he wants right out of the gate; a big part of my problem with some of those house rules is it means the player isn't making any compromises which in turn can lead to power gaming situations and throwing things off further down the road.  These are the reasons I generally say to look at level 3-4 as a real starting point although the "warm up levels" getting there can be important too.

As with pretty much any build there is plenty of wiggle room.  The Wookie Scout3/Soldier3... build has lots of potential and can fit different things in.  When I look at "wiggle room" my Jensaarai Scout may be an even bigger example of meshing concepts as he'd combine Stealth with some pilot ability (which is interesting when you have Stealth as well to sneak into places) along with an Armor push (AD, IAD-likely from Jedi Knight, and Attune Armor) and of course some Force Use.  Even my Soldier (who's intended as Duros but could easily change to human or something else) is a combination of different things as he'd have decent Armor, plan for Heavy Weapon use which will also go toward piloting a bit, and then a mix of technical skills; strongly considering Fool's Luck (either from Scoundrel or Gunslinger) so he can spend a FP to get +5 on pretty much every skill check made during the encounter which could be a long time with how I believe "encounters" should be measured.

To be honest, most heroes are going to be looking at some combat ability.  If you're just looking at how they perform with Skills I'd say that Nonheroic characters can generally punch at or above the level of hero at the same Challenge Level; this may not help PCs but it matters for NPCs but Non-heroics generally aren't as survivable in combat.  When it comes to non-combat related talents for the Noble you probably need to look to other books (GoI may help) although I'd certainly look at other classes.  That "diplomatic" Noble1/Jedi3 build I talk about is taking the levels of Jedi for Consular talents (especially the Negotiator talents to talk down opponents) and doesn't need to bother with Use the Force at all and could just skip a new starting feat if he feels WP-lightsaber is inappropriate (granted it never needs to be used) or that Force Sensitivity could have its own drawbacks.  Another place to look for non-combat talents is Scoundrel; here I'm thinking the Fortune and Misfortune talents which could support a group or provide non-combat assistance.

Sorry if it seems like a massive info dump.  If you read this on a mobile it's probably a headache but it's just hard conveying meaningful information in 160 characters or less.

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Check the Dawn of Defiance adventure path (specifically, the Gem of Alderaan adventure) for ways to make even combat-focused characters viable for social interactions.
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Skill Challenges (GoI) before there actually were Skill Challenges.  The thinking person's way to run a challenge.


Now another thing you'll often see Noble used for is your "clinically trained doctor" as opposed to a start in Soldier to train Treat Injury.  This type of "do no harm" character is also great for a non-4th degree droid (Medical Droids are usually 1st-degree) as you can actually follow those behavioral inhibitors that so many seem to want to ignore despite making something other than a 4th-degree droid.

That Wookie Scout I was doing was training Climb/Athletics, Endurance, Survival, Stealth, Perception, and I guess I can't recall what else (INT isn't the dump stat - probably Pilot and/or Mechanics) and I am going to be needing a pair of Awareness talent to enter Bounty Hunter later.  Besides Bounty Hunter (and Gunslinger) I had also looked at getting it into Vanguard (which takes two talents from Camouflage or Commando) which is a full BAB PrC with a +4 FORT Defense and access to Awareness and Survivor (read Evasion) talents.  If not going for a CT-Killer (which also means you could forgo Gunslinger as BH gets +4 REF although your WILL may miss the +2 class bonus) going with Soldier 4 gives you a number of options with your feats and your talents; Demolitionist is a Commando talent that seem appropriate for your gorilla fighter as it could sneak in, plant the explosives, and then ideally get out without ever being detected.  If looking for "movement related Abilities" I might try to get Acrobatics as a trained skill although that means Scoundrel or Jedi.