Howdy all, I-m about to play in a 3-13 campaign, I've decided I want to run an Echo Knight, I have several questions regarding optimizing the character, let's start with Strength and then go to Dex.

Strength w/ Barbarian

The most obvious route is to go strength forward, take a polearm and go GWM, PAM & Sentinel and dip Barbarian for Rage. Advantages I see BPS resistance, higher damage output. Disadvantage, no heavy armor, no spells to increase damage.

Strength Straight Class

Only real advantages I see here over the Barbarian dip is 1 level faster progression (for what that's worth) and the ability to use Heavy Armor and the HAM feat for further damage reduction, don't really see anything else for this one but thought I should add it for completion sake.

Dex w/Warlock

AKA the so called Force/Ghostlance, works much less efficiently in 5.5 thanks to the mandatory 3 level minimum investment, but the (worse) option also exists to do a one level dip for short rest Hex. We'd go Dex forward, and invest to allow Warcaster to trigger opportunity attacks to use Eldritch Blast/Repelling Blast to cause forced movement. Has the advantage of being Short Rest friendly and access to a few utility spells on top of the EB/Repelling combo and access to a extra origin feat or Pact of the chain for added advantage. Might wish to dual wield with this one as Hex usage is possible to maximize damage on the many attacks the subclass gets, though you'll have to go Pact of the Blade/Repelling Blast for invocations and Hexblade if you want to dual wield so your EB chance to hit scales with levels. Probably only go 14 Dex unless you plan to take MAM then you can go 16. Three levels to invest is painful though especially since you'd want to go in after level 5 when the games difficulty tends to spike. Also I'd miss out on that extra, extra attack at 11 by one level.

Dex w/Ranger

I'm not to sure about this one tbh, but it's an option I suppose. It honestly feels like a worse version of the above, you get an extra fighting style, expertise (Not worth much tbh, but I included it) and Hunter's Mark instead of Hex, which is a more reliable damage type and you'll get more castings, Dex will end up higher for better imitative and you have access to reliable out of combat healing with Good Berry and in combat damage mitigation with Absorb Elements. Also access to Heavy Armor, though I think Dex is the way to go here.

Questions: Did I miss any options for the class? What do you think is the best way to play the class? Weapons, Multiclass' etc. Thanks for all your help!