For a melee build I would do 3 warlock or 0 warlock. EB isn't worth the dip if you are going to be in close quarters the whole time.
For melee if you want a 2/10 dip so you can keep the lvl 10 Bard goodies, Paladin is better. It gets you the smites and a spell level so you get the 6th level slot.
For a 3/9, pact of the blade is great to keep you SAD and lets you focus on the other ability scores that have lots of skill checks rather than just pumping up Dex.
