Barbarian advice.

[The_JJ]

So I'm playing my first barbarian soon, and I'd just like some general tips.
I'll be playing first level, went with human, 16 STR, 10 DEX, 14 CON, 14 INT, 8 WIS, 12 CHA and that is final, FYI. Just looking for advice, not a new build. Umm... SRD only for feats and such, so no Tome of Battle or nothing like.

Mounted combat seems nice because I can use that, so my raging AC penalty becomes moot.

Anyhoo... yeah, just any tips you have.

[Quietus]

So I'm playing my first barbarian soon, and I'd just like some general tips.
I'll be playing first level, went with human, 16 STR, 10 DEX, 14 CON, 14 INT, 8 WIS, 12 CHA and that is final, FYI. Just looking for advice, not a new build. Umm... SRD only for feats and such, so no Tome of Battle or nothing like.

Mounted combat seems nice because I can use that, so my raging AC penalty becomes moot.

Anyhoo... yeah, just any tips you have.

It'd be a shame to put that int to waste. Combat Expertise and Improved Trip will give you more options in combat. You can pick up Power Attack at third level, your damage won't be all THAT significantly reduced up till then. You won't really become a spiked-chain-wielding battlefield control trip machine, but having the option to knock someone on their ass who desperately deserves it is always nice - plus when you do get Power Attack, it'll let you drop more AB for damage safely.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Wolf Totem Barbarian (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#barbarianVariantTotemB arbarian) gives you Improved Trip at level 2, definitely worth using. The Whirling Frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) variant for Rage is also really nice. Also check out the Lion spiritual totem in Complete Champion, it trades your fast movement for Pounce (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#pounce) and is compatible with any of the SRD Barbarian variants that would still get Fast Movement.

Edit: If you want to go with a mounted character, maybe pick up Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) at level 1 to get a free horse that improves as you gain levels.

[The_JJ]

Hmm... I'll have to run those things by my DM bot those are some good ideas. Thank you very much.

[Saph]

Second the Improved Trip recommendation, plus since the SRD is allowed you should get Knockdown (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown). Every time you hit someone and do 10 or more damage (which you will do, regularly) you get a trip attempt.

So you can go:

Level 1: Combat Expertise, Improved Trip
Level 3: Knockdown

Or, with Wolf Totem Barbarian, you get Improved Trip for free, allowing you to spend your first two feats on other things and get Knockdown at level 3 without any addition feat expenditure.

Note re: Mounted Combat - read the feat carefully. It improves your mount's AC, not your own. Still a good feat, but it won't do anything to negate your poor AC.

- Saph

[Learnedguy]

Lion totem barbarian variant from complete champion (nets you pounce). Accept no substitute.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I'd say forget about mounted combat, go Wolf Totem Barbarian with the Lion spiritual totem in CC and Whirling Frenzy. Take Power Attack and Extra Rage (CW) at level 1, you get Improved Trip for free at 2, and take Knock-Down at level 3. You should definitely get Leap Attack from Complete Adventurer at level 6, and get some Armbands of Might found in both that book and MIC. Note that as per the errata (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a) Leap Attack says, "you deal +100% the normal bonus damage from your use of the Power Attack feat." Note that Armbands of Might grant +2 damage when you Power Attack for at least -2, thus the bonus granted is gained via use of the Power Attack feat and is also increased by Leap Attack. At level 6 you can activate Whirling Frenzy, charge with Leap Attack and Pounce, and attack three times. Power Attack will give you +4 damage per -1 to hit, with an additional +4 damage from the Armbands if you take at least a -2 to hit for it.

[Gaiyamato]

So I'm playing my first barbarian soon, and I'd just like some general tips.
I'll be playing first level, went with human, 16 STR, 10 DEX, 14 CON, 14 INT, 8 WIS, 12 CHA and that is final, FYI. Just looking for advice, not a new build. Umm... SRD only for feats and such, so no Tome of Battle or nothing like.

Mounted combat seems nice because I can use that, so my raging AC penalty becomes moot.

Anyhoo... yeah, just any tips you have.

I would REALLY look at swapping the STR and CON. Other than that, not bad.

I would also second Wolf Totem Barbarian.
Also if it fits your fluff check out the Berserker Strength (PHBII, though you did say SRd only) and Whirling Frenzy Rage variants (which is in the SRD).

I've done a horseback babarian before and it really only works if you lose the rage and/or have good will saves etc. Raging on horse back has all sorts of issues because you cannot take the skills checks needed. Unless you use whirling Frenzy which involves a lot of moving about and you would probably leap from your horse at some point.

So if you want to keep rage then lose the horse. They don't go well together.
If you are worried about AC penalties then Whirling Frenzy does not have those either. :)

[Eldariel]

The worthwhile core feats for a Barbarian:
-Improved Trip
-Power Attack
-Combat Reflexes
-Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Spiked Chain
-Improved Initiative
-Leadership
-Spirited Charge (if you can get a decent mount, such as through Leadership)

With Wolf-Totem giving you Improved Trip, it's pretty simple to fit the rest in. Given you don't have the Dex (I'd strongly consider swapping Int and Dex if you use Wolf-Totem as then you don't need 13 Int to pick Improved Trip), Combat Reflexes can be skipped, but it's definitely a great feat and I'd take Dex just for it.

[Gorbash]

Steadfast Determination, ASAP. Since you dumped Wis (why?) and have a bad will save progression, you'll need it more than any other feat.

[Faleldir]

Steadfast Determination, ASAP. Since you dumped Wis (why?) and have a bad will save progression, you'll need it more than any other feat.
Steadfast Determination is good, but it requires Endurance, so you really have to ask yourself whether it's worth two feats. Horse Totem Barbarian gives you Endurance as well as Run, which you need for Fleet Of Foot, and can be combined with Pounce.

[Eldariel]

Steadfast Determination would be even better if this wasn't an SRD-only build.

[The_JJ]

Alright, thanks guys. I think I'll definately go Wolf Totem, and take knockdown. May or may not keep the mounted combat, but it seems that, just setting wise, we'll be spending a lot of time moving around on horseback.

[Eldariel]

Alright, thanks guys. I think I'll definately go Wolf Totem, and take knockdown. May or may not keep the mounted combat, but it seems that, just setting wise, we'll be spending a lot of time moving around on horseback.

If you take Mounted Combat, you need to take Spirited Charge. That feat is honestly the only reason to take Mounted Combat in the first place, and makes you lethal on horseback. Lances for x3 damage are insane (oh yeah, pack some lances).