Barbarian optimization

[Tyndmyr]

So, received a request for some 3.5 optimization help from my party barb...in fairness, I think a lot of the troubles stem from ridiculously high AC opponents on the part of the DM...but anyways, here goes.

He's a level 9 straight barb half-orc(yeah, I know...half orc. Will fix). Weapon Focus, Cleave, Power attack and...something useless are his feats.

Now, this is first time playing 3.5, so while he's taken to it quite well, I don't want to throw anything too complicated at him...and he lays out great damage, so that isn't a real problem, but he does have problems hitting, despite great strength and full bab. When raged and buffed, it's around a 50/50 shot, and he's got a +2 or +3 weapon already.

Any suggestions for boosting his to-hit in a reasonable fashion, or giving him a way around AC(He's literally the only party member still hitting straight AC instead of FF/touch) consistently, without being too complicated?

[Evard]

Well I would talk to the DM outside of the game and explain that putting you all up against monsters with nasty high AC (enough to make a barb hit 50% during rage) is a little odd since there is only one character attacking AC .

During a battle tell your DM to put in monsters with high ac but also ones with low ac (but high other defenses)... that way the player doesn't get to the point where he has to ask "why am i even playing"

Its like putting a lvl 10 commoner into a party of lvl 15 fighters ...

[Doc Roc]

Its like putting a lvl 10 commoner into a party of lvl 15 fighters ...

If that commoner has UMD cross-classed, they'll quickly worship him as a deity.

Okay, how much of your barbarian are we allowed to rebuild? Can we go into snazzy PrCs?

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Eldariel has a handbook on this.

[lsfreak]

Obliqatory link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134446).

[Tyndmyr]

I could probably convince him to swap out a coupla levels for a prestige class, so long as it's suitably themed. He's big on bears....hmmm...I seem to remember a good option there.

As for the DMing...it's round robin DMing. Too many melee players means they think of hard encounters as "lots of AC and hp, hits hard". Obviously, this leads to a huge bias towards other ways of solving encounters, but it also means that it's a rather widespread local perception on what's normal, and thus, is hard to change.

Every source is legal, so perhaps ToB could help.

[AtwasAwamps]

I could probably convince him to swap out a coupla levels for a prestige class, so long as it's suitably themed. He's big on bears....hmmm...I seem to remember a good option there.


Bear Warrior. It's amazing

[Tyndmyr]

Nifty, between Bear Warrior and a few feats off Person Man's guide, I think he'll be doing significantly better.

[Saph]

A level in Warblade would allow him to pick up the Emerald Razor maneuver for standard-action touch attacks. That's pretty effective.

The Heartseeking Amulet from the MiC also allows for touch attacks, only 3/day, but for a very reasonable price.

For full attacks the Haste effect of Boots of Speed will add another attack and a +1 to hit, increasing overall hits dramatically.

If you're playing a wizard and feel like being nice, cast an Extended Heroism on him. At CL 9, it lasts for three hours and gives a +2 bonus to attacks, saves, and skills. Over several fights, that can add up to a big boost in party effectiveness.

On the party buffing theme, dropping the enemy's AC is also a good plan for a caster. Entangling by any means works well. Ray of Clumsiness also works well.

The Bear Warrior (or whatever it's called) prestige class gives a hefty strength boost when bearified.

And so on. There are more possibilities than you could list, really.

[Draz74]

If ToB is allowed, even a 1-level Warblade dip could help a lot. Pick up Emerald Razor -- now you, too, can sometimes hit Touch AC. And Power Attack a lot while doing so.

EDIT: I've been Saph-ninja'd!

[lsfreak]

Actually, he might want to trade out more than just a level or two for warblades. Tiger Claw is very barbarian-esque, and more levels in barbarian really don't offer much. Simply taking Extra Rage should be enough, and then trade out all but a few levels for warblade (focusing on tiger claw, but a bit from iron heart or diamond mind), or maybe even swordsage (for setting sun).

[Tyndmyr]

For full attacks the Haste effect of Boots of Speed will add another attack and a +1 to hit, increasing overall hits dramatically.

If you're playing a wizard and feel like being nice, cast an Extended Heroism on him. At CL 9, it lasts for three hours and gives a +2 bonus to attacks, saves, and skills. Over several fights, that can add up to a big boost in party effectiveness.

I already hooked him up with boots of speed, but heroism is a good call. Im the party incantatrix, so buffing is pretty much what I do. Don't do a lot of debuffing though...in combat, I tend to focus on things that leave the enemies either dead or nearly completely helpless, and in combat actions are precious.

Out of combat, though...yeah, I can stack buffs.

Warblade really ain't a bad option. I'll probably push that.

[Eldariel]

Equipment is also very key. Heartseeking Amulet gives you Swift Action for Touch Attack 3/day and is a couple of thousand, as Saph said. Really, seconding Saph's post; good advice. Greater Magic Weapon for a +2 weapon wouldn't hurt either (or +3 if a party Cleric has come across an early Strand of Prayer Beads), and as a melee type, well, tripping and flanking and charging and higher ground are all good sources of extra attack bonus. Invisibility for the first attack doesn't hurt either.

As a Barbarian, tripping would be the first one on my list; the Trip-checks tend to be pretty easy for an Str-focused character with Improved Trip, especially Enlarged, and the sazzy +4 (or really +5 since you tend to always have Higher Ground vs. tripped opponents) is really nice for dealing damage. Of course, you can only trip Huge- creatures, but still, that's a large subset of the opponents you should fight in melee, and opponents with high AC.


Of course, Shock Trooper-line is also a decent consideration, and I'd definitely give him Pounce either way, along with Whirling Frenzy (the extra attack should help get at least some hits in). Curious, why is he having such a hard time hitting things? Are there magical protections in play or is NPC equipment simply of such power?

[Truwar]

Exactly how much can he modify his character? If psionics are ok, I would suggest a half-orc with the following class mix:
1) Barbarian 1/Psychic Warrior 7/Frenzied Berserker 1 (taken in order from left to right)
2) Take a decent wisdom and max out strength
3) Take Power Attack, Cleave, Destructive Rage, Intimidating Rage, Psi Crystal (Resolved, +2 will save), Iron Will, Extra Rage, and Channeled Rage (a half-orc only feat that allows you to burn a rage to add your strength bonus to your will save).
4) Take powers that allow your half-orc to buff himself before he goes berserk. (Psionic Lion's charge is VERY nice to do right before you frenzy)

With minimal equipment you could easily have a 34 strength while in a frenzy. Combine this with a BAB of 7 and you have a +19 to hit before any magic items or psionic buffs. With channeled rage you will be able to neatly avoid the main pit fall of the Frenzied Berserker, the DC 20 will save to end a frenzy early. You will have a base will save of +7 or +8 (depending on how much you want to invest in wisdom) and while in a frenzy (with rage thrown in) you have a +12 bonus to your strength with the use of Channeled Rage and one of your Extra Rage(s) you will have a +19 bonus to your Will save. The rest of the time you will simply have an abnormally high will save for a hulking barbarian which is nice because any reasonably run villain should assume your barbarian is a good target for will based spells.

It may seem like a complicated class and it is a bit complicated to set up, but once the character is made it is pretty easy to run. Basically charge and attack and use for frenzy when it looks to be a tough fight.