Me Orc. SMASH, SMASH!

[Pard]

Looking to make an Orc Barbarian for a solo campaign. I can use all core books and complete books are allowed without question. Psionics are allowed as well. Anything that comes from another book must be directly approved by the DM.

Right now I am just working with a concept. Let's assume a 25 point buy (I will be rolling, but I am going to be rolling 5d6 drop the lowest dice, meaning a 4d6 for each state). An Orc gets +4 strength, -2Int, -2Wis, -2Cha.

I want to hit stuff reliably and VERY hard.

The character concept is an orc constricted into an evil kingdom's special forces. He is basically going to do EXACTLY as he is told and will just power his way through every situation. No sneaking or any silly things that waste time. Doors are smashed into little pieces, they are not picked or knocked upon. And most importantly, he deals the pain.

I can use two traits and two flaws.

[Nerocite]

What's your starting level?

[Chilingsworth]

What level are you coming in at?
Also, will you have any effective DMPC's to do things you can't (like healing and other magic support?)

EDIT: semi-ninja'd

[Temotei]

Take lion totem barbarian (Complete Champion). Regardless of level, if you're going barbarian, that'll help.

[thorgrim29]

Step 1: Lion Barbarian
Step 2: Orc paragon
Step 3: Eye of grummch or frenzied berserker
Step 4: Adamentine greataxe
Step 5: ?????
Step 6: Profit (slaughter)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Oh, yeah? Well, Me Hobgoblin. We BIGGER than you! We STRONGER than you! Give us the dungeon with the orb or you all BE CRUSHES! (http://www.goblinscomic.com/11092006/)

Back on topic, start off Wolf Totem Barbarian (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) from UA, that's a class variant. Use the Lion spiritual totem alternate class feature from Complete Champion, which can be used with any variant of Barbarian that gets Fast Movement. Use the Whirling Frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) variant for Rage from UA if possible. Get Extra Rage as your 1st level feat, from CW. Take two levels of that to get Improved Trip with no Int prerequisite.

After that go Fighter 2, get Power Attack, Cleave, and Intimidating Rage at 3rd. From there get either Hexblade 2 (CW) or Duskblade 2 (PH2), with Duskblade you'll be able to use Eternal Wands (MIC) of any arcane spell, including Cure spells from the Bard list. At 6th level get Destructive Rage. Alternatively, you can get only one Barbarian level (if you can't use Wolf Totem, for example) and instead get a third Hexblade or Duskblade level. Hexblade 3 gives you Mettle, Duskblade 3 gives you Channel Spell.

After that take Frenzied Berserker from CW. Take Leap Attack in Complete Adventurer, and if possible get Knock-Down (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown) which is found in Deities and Demigods. Ideally you should take two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) (Blind Rage and Uncontrollable Rage from Dragon 325 make your Rage activation/cancellation work just like FB's Frenzy ability but a flat DC 15 for the Will saves) to get Intimidating Rage and Destructive Rage at 1st level, Knock-Down at 3rd, and Leap Attack at 6th. You should get Extra Rage a total of twice, so you can Rage (Whirling Frenzy) + Frenzy (FB Frenzy) five times each day at FB 10. Extend Rage in CW is also highly recommended.

An Item Familiar that's an intelligent item (Healing Belt plus an Enhancement bonus to strength, for example) can act every round, including activating its own abilities on your character. Add on Cure Moderate Wounds 3/day as a lesser power and if you go into the negatives while in a frenzy it can keep you from dying once it ends. Intelligent items are treated as constructs, and constructs continue to function in an antimagic field or dead magic area and cannot be deactivated with dispel magic or disjunction, so it would be extremely difficult to lose the benefits of your item familiar.

[grarrrg]

solo...orc...barbarian...smash

For starters, go Water Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/elementalRacialVariants.htm#waterOrcs), you gain +2 Con with no additional penalty.
If you can get it approved Dragonborn of Bahamut (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060105b&page=1) will add an additional +2 Con, -2 Dex, and a variety of useful abilities, including gaining either a Breath weapon, or Wings.
Likewise Mineral Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) is always worth a shot on a Pure Melee character.
It is LA+1, but grants +2 Str, +4 Con, -2 all Mentals, DR 8/Adamantine, +3 Natural Armor, and some other randomy goodness.

You might see if you can get a Warblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060802a&page=2) or Crusader dip approved. Even a couple Maneuvers and a Stance can do wonders.

And as mentioned: The Lion Totem > Pounce is great.


Is it truely solo? or will there be NPC helpers/Leadership?
If truely solo, you will want to look at things that enhance your defenses, as you will be the only target.

[Saint GoH]

No love for a charger? For shame GitP

Biffoniacus has some lovely idea's, though I think you can forgo Extra Rage and instead go for a Combat Brute or Shocktrooper build (feats found in Complete Warr). Yes, your defenses will be slightly weaker but the idea is (maybe grab cleave?) you dust them before they have a chance to hit back.

[Pard]

Let's see. Starting at level 1.

I believe I will have some NPC help. I will probably be calling upon a cleric as my NPC helper.

Great ideas guys. Lot to think about, thanks!

[grarrrg]

Let's see. Starting at level 1.

I believe I will have some NPC help. I will probably be calling upon a cleric

Starting at 1, not ideal, but workable.
Cleric helper is good, Go-Go-Gadget-Enlarge Person!



No love for a charger? For shame GitP

No offense dude, but it is a _solo_ campaign.
Round 1 Barbarian Charges in, possibly kills something.
Next round Barbarian is surrounded.
Round 2 Barbarian either cannot charge, or will provoke many AoO's.

The only reason Pounce gets lov'n is because it's an ACF and doesn't cost any additional feats/levels.

Then again, this is a solo campaign starting at Level 1, depending on length, he may never get to the point where Pounce would do anything.

[Kerghan]

Spiritual totem (lion) barbarian for the pounce ability. If Forgotten Realms is allowed, Battle Jump from Unapproachable East. Power Attack, Leap Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Shock Trooper. Combine this insanity with Frenzied Berserker's Supreme Power Attack (cleave and great cleave are nice, and I believe are required for FB) for the ultimate charging death machine. With the battle jump feat, you will want a high jump skill. The pounce ability lets you make a full attack on a charge action.

[Necro_EX]

If you want some psionic flavor to your character (always interesting with a normally dim-witted type like most orcs) you could go Psychic warrior. Get the power that emulates spider climb and amush your foes from the ceiling.

Might not exactly be all that optimized, but it'd be interesting if you haven't done psychic warrior to death, yet. Plus, I believe it gets some ability to heal itself, so that adds to your survivability.

For something more optimized, I'd listen to everyone else and go with barbarian (variants, of course).

Or, convince your DM to let you play as a PF barbarian. :D

[Kerghan]

If you want some psionic flavor to your character (always interesting with a normally dim-witted type like most orcs) you could go Psychic warrior. Get the power that emulates spider climb and amush your foes from the ceiling.

Might not exactly be all that optimized, but it'd be interesting if you haven't done psychic warrior to death, yet. Plus, I believe it gets some ability to heal itself, so that adds to your survivability.

For something more optimized, I'd listen to everyone else and go with barbarian (variants, of course).

Or, convince your DM to let you play as a PF barbarian. :D

I kind of miss 3.0 psionics because each discipline was based on a different attribute. Imagine a strength, or constitution based Barbarian/Psion or Psychic Warrior build.