Viking Barbarian/Warblade issues

[Combat Reflexes]

I'm rolling up a new character for a coming adventure (Jukka Hämälainen, a Norse sailor/viking), but I'm having some problems with the design.

The character in question is a sword-and-board Goliath Barbarian 1 / Warblade 2 with the Whirling Frenzy alternative class feature.

my questions are thus:

1. does the Powerful build of a Goliath give you a greater carrying capacity? (Large creatures get their capacity x 1.5)

2. what kind of action does the extra attack from Whirling Frenzy actually take? Do I have to take a full attack to use it? Can I use it together with a standard-action maneuver (like Steel Wind)?

3. does the -2 penalty to attack from the Whirling Frenzy apply to the additional attack only, or to all attacks made in the same turn?

Thanks in advance :)
©®

[TroubleBrewing]

1: I believe so. It wouldn't be unbalancing to assume so, either. Carrying capacity is rarely (the only exception I can think of is the Warhulking Hurler) something to be focused on.

2: I'm reasonably certain that it can only be used as part of a full-attack action. That would be my assumption, given the way it's worded.

3: This is the only answer I'm 100% sure on: the -2 penalty applies to every attack you make in a round when you use the extra attack. You have the option of not using it, but there's no reason not to. You get a +4 bonus to Str while WF'ing, which effectively negates the -2 to hit.

[Greenish]

I'm rolling up a new character for a coming adventure (Jukka Hämälainen, a Norse sailor/viking), but I'm having some problems with the design.

The character in question is a sword-and-board Goliath Barbarian 1 / Warblade 2 with the Whirling Frenzy alternative class feature.

my questions are thus:

1. does the Powerful build of a Goliath give you a greater carrying capacity? (Large creatures get their capacity x 1.5)

2. what kind of action does the extra attack from Whirling Frenzy actually take? Do I have to take a full attack to use it? Can I use it together with a standard-action maneuver (like Steel Wind)?

3. does the -2 penalty to attack from the Whirling Frenzy apply to the additional attack only, or to all attacks made in the same turn?

Thanks in advance :)
©®1. No. Powerful Build only affects Opposed Rolls, special attacks and weapon size.

2. Whirling Frenzy as worded allows for "one extra attack per round". What that means in practise is something you probably want to ask your DM about.

3. All attacks on that turn.


"Jukka Hämälainen" doesn't sound very norse to me, by the way. :smalltongue:

[Combat Reflexes]

Thanks for responding :smallsmile:


2. Whirling Frenzy as worded allows for "one extra attack per round". What that means in practise is something you probably want to ask your DM about.

I expected as such :smalleek:
Are there any errata on Whirling Frenzy, or is it really up to the DM?



"Jukka Hämälainen" doesn't sound very norse to me, by the way. :smalltongue:

Yeah, it's Finnish. I looked up some old Viking names, but they just... didn't fit, so I went looking for other Scandinavian names. This one actually means 'from the region of Hämä', so it gets bonus points for creating a character background.
That, and the fact that this name sounds pretty cool in my language :smalltongue:

[Greenish]

Yeah, it's Finnish. I looked up some old Viking names, but they just... didn't fit, so I went looking for other Scandinavian names.Close, but no cigar. Finland isn't actually part of Scandinavia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia), not settled by norsemen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Viking_Expansion.svg), Hämä isn't even in the coast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavastia_(historical_province)) and "Jukka" is a name of Christian origin (from St. John) and is several centuries early. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jukka)

Not that any of that really matters, but I'm just a horrible nitpicker with access to wikipedia and too much free time. :smalltongue:

[Combat Reflexes]

Close, but no cigar. Finland isn't actually part of Scandinavia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia), not settled by norsemen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Viking_Expansion.svg), Hämä isn't even in the coast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavastia_(historical_province)) and "Jukka" is a name of Christian origin (from St. John) and is several centuries early. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jukka)

Not that any of that really matters, but I'm just a horrible nitpicker with access to wikipedia and too much free time. :smalltongue:

Apparently :smallsmile:

Warning: Counter Nitpick:
The name of Hämälainen doesn't have to mean that you specifically come from that region. It could also be your father, your grandfather (and so on).

btw, Jukka = a reference to the Dudesons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dudesons) :smalltongue:

Every character has to have some kind of reference, IMO.

ps. you're quite the opposite of my players :) They name their PCs after their attack bonus and such...

[DeltaEmil]

I expected as such :smalleek:
Are there any errata on Whirling Frenzy, or is it really up to the DM?Actually, you have to use a full-round action (the full attack option, of course) if you want to use your extra attack, as the entry under full attack does say that you must always use this option if you want to make more than one attack. Exceptions must be specified that they do so, like Cleave or Attacks of Opportunity. The Tome of Battle-maneuvers are also exceptions that do say so.

So if you want to twink it out, take the Travel Devotion Feat from Complete Champion to move your speed as a swift action, or get Pounce.

[Greenish]

Warning: Counter Nitpick:
The name of Hämälainen doesn't have to mean that you specifically come from that region. It could also be your father, your grandfather (and so on).Counter-counterpick: Surnames weren't used in Finland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_name) until much after the viking times, and the name should be "Hämäläinen" due to vowel harmony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel_harmony#Finnish). :smallamused:

[Combat Reflexes]

Actually, you have to use a full-round action (the full attack option, of course) if you want to use your extra attack, as the entry under full attack does say that you must always use this option if you want to make more than one attack. Exceptions must be specified that they do so, like Cleave or Attacks of Opportunity. The Tome of Battle-maneuvers are also exceptions that do say so.
So if you want to twink it out, take the Travel Devotion Feat from Complete Champion to move your speed as a swift action, or get Pounce.

Thanks, that's all I needed to know. I won't take any of your twinks, though, because my group veto'ed Travel Devotion and Pounce is just... flavorless and munchkin.*



Counter-counterpick: Surnames weren't used in Finland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_name) until much after the viking times, and the name should be "Hämäläinen" due to vowel harmony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel_harmony#Finnish). :smallamused:

Ok, ok, you beat me! :smallredface: I don't know that much about Finnish history/grammar (who does)

...but I'll get ya back when you post a Dutch character idea :smallamused:

*: IMO, pouncing is slamming into your target at full speed and using every limb you have to make it hurt - that's why lions and such have pounce.
Pounce isn't really making a double move and THEN make a 6-second attack routine crammed into less than half a second.

[DeltaEmil]

*: IMO, pouncing is slamming into your target at full speed and using every limb you have to make it hurt - that's why lions and such have pounce.
Pounce isn't really making a double move and THEN make a 6-second attack routine crammed into less than half a second.Your reasons for why you dont' take it are your own. But you don't attack 6 times in half a second with Pounce, and combat in D&D is of course abstract anyway. It looks ingame as you want it to visualize. Also, melee can't have nice things.

[Greenish]

Thanks, that's all I needed to know. I won't take any of your twinks, though, because my group veto'ed Travel Devotion and Pounce is just... flavorless and munchkin.*Each for their own.

I don't know that much about Finnish history/grammar (who does)Wikipedia! (http://en.wikipedia.org)

[Combat Reflexes]

melee can't have nice things.

Yep. Because all casters in our campaign world are hopelessly nerfed. In USSR Campaign World, nice things can't have melee!


Each for their own.
Wikipedia! (http://en.wikipedia.org)

...the answer to the universe, life and everything?
I'm pretty sure there are better things to do in the time you'll need to learn things off Wikipedia :smallbiggrin: