Barbarian 7/Runescarred 10 What next?

[excruciarch]

Hi.
Have been playing this human (icetroll lounge) barbu for quite a while. Playing a Runescarred Berserker is fun, and the barbu is really versatile, FB lacked that, and what_to_do_if_will_save_is_failed fun became more like annoying type really soon (in fact he died not reaching the first third of the module we were playing, or more like our DM killed the poor crazy guy, the bastard made a Kensai killer for this purpose alone).
So, can someone offer a piece of advice on making my barbu even more versatile? I definitely want to go Epic with it. =)
Note: homebrew stuff is banned.
PS
By character background some ranger levels would fit nicely, but i'm interested in what else the gurus may suggest.

[kardar233]

Best options for Barb usually are Champion of Gwywynharwtf? or Bear Warrior.

Are you more CG, good berserker? Or are you a real bearbearian?

[Urpriest]

Actually, given Runescarred I might be more likely to supplement it with Frostrager. However, the unarmed focus may clash with what you've already established for the character.

Maybe something less Barbarian-y, but more generally useful to melee? A few levels in Warblade could give you some nice maneuvers, while Occult Slayer and Witch Hunter both give decent anti-caster stuff to supplement the AMF you generate with your runes.

[gbprime]

How are your mental stats (INT, WIS, CHA), are they high enough to look into powering anything with them?

What feats have you chosen, which might tell us what PrC's you qualify for?

Do you have access to custom equipment, or do you just find whatever magic items the DM hands out? (For example, 3 levels of fighter might actually be a good idea for the feats if you can pick up an Aptitude Weapon enchantment and put Boomerang Daze to work with your massive barbarian melee attacks...)

[excruciarch]

Are you more CG, good berserker? Or are you a real bearbearian?
Chaotic Neutral badass. He actually threw a bard out of the party, leaving him on a caravan road unconscious and completely naked, bound with a rope in the neat BDSM fashion. :D


Actually, given Runescarred I might be more likely to supplement it with Frostrager. However, the unarmed focus may clash with what you've already established for the character.

Maybe something less Barbarian-y, but more generally useful to melee? A few levels in Warblade could give you some nice maneuvers, while Occult Slayer and Witch Hunter both give decent anti-caster stuff to supplement the AMF you generate with your runes.
He has no weapon focus, but carries a greatsword and a returning javelin. So unarmed focus is ok. The DM is fond of Warblades and will ban it for my barbarian. I'm more than sure he'll say something like: "You're a Rashemen survivor, there is no way you'll understand the ways of a warblade, so f...k off and choose something else, before anvils go raining on your dumb head."

[Eldariel]

Huh. Warblade would indeed work great, especially if you're going epic. Ah well. If you have the Street Fighter ACF (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) for Barbarian, 3 more Barb-levels wouldn't be terrible. Other than that, Fist of the Forests could be decent. There's always the usual options like Exotic Weapon Master, Frostrager, Occult Slayer and such.

But really, ask about Warblade. Your Initiator Level would be fairly impressive to start off with on these levels and you'd get the classic Barbarian-ability IHS, along with a bunch of good stuff.

[kardar233]

If so, be a bear.

There's nothing better than bearing down on his BBEG, ready to give him a grizzly death. Your DM says: "No! He bearly escapes!" And you say "Ha! Ha! And Ha again! For I am a Bear of a bearbearian, and I will not bear him any more!"

And then he is dead. In a grizzly fashion.

[Midnight_v]

+ 1 Warblade, or Crusader.
Its the most bang for your buck where yours sitting to continue get well rounded abilites.
Being 17 level and taking anything else kinda nerfs you because you get level 1 abilites, of most base classes you take. Taking that level of ranger you get Track...+2 against a favored enemy, and wild empathy... which are decent at first level, but not at 17 18th level.
Taking the rest of you life as a warblade would get you access to the tiger claw school, raging mongoose boost, the contreversial Ironheart surge/white raven tactics, and martial study to round out anything you'd like
Crusader would let you do some healing and add abit you your tankiness.
.....
Witchhunter I think doesn't give you enough because you can't get to momentary disjunction before 20.
I wish there was a better answer but at level 17 its likely the best answer.

[excruciarch]

How are your mental stats (INT, WIS, CHA), are they high enough to look into powering anything with them?

What feats have you chosen, which might tell us what PrC's you qualify for?

Do you have access to custom equipment, or do you just find whatever magic items the DM hands out? (For example, 3 levels of fighter might actually be a good idea for the feats if you can pick up an Aptitude Weapon enchantment and put Boomerang Daze to work with your massive barbarian melee attacks...)
STR-18 WIS-14
DEX-14 INT-13
CON-14 CHA-10
On 16 i'll add a point to the wis score. And on 15 i can choose a new feat. As for now he has:
Survivor, Power atk, IceTroll berserker, Iron will, Extend Rage, Extra Rage, Cleave.
He's a barb 7/runescarred 7 now, I will take all 10 levels in runescarred. That's why I'm concerned about what to do after reaching 17, to take everything that's needed to be taken to do it. =)
The equip goes by SRD. Anything you can craft using craft woundrous item, magic arms etc.

If so, be a bear.
Going bear will ruin the entire *spellcasting* ability, will it not?
As for going FB... I've had my share of it. And it will ruin in-battle runescar usage.

[Midnight_v]

So are you partial to the ToB stuff?

[excruciarch]

What we can and cannot depends entirely on the DM. If he finds something overpowered- he'll ban it or make it *more or less balanced*. After a heated dispute he can allow it as is, but there are obstacles that'll surely kill your character or destroy an item to be expected after that argument. =)
PS
Now i kind of think about taking a warblade without telling him. And saying something like *Suprise!1!* after the very first usage of the desired Iron Heart Surge. :D

[Tr011]

War Hulk (Mini 23) could be good for you, since you should already have your BAB high enough to qualify for 4 Attacks and all necessary feats. And the Strength bonuses of War Hulk are pretty nice.

[Urpriest]

What we can and cannot depends entirely on the DM. If he finds something overpowered- he'll ban it or make it *more or less balanced*. After a heated dispute he can allow it as is, but there are obstacles that'll surely kill your character or destroy an item to be expected after that argument. =)
PS
Now i kind of think about taking a warblade without telling him. And saying something like *Suprise!1!* after the very first usage of the desired Iron Heart Surge. :D

Do you usually need to ask for approval for every build choice? If not, then just take the levels. From what you've said the DM hasn't banned ToB, you just think he might have a vendetta against your character having it. Well, he should have made that sort of houserule clear before you leveled up, now shouldn't he have?

[faceroll]

How do you feel about psionics? I'm a big fan of Warmind. Can't be chaotic, though.


Do you usually need to ask for approval for every build choice? If not, then just take the levels. From what you've said the DM hasn't banned ToB, you just think he might have a vendetta against your character having it. Well, he should have made that sort of houserule clear before you leveled up, now shouldn't he have?

That sounds like douchebags all they way down.

[excruciarch]

Do you usually need to ask for approval for every build choice? If not, then just take the levels. From what you've said the DM hasn't banned ToB, you just think he might have a vendetta against your character having it. Well, he should have made that sort of houserule clear before you leveled up, now shouldn't he have?

As a matter of fact we are to tell him about what we want to take in the future. Our DM really hates munchkins, so if the build seems overpowered or not plausible (by background) he'll just ban the features he perceives as unbalanced ones. =) For example he calculated the resulting dmg from p. atk + leap atk by multiplier stacking rules (supreme p.atk- x4, leap atk x3). And by RAW power atk has no multiplier. If something qualified as one it would be BAB.

[joe]

Frenzied Berserker from Complete Warrior is always a lot of fun.

[excruciarch]

Frenzied Berserker from Complete Warrior is always a lot of fun.
Very specific butthurt type of fun =)

[Midnight_v]

What we can and cannot depends entirely on the DM. If he finds something overpowered- he'll ban it or make it *more or less balanced*. After a heated dispute he can allow it as is, but there are obstacles that'll surely kill your character or destroy an item to be expected after that argument. =)
PS
Now i kind of think about taking a warblade without telling him. And saying something like *Suprise!1!* after the very first usage of the desired Iron Heart Surge. :D

I hope you can get it through. Even if you don't use Iron Heart surge, or white raven tactics, theres still some cool stuff you can use.
You could also use swordsage now that I think about it, they get tiger style also, and you're already using magic so its not unheard of. It'd give you searing charge. Thats just cool for a barbarian. Along with the tiger claw school.
I keep thinking of Prc's that would work but its really slim.

[excruciarch]

I hope you can get it through. Even if you don't use Iron Heart surge, or white raven tactics, theres still some cool stuff you can use.
You could also use swordsage now that I think about it, they get tiger style also, and you're already using magic so its not unheard of. It'd give you searing charge. Thats just cool for a barbarian. Along with the tiger claw school.
I keep thinking of Prc's that would work but its really slim.

I wanted to worship Talos and go Stormlord. But the DM said, that in his opinion this particular *spellcasting ability* won't fall under the *Able to cast 3rd level divine spells* requirement and therefore he won't allow to take this prc. =)

[Midnight_v]

Hmm... yeah.
I was afraid of something like that.
Standing with it then, the tob is your best options.
Crusader Dedicated to nature.(instead of ranger, thematically it really reads the same)
Warblade Embracing the Savagery of nature
Swordsage doing the same ^
..........................................
Worst come to worst... you can always take more barbarian, though its not a very interesting option for a level 17 char, compared to all you could otherwise do, it might stack with what you're doing already at least.

[excruciarch]

Worst come to worst... you can always take more barbarian, though its not a very interesting option for a level 17 char, compared to all you could otherwise do, it might stack with what you're doing already at least.
Runescarred berserker is a logical evolution of a barbarian, granting a +4 bonus to AC while raging (-2+4, total +2 bonus) +3 AC bonus from scarring, extra rage usage, Greater rage, 3/- DR. There is just no point in advancing as a default barbarian any further. Levels spent will be as good as wasted, since DR won't stack and mighty rage feat will not fall out of two greater rages.
I just hope he'll see reason and allow me to take Warblade on his terms. Which I strongly doubt. Him seeing reason besides his own that is.

[Midnight_v]

Well, yeah... I know what you mean, I was just tossing out some stuff.

You might be able to get into 3 levels of fist of the forest. I'm afb right now though and am not sure if you can from where you are.

For once fighter levels might be good for somethign honestly, because you can take, Combat Reflexes, Robilars gambit, and or sidestep/evasive reflexes. Which either cuts off full attacks vs medium opponents or allows multicharges by backing away from large opponents when they full attack.
Hows that sound?

[excruciarch]

Combat Reflexes, Robilars gambit, and or sidestep/evasive reflexes. Which either cuts off full attacks vs medium opponents or allows multicharges by backing away from large opponents when they full attack.
Hows that sound?
Works like immediate action?
The thing is that DM allows no more than 3 classes in a build. Forgot to mention that, sorry. After reading about the Warblade I totally want it. I'll argue my way on this weekend.
Isn't it hilarious when two grown-up programmers argue over something like this like two kiddos in a sandbox? =]