barbarian builds as "tank" style

[dhusarra]

ok, one of my friend want to be a barbarian 11 level and any other prestige classes that focus "tank" style and rage.he is half-giant 3 level barbarian until now and wants to play with shield and bastard sword(exotic weapon proficiency is locked)

[Flickerdart]

Tanking...is a problem in 3.5, largely because monsters need incentive to attack you. There are a couple ways to do this - Goad and Test of Mettle, which suck, Crusader maneuvers and being impossible to ignore because you are a credible threat.

Then there's battlefield control, which is like tanking in that it stops the bad guys from getting to your friends. Barbarians are good at this - their high Strength makes them good trippers, and they have many options that can make their foes Cowering or Panicked. Is this more acceptable to your friend?

[The Glyphstone]

First off, it's a very bad idea. There are very few ways to 'tank' in D&D, because you need a way to keep the monster attacking you. Unless your DM plays D&D like an MMO, the monster can just walk away and go eat your squishier party members.

Assuming you're locked in to barbarian with bastard sword, you should instead go for damage - "tank" by doing so much damage that the monster can't afford to ignore you or give you a free shot at its back. Dump the shield, two-hand the sword, and pick up charging feats.


EDIT: or go for a tripper control build, that's good.

[dhusarra]

yes like battlefield control but he wants very high AC,HP and some good saving throws if possible all that.he don't want Tome of Battle rules

[Flickerdart]

High HP is easy - you've got a d12 hit die, and Rage gives you stellar Constitution. If he wants AC, he can look at the Whirling Frenzy variant - that version gives you +2 AC when raging instead of -2, trades the Will bonus to Reflex and the Con bonus for a second attack.

Steadfast Determination is a very good feat for him, as it switches his Will save to Constitution, which he has loads of.

This guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105525) will teach you the basics of barbarian.

[McStabbington]

It's a difficult proposition because in some sense all tanking in 3.5 is dps tanking. Unlike WoW, DM's don't have an arbitrary threat meter. Instead, they attack whoever they see as the biggest threat, which means they only attack the big honking tough guy in plate up front if the big honking tough guy is either a) the one who is doing the most damage, b) for some role-playing reason appears to the villian to be so, or c) the villain can't get to anyone else because the big honking warrior dude keeps tripping him up.

This isn't to say that tanking can't be done, but it isn't an easy thing to do. A high level wizard can throw so many different kinds of spells that can do so much damage that it's virtually impossible for a barbarian or fighter to keep pace in the dps race.

[NNescio]

It's a difficult proposition because in some sense all tanking in 3.5 is dps tanking. Unlike WoW, DM's don't have an arbitrary threat meter. Instead, they attack whoever they see as the biggest threat, which means they only attack the big honking tough guy in plate up front if the big honking tough guy is either a) the one who is doing the most damage, b) for some role-playing reason appears to the villian to be so, or c) the villain can't get to anyone else because the big honking warrior dude keeps tripping him up.

This isn't to say that tanking can't be done, but it isn't an easy thing to do. A high level wizard can throw so many different kinds of spells that can do so much damage that it's virtually impossible for a barbarian or fighter to keep pace in the dps race.

Charger builds are generally much more efficient than casters are at dealing damage. Casters are still higher threats though, since mezzing /controlling are superior options in D&D, and blaster casters (e.g. Mailman) have more ways to make their damage count since they are better equipped to bypass defences.

Martial types don't slack at the DPS (or DPR) game. Unfortunately, DPS is not the best option in 3.5e.

[Midnight_v]

Hmm... you're level 11?

ok, one of my friend want to be a barbarian 11 level and any other prestige classes that focus "tank" style and rage.he is half-giant 3 level barbarian until now and wants to play with shield and bastard sword(exotic weapon proficiency is locked)
As opposed to telling you what doesn't work. I'm just gonna tell you how you can potentially do this. I'm not sure if your saying you want min barbarian 11, but I'm assuming so.
For basic tanking, you're going to need Standstill (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Stand_Still), and improved trip.
You're going to need reach, if you can either switch to golitah for the mountain rage substitution level (Races of stone) or finding some way of gaining "Large" size or reach he'll be far better off.

Honestly the real setup up for taking in D&D comes from being "Sticky".
Not making it so enemies can move where they want. Thats why crusader is often needed for the stance "Thicket of Blades".
So you'll need:

Reach/Larger size
Ways to cut off movement: Standstill (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Stand_Still), Improved trip, Thicket of blades
Ways to cut off Spells: Typically the "Mage slayer" line of feats from the complete arcane. OR at least mage slayer itself.
Combat Reflexes you're bread and butter is Attacks of opportunity
By this method you become a valid threat cause you're not letting opponents move about as they wish.
If you can incorporate those things into a build you'll automatically feel kind of tank(Y).
I also advocate robilar's gambit, and Taking "Imperious Command", and Intimidating rage. As well as the skill trick never out numbered.

Here's the basics of the build.
Goliath barbarian(aka: Keep your half giant history)
1 Combat Reflexes, Mountain Rage substitution level1, Lion Totem(gain pounce)
2: Wolf totem from the SRD: Fluff you are vied for by totem spirits (you have destiny!)
3 StandStill
6 Intimidating Rage/Never outnumbered
9 Imperious Command (You'll need an item of charisma and max intimidate ranks)
12 Crusader 1
13 Crusader 2 thicket of Blades stance.
-----------------------------------------
I don't know what level you're shooting for exactly so I'm shooting blind, but you'll be able to do a lot with that. Essentially though you move out and hug enmies to death, scaring them so they take the beating fully.
There are better options but since you want the sword and shield and 11 full levels of barbarian, it gets hard to get into without doing odd things to the concept (like giving a reach weapon)
As it stands though Crusader is your PRC Class. Thoug your next couple levels will be fighter: Mage Slayer/Piercemagical protection.

I'll think of a few more builds, but keep in mind, that tanking in D&D is basically the art of turning yourself into a living battlefield control spell, the only reason this build has mountain rage is so that you can get large size without drinking potions or whatever.

The one thing about this concept that really sticks out is, he's already a Half-giant, and that playing a Psywar seems easier for what he's trying to do. Still, now you have the tool. Good luck and happy gaming.

[Greenish]

you're bread and butter is Attacks of opportunityI'm not sure if that's a typo. :smalltongue:

[Midnight_v]

I'm not sure if that's a typo. :smalltongue:

Hmm... I could have just had a moment of idiocy. In anycase. . . english language fail aside. Please enjoy the rudimentry build stub.

[Fouredged Sword]

A barbarian / crusader could work very well for this build. Crusader gives enough reasons for people to focus on you and Barbarian gives rage bonuses. Run up to people and take the iron guard glare stance to encourage them to attack you rather than anyone else. Trip them to keep them in one place, and then hit them very hard with a two handed rageing powerattack.

Focus on Stone dragon strikes for smashing stuff with a little mix of devoted spirit for self healing.

The crusader delayed damage pool fits nicely with the barbarian concept.

[Keld Denar]

If you went a different route, you could actually get a pretty decent AC.

Goliath Barbarian1/Stoneblessed(Dwarf)3/FistoftheForest3/Deepwarden2/BearWarrior1/Warshaper1

You'd need a flaw to Improved Unarmed Strike and Power Attack at 1, Great Fortitude at 3 to get into FotF by 5. Then you'd need Endurance at 6 for Deepwarden. I'd take Extra Rage at 9th simply so you can shift more than 1/day. Also, Mountain Rage Goliath will make you Large. That turns you into a large bear with double Con to AC. Assuming an 18 starting Con +4 for Rage and a +6 neck item (can afford by 11), and at least 2 bumps from levels, you're looking at a 30 Con, which is +10. Double that to AC from Stonewarden + Fist of the Forest's Unarmored bonus and you have a 30 AC -2 for Rage = 28 AC totally naked. Get +3 NA or so upgraded on your neck and maybe a pair of Bracers of Armor that your bear form can wear and you could easily get a 40 AC as an angry, frothing bear.

You'll attack with a combo of your UAS and your Claw/Claw/Bite attacks, eating people's faces in a way that foes won't be able to avoid attacking you for fear for their lives!

EDIT: It would be better if you could swap to Dorf as a base race which cuts out Stoneblessed, but if thats what you want to play, we can work with it.

[Tetrasodium]

Is pathfinder allowed? Armored hulk is a barbarian alternate in ultimate combat that lets you wear medium/heavy armor with a speed bonus in it & gain an ac bonus against critical confirm rolls, plus a bonus tcmb[trip/grapple/bullrush/etc]) combined with some of the rage powers and such it has nice potentialfor a barbarian tank type