Fighters and Barbarians in a savage world

[Yora]

I am working on a campaign that is set in a world of settled barbarian clans in a very point of light-y setting that is an early iron age stage. Think of Conan the Barbarian, and you have a quite good idea how most people live. Or possibly Rohan from the movie, for the very most civilized clans.

And I am currently quite uncertain how to handle the barbarian, fighter, and ranger classes for NPC characters. With nobody wearing heavy armor or uniforms, no standing armies, and everyone having access to the Survival skill (it's Pathfinder, but that shouldn't change much), it's a bit difficult to easily say "this character is a barbarian" and "this one is a fighter".

Clan warriors can all be barbarians, fighters, and rangers, or any combination of those, and pretty much use the same equipment. So I am undecided what classes I should assign to NPCs.
An expert tracker and scout would have many levels in ranger, and a giant berserker would have most levels in barbarian. But when every other warrior is a fighter with ranks in survival, I think it gets a bit boring.

So if you could help me out with character archetypes for clan warriors that could be guidelines for how to use these classes in the campaign, it would be much appreciated.

[Flickerdart]

Fighter is barely a class anyway; use Fighter levels as a means of adding combat training to people who would otherwise be hunters and trackers (Rangers) or warriors relying on brute strength and anger to get things done (Barbarians).

Thing is, nobody is forcing you to make classes into game-world "jobs". Who are you calling a Barbarian, asks the man possessed by a powerful demon that makes his anger fearsome to behold? What is a Ranger, wonders the hermit who survives by a mix of cunning and mysticism? The role that the character has in society has nothing to do with what's written on his character sheet.

[hex0]

Without as much access to armor, you may want to look up some Wound Point and/or Armor as DR variant rules.

[Dr.Epic]

I don't see how you can have trouble with barbarian and ranger. Those classes are already savage. It'd be like asking I want to make a good paladin or a bard that entertains.

[Runestar]

You could use alternate class features in UA or complete champion to differentiate your barbs. So while they are of the same class, they would have differing stats and abilities, such as rage granting different bonuses.

Unapproachable east also has feats which modify their rage.

[TroubleBrewing]

Heck, you can use Druidic Avenger to combine the Ranger and Barbarian archetypes! I agree with Flickerdart, for the most part. Just thought I'd throw my vote behind his idea.

[Big Fau]

Without as much access to armor, you may want to look up some Wound Point and/or Armor as DR variant rules.

IIRC, the former has hefty penalties that really hurt noncasters, and the latter is just garbage.

[Yora]

This is all kind of the opposite of what I wanted to ask.

Since the job for all characters is "warrior", I could just make everyone a fighter. But I'd also like to make lots of use of the barbarian class, but I can't think of any character concepts except "berserker" that would make levels in barbarian a better choice than levels in fighter.

Also, a +1 breastplate is still cheaper than full plate and loses only -2 points of AC while allowing for a +2 Dex bonus to AC, having an armor check penalty of 3 lower, and wights about half as much. So I think an alternate damage system is not neccessary.

[ranger557]

I have a suggestion, take a look at Iron Heroes, they live in a savage like world. Therefore, the classes focus majorly on different aspects of martial skills and you have your ranger, rogue, barbarian, and fighter variants in there as well. You can use the book as is or get ideas and pieces from it to fit your campaign concept. However, the system is a little different and uses a DR system for armor which I don't think you are looking for? Another thing people suggested is that there are many variants in different splat books for barbarian, fighter, and ranger if you want a different feel for them. All in all, though somebody mention it and that the concept of the world and characters doesnt always have to correspond with the mechanical features of the class.

[Ravens_cry]

I have considered the Defence Bonus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/defenseBonus.htm) system for a "Savage" Stone Age game.

[Keegan__D]

I'm not familiar with PF, so I suppose some of the stuff mentioned won't really apply, but most of it's flavor. Anything that doesn't translate can always be homebrewed. Anything you think up can also be homebrewed, and maybe even offered to the players.

Ranger
-Hermits: Focus on some spellcasting with some homebrew variants, maybe some druids. No real locations of their homes marked on any of the no doubt primitive maps of your world. Their homes would just be something the party encounters, or a nomad (single or party) they meet on the road or in another settlement.

-Shapechangers: Using the UA variant, you could have a shape-shifting tribe/clan that's more in tune with nature. Pick a specific animal for each tribe/clan to change into, and you could throw in the UA and Complete Champion totems. With that, you can spread the same class stuff through different tribes/clans. Again, druids would fit nicely since they have wildshape and superior animal companions.

-Hunters: Splashing Scout and with the right feats (Complete Scoundrel has one that levels them both nicely), you could make a bounty-hunter-ish (or just hunting-focused) clan. Should the party do something that attracts negative attention and you want them to know it, you could have them attacked by them. The party could even encounter them otherwise and hire them for assistance in something. Favored Enemy would be a major factor most of the time, so feats and magical items to promote that could be good.

Sneaky: Some rogue, scout, ninja, beguiler, etc are great additions to any sneaky build. An ambush would go a lot more smoothly with the right skills and abilities. Rangers get Hide in plain sight and Camouflage.
Barbarians
-Animal Totems: The totem variants in UA and Complete Champion replace class features with some more themed on an animal. There's good variety, like the Bear, focusing on grappling, where the Ape gets a climb speed and intimidate. With the right flavor dosage, you can add these without the players even knowing they're barbarians.

-Dexterous: The Whirling Frenzy variant in UA brings a very different aspect to the barbarian. He loses his durability for some dodging, and an impressive extra attack for some accuracy. Flavor them as more on the quick side, making them armorless and maybe adding some class skills. Scout would do well in this type of group.

-Tough: Increase their damage reduction, drop their fast movement, and give them high Con scores. Maybe they wear some heavier armor than normal, living out in open terrain for easier mobility.

-Smart: Nothing in the barbarian says it can't have an intelligence score. Sure, the rage limits their mechanical and flavorful capabilities in that department, but you can give them some "advanced" technology that their non-combatants created, maybe vehicles, even air travel. Magic items that they can use while raging, or a touch of spellcasting from non-barbarians. Warmage or Druid could fit the role nicely.

Fighters are easy, as you can group them into anything, really. Their feat variation allows them many options, and you can simply give different weapons to different tribes. A spear-chucking force is going to fight a lot differently than a trained combatant or two.

Location can also be key. One tribe might pull from Frostburn and be adept at snow/ice movement with resistances to cold, while another might be more oriented to water, applying their fast movement to a swim speed. Different races also really shape flavor.

You don't have to use a class exactly as it's flavored in the book. A sorcerer or even ninja can be just as primitive as a barbarian. Say the ninja draws its powers from tribal rituals, or a supernatural ability bestowed on him by some shamanic tribe leader. Step outside the box; We have cookies.

[dextercorvia]

This is all kind of the opposite of what I wanted to ask.

Since the job for all characters is "warrior", I could just make everyone a fighter. But I'd also like to make lots of use of the barbarian class, but I can't think of any character concepts except "berserker" that would make levels in barbarian a better choice than levels in fighter.

Also, a +1 breastplate is still cheaper than full plate and loses only -2 points of AC while allowing for a +2 Dex bonus to AC, having an armor check penalty of 3 lower, and wights about half as much. So I think an alternate damage system is not neccessary.

Whirling Frenzy Barbarians make better archers (or ranged in general) than fighters do. They make fairly fierce mounted chargers as well. They make better big scary quiet guys too -- especially with Intimidating Rage.

[gkathellar]

I have a suggestion, take a look at Iron Heroes, they live in a savage like world.

Emphasis mine. If at all possible, I strongly, strongly encourage this. It's a quintessential warriors-only d20 game. There are some design problems, but this (http://home.zipworld.com.au/~hong/ih/) fixes them in one of the best, most comprehensive game-repair homebrews I've ever seen.