Pathfinder Barbarian - Viable Build?

[Wyrm84]

Hello, I am new to the forums but this looks like the place to get some good advice. Tell me what you think or how I can make my character better.

Starting game at level 5 with rolls : 18 14 14 13 11 11

Human

21 STR
14 DEX
14 Con
11 INT
13 WIS
11 CHA

Traits:
two of the +2 initiative traits sound good.

Feats:
Power Attack - Must have
Weapon Focus: Great sword -Good stuff
Improved Initiative - If i go first and kill my opponent, I wont get hit right?
Intimidating Prowess - Intend on taking dazzling display at 7, then terrifying howl at 8

Archetype: Wild Rager (trade off uncanny and trap sense for an additional attack & -2 AB -4 AC & confusion chance inside rage )

Rage Powers:
Reckless Abandon: (Bonus AB at the cost of AC)
Animal Fury ( 1d4 + 1/2 STR bite attack at -5 of primary attack)

So that's the meat and potatoes of the build. Thinking of using all my starting funds on a +1 flaming great sword and just running around in leather...

When everything is fired up and I am in full damage mode with a M.W Wep.

Attacks:
+12 / +12 / +7 ( swing, swing, bite )

Damage:
2d6 +16 / 2d6 +16 / 1d4 + 5

We get max HD rolls, so I will have 85 Health in rage, BUT with all offence up, I get -10 AC!!! NEGATIVE 10!!

Not to mention that when I kill something in rage, I have to make a will save or go nuts.

There is a lot of odd numbers and rounding down in this setup. I think it will scale very nice in damage as str, power attack, # of attacks & weapon quality raise.

So thanks for reading my long character build & reasoning. Advice, Comments, questions, etc are all extremely welcome. Game starts this Saturday, wanna be ready & not have to beg to change things after it starts.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Don't be a Wild Rager. It's nice if dipping Barbarian, but if not, the DC is scaling at +1 per level NOT +1 per 2 levels like most DCs, and not only do you risk killing allies while confused, you also lose access to all rage powers, which is like half your class features.
Very bad archetype.

If you're doing Human, consider getting Superstition rage power at level 2 and using the human alternate favored class option in APG to buff up the amount it's granting to saves. Then take Ghost Rager (applies the bonus to touch AC) and Witch Hunter (applies the bonus to damage against anyone with spells and spell-like abilities) and that's a pretty nice setup.
Note: Superstition is an "all-or-nothing" decision. If you don't optimize it at all, the forced saves against allied spells will still suck, but the benefit will be puny. At least by maximizing the benefit, you're getting the most out of your sacrifice.

[Larkas]

Did you put that 13 in Wis for any reason other than giving a slight boost to Will saves? If not, you might be better off putting it into Int, since more skill points are never a bad thing.

[Blisstake]

I like Falchions better than Greatswords personally, so I would stick with those (And whether you take weapon focus or not should depends on how nice your DM is with weapons). Superstition can put your saves up to great levels while raging, but makes you forced to try an resist helpful spells cast on you.

Edit: And you can't stack initiative traits. They both give trait bonuses (which don't stack)

[Wyrm84]

Thanks for the tip on human trait to raise saves. I plan on taking superstition at 6, just seemed like animal fury was more effective at lower levels. That 13 in wisdom is there for +1 will save & +1 perception only really, don't know that I really need more skills.

Made a dwarf version with more balanced stats as invulnerable rager, while his defense is solid and saves are great (superstition + hardy = awesome ) his damage was only mediocre imo. that and I wanted to play a human savage barbarian.

If I truly wanted to power game I would roll fighter, but they don't have enough buttons and nobs for my taste, I'm used to casters. Trip > full attack repeat just isn't enough flare for me.

Any way, my philosophy behind the build was defense be damned, companions fend for themselves. Trying to win the DPR olympics with style...really brutal style...

[Arbane]

If you get Power Attack (and YOU SHOULD), take Furious Focus - it lets you ignore the to-hit penalty from your first Power Attack every round.

Also, if you want to scare opponents, consider Intimidating Prowess - it adds your hefty Strength bonus to your Intimidate checks. (I'm not 100% sure it's worth a feat, though...)

[Larkas]

You can always put extra skill points to good use, specially in Pathfinder :smallsmile: You can always max another class skill, such as Intimidate, or, if you're already maxing every skill that matters, take a nice cross-class, such as Use Magic Device or Autohypnosis (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/skills/autohypnosis-wis-trained-only).

[Blisstake]

If you get Power Attack (and YOU SHOULD), take Furious Focus - it lets you ignore the to-hit penalty from your first Power Attack every round.

Furious Focus really isn't that great because, after a point, you're pretty much always going to hit on your first attack (unless you roll a 1), even when using power attack.

[Wyrm84]

Intimidating Prowess. I called it Forceful presence, my bad. I am taking it and i'm not sure it is worth it either. Furious focus seemed alright, and I may just end up taking it because it chains into something that gives you a free intimidate vs every one in 30 feet when you kill something too. That is more efficient, way cooler, and far more savage than dazzling display.

Fitting all these feats in is very difficult, I would love to find room for iron will too. But dang! I guess I would drop improved initiative for furious focus, then take dreadful carnage at 7.

Think biting things is even worth while? It is an extra attack with low AB & damage, helps in grapples, has no penalty on your other attacks, and isn't always usable ( I'm not going to bite that ghoul. )

BTW: I still don't see any one saying, dang wyrm, that is a ton of damage at level 5...am I doing it wrong? :)

[Larkas]

Oh, yeah, forgot to add, you actually need Int 13 for some melee feats. Namely, any that depends on Combat Expertise, which encompasses almost every improved combat maneuver.

[Psyren]

If I truly wanted to power game I would roll fighter

I can honestly say I've never seen this statement before :smallwink:

As others have said, Wild Rager is pretty lackluster for what it gives you, and just plain dicey from a team standpoint. Have you looked at Invulnerable Rager at all? It's generally considered the best PF Barb archetype.

[Arbane]

BTW: I still don't see any one saying, dang wyrm, that is a ton of damage at level 5...am I doing it wrong? :)

If you're playing a Barbarian, doing absurd amounts of damage is pretty much your "thing". I'd say you're doing it about right. (I"m sure someone here can suggest ways to do more damage.)

[MrBanana]

I don't know how Pathfinder works, but that looks quite good (I wish I got an 18).

However, I'd put 1 less point in STR (assuming you had soem stat ups) and one more in WIS.

[Wyrm84]

Archery chain fighters do crazy damage...crazy...

I debated putting the stat point in wis to round it out, but i would rather have 22 str at level 8. (did that with balanced dwarf barb, he is probably way more appealing to you all than this abused massacre master)

I realize wild rager is not good for survival but I am looking at the highest possible damage out-put and forsaking the rest. The rage functions with out fail until I kill something. I like the idea of using rage being a gamble, not only with my life but my teammates. I really like the idea of snapping out of hold person or dominate straight into a confused rage state. Maybe titan mauler can compete with it for damage, but my DM is sour about previous monkey grip shenanigans and I doubt a decent 10 foot great sword would be attainable, plus it's awkward to carry around.

Also, our DM is reluctant to kill players. I am hoping to use that to my advantage here. ( Not that he wont kill players, but usually they have to do something extremely dumb or ask him specifically to not take it easy and that they are ok with it if their character dies ) I will tell him that he doesn't need to take it easy on my, because i'm going to try to be smart about things...if I dig the RP and play style, i may beg for mercy...

[Person_Man]

If you're playing a Barbarian, doing absurd amounts of damage is pretty much your "thing". I'd say you're doing it about right. (I"m sure someone here can suggest ways to do more damage.)

That depends very heavily on whether or not he's allowed to use 3.5 content, which would grant him access to things like Shock Trooper, Leap Attack, Headlong Rush, Battle Jump, Valorous weapon enhancement, etc. If so, then we can pretty easily get damage up to very high numbers with pretty much any class, especially if it's full BAB. If not, then his options are fairly limited.

Pathfinder has fairly few options for meaningful damage bonuses outside of magic. Power Attack was nerfed. The only damage multipliers are a lance and Spirited Charge. And there aren't a lot of ways to add extra attacks without rare-ish triggers (Cleave) or penalties (TWF, Flurry, etc). And most of the special attacks were nerfed (for example, Grapple is now a standard action and not an attack action).

[Larpus]

Well...if you're dead-set on being a Wild Rager, you better think about how to make up for it, such as some combat maneuver, which once you get the "greater" version doesn't even cost you an attack.

EDIT: I mean for your defense, even if your DM pulls his punches, at -10 almost everything will hit you, but without a backup plan, you're likely to face plant or put him in a very awkward position.

Oh yeah, and there's the Knockback, Knockdown or Overbearing Advance rage powers which deal your Str mod damage on the associated combat maneuvers, add to that the greater version that comes at level 8 and you might be able to chain-damage for a pretty long streak.

Lastly, I'm not truly convinced about Animal Fury being worth it without your routine being natural-attack heavy.

[Engine]

Pick the Totem Warrior archetype. Take the Beast Totem rage powers. At 10th level you get Pounce when you charge.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Any way, my philosophy behind the build was defense be damned, companions fend for themselves. Trying to win the DPR olympics with style...really brutal style...

Well, that's how it works anyway. The holy trinity doesn't exist in D&D. Sure, support casters are similar to healers, but actually playing a cleric as a healbot isn't very effective... or fun. Tanks don't exist, due to a tactic called "briskly walking around".

Anyway, how are you getting two attacks with a greatsword at full attack bonus? Houserule for iterative attacks?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Anyway, how are you getting two attacks with a greatsword at full attack bonus? Houserule for iterative attacks?

The Uncanny Dodge replacement for Wild Rager lets you on a full attack (in or out of rage) take a -2 attack penalty and an AC penalty (-4, iirc) in order to get an extra attack. Unless the enemy is unable to effectively fight back, the cons totally outweigh the pros, IMO, so it should be used seldomly.

And again, Wild Rager as a whole is a horrible archetype that will kill your friends and shut off half your class features. But I won't bother trying to talk the OP out of it any more...

[Hiro Protagonest]

The Uncanny Dodge replacement for Wild Rager lets you on a full attack (in or out of rage) take a -2 attack penalty and an AC penalty (-4, iirc) in order to get an extra attack. Unless the enemy is unable to effectively fight back, the cons totally outweigh the pros, IMO, so it should be used seldomly.

And again, Wild Rager as a whole is a horrible archetype that will kill your friends and shut off half your class features. But I won't bother trying to talk the OP out of it any more...

*checks*

...Yeah. Bad archetype. It's Frenzied Berserker, but the improved Power Attacking is replaced with a subpar Whirling Frenzy, and you're more likely to fail the save.

[roberteubanks]

Consider a barbarian archer. First, its unusual. Second, they rock.

Reckless Abandon and Deadly Aim rock together. You can take a penalty to your AC rather than to you to hit. Now you have damage and accuracy. Urban barbarian lets you increase you dext for more accuracy. Use a +4 or +5 Comp bow for more damage. Choose Invulnerable archytype to give him much staying power. Of course he cn still use a melee weapon effectively.

Here is a link to a spellcaster / ghost destroyer barbarian archer
Barbarian Archer Witch & Ghost Killer (http://www.optibuilds.com/pathfinder-optimized-barbarian-archer-build/)