Barbarian Build Help Please!

[Warren Peace]

Hey War here again with another few questions.

If you read my last post you know that I had a little mishap with my DM and my Druid character which led me to rolling up and playing a Barbarian. We are currently level 2 and I have the Power Attack feat.

Now I have never played a melee combatant like this before. My first ever character was a Rogue and even though they dish some damage with sneak attacks they aren't the fighter types.

I want to make the best Barbarian possible and I have done some reading on people doing multiple different combos with bullrushing and jump attacks and so forth and so on but I have yet to stumble upon a site that explained what all the combos mean.

Can someone please tell me a good and POWERFUL Barbarian build? I am also thinking of going into the Frenzied Berserker class when I am able to but if a another build option is open to me I would like to know about it.

Since my fellow players are of an odd assortment my DM sees me as the only real front line brawler and has given me a little more grace to do what I want with my character so I can keep the others alive.

If you have a wonderful and powerful Barbarian build please tell me I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks again!

[eggynack]

In any situation involving barbarians, I tend to use a whole bunch of ACF's. The first, and most obvious, is spirit lion totem from complete champion. It trades out fast movement for pounce, which I think actually helps on the early levels with the other stuff I'm suggesting. The second trade is whirling frenzy. You trade out your rage for an ability that's so much sweeter it's crazy. I'd describe it, but you can just read it here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ). After that, there's wolf totem barbarian, which trades out your uncanny dodge for improved trip. There's some other stuff involved, but I usually stop taking barbarian levels at that point in favor of something else. There's also some really great stuff involving intimidation, if you're interested. Also, you might want to consider runescarred berserker over frenzied berserker. Frenzied berserker is kinda overrated, especially because you're already doing plenty of damage without it.

Edit: Instead of doing that thing where I list all of the components of a build and take credit for it, I'm just going to link to the source of the intimidation build I usually suggest. It's over here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4874.0), in the barbarian entry. It's pretty frigging amazing, so I suggest it wholeheartedly.

[Malak'ai]

Here you go. Take a read of this (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19867934/Consolidated_Barbarian_Handbook). It should give you a good idea of how to go.

[Darrin]

I want to make the best Barbarian possible and I have done some reading on people doing multiple different combos with bullrushing and jump attacks and so forth and so on but I have yet to stumble upon a site that explained what all the combos mean.


Try Being Bane: Eldariel's Guide to Barbarians (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105525).



Can someone please tell me a good and POWERFUL Barbarian build?


First, Saph's Horizon Tripper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80415) build involves a little bit of Barbarian... just one level, but if you're restricted to Core only, it's probably the best way to be a melee meatbag and still have some interesting things to do at low/mid/high levels. It doesn't focus too much on damage, so it may not be what you call POWERFUL, but it at least has things it can do other than "I hit it again."

If you're looking for something that can dish out more DPS, then here's a Swift Hunter build that uses some Barbarian.

Race: You didn't mention this? Human is probably best.
1) Barbarian 1. Feat: Power Attack. Human: Travel Devotion (Complete Champion). Spirit Lion Totem ACF for Pounce (Complete Champion). Trade Rage for Whirling Frenzy ACF (Unearthed Arcana).
2) Barbarian 2. Wolf Totem ACF for Improved Trip (Unearthed Arcana).
3) Ranger 1. Feat: Cleave. Bonus: Track. I like to trade Wild Empathy for the Spiritual Connection ACF (Complete Champion). 1st Favored Enemy = Undead.
4) Ranger 2. Bonus: TWF (buy some Netcutter Spikes, Races of the Wild)
5) Sneak Attack Fighter 1. ("Simple" Fighter variant from Unearthed Arcana)
6) Highland Stalker 1. Feat: Leap Attack. (these are both from Complete Adventurer)
7) Highland Stalker 2.
8) Highland Stalker 3.
9) Highland Stalker 4. Feat: Swift Hunter.
10) Ranger 3. Bonus: Endurance.
11) Ranger 4. Trade your Animal Companion for the Distracting Attack ACF (PHBII) or Spiritual Guide ACF (Complete Champion). There are ACFs to trade away your spellcasting, but keep your spells.
12) Ranger 5. Feat: Improved Skirmish (Complete Scoundrel). 2nd Favored Enemy = Constructs.
13) Ranger 6. Bonus: Improved TWF.
14) Ranger 7.
15) Ranger 8. Feat: Improved Bull Rush.
16) Ranger 9.
17) Ranger 10. 3rd favored Enemy = Elementals.
18) Ranger 11. Feat: Shock Trooper (Complete Warrior). Bonus: Greater TWF.
19) Ranger 12.
20) Ranger 13.

Full +20 BAB, Skirmish 5d6, 3rd level Ranger spells.



I am also thinking of going into the Frenzied Berserker class when I am able to but if a another build option is open to me I would like to know about it.


You need to ask your DM and the other players if they're comfortable dealing with a Frenzied Berzerker. Unless the rest of the party is well-equipped to deal with you *immediately*, you will eventually be forced to attack and kill other PCs. There are a variety of methods the other players can use to shut you down (calm emotions, wands of grease, etc.), but none of them are entirely foolproof.

[Gwendol]

You could mix in some Dungeoncrasher fighter to get extra damage, and some cool feat combos.

Race: Goliath (you might want to use mountain rage instead of whirling frenzy, but it's a matter of taste)
lion spirit totem wolf totem barbarian 2/Dungeoncrasher fighter 4/

feats:
power attack
imp bull rush
knock back
shock trooper

then you can go back to barbarian, or go fighter for more feats, or branch out into something different like bear warrior.