Barbie/Sorc?

[Draconisister]

I know this is probably a really stupid class combo but I think it would be fun to RP and I want to do it because ... REASONS

We are starting a new campaign starting at level 1 and going trough 20(or at least that's the plan) And I am hoping to create a viable spell casting barbarian type character as we progress. My DM hasn't given us exact character creation parameters yet so as of right now I am limited 3.5 core/srd until the DM gives me some more information and I will update you when that happens it should be soon. So right now this is just brainstorming stuff.

my DM like us to have reason for doing things so My idea was to start as a barbie and because sorcs have inborn talent it is possible for it to manifest at any time. For the casting part of my class I was going to chose the battle sorcerer variant on the SRD. This way i can avoid the spell failure and make use of both classes abilites.

What are your guys thoughts on this? any way you have to improve this? I would also like some suggestions for my race, how I should handle my level progression and spell suggestions.

Any feed back on my bonkers idea would be great and thank you all for your help in advance. =^.^=

~Draconi~

[JusticeZero]

I know there's a hybrid class like that in the works in a PF book in development; it sounds a bit like a certain permutation of the Wilder too, for a psionic game.

[Kane0]

My first thought would be te rage mage prc from complete warrior

[nedz]

Well Sorcerers usually have high charisma, so a Warforged with some kind of plastic plating modelled into, ...., Oh not that kind of Barbie.

This is just a gish. I'm not sure I'd bother with Battle Sorcerer though the cost is too high. You could go for an Incredible Hulk type of thing with Enlarge Person and Fist of Stone to begin with. Build towards Abjurant Champion, possibly via Spell Sword though Ruather is better for skill points.

[Der_DWSage]

Well, if you have access to the SRD and little else, then it looks like it's time for Variant Classes.

If you're sold on Sorcerer, I would recommend the Battle Sorcerer variant, and focus primarily on long-lasting buff spells, as well as long-range spells. This also allows you to cast in light armor, and while you don't have as many spells known, it also allows you to keep from focusing primarily on your CHA-just enough to cast the spells and occasionally throw a fireball at people.

If you want to cast those touch-range spells, you might ask the GM if you can get the Ranger Barbarian variant with two-weapon fighting instead of the Archery feats. This replaces your rage, and you could potentially make a lot of touch attacks instead.

If you're willing to bend on Sorcerer, Wizard is always a viable choice-and the Battle Domain Wizard is a flavorful choice for your Barbarian. Transmutation would be more useful, but likely less flavorful.

Lastly, if you want to focus on the CHA side of things, you might want to try amping up your Intimidate and using the tricks inherent to those. Take the Dragon Totem and get a Frightful Presence, start using Intimidate to make people Shaken and then hit them with fear effects from the Sorcerer side of things.

It's doubtful you'll be the 'Greatest Barbarian/Sorcerer Evar' with only SRD and core, but you'll pull off some interesting tricks. (At the very least, see if you can take Practiced Spellcaster and some of the non-core spells to catch you up to other people. Rage Mage, of course, would also be helpful.)

[Draconisister]

I see most of you don't bother to read anything :( there are limits to what I can use at the moment. The limit for where I can draw stuff is only temporary but even if he sticks to SRD stuff I would like to have some ideas ready.

The Battle Sorcerer was part of my original idea for this so I could cast spells while in my armor. I am rather flexable a bout how to do make this work. I am not a Min/Maxer in any way and I'm not looking for 'Greatest Barbarian/Sorcerer Evar'. I do how ever want something viable that will be fun to play.

If he lets me I had a weird idea to mix the barbie with the shadowcaster from ToM but that's and if and I can't for the life of me think of a RP reason for me to start taking levels in something that requires study and focus while starting off as a barbarian.

[nedz]

Sorry, if you are limited to Core you go Eldritch Knight.
Barb 1 / Sorc 6 / Eldritch Knight 10

Now that's not very Barbie, so you might want to add more levels. It will trash your skill points though, if that's important. It is good for casting though.

Alternatively just Dip Sorcerer, but you will only have two level 1 spells known and because Precious Apprentice is not available your CL will be 1.

There just aren't many options in core for this sort of build.

Have you considered Barbarian/Bard ?
Similar concept though fewer spells — you just sing as you cleave.

[Draconisister]

The Barbie/Bard would be interesting. What would my preform be? preform(grunt)? making it a savage bard would fit with the barbarian side of things as well. However I am not a fan of the illusion flavor of the bard spells not that I will get very far casting wise in any class I pick.

I was thinking about going with a monster race for this like a goblin or a kobold because it would be funny. I cant really think of any other 0 LA monster from MM I could use.

If you have any other fun or interesting class and/or race combos I would be glad to hear them as well. I'm just looking for something out side the box because I've grown tired of the standard class/race mixes every one does. I'm not looking for something crazy over powered but it has to at lest be powerful enough not to gimp the party and every one else has to carry more weight. Just keep in mind the role play aspect is just as important to my group as the mechanics so I need to come up with a valid reason for cross-classing.

~Draconi~

[Doc_Maynot]

Cancer mage?

[malmblad]

Being boxed into the SRD is pretty limiting but a Kobold Barbarian Sorcerer sounds fun to me. Especially with the Bear Totem variant and enlarge or other size cat. buffs.

Or maybe a gnome wolf totem barbie with a hook hammer and those same buffs.
Just make sure you say "Eh Neeek Chock" when you enlarge yourself.

If you're willing to suck up a +1 level adjustment a tiefling could make for a good brooding hero type. Raised in the wilds by his/her mother because they were banished from their village. She passes and you're on your own in the world. Magic wouldn't be any stretch to branch into. You could even swing wizard or other studious types based on trying to discover more about their infernal nature.

[nedz]

Yeah, it would be really helpful if you did have a better source list.

This is not SRD, but it is online (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031010a).
Half-Fey Barbarian would give you flight and lots of SLAs all for +2 LA.
This could be hilarious.

[Jormengand]

Take Dragon Disciple levels instead/as well, perhaps? The effects of a barbarian's rage (+4-6 STR and CON, +2-3 will, -2 AC, CANNOT CAST SPELLS, limited use) are almost nothing compared to a tenth-level DD (+8 STR, +4 CON, +2 INT, +2 CHA, +4 nat arm to AC), along with the fact that the DD has will high, can fly, and has a nasty natural FRAA with a few feats and a few extra spells spells.

Of course, a raging DD would be a nightmare, but...

[Lord Haart]

Since without Rage Mage in-battle spellcasting and rage are mutually exclusive, and i'd assume that iconic part of barbarian is stiil rage and not pounce (no matter what handbooks tell you), one of them has to play second note. It's easy to make rage the backup option, but i think that less powerful, more balanced, more interesting in a way, possibly more fun and less brought-up by other posters option would be a character that goes about combat mostly like an ordinary barbarian goes (with a side dish of hours per level/all-day/persisted buffs), while using his Sorcerer spellcasting (which is relatively retarded anyway, in that he loses several casting levels even if he gets into spellcasting-advancing melee PrC such as Eldritch Knight as soon as possible) to focus on divination, utility and a little dish of skill-monkeying. A tribal guy that consults with spirits to scry the actual data on his enemies and then charges in with his trusty greataxe screaming bloody murder. Still useful to the party, doesn't step on main spellcaster's toys (unless the later is into divination himself) and plays more like a barbarian rather than a typical gish that plundered barbarian for nice things.

[Coidzor]

I see most of you don't bother to read anything :( there are limits to what I can use at the moment. The limit for where I can draw stuff is only temporary but even if he sticks to SRD stuff I would like to have some ideas ready.

Why on earth would the DM have those limits in place and then make them only temporary? :smallconfused:

If they're only temporary then go barbarian and then pick up Runescarred Berserker or Champion of Gwynharwyf if their sourcebooks will become available. Wham. Barbarian with casting abilities. Done and done.


The Battle Sorcerer was part of my original idea for this so I could cast spells while in my armor. I am rather flexable a bout how to do make this work. I am not a Min/Maxer in any way and I'm not looking for 'Greatest Barbarian/Sorcerer Evar'. I do how ever want something viable that will be fun to play.

In order to make this concept work at all given the constraints of Core/SRD-only (except as an abomination that only serves to die so your party can acquire your former character's loot) you are obligated to learn how to min/max or at least make use of others' min/maxing.


If he lets me I had a weird idea to mix the barbie with the shadowcaster from ToM but that's and if and I can't for the life of me think of a RP reason for me to start taking levels in something that requires study and focus while starting off as a barbarian.

Shadowcasters just don't get enough oomph as I recall, so unless you can talk the DM into using a fix for them, I'd recommend against them.


The Barbie/Bard would be interesting. What would my preform be? preform(grunt)? making it a savage bard would fit with the barbarian side of things as well. However I am not a fan of the illusion flavor of the bard spells not that I will get very far casting wise in any class I pick.

Presumably warrior poetry, rhythmic blood curtling screams, that sort of thing.

Bardbarian could be nice, yeah, though I don't know how much you can really do, as, again, you're stuck in core-SRD-only. If the source list gets expanded within low levels, Bardblade would be better due to having more support, Bard 4/Warblade 16 or Bardsader, Bard 4/Crusader 16.

[Lord Haart]

Why on earth would the DM have those limits in place and then make them only temporary?

As a possibility, the table doesn't use PDFs and currently lacks printed books, but there is an expectation to get more of them in the future.

[Darrin]

Huh. I would have expected somebody to mention the Thogaturge (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195049) by now.

[Coidzor]

Huh. I would have expected somebody to mention the Thogaturge (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195049) by now.

:smallredface: I have to admit, I only skimmed through that thread so I missed the actual build somehow. Should've remembered that. x.x

[Aasimar]

If I wanted to play something like this, I'd probably be thinking very hard about Dragon Disciple.

[Draconisister]

The restriction for character creation are currently unknown to me so I set the limit of SRD only so no matter what the DM picks I will be able to have a character concept and potentially use other books to supplement it.

Some one mentioned the Dragon disciple and that would be intriguing. a Kobold Dragon Totem Barbarian Battle Sorcerer that is going for Dragon Disciple who wholeheartedly believes they are baby dragon. Use burning hands for a breath weapon. Dragon Totem would only make it worth while if I could get the barbie to lvl 5 before going in to Dragon Disciple but I would also need some ranks in knowledge arcana I would need lots of level in sorc because it isn't a class skill for barbies and I can't think of a RP reason to drop the points in to it anyway

Another concept for this character was a barbarian/sorcerer who doesn't actually realize he can cast spells and when he scream/grunts in some way and makes the right hand movements stuff happens

I know my first 2 levels for this thing will be Barbie and Sorc but after that I'm totally lost for level progression

@Coidzor: my group is not made up of min/maxers we do things because the are interesting and fun. Min/Maxing makes the games boring but from time to time we do get some crazy idea that works out way better as intended and when your not trying for epic cool and still get it every thing is so much more satisfying. So the Shadowcaster mix would just be that something cool. think about it a barbarian wrapped in sharp shadows or a TWF barbarian who uses a sword and the Touch of Twilight path, or even work with the DM to work flicker in to a charge attack