Advice/Suggestions to improve upon a CaGM Barbarian

[lynxd80]

Greetings, everyone!

Playing a barbarian for the first time (name's Corinthian) and I decided it might be fun to play a "CaGM" build with him. Just recently got to level 7 and, in looking at the plan, I can't help but, wonder how solid the build is thus far and how it looks for the future? Thus, I come to my "Pathfinder Sempai's" to get your opinions and see what you think would be best for this build (from feats and Rage powers to equipment. The following list documents what I have now, followed by what I want to work till.Tell me what you all think:

Corinthian’s CaGM build at Level 7 Vers 2.0**

Human Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager Archtype)

-Racial trait-
Heart of the Field

-Additional Traits-:
Optimistic Gambler
Second Chance

-Archtype Abilities -
Scaling DR/-
Endure Elements (Option: Cold)

-Current Scores @ Level 7 -
Str: 19
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 8
Wis: 12
Cha: 0

-Curent Feats-
HBF: Raging Vitality
1st - Power Attack
3rd - Improved Sunder
5th - Combat Reflexes
7th - Critical Focus

-Current Rage Powers-
2nd – Superstitious
4th – Strength Surge
6th – Witch Hunter

-Feat/Rage Power Progression (*= Rage Power)-
8th – Beast Totem lesser*
9th – Extra Rage Power – Beast Totem
10th – Greater Beast Totem*
11th – Dazing Assault
12th – Come and Get Me*
13th – Extra Rage Power – Reckless Abandon
14th – Eater Of Magic *
15th – Raging Brutality
16th – Unexpected Strike*
17th – Extra Rage Power - Sunder Enchantment
18th – Surprise Accuracy*
19th – Horn of the Criosphinx
20th – Smasher*

-Currently Weapon(s)-
+1 Keen Falchion
+1 Masterwork Spear
Stone Great Axe (Momento of Father)
Bardiche

-Current Armor-
Mithral Breastplate (Agile)

-Current Magical items-
Boots of Long striding (Custom item: Grants +10 feet Movement)
Quick Runner's Shirt

**Note: Version will change as adjustments are made to items within this build. Will continue adjusting as I receive suggestions I like. Build will be finalized once I am satisfied or I receive no further suggestions.


Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated! Thank you all and have an awesome one!

~Lynx D.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Take Dazing Assault sooner. Level 13 is good.

CaGM goes together perfectly w/ DA. Sure, you lose damage output because they stop attacking you and provoking AoOs once dazed, but it shuts the foes down so well it's worth it, IMO. Ask the DM if CaGM could trigger off of the In Harm's Way feat (I recall that being a contentious issue). If it does, take that and suddenly you're the best tank in the game for allies who are next to you. :smallwink:

[lynxd80]

Take Dazing Assault sooner. Level 13 is good.

CaGM goes together perfectly w/ DA. Sure, you lose damage output because they stop attacking you and provoking AoOs once dazed, but it shuts the foes down so well it's worth it, IMO. Ask the DM if CaGM could trigger off of the In Harm's Way feat (I recall that being a contentious issue). If it does, take that and suddenly you're the best tank in the game for allies who are next to you. :smallwink:

"In Harm's way" would be pretty sweet! However, the rest of my party consist of an de-buffer Witch, Two-weapon Gunslinger, and 4 armed Monk/archer XD... Basically, I'm the only Melee Fighter. However, I'll definitely finagle my feats around to bring in Dazing Assault earlier. Given my predicament, do you think it might be worth it to change out some feats for the "Stalwart" and "Improved Stalwart" feats? As a Invulnerable Rager, I gain a scaling DR/- every 2 levels that doubles against non-lethal damage. if I took the Stalwart feats, I could end up with DR 20 by Level 20. Or, should I forgo this route and just increase AC?

~Lynx D.

[lynxd80]

Hmm... Must have made this build better then I thought xD. Seriously, though, If anyone has any more advice, I'd be grateful to hear it. I really would like to be effective within the party and NOT get one shot-ed because I'm the only Melee. Equipment/Items suggestions are, also, welcomed!

~Lynx D.

[Florian]

Truth be told, I´m not really a fan of the Beast Totem chain on a CaGM Barbarian, as those concepts, Ubercharging and incentive tanking are a bit of mutually exclusive. In this case, I´d ditch the Beast Totem chain (and Extra Rage Power feats) for Strike Back and rather cram Fearless Rage and Raging Vitality into the build.

You can really work on those items, though, as that is far from a good or even perfect loadout.
What you want is a Torc of Lionhearted Fury along with the aforementioned Fearless Rage power, as a lot of higher level monsters have fear auras and that will keep you immune and fuels your rage.
Further, you want to use a Headband of Havoc, Helm of Fearsome Mien/Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier and Do-Maro of Broken Flesh to further upgrade your rage and also prevent yourself from dying from dropping out of said rage.

As main weapon, you might want to switch to a Furious/Courageous Nodachi and leave keen and sundering for later, once you have bypassed the +4 enhancement mark. Upgrading your static rage boni is more important than landing hard crits.

Further, you might want to work on anything that gives you size increases and shifts your defensive options to percentile chances, meaning potions of Mirror Image, Pauldron of the Juggernaut and a Cloak of Displacement.

Edit and short explanation: The Headband of Havoc allows you to fire up rage as an Immediate action/reaction to something. The combination of Fearless Rage and Torc of Lionhearted Fury gives you extra rage rounds whenever you are subjected to a fear effect. A "Furious" weapon counts as +2 higher when raging, a "Courageous" weapon upgrades the rage bonus by half the weapons pure enhancement bonus.

[lynxd80]

Truth be told, I´m not really a fan of the Beast Totem chain on a CaGM Barbarian, as those concepts, Ubercharging and incentive tanking are a bit of mutually exclusive. In this case, I´d ditch the Beast Totem chain (and Extra Rage Power feats) for Strike Back and rather cram Fearless Rage and Raging Vitality into the build.

You can really work on those items, though, as that is far from a good or even perfect loadout.
What you want is a Torc of Lionhearted Fury along with the aforementioned Fearless Rage power, as a lot of higher level monsters have fear auras and that will keep you immune and fuels your rage.
Further, you want to use a Headband of Havoc, Helm of Fearsome Mien/Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier and Do-Maro of Broken Flesh to further upgrade your rage and also prevent yourself from dying from dropping out of said rage.

As main weapon, you might want to switch to a Furious/Courageous Nodachi and leave keen and sundering for later, once you have bypassed the +4 enhancement mark. Upgrading your static rage boni is more important than landing hard crits.

Further, you might want to work on anything that gives you size increases and shifts your defensive options to percentile chances, meaning potions of Mirror Image, Pauldron of the Juggernaut and a Cloak of Displacement.

Edit and short explanation: The Headband of Havoc allows you to fire up rage as an Immediate action/reaction to something. The combination of Fearless Rage and Torc of Lionhearted Fury gives you extra rage rounds whenever you are subjected to a fear effect. A "Furious" weapon counts as +2 higher when raging, a "Courageous" weapon upgrades the rage bonus by half the weapons pure enhancement bonus.

Thanks, Florian! I've always gotten good advice from you, before. I'll definitely take what you've said and see if I can't apply a bit of it. Appreciate the Gear suggestions, too!

[lynxd80]

Alright... Taking some of Florian's suggestions into account, this is what the new Model looks like:
Corinthian’s CaGM build at Level 7

Human Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager Archtype)

-Racial trait-
Heart of the Field

-Additional Traits-:
Optimistic Gambler
Second Chance


-Current Scores @ Level 7 -
Str: 19
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 8
Wis: 12
Cha: 0

-Current Feats-
HBF: Raging Vitality
1st - Power Attack
3rd - Diehard (Retrained from Improved Sunder)
5th - Combat Reflexes
7th - Stalwart

-Current Rage Powers-
2nd – Superstitious
4th – Strength Surge
6th – Witch Hunter

-Feat/Rage Power Progression (*= Rage Power)-
8th – Reckless Abandon*
9th – Stalwart, Improved
10th – Eater Of Magic *
11th –Dazing Assault
12th – Come and Get Me*
13th – Strike back
14th –Fearless Rage*
15th – Raging Brutality
16th – Unexpected Strike*
17th – Horn of the Criosphinx
18th – Surprise Accuracy*
19th – Improved Sunder
20th – Savage intuition*


Weapons/armor/items & gear will all be the same for a bit till I get more gold to purchase better equipment. But, using a quick runner's shirt seems to be an excellent means to obtain "Pounce" without having to get weak Rage powers. I'll just go grab 2-4 more shirts and swap between battles. How does everyone feel about this layout? Stronger? Weaker?

~Lynx D.