HELP: Dwarven BattleRager Type

[kalos72]

Im looking for a class/PRC that fits the Dwarven Battlerager style, I have never been impressed by the Races of Faerun Battlerager PRC to be honest.

I am good with any source.

I am looking to make up a PC "guard unit" and love the GutBuster Brigade concept but the PRC seem really poorly done to me. Is Barbarian really my best base?

Also, feats, gear, magic item suggestions are welcome. As well as support class suggestions. I was going to go with a dwarven phalanx type group and had a marshall, 2 DFI bards and 2 Dragon Shaman as support classes for example.

[Grod_The_Giant]

What sort of things are you looking for that normal Barbarian-type builds don't have? Maybe a dip in Dungeoncrasher Fighter?

[kalos72]

Well, is it me or does the entire build run off rage? Outside of rage, what do they have? Might be not fully appreciating the barbarian perhaps?

I guess I was hoping for something more interesting then just enrage and charge in...

I will look for a barbarian handbook or something maybe?

[DarkSoul]

Battleragers have always been berserkers, even going back to 2e's Complete Book of Dwarves where they first appeared. What do you envision the "battlerager style" to be that doesn't involve flipping out and killing everything? If it's the bladed armor and helmet spike that's a pretty isolated case, but if that's the style you're looking for you can do that with pretty much any martial class capable of wearing heavy armor. Maybe start with Reaping Mauler from Complete Warrior?

[Zaq]

If you're worried about not having enough Rages to get through the working day (which is an entirely reasonable concern at low levels), the feat Extra Rage (which I believe is in Complete Warrior, though I don't have my book open to check) goes a very long way towards making your Barbarian feel like a Barbarian all day long (or at least far longer than they could otherwise).

My point is that I agree that Barbarian is probably the best base to build off of, unless there's some specific mechanical concern that Barbarian doesn't address.

Looking back from later editions rather than forward from earlier ones, some iterations of the "battlerager" are relatively tanky and brimming with temporary HP; if that's important to you, you can't get much better than a Crusader. Stone Power is optional. (Both Crusader and Stone Power are in Tome of Battle; if you want more info about them, just ask, and it shall be provided.)

[kalos72]

Well, I guess maybe I am not seeing the strengths of the rage mechanic maybe? Tricks or special feat combinations that add something to simply raging?

Weapons or magic items that help?

Any suggestions on a good barbarian guide if I am focusing on rage?

[ATHATH]

Here, have a handbook: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?105525-3-5e-Being-Bane-Eldariel-s-Guide-to-Barbarians

Would the Berserker Strength ACF from the PHB II work for you?

[Grod_The_Giant]

Well, I guess maybe I am not seeing the strengths of the rage mechanic maybe? Tricks or special feat combinations that add something to simply raging?

Weapons or magic items that help?

Any suggestions on a good barbarian guide if I am focusing on rage?
I believe this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?105525-3-5e-Being-Bane-Eldariel-s-Guide-to-Barbarians) is the main Barbarian handbook.

Pure vanilla rage grants +4 Strength. With a two-handed weapon, that's +2 attack, +3 damage... but if you burn the attack bonus on Power Attack, it's +7 damage, per hit. (~+2d6, if that's more fun for you). You're also getting an effective +2 Fort and Will, shoring up your important saves.

So that's pretty nice right there. But this is 3.5, we don't have to stick to vanilla rage. Whirling Frenzy is an ACF right there on the SRD, which retains the Strength boost and trades the Con and Will boosts for AC and Reflex... and gives you an extra attack that round, Rapid Shot-style. Now you're making as many attacks with your greataxe as the Ranger is with their shortswords. And don't forget, Barbarians get Pounce (via the Spirit Lion Totem ACF), so you're making those attacks every turn.

Then there are feats. Intimidating Rage gives you a free-action demoralize attempt when you rage, which can be turned into an AoE lockdown with a little more work. Mad Foam Rager lets you say "not yet" when you get hit with... anything, shrugging it off for another round. Ettercap Berserker increases the Con boost... or as near as I can tell, gives it back with a bonus if you took Whirling Frenzy. Ice Troll Berseker gives you NA. And so on.

So... yeah. Whirling Frenzy + Ettercap Berserker = +4 Str, +6 Con, +2 AC, and an extra attack. Lasting 6+Con rounds, or an entire battle. With Extra Rage, you're talking three battles worth of rage from level 1. Happy yet?

[ATHATH]

You might want to dip into Deepwarden for two levels so that you can get CON to AC.

[ATHATH]

How to Rage forever:
1. Take 6 levels in the Firestorm Berserker PrC (http://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/classes/prestige/general/firestorm.shtml).
2. Be immune to CON damage.
3. Activate your Inner Inferno ability and voluntarily fail all of your Fortitude saves against it.
4. ???
5. Profit!

[kalos72]

Thanks Grod, good stuff there indeed. I dont think I really understood Rage and its options. These help!

That Firestorm Berserkers is right in line with my campaign actually...NICE! Anyone have a full work up on that PRC by chance? I guess a simple Continuous Item with Sheltered Vitality to cover the CON damage immunity?

Thanks all for the feedback!

[kalos72]

Also I guess, what are we looking at gear wise?

Armor/Weapons/Magic Items type thoughts...

I like two one handers normally, medium armor I assume, buckler?

[kalos72]

How do you guys equip your barbarians?

[Florian]

How do you guys equip your barbarians?

Sorry, I´m mainly a PF player, so I can´t help you on specifics. (My PF barbarian is mounted, uses spirited charge, lance and shield)

Forget modeling it after the Battleragers from the novels. That simply won´t work, especially on the equipment.
You want the +STR and +CON items, as well as a cloak of resistance. The MiC has the Belt of Battle and some items that help you self-heal or give you temp hp. You´ll need those for not dying after rage ends.
Armor will nearly always be an adamantine breastplate, weapon should put your STR in rage to use, so 2H high crit weapon, also adamantine to smash stuff during rage, are preferable.

[kalos72]

Yeah, this is a high level campaign so I was thinking along these lines:

Adamantine Dwarven Battle Plate+? of Heavy Fortification/Mirror Image with Armor Spikes - Races of Stone
Adamantine Tower Shield of Greater Anchoring/Axeblock with Shield Sheath of Infinite Throwing Axes+1, Shield Spike and Wand Chamber - I dont think Rager style would use a shield though?
Holy/Magebane Dwarven Waraxe+? of Sudden Stunning

Misc. Magic Items: Handy Haversack (DMG). 2000GP, Belt of Battle (MIC pg 72) 12000GP, Blast Globes (SpC pg 152) 4000gp, Helm of Battle (MIC pg 111) 1000gp, Gloves of Lightning (MIC pg106 2000gp),Counterstrike Bracers (MIC pg 90 2500gp), CLoak of Battle (MIC pg 87 22000gp)Boots of Swift Passage (MIC pg 78). 5,000GP

[Waker]

If you decide to go the Firestorm Berserker route, your DM may try to be a stickler and claim you can't get the effects of Inner Inferno without taking con damage (a similar situation for the Hellfire Warlock). If they follow that interpretation, you should probably see about getting Naberius from Tome of Magic. Talk to your DM.

[kalos72]

Two comments:

1. I was just going to use a Continuous item of Sheltered Vitality to prevent CON dmg for Inner Inferno

2. Can Sims or Improve Ice Assassins suffer CON damage? Does it work the same way as a character?

[kalos72]

Binder is pretty cool actually, too bad it doesnt really fit in with the Beserker directly bu a 1 lv dip gets pretty cool.

Any other thoughts on gear?

[kalos72]

Can anyone help me with gear selection for the berserker type?