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View Full Version : Making the most of a level 3 Barbarian (or multiclass)



Snowy-
2017-11-22, 05:48 PM
Enable me please! I'm playing in a game for the first time in ages, starting with level 3 characters. We had a character ideas session in the pub last week and came up with the following :

A new player (who rolled great stats)playing an Elven Ranger with a bow
A human cleric of wee has who's planning on using inflict wounds in melee as her main attack,
A warlock and a wizard.

I'm meant to be making a front line fighter type. I said barbarian in the pub though was thinking of making a bare knuckle fighter heading towards bear warrior.

On the grounds that I doubt we'll make high enough level for me to take more than the first level of bear warrior I want to squeeze as much fun into the character as I can. So I'm looking for suggestions for maxing out low to bottom of mid level play.

Not necessarily overwhelming force, we're all friends and the game isn't likely to be too extreme but if I can squeeze in some options other than just power attack with a two hander that would be great (though I'm happy having that as my default action).

I'm thinking of things like mage slayer, deflect arrows, grappling. The things that are effective in their niche but usually get buried for better options.

Stats are good at 16, 14, 14, 13, 13, 11. I can swap a couple of points around on a 1 for 1 basis if I want. All books are fair game apart from very setting specific stuff and I'm trying to avoid Bo9S as it's not one anyone else in the group knows about.

Snowy-
2017-11-22, 05:51 PM
I've literally considered everything from an angry halfling ankle biter Scout/Barbarian to a two handed goliath with the racial substitution levels and reckless rage.

Hellpyre
2017-11-22, 06:16 PM
I'd say take Spirit Lion totem at first and Wolf totem for second if you can swing it. Pounce is obviously nice as soon as full attacks matter, and skipping the pre-reqs makes Improved Trip really attractive. Then Fighter for 3rd for a bonus feat, probably.

gorfnab
2017-11-22, 10:46 PM
For a unarmed Barbarian I recommend the following set up for the first two levels.

1. Barbarian - Spirit Totem: Lion ACF (CC), Whirling Frenzy ACF (UA) or Ferocity (Citys), City Brawler ACF (Drg#349) , Skilled City Dweller (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) (trade Ride for Tumble)
2. Barbarian - Wolf Totem ACF (UA)

So you get 2 unarmed strikes per round (3 with whirling frenzy), full attack on charge (pounce), the ability to trip, full BAB, D12 HD, light armor, and Tumble as a class skill.
If you choose Ferocity instead of Whirling Frenzy you loose out on the extra attack but instead gain a boost to Dex.

For feats you could look into the prereqs for Fist of the Forest (CC) prestige class, Great Fortitude and Power Attack, since it's almost a natural lead in to Bear Warrior. Barbarian with the above set up 4/ Fist of the Forest 3/ Bear Warrior 10/ Warshaper (CW) 3

Snowy-
2017-11-23, 12:40 PM
Thanks both. Good stuff for me to work from.

Snowy-
2017-11-24, 05:42 AM
So he current build I'm considering is :

The first two levels of Barbarian Bear Totem with the City Brawler ACF getting :
Rage (possibly whirling frenzy instead)
Improved Unarmed Strike
TWF(unarmed)
Toughness
Improved Grapple

Then a level of Arcane Hunter Ranger getting:
Favoured Enemy Arcanists
Track

I think this sets me up for Fist of the Forest and then Bear Warrior if the game goes that far.

Feats would be:
Power Attack - definitely
Then I need to choose (if I'm going human) two of these:
- Mage Slayer @3 (was considering fighter at 3rd to get MS + Pierce Magical Protection, or with more messing about taking the Barbarian ACF for Blind Fight and Pierce Magical Concealment)
- Superior Unarmed Strike @3
- Combat Expertise + Improved Disarm
- Deflect Arrows

What do you reckon? The FE Arcanists is nice but as there's another ranger in the party I won't get much use out of Track so any better suggestions for my third level - Fighter for the extra Feat and medium armour proficiency also sounds good.

gorfnab
2017-11-25, 07:33 PM
So he current build I'm considering is :
Then a level of Arcane Hunter Ranger getting:
Favoured Enemy Arcanists

The Nemesis (BoED) feat combos nicely with Favored Enemy Arcanists.



Track

You can look into the Trap Expert (DS) ACF to trade it out for Trapfinding.



- Superior Unarmed Strike @3

The Beast Strike (Dragon #355) feat combos with Superior Unarmed Strike and Bear Warrior's Bear Form natural attacks.

ATHATH
2017-11-25, 08:40 PM
Might I recommend the Mastery of Day and Night feat for your Inflict spell-focused Cleric? It lets you maximize all of your Inflict and Cure spells at no cost and doesn't have a uses/day limitation.

For an Inflict-focused build, I'd normally go for a Warlock that dips into the Nosomatic Chirurgeon PrC so that I could perform my schtick at-will, but since you already have a Warlock in the party, using a Cleric as your base class should be fine. By "your", I mean "the player who wants to play an Inflict spell-focused character", of course.