Firestorm Berserker Help

[kalos72]

I have a player that wants to create one of these for a new campaign we have been talking about. I have never used them so I have questions... :)

From the Special Requirements I assume then that its something like 8th level barbarian is a base before starting the PRC? Nothing else seems too hard to get...

What about gear for this guy? I assume he is like the "gutbusters" from FR, run into melee and hit stuff? Would he go fists and armor or are weapons still acceptable?

What weapons/armor would YOU use?

[Inevitability]

Are you referring to the Firestorm Berserker class from Dragon 314?

[kalos72]

So sorry, yes. We call the PRC rager but officially you are correct. Thank you for catching it.

[Nifft]

Barbarian 3 / Fighter 2 / Fist of the Forest 3 <-- if you want to go unarmed; also requires Extra Rage feat


The Firestorm Berserker looks like a decent collection of abilities, but there's some poor implementation also. Like, at ECL 8+5 you get fire breath in a 10 ft. cone. That's severely underwhelming.

The prereqs also suck.

Level by level:
1 - Kindling, Rage <-- Rage as an interrupt action: decent; continue getting Rage uses every 4 levels: meh
2 - Inner Flame <-- Resist Cold (class + Con) while raging: this is okay
3 - Fire Immunity <-- It's like Blazing Berserker, except you're not Cold-vulnerable. Immunity is nice.
4 - Heat <-- Deal +1d6 fire damage with natural attacks and metal weapons. This would have been a big deal at ECL 6.
5 - Breathe Fire <-- Deal 3d6 + Con fire damage in a 10 ft. cone: meh
6 - Inner Inferno <-- With one level of Binder for Naberius, this is excellent. You can Rage all day. In combo with Kindling, you can begin your daily Rage by smashing the alarm clock right before it makes a sound. That's truly the best answer to: "What is good in life?"
7 - Sheathe of Flame <-- Attackers without Reach suffer 1d8 + Con fire damage: meh
8 - Ventilating Shout <-- End your Rage to deal 8d6 + Con fire damage to everyone in 15 ft.
9 - Sheathe of Flame 2/day <-- extended meh
10 - Sheathe of Flame 3/day <-- persistent meh



Verdict: FOUR levels, then leave and find something better to do with your XP. For example: Frozen Berserker is really nice in comb with Fire Immunity.

If you're in a high-optimization game and you want to play with all-day Rage, then SIX levels + Binder 1 (or more; Binder can be fun).

[kalos72]

Nice detail, thank you Nifft.

I guess binder 1 is for the Naberius on the CON dmg piece? Couldn't I just go with Use Continuous item - Sheltered Vitality to prevent CON dmg for Inner Inferno?

I am wondering why its a PRC versus a standard class...

[Nifft]

Nice detail, thank you Nifft.

I guess binder 1 is for the Naberius on the CON dmg piece? Couldn't I just go with Use Continuous item - Sheltered Vitality to prevent CON dmg for Inner Inferno?

I am wondering why its a PRC versus a standard class...

Firestorm Berserker says that you "burn" Con points to fuel the rage. If you take 2 Con damage, then you get 2 more rounds of Rage.

If you take 0 points of Con damage thanks to a spell or Soulmeld or whatever, then it's quite valid for your DM to say that you get 0 more rounds of Rage.

Naberius is great because you do suffer the damage, so there's no rules problem, but you regenerate the damage at the exact same rate that you'd suffer it, and you regenerate without limit.

[kalos72]

Ok, DM proofing it. :)

If I can rage all day why the req for 3/rage per day to even start the PRC? I am thinking this isnt PRC material...might either change the reqs or just call it another class.

What about gear? Do you see this class as a run in with dual axes chopping about or spiked armor and fists jumping into the middle of the enemy and let fly?

Also, what was your reasoning with the Frozen Bezerker idea?

[Nifft]

Ok, DM proofing it. :) If that's what you call following the rules, then yes. :)


If I can rage all day why the req for 3/rage per day to even start the PRC? I am thinking this isnt PRC material...might either change the reqs or just call it another class. Why do you need Toughness? There's no real logic behind these prereqs.


Also, what was your reasoning with the Frozen Bezerker idea? If you're immune to Fire damage, then having the [Cold] subtype is pretty great.

[kalos72]

So just being immune to both fire and cold?

The Frostrager seems like another PRC that isn't too strong by itself and maybe can be just added to a barbarian. I like the idea of the firestorm being used in the Underdark and the Frostrager being used in the North. :)

[Nifft]

I got annoyed enough at the shabby Firestorm Berserker than I wrote a replacement PrC: 3.5e Cruel Sun Berserker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?543814-Cruel-Sun-Berserker-(ToB-Barbarian-PrC)-PEACH-WIP).

Not sure if it's viable for your game, but there it is.

[kalos72]

I like the additional of the disciplines, where are they from originally?

I think this class needs a lift... I might look into that.

What races do you see this best suited? M player is thinking azur-blooded dwarf for the obvious tie ins, he is looking for a super gutbuster brigade type of thing. He rages, runs into the middle of a pack of enemies and just starts swinging... :)

Gear, is still a question for me but it really depends on the style of play i guess...

[Nifft]

I like the additional of the disciplines, where are they from originally? Tome of Battle, the Book of Nine Swords.

Same place as Warblade / Swordsage / Crusader came from.


I think this class needs a lift... I might look into that. In terms of the Dragon Magazine Firestorm Berserker, it's fine for a 4-level dip, but you want to find other classes that can justify taking those three horrible feats.

- Fist of the Forest is solid, and requires Great Fortitude.
- Trollblooded is a regional feat from Greyhawk which requires Toughness; gives you Regeneration 1 (yes real Regeneration), only defeated by fire, and oh look you're immune to fire.
- Dragonslayer 1 requires Iron Will and gives you an Aura of Courage, but it also advances spellcasting so get some of that first.
- Suel Arcanamach requires Iron Will + Combat Casting, and gives you spellcasting. Also gives you a reduction in ACF %.
- Spellsword 1 gives you a bigger reduction in ACF %.
- Abjurant Champion requires spellcasting + Combat Casting.

I bet you could put something useful together using those ingredients:

Human (Suel, region: Frost Barbarians; Toughness + Troll Blooded; flaws grant Able Learner + Iron Will)
- Barbarian 5 / Hexblade 1 / Suel Arcanamach 3/ Dragonslayer 1 / Spellsword 1 / Firestorm Berserker 4 / Abjurant Champion 5

You can't cast and Rage at the same time, so the idea is you use spells for non-combat utility and self-buffing, not in combat.



Alternately:

Human ((Suel, region: Frost Barbarians; Toughness + Troll Blooded; flaws grant Great Fortitude + Improved Unarmed Strike)
- Barbarian 4 / Fist of the Forest 3 / Binder 2 / Firestorm Berserker 6 / Knight of the Sacred Seal 5

You bind Naberius and then enter Rage every morning, and your Rage lasts all day. You're immune to HP damage while in a Rage.

[kalos72]

I am thinking a new alternate class all together instead of a multiclass split.

Maybe just beef up a barbarian with the Firestorm abilities and call it Firestorm Barbarian instead, IDK.

I dont think its worth the 8 levels of barbarian just for those abilities...especially considering my group tends to use alot simulacrum.

How to do manage a sim from a character that has 1 level in something anyways?

[Nifft]

I am thinking a new alternate class all together instead of a multiclass split.

Maybe just beef up a barbarian with the Firestorm abilities and call it Firestorm Barbarian instead, IDK. You could do a variant of Bear Warrior which turns you into a [Fire] monster instead of a bear. Just use roughly the same ability boosts and you're good.

Or you could just do Bear Warrior.

One solid build is Barbarian 4 / Fist of the Forest 3 / Bear Warrior 5


I dont think its worth the 8 levels of barbarian just for those abilities...especially considering my group tends to use alot simulacrum.

How to do manage a sim from a character that has 1 level in something anyways?

Level 1: Barbarian 1
Level 2: Fighter 1
Level 3: Rogue 1 <== simulacrum
Level 4: Bard 1 <== you

You are a Barbarian 1 / Fighter 1 / Rogue 1 / Bard 1.

Your simulacrum is a Barbarian 1 / Fighter 1 / Rogue 1 (no Bard).

[kalos72]

I was thinking something like: I replaced some of the barbarian abilities with firestorm and moved Inner Inferno up a few levels.

Barbarian Hit Die: d12
Level Special
1st Rage 1/day; fast movement, illiteracy
2nd Kindling, rage
3rd Inner flame
4th Rage 2/day
5th Fire Immunity
6th Heat
7th Breathe Fire
8th Rage 3/day
9th Damage reduction 1/-
10th Sheath of flame 1/day
11th Greater rage
12th Rage 4/day,Damage reduction 2/-
13th Damage reduction 3/-
14th Inner Inferno
15th Ventilating shout
16th Damage reduction 4/-, Rage 5/day
17th Tireless rage
18th Sheath of flame 2/day
19th Sheath of flame 3/day , Damage reduction 5/-
20th Mighty rage, rage 6/day

Make this a Azur blooded dwarf and you can explain the fire elements easy enough...

But one question with the Binder 1 thought, what happens with abilities that say they end his rage? Technically, my rage would never end with the Binder for Naberius access.

[kalos72]

Would those changes be too strong or just silly?