Barbarian/fighter/crusader build advice with a Viking flavor

[OrkneysFinest]

Hello all! So in a campaign I have coming up I'm doing a Viking flavored character, human as the race. We're starting at level 7 so I went 4 barbarian, 2 fighter and 1 crusader (for feat purposes will be sticking the 1st crusader level at 3) and I'll be taking the crusader class the rest of the way forward. The DM has allowed me to move my craft skill to profession: sailor. My stats are as follows:

Strength 16
Dexterity 14
Constitution 15
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 10
Charisma 14

I have a basic idea of where I want to take my feats. With the way I was structuring the build I was going to take power attack, combat reflexes, extra granted maneuver, and at level 6 was going to take leadership (for role playing purposes my character is a Jarl's son). That leaves me with 2 yet to be determined feats to start with. Was considering improved initiative but everyone in the party will most likely have it so I don't know if it's worth it (my thinking being if everyone has it, no one really has it). I was also looking at the Stone Power feat or perhaps taking him in a bit of a charger direction and build up to shock trooper since I feel like the white Raven maneuvers lend themselves towards charging. As for alternate class features I'm definitely taking pounce and am torn between taking either ferocity or whirling frenzy as my rage variant.

The rest of my party is an earth dwarf fighter, human warlock/rogue, and a darfellan savage bard with possibly a barbarian dip (the DM recommended we try to make builds capable of sailing or swimming, 2 of us listened and 2 did not lol).

So basically what I'm looking for is which rage variant do I take and what other feats should I take? Any and all advice and suggestions with the build will be welcome though. Thanking everyone in advance.

[OrkneysFinest]

Oh and one more thing I forgot to ask, which paths should I take weapon wise? Was considering a few different routes; two handed fighter with either a great sword or greataxe as the weapon (potentially shelling out some starting gold for Axe of the Sea Reavers) or potentially doing the sword and board style fighter with exotic weapon proficiency Bastard sword and taking up a shield. Meanwhile my DM loves (and is very good at homebrewing) legacy weapons, so most likely we'll all be getting those at some point. So is spending extra gold or burning a feat even worth it?

[Maat Mons]

I'd go with Whirling Frenzy. Extra attacks are nice.

Extra Rage is a classic feat for barbarians.

You've set yourself up to get Thicket of blades at 8th level (the earliest it can be acquired without spending a feat). If you use the Lion Spirit Totem variant from Complete Champion, you've got Improved Trip for free. And you already said you wanted to take Combat Reflexes. So if you add in Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), you've got the classic tripper build in the bag. You might consider adding in Jotunbrud.

You've got Power Attack and Pounce. Depending on where those Fighter levels are in your build order, you could already have Shock Trooper. You'd need to take Improved Bull Rush too, obviously. Leap attack will have to wait until 9th level, since you want Leadership. But you seem to be in a pretty strong position here too.

[AnimeTheCat]

Any way you can scooch your dex up 1 point? A style I feel like is classically viking is two weapon fighting using the high sword low axe fighting style feat. Pairs well with pounce. Requires two weapon fighting, weapon focus in a one handed axe and one handed sword, and I think just improved trip (not combat expertise) to take the feat. Whenever you hit an enemy with both your sword and axe, you get to make a free trip attempt, without a touch attack, and you get your free attack after as well.

For some reason, sword and axe screams viking berserker to me.

[OrkneysFinest]

I was looking at Jotunbrud as a possible feat but don't know how practical it would be. A lockdown build normally would be the optimized way to go for a crusader but working with the Viking flavor I don't know if a spiked chain would necessarily fit.

I could switch over the dex to 15, the extra point came from the extra attribute we get at 4th level, the rest from a 34 point buy in. High Sword Low Axe definitely sounds cool and Nordic but it's also a lot of feat investments for essentially a one trick pony through that one trick is s helluva trick. That being said the leadership feat does grant me a cohort, while I was considering making the cohort a scout/ranger-swift hunter type build I might end up making the cohort a high sword low ace build instead now coz that does sound pretty Nordic. It's also work in with some of my team work charge manuevers White Raven gives me.

[AnimeTheCat]

I was looking at Jotunbrud as a possible feat but don't know how practical it would be. A lockdown build normally would be the optimized way to go for a crusader but working with the Viking flavor I don't know if a spiked chain would necessarily fit.

I could switch over the dex to 15, the extra point came from the extra attribute we get at 4th level, the rest from a 34 point buy in. High Sword Low Axe definitely sounds cool and Nordic but it's also a lot of feat investments for essentially a one trick pony through that one trick is s helluva trick. That being said the leadership feat does grant me a cohort, while I was considering making the cohort a scout/ranger-swift hunter type build I might end up making the cohort a high sword low ace build instead now coz that does sound pretty Nordic. It's also work in with some of my team work charge manuevers White Raven gives me.

It's a 4 feat investment, half of which you get by way of fighter, and another one you can get by going barbarian 2/ranger 2/Fighter 2/Crusader 1. It may even be worthwhile to go Ranger 2 first to capitalize on the higher number of skill points.

Ranger 1&2 gets you skills, and Two Weapon Fighting (which means you could make it without getting 15 dex).
Barbarian 1&2 gets you Pounce by way of the Spirit Lion Totme variant and Improved trip at level 2 by way of the Wolf totem. (Some DM's may not let the two different totems fly, if your DM doesn't let them fly drop the Spirit Lion one).
Fighter 1&2 gets you 2 feats, weapon focuses.

With that setup, you still have your human, 1, 3, and 6th level feats (although I think level 6 feat goes to high Sword Low Axe).

All that is IF you want that. That's how I would personally do it, and I don't think it muddies the water. You may consider also taking the Rage variant from Unearthed Arcana that gives you an extra attack and an AC boost instead of an AC penalty, and a reflex save bonus instead of a Will save bonus, and just a strength bonus (no con bonus). Either option is pretty nice, but the Whirling Frenzy variant would let you charge and use both weapons even without pounce, which would net 3 attacks on a charge.

[Rebel7284]

Most fighters benefit from taking Hit and Run Fighter variant from Drow of the Underdark. It's described as a style typically practiced by Drow, but raiding and then retreating with the loot sounds like a great match for it as well.

You lose your medium and heavy armor proficiency and instead gain +2 Initiative and Dex to Damage against flat footed opponents. So basically all upside.

[denthor]

Ruedalf the red.

Is standing at his window he says "there is rain coming."

His wife asked "How do you know"

"Ruedalf the red knows rain, dear."

Jokes are always good for flavor.