Crit Fishing Gestalt Fighter Barbarian

[Escribblings]

So I've settled on a tried and tested pairing for the Gestalt game I'm joining (these are the rules being used - https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/HJbEWuLjW)

I'm planning on half orc for obvious reasons, and taking the champion archetype.

But on the barbarian side I'm undecided. Thinking beserker.

But would I be better off going bear or zealot?

If so, why?

Also, although it doesn't apply to me, is anyone else underwhelmed by the battle rager? Ultimately lower AC to gain a 1d4+STR bonus attack

[Keravath]

High level sorcerer/warlock would shine with those rules though it isn't clear whether you would get both pact magic and spellcasting. However, the mystic arcanum would give extra 6th to 9th level spells and the invocations would give lots of at will spell abilities.

To the OP, the revised rules don't seem to do anything about the berzerker barbarian frenzy exhaustion issues when using their class feature. Other than that, zealot probably does more damage and bear is probably one of the most tanky characters in the game since they resist all damage but psychic when raging.

[Escribblings]

...
To the OP, the revised rules don't seem to do anything about the berzerker barbarian frenzy exhaustion issues when using their class feature.

Yeah, I treat Frenzy as a once per long rest, out an oh **** twice per long rest at best.

...Other than that, zealot probably does more damage and bear is probably one of the most tanky characters in the game since they resist all damage but psychic when raging.
How does zealot do more damage, what an I misreading?

[Danielqueue1]

Yeah, I treat Frenzy as a once per long rest, out an oh **** twice per long rest at best.

How does zealot do more damage, what an I misreading?

Zealot gets a 1/round damage boost while raging that increases with level, zerker probably shouldn't use frenzy every rage if you want to live. Over the course of a day zealot has a pretty reliable damage boost and the scaling makes it attractive at higher levels.

[Escribblings]

Zealot gets a 1/round damage boost while raging that increases with level, zerker probably shouldn't use frenzy every rage if you want to live. Over the course of a day zealot has a pretty reliable damage boost and the scaling makes it attractive at higher levels.

Thanks. I've just re read it, I'd misread it as the first hit in a battle, not a turn - doh!

And at 1d6+½lvl EVERY turn Vs 1d12+STR+Rage every turn for 1 battle. Yes, I can see that.

[Samayu]

You need Champion at 3rd level for the 19/20 crit. You also need Great Weapon Master feat for the bonus attack on crit or kill. With that bonus attack, a bonus attack from Frenzy will be less effective. I played with this guy. He'd get the GWM bonus attack about every other round.

Personally I'd go for Bear for the staying power, but I've played a Zealot, and it was fun.

[GlenSmash!]

Any Barbarian sublcass will work, as what you need for the combo is 19/20 crit, plus reckless attack for further chances at criting.

Battlerager has always underwhelmed me, but it does a one fun thing. It gets THP every turn while raging and recklessly attacking. That can be really useful if you are recklessly attacking any turn anyway.

Still I prefer the reliable damage of the Zealot. And if you get to 14+ you get to ignore hp anyway.

[El_Jairo]

I agree with most said above.

Yet I miss the most important part for your build: what role are you going to play in your party? And what level are you aiming to play at.

Bear is pretty good for damage spunge type of tank. Yet you will need something like Sentinel to keep the big baddies from running away from you.

Zealot and Berserker are good at improving damage output, though the price for a Frenzy is nothing to ignore, they do get an incredible capstone.

Ancestral Guardian makes more of a aggro pulling tank type. With the level 3 feature you can draw the attention of one foe and at level 6 you can start blocking incoming damage to allies, for the cost of a reaction.

Battlerager and Storm Caller have not really impressed me that much, so I don't remember why you should pick them.
The most sad part about Storm Caller is that your are stuck to a certain theme, I would like it more that you could change per long rest or something like that.

[Mith]

Another part of Bear is that the all round resistance, combined with the Chapion's Regeneration if you make it that far, is that little bit more obnoxious.

[Escribblings]

I just want to hit things...

I'm waiting for a response from the GM, but feats may NOT be allowed.

As for the party, so far all I know it's there is one other frontline (fighter/unknown) so far, of 5 or 6 players

We're starting at level 1

[Rerem115]

First off, that's a massive party; it's on the large end of things normally, but if everyone is gestalt, that's a high overall power level. Secondly, the "No Feats" bit is a kick in the teeth to martials, but I guess that means more ASIs for you. Luckily, you're playing a character that benefits a lot from having high stats; high Dex, Str, and Con will give you great damage and surviability.

With that in mind, I'd go for Totem (Bear into Tiger into your choice). Fighter/Barbarian does wonders for your damage (seriously, massive Str+Rage damage on 4 attacks? mmmmm....), but not much for your defense. Since you said you're going for a crit build, that probably means Greataxe+GWFS, which means you'll hit like a truck, but with the ruleset you're using, you'll actually be less tanky than the average barbarian, thanks to hit dice shenanigans. So, I'd go Bear so you can keep standing and swinging. To top it all off, with 9! 7! skills and high overall stats, you'll be quite versatile, especially for a beefy meatcake.

On a slightly more meta level, you have a massive party; damage shouldn't be an issue. Go for totem so you can be an unstoppable force instead, and also so you can tailor your build as you progress and the situation changes.

[Escribblings]

I don't know where you get 9 skills from.

If you read the rules linked, I get 2 skills from the combined lists.

With 2 from my background and the bonus from my race that's 5

[Rerem115]

Oh, okay. I misread the document; I thought it said two from each list. Still, 7 skills is no mean feat.

Here's the breakdown:

2 from class
2 from background
1 from race
2 from Totem 6 (Tiger)