finally i got my barblock

[adb82]

Some days ago i create and played my first session with my barblock lv 3. I can say for now its fun even in one of the worst lv possible for this class.

actually im 1lv barb/2lv warlock
i got patron fiend and soon pact of blade with these rolled stats that fits really well for how MAD it is:

16 STR
14 DEX
16 CON
11 INT
12 WIS
16 CHA

My plan is to get lv 5 warlock for second attack, than i have 4 choices:

1) dip 2 lv barb for bear totem and protection from everything while raging
2) dip 2 lv barb for berseker and 3 attacks while raging
3) continue x warlock and simply get earlier lifedrinker and spells like fire shield
4) go 1 or 2 lv rogue and get sneak attack and cunny action.

if i dip 2 lv whatever i lost an asi of course

assuming at lv 5 ill get +2 str which way is better to follow? i would like to put GWM soon as it can be usefull maybe as my second asi.

PS i dont think we gonna get very hights lv, not over 13/14 i suppose.

[tKUUNK]

Personally I like the flavor of the berserker path in this case, if you take barb to lv3.

because a warlock would trade their soul for more power. a berserker depletes their own body to fight harder. Similar vibe.

But this is your character. Are you going for a certain flavor? Do you have a certain combat role in mind? or a bit of both? that might help you decide.

[adb82]

Well he is a drow, so i got the LV of barb for boost AofA as drow are kinda masochistic people and bcs being a male drow for sure he learn how get few damage from attacks. That said all the paths there are viable for his bg: he is a noble from a house that was destroyed from a less powerful family with the help of his family's rivals, he had to run away from underdark for don't be killed or assigned to work as a beast (humans and other races). He make a pact with a fied patron for get powers and ravange backing to underdark in the future. At same time he got fashinated from the way people treat male persons outside underdark. He like to play dice and he drink a lot and like to spend money (I roll this from charlatan bg but fits kinda well). He is still CE as allignament and still belongs to lolth, he just like the way males are treated outside underdark. He is in a group with a NE human monk, a CG ranger dwarf and a LG human priest of life (I'll get lots of fun here lol). That said, bear totem boost AofA that fits well the bg, the frenzy also fits nice as it help me to kill things and the boost of THP for killing also is nice for bg while combat. Be a bit roguish it's ok for a drow, as just continuing X warlock it's not a problem. The point is that resistence to everything even it's nice don't boost my damage always (it can be useless if they use just normal weapons, and I delay lifedrinker so I need that boost I suppose), while frenzy does (just when if i hit of course) Rogue also have a small boost to damage and maybe cunny action, but it can require even just 1 dip so i delay lifedrinker one LV less. Go X warlock make me get lifedrinker and fire Shield Without feel the delay so much. I would like to know which one can be more strong as the barblock it's already not the best multiclass option and I don't want get useless later.

Ps in combat I want use AofA and fire shield, or shot a fireball while I have AofA and go malee (other tactics hints are welcome). While I can't rage I can use hex for boost my damage, and while there is sunlight I'll go darkness + devil sight (from 5 LV I have also a free use of it as a drow) and i can use rackless defense if i get barb dip, sometimes if i wanna be hitted more often while raging can be good.

Actually i think my best option is go bear totem or berserker for sinergy after lv 6, but I'm not that sure which is better, also bcs I know that 1 barb/X warlock for sure it's not a mistake.

[adb82]

Reading it better, seem frenzy stacks with GWM not so well, as both use bonus action (even for GWM the nice thing is the damage boost much more than the second attack, that anyway fits not bad with my needing of killing things). So my point actually is if i don't have that ASI at LV 9 for GWM go berserker for get the bonus action use, some boost damage and eventually get GWM at LV 13 if we get till there (with STR 18, the pact blade +1 hit and advantage from rackless defence or darkness should work). Other option is get barb to 4 for GWM and bear totem (but this still slow AofA that is the reason for get more damage reductions), maybe not getting too hight lvs this looks the more juicy option, but for a build till LV 20 also here is probably better get no more than 3 LV barb.

[RSP]

Keep in mind, AoA and Rage is the best synergy you have here, as AoA can be precast with its 1 hour duration, and can be used with Rage. I’d advocate to get to Warlock 9 ASAP to maximize that synergy as I think that’ll trump getting Bear Totem earlier.

I’m not a fan of GWM if going Berserker, as it’s BA Attack overlaps with the Frenzy feature, though this isn’t an issue if going Bear.

Even when not Raging, the tHPs from Fiend will help with survivability (another reason to up Warlock levels over dipping more - more tHP on each kill). This build works best if your DM prefers mobs to lone BBEGs, which, if they do, makes GWM better too.

[adb82]

Keep in mind, AoA and Rage is the best synergy you have here, as AoA can be precast with its 1 hour duration, and can be used with Rage. I’d advocate to get to Warlock 9 ASAP to maximize that synergy as I think that’ll trump getting Bear Totem earlier.

I’m not a fan of GWM if going Berserker, as it’s BA Attack overlaps with the Frenzy feature, though this isn’t an issue if going Bear.

Even when not Raging, the tHPs from Fiend will help with survivability (another reason to up Warlock levels over dipping more - more tHP on each kill). This build works best if your DM prefers mobs to lone BBEGs, which, if they do, makes GWM better too.

Well our campaign is an open world based on the anime "the 7 deadly sins" (indeed my fiend patron is one of the 10 commandments), actually our DM said to the ranger player (for let he choose his favourite enemy) that we ll find orcs and fiends kinda often (for now we just fight orcs) so i suppose we ll meet more often hordes (or small onces) than BBEG's, while anyway she ll not quit the idea of some big ass Demon bosses in certain situations, where I'm sure she ll put and very bad guys.

I see your point and for me looks a good point also bcs i want the best use of AofA and while it looks good the bear totem for maximize its use, I must agree that it's better get 9lv warlock first. This give me also ASI's at LV 5 and LV 9 making possible to get GWM (i suppose 18 str it's enought with the pact magic and in practice a +5 from advantage too hit, that bring me to 10 - 5 for GWM it's a respectable +5) that bring me to choose the bear totem later instead than the berserker, as at LV 12 I'm still in time for make that reduction from everything very usefull and not too much delayed, bcs in earlier LVs not everyone use magic weapons, and if i think to don't need it i can still get wolf totem (but unlucky no rogue in our group).

[Nagog]

I would go bear totem for the defenses against everything. DR combines very well with AoA, however if it's so easily bypassed at higher levels it won't be worth as much. That, and with the 6th level Bear Totem you can literally just lift your enemies above your head and carry them. Or carry your team. Bonus points if you're a Firbolg, Goliath, or Bugbear. Max Str bear totem is 600 lbs carrying capacity (double what Levitation can carry), with one of these races that's 1200 lbs. Over 1 ton. Combine that with your spells (I'd look at nabbing Acentant Step at 9th level Warlock, or having another party member cast Fly on you), at which point you can literally pick up the baddies and fly into the air and drop them. If fly is unavailable, try to get someone with Enlarge/Reduce. At that point, your carrying capacity becomes 2400 lbs., effectively allowing you lift anything.

So... Do you even lift bro?


Well our campaign is an open world based on the anime "the 7 deadly sins" (indeed my fiend patron is one of the 10 commandments), actually our DM said to the ranger player (for let he choose his favourite enemy) that we ll find orcs and fiends kinda often (for now we just fight orcs) so i suppose we ll meet more often hordes (or small onces) than BBEG's, while anyway she ll not quit the idea of some big ass Demon bosses in certain situations, where I'm sure she ll put and very bad guys.

I see your point and for me looks a good point also bcs i want the best use of AofA and while it looks good the bear totem for maximize its use, I must agree that it's better get 9lv warlock first. This give me also ASI's at LV 5 and LV 9 making possible to get GWM (i suppose 18 str it's enought with the pact magic and in practice a +5 from advantage too hit) that bring me to choose the bear totem later instead than the berserker, as at LV 10 I'm still in time for make that reduction from everything very usefull and not too much delayed, bcs in earlier LVs not everyone use magic weapons.

My gosh I love that anime. XD (But I do have qualms with the lack of characterization for Emilia early on, but that's beside the point). Also, I assume you're Pact of the Blade? With maxed out Str and an adjustable shadow weapon to the situation (tons of fun utility there), I'd make sure your DM doesn't disallow you from summoning your weapon while raging, as while it isn't a spell, I've seen some DMs disallow activating any sort of magical ability while raging.
Also as note, temp HP does not stack, so AoA and Fiend Patron's Temp HP can't both be active at the same time.

[adb82]

I would go bear totem for the defenses against everything. DR combines very well with AoA, however if it's so easily bypassed at higher levels it won't be worth as much. That, and with the 6th level Bear Totem you can literally just lift your enemies above your head and carry them. Or carry your team. Bonus points if you're a Firbolg, Goliath, or Bugbear. Max Str bear totem is 600 lbs carrying capacity (double what Levitation can carry), with one of these races that's 1200 lbs. Over 1 ton. Combine that with your spells (I'd look at nabbing Acentant Step at 9th level Warlock, or having another party member cast Fly on you), at which point you can literally pick up the baddies and fly into the air and drop them. If fly is unavailable, try to get someone with Enlarge/Reduce. At that point, your carrying capacity becomes 2400 lbs., effectively allowing you lift anything.

So... Do you even lift bro?



My gosh I love that anime. XD (But I do have qualms with the lack of characterization for Emilia early on, but that's beside the point). Also, I assume you're Pact of the Blade? With maxed out Str and an adjustable shadow weapon to the situation (tons of fun utility there), I'd make sure your DM doesn't disallow you from summoning your weapon while raging, as while it isn't a spell, I've seen some DMs disallow activating any sort of magical ability while raging.
Also as note, temp HP does not stack, so AoA and Fiend Patron's Temp HP can't both be active at the same time.

The anime is great 😅 anyway a drow carrying his party would be kinda weird except the rest of the party it's made by only famales drow 😂 lol. Yea THP don't stack but i will accept the THP from killing things only once i finish my AofA hp of course, that mean lose some THP while AofA still work, but unlucky I can't do it better.

Ps shadow weapon what do you mean? If you are talking about shadow blade from xanatar's it can't be the pact weapon as it last just one minute that it's not enough for complete the ritual. Or maybe I misunderstood your words.
Edit: I see it, its homebrew, but we can use only PHB.