What rage powers are best for unwilling servants of the cause?

[SangoProduction]

So, I've got the ability to possess enemies, and have them benefit from both rage and rage powers (of the barbarian) while I have them under my control. Unfortunately also improves their will saves, but that's neither here nor there.

I don't get to do much with the bodies of my enemies I've possessed other than send them in as cannon fodder, and swing at their former allies, so I'll probably be focusing on the enemy brutes (who luckily, also have low will saves).

But there are an awful lot of awful rage powers, and I only get so many. Can I get assistance in finding really good value ones to pick?

List of known good picks

1. Beast Totem Lesser: 2 claw attacks. more damage. yay.
2. Beast Totem, Greater: Pounce. yay.
3. Come At Me: Bonus damage and attack, while causing my possession target to take damage. Fine by me.
4. Elemental Rage (Lesser): Bonus 1d6 elemental damage to attacks. Not bad. Normal Elemental Rage stacks a different element, and they can be chosen at the start of rage. Pretty damn nice.
5. Animal Fury: Not good on its own. But when stacked with Elemental Rage, it's another 2d6+1d4+Str Mod damage.
6. Reckless Abandon: Not great. But it is effectively letting you use Power Attack at a penalty to AC rather than attack, which is nice. And you don't care about the possessed getting hit.

[upho]

So, I've got the ability to possess enemies, and have them benefit from both rage and rage powers (of the barbarian) while I have them under my control. Unfortunately also improves their will saves, but that's neither here nor there.

I don't get to do much with the bodies of my enemies I've possessed other than send them in as cannon fodder, and swing at their former allies, so I'll probably be focusing on the enemy brutes (who luckily, also have low will saves).

But there are an awful lot of awful rage powers, and I only get so many. Can I get assistance in finding really good value ones to pick?Well, this is pretty dependent on the specific mechanics of your "possession-rage" ability, and of course highly dependent on which combat functions/roles you're aiming for (rage powers can arguably enable more varied and powerful martial combat style combos than any other category of 1PP non-caster options).

But very generally speaking, I'd guess the following options and combos could be great (or especially fantastic with an * asterisk):
Dispelling spell sunder* (requires superstition and witch hunter), boost with strength surge and rage-cycling
Control come and get me*, quick reflexes, unexpected strike* (any movement provokes), raging grappler, savage dirty trick* (awesome, boost with strength surge)
Charging beast totem* (lesser, greater), overbearing onslaught (requires overbearing advance), raging flier, boost with strength surge and rage-cycling

Can you rage-cycle, or rather: are you the one becoming fatigued after rage-possessing? Do you also benefit from your rage and/or rage powers? Assuming you were immune to fatigue or other side-effects of ending a rage, would you be able to stop and start raging your brute without additional actions or checks to maintain your control? Starting and expected end level for the game? How many rage powers do you have room for? Can you get an ability to share teamwork feats with your brute? Will/can your actual PC do anything other than playing with the R/C brute while possessing? Do you think there could be an easy and action-effective way for you to give the brute one or more small items?


List of known good picksA few comments (in red):

1. Beast Totem Lesser: 2 claw attacks. more damage. yay.
2. Beast Totem, Greater: Pounce. yay. Yay. Probably pretty easy to use to good effect, but keep in mind damage may not be the most effective method for taking enemies out unless you expect most of your possessed brutes to actually be able to one-shot most enemies (which I'd guess they'll very rarely be, since I guess you can't also stack much other damage boosts on them).
3. Come At Me: Bonus damage and attack, while causing my possession target to take damage. Fine by me. Now imagine this combined with savage dirty trick on a big high Str brute with good reach... Yeah, now your R/C toy will likely easily daze with that provoked AoO! Who needs damage? Add strength surge for a hefty dirty trick boost and quick reflexes so you can get more use out of brutes without Combat Reflexes.
4. Elemental Rage (Lesser): Bonus 1d6 elemental damage to attacks. Not bad. Normal Elemental Rage stacks a different element, and they can be chosen at the start of rage. Pretty damn nice. Pretty weak option for normal barbs or focused on damage, but it may be a bit better in this case since I gather you won't be able to affect your brutes' feats or equipment in any way. I certainly wouldn't prioritize this high though.
5. Animal Fury: Not good on its own. But when stacked with Elemental Rage, it's another 2d6+1d4+Str Mod damage. How many of your brutes do you expect to not already have a bite attack? In a game with opponents similar to those of a "typical" AP, I'd guess this will be redundant on at least half of the brutes which really matter in mid levels, and on a greater proportion in higher levels.
6. Reckless Abandon: Not great. But it is effectively letting you use Power Attack at a penalty to AC rather than attack, which is nice. And you don't care about the possessed getting hit. I suspect you'll get more out of this than 4 and 5 above, at least up 10th or so (when your brutes will likely start to be accurate enough anyways)

[SangoProduction]

Well, this is pretty dependent on the specific mechanics of your "possession-rage" ability, and of course highly dependent on which combat functions/roles you're aiming for (rage powers can arguably enable more varied and powerful martial combat style combos than any other category of 1PP non-caster options).

But very generally speaking, I'd guess the following options and combos could be great (or especially fantastic with an * asterisk):
Dispelling spell sunder* (requires superstition and witch hunter), boost with strength surge and rage-cycling
Control come and get me*, quick reflexes, unexpected strike* (any movement provokes), raging grappler, savage dirty trick* (awesome, boost with strength surge)
Charging beast totem* (lesser, greater), overbearing onslaught (requires overbearing advance), raging flier, boost with strength surge and rage-cycling

Can you rage-cycle, or rather: are you the one becoming fatigued after rage-possessing? Do you also benefit from your rage and/or rage powers? Assuming you were immune to fatigue or other side-effects of ending a rage, would you be able to stop and start raging your brute without additional actions or checks to maintain your control? Starting and expected end level for the game? How many rage powers do you have room for? Can you get an ability to share teamwork feats with your brute? Will/can your actual PC do anything other than playing with the R/C brute while possessing? Do you think there could be an easy and action-effective way for you to give the brute one or more small items?

A few comments (in red):

Can't rage cycle. Although I can just hop to another enemy. I do not benefit from the rage, unless I am spending it on myself instead of the minion. I am not immune to fatigue, but as I'm not the one raging (ideally), I won't be fatigued.
In order to maintain control, I must control them actively, although I may cast spells through them, so long as they aren't raging. I do not believe I can share any feats, teamwork or otherwise.
I mean, I could probably plop the small items in their hands as I possess them. Not really sure. Why?

Also, not going with Superstition, because of it granting a bonus to saves vs magic, which arguably works against my possession, and could be troublesome.

Also. Woot. I thought savage dirty trick was a feat....Darn. I need to now ask my DM if the "once per target," of savage dirty trick is tied to me or my minion. If it's tied to my minion, I can then hop to another, and use it again. Probably tied to me though.

What do you mean fantastic with an asterisk? You mean the role is fantastic with it?

[Dr_Dinosaur]

This wouldn't happen to be a Wraith with the Draugr archetype from Spheres of Power, would it?

[upho]

Can't rage cycle. Although I can just hop to another enemy. I do not benefit from the rage, unless I am spending it on myself instead of the minion. I am not immune to fatigue, but as I'm not the one raging (ideally), I won't be fatigued.
...
I mean, I could probably plop the small items in their hands as I possess them. Not really sure. Why?Because typically the easiest way to rage-cycle without tireless rage is to combine the internal fortitude rage power (immunity to sickened and nauseated) with an 8k Flawed Scarlet and Green Cabochon ioun stone (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/h-l/ioun-stones/scarlet-and-green-cabochon/) (you become sickened/nauseated instead of fatigued/exhausted), making you immune to fatigued as well as to exhausted, sickened and nauseated.

So if there's an easy way for you to hand over such an ioun and have your brute equip it, many rage powers which aren't anything special without rage-cycling suddenly become fantastic (such as spell sunder, savage dirty trick and the related strength surge). And if you find a way to hand over an ioun, you can likely also hand over one or two additional smaller items, which means you might very well also be able to grant them a few combat feats which go especially well with the rage powers (notably via training weapons in the form of gauntlets or an AoMF).


Also, not going with Superstition, because of it granting a bonus to saves vs magic, which arguably works against my possession, and could be troublesome.Superstition would definitely apply against your possession if the brute is already raging, but not if the rage is granted with the action you use to possess. So if this is the case, superstition wouldn't be a problem unless your possession ability also allows the target to make a new save on each of its subsequent turns.


Also. Woot. I thought savage dirty trick was a feat....Darn.You're probably thinking of the somewhat similar Dirty Trick Master feat (which can be made arguably broken powerful). The great advantages of savage dirty trick is that it replaces any normal melee attack, meaning it can be combined with full attacks and replace AoOs (multiple times per round with rage-cycling).


I need to now ask my DM if the "once per target," of savage dirty trick is tied to me or my minion. If it's tied to my minion, I can then hop to another, and use it again. Probably tied to me though.Yeah, especially considering the arguably most logical conclusion of the RAW and similar precedents which have been clarified. So I really think you should try to find the most efficient way for you to give your brutes at least an ioun to enable rage-cycling.


What do you mean fantastic with an asterisk? You mean the role is fantastic with it?Just that those rage powers are or can easily be made very powerful, enough so that combat styles - or even entire combat roles/functions - may be based on them. For example, the far most effective dispeller in the entire game is a high bab build with rage-cycling, spell sunder, a very high sunder CMB and some good targeting capabilities (senses, reach, mobility, etc). Such a build can be made to reliably cut through multiple defensive spells per round like a hot knife through butter, notably including strong defensive ones normally especially annoying for melee, even should their CL be way above level and/or very difficult and action-consuming for full casters to deal with (such as invisibility, mirror image, FoM, prismatic wall, AMF etc).

[SangoProduction]

Because typically the easiest way to rage-cycle without tireless rage is to combine the internal fortitude rage power (immunity to sickened and nauseated) with an 8k Flawed Scarlet and Green Cabochon ioun stone (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/h-l/ioun-stones/scarlet-and-green-cabochon/) (you become sickened/nauseated instead of fatigued/exhausted), making you immune to fatigued as well as to exhausted, sickened and nauseated.

So if there's an easy way for you to hand over such an ioun and have your brute equip it, many rage powers which aren't anything special without rage-cycling suddenly become fantastic (such as spell sunder, savage dirty trick and the related strength surge). And if you find a way to hand over an ioun, you can likely also hand over one or two additional smaller items, which means you might very well also be able to grant them a few combat feats which go especially well with the rage powers (notably via training weapons in the form of gauntlets or an AoMF).

Superstition would definitely apply against your possession if the brute is already raging, but not if the rage is granted with the action you use to possess. So if this is the case, superstition wouldn't be a problem unless your possession ability also allows the target to make a new save on each of its subsequent turns.

You're probably thinking of the somewhat similar Dirty Trick Master feat (which can be made arguably broken powerful). The great advantages of savage dirty trick is that it replaces any normal melee attack, meaning it can be combined with full attacks and replace AoOs (multiple times per round with rage-cycling).

Yeah, especially considering the arguably most logical conclusion of the RAW and similar precedents which have been clarified. So I really think you should try to find the most efficient way for you to give your brutes at least an ioun to enable rage-cycling.

Just that those rage powers are or can easily be made very powerful, enough so that combat styles - or even entire combat roles/functions - may be based on them. For example, the far most effective dispeller in the entire game is a high bab build with rage-cycling, spell sunder, a very high sunder CMB and some good targeting capabilities (senses, reach, mobility, etc). Such a build can be made to reliably cut through multiple defensive spells per round like a hot knife through butter, notably including strong defensive ones normally especially annoying for melee, even should their CL be way above level and/or very difficult and action-consuming for full casters to deal with (such as invisibility, mirror image, FoM, prismatic wall, AMF etc).

I've never heard of that ioun trick before. Interesting. That probably opens up some new avenues of attack.