Help with a Bearbarian low level low magic build

[Arparrabiosa]

Hi guys,

I'm going to start a new campaign soon. It will be a low-magic game and we will play from 1st level to 10th. We have a 30 point buy, most D&D manuals are allowed.

My group will consist on a wizard/loremaster god-ish but with emphasis on buffing, a cloistered cleric full buff and support and some kind of rogue so I will be playing the beatstick with a human Barbarian 4/Fist of the forest 3/Bear warrior 3.

Str 16
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 8
Wis 12
Cha 8

Lvl 1: power attack, great endurance
Lvl 3: improved unarmed attack
Lvl 6:??
Lvl 9:??

I was looking forward to some input in the stat array, some recommendations on the missing feats and how would you think this work in a low magic game (most enemies will be humanoids or undead, we won't see a lot of monsters). Thanks in advance!

[Doctor Despair]

Are you married to the idea of the barbarian? With a wizard and cleric, you might struggle to compete. If you want to be melee, you might see better milage out of a Wildshape Ranger 5/Master of Many Forms X, turning into big beefy creatures. There may not be magical creatures in the world, but you can learn about them from your Loremaster party member and turn into them

[Toliudar]

What you've got seems quite reasonable. While a wild shape ranger would definitely help you keep up at higher levels, this is perhaps a better chassis to help everyone survive to those later levels.

Presumably, you're looking at the spirit lion ACF that gives you pounce? You might then consider Snap Kick or a martial study feat at 6 and 9: the former to get you one more attack on your full attacks, and the latter to give you some added flexibility in battle.

[GrayDeath]

In a low magic game (intentional^^), the first thing I ask is: Why are there a Wizard Loremaster and a Cloistered Cleric in the group?
Will they be limited in what they are allowed to do (especially craft)?
If not, get together with them and get craft feats early. Youll be able to make all the Weapons/Items you want and can ignore the "low Magic" humbug.
Or does Low magic mean "everyone but you guys"? In that case my suggestion is be a caster.^^


If by low magic however your DM means "there wont be any near infinite shennanigans, or overabundance of superpowered prestige classes, or fully stocked Magic marts in every small village etc", which to "normal" D&D is also lower magic, I would recommend palying a Warblade.

They wont have the sheer charge to kill ease a barbarian has (but CAN), but they will have MANY options that are almost as good as Ubercharging.

Especially since you`ll be starting at 1, and Barb Überchargers are pretty useless until they, you know, actually CAN Ubercharge.


My Build Suggestion:

Human Warblade, Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (as the Warblade can switch it around easily, and low magic often means "cant buy the nifty +x Duelling Sword" ^^).
Stats: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Maneuverwise I would start out with Diamond Mind: Moment of the Perfect Mind, and Iron hearts Punishing Stance and Steel Wind, and a third Maneuver of your Liking.

Weaponwise you are pretty free to choose, as the Warblade can affect any weapon they want with any normal "Only this one weapon" Feat.

As soon as you can, get the other 2 Save Replacers and Iron heart Surge, then your Caster Buddies can focus on buffing you to death.

Multivclassing into Barbarian if you still want to go Ubercharging, or Crusader for healing or a Ranger Level if you are truly quite sure what Enemies youa re going to face, are easily done.

[vasilidor]

If you like Barbarian, go lion totem. You get pounce. Note, I see people play spell casters in direct response to the DM saying "low magic." That may be what is happening here.

[RaiKirah]

You might consider taking two levels of Totemist from Magic of Incarnum to pick up more natural attacks (with Bear Warrior and IUS you seem to be headed that way), and then you'll benefit from having Multiattack and maybe Rapidstrike at level 6 and 9 feats. If flaws are on the table taking Dragontouched at lvl 1 let's you shape a number of dragon themed Soulmelds, including Dragon Claws, which give you claw attacks in your human form (though binding Girallon Arms to your Totem gives you 4 claws to) and leaves your Totem Bind for more natural weapons. If Lion Spirit Totem isn't on the table for Pounce, Totemist also opens up Open Least Chakra (arms) at level 6 to bind the Sphinx Claws to get Pounce with natural weapons anyways.