Pimp up my Totemist Rager

[ChudoJogurt]

I was asked for advice on how (and if) is it possible to build a Totemist Rager without relying on natural attacks.

Im fairly new to Magic of Incarnum, so I decided to outsource it to much more knowledgeable senpais on this forum.

Givens:
Race:Ork
Level: the build needs to adequately function in a range between level 7 and 11.
Goals: Kick names, take butt. If it can sneak/skill monkey a little bit, that is also great.
Also, max Soul shaper progression - we'd rather have Totemist with a bit of Barb than the other way around.
And, again no natural attacks, or at least, not primarily natural attacks.

[H_H_F_F]

I would assume you'd go Barbarian 2 (lion spirit totem/wolf totem, if playing at an appropriate power level) totemist 4, totem rager 1-5.

As for not relying on natural attacks... Do you specifically want to not use natural weapons, or do you just want to use a manufactured weapon with your hands?

[ChudoJogurt]

The latter.
As long as the guy mostly swings a sharp pointy stick of some sort, it's all good.

[H_H_F_F]

As a totemist, one of your main strengths is your flexibility. If you're going for a charger build, getting leap attack at 6 is your best bet. At 9, either bonus essentia or storm trooper seem like a good idea.

If you're going for pounce barbarian, make sure you get a bite attack. You could also still bind girallon arms, and just utilize two of your arms for a manufactured weapon.

If fluff and alignment fit, you could go dragonborn of bahamut. It'll lose you very little as an orc, and on top of the usual benefits, you would get access to draconic soulmelds.

The usual useful combat woulmelds still apply - blink shirt is a good choice, and gets extra utility from the increased essentia capacity.

[Darg]

Silverbrow Human for the bonus feat

Totemist 2/barbarian 1/Totemist 3-6/Totem Rager X

1) Prehensile Tail, Cobalt Charge
3) Extra Rage
6) Cobalt Rage
9) Multiattack

Soulmelds:

Dragon Tail
Girallon Arms (Totem)

It's really hard to build a weapon focused totemist as that's simply not how they are designed. Here is my attempt trying to meld the two instead. The dragon tail soulmeld from dragon magic gives you a tail attack which qualifies you for prehensile tail (savage species or serpent kingdoms). This allows you to wield your weapon with your tail letting you benefit from all 4 claws from girallon arms (or 3 if you want to wield a weapon two handed). Cobalt charge increases the benefit from spirit lion totem ACF of barbarian. Extra rage is there to help make up the fact you get less rages per day and increase the benefit of Cobalt rage. Multiattack just seems silly not to. If you reach level 12, improved multi attack eliminates the penalties for your natural attacks.

Alternatively, you could rely on UAS and take TWF at level 1 instead of the tail and take heart of fire soulmeld and bind it to your totem chakra at level 2. At level 9 you can get double chakra (totem) to get girallon arms 4 extra attacks. With this you could focus on dexterity. If you want a power attack equivalent, dread carapace lets you trade attack for damage.