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esorscher
2008-04-17, 07:23 PM
I have access to all the Completes except Scoundrel, Eberron Campaign Setting, and Core books, plus PH2, BOVD, BOED, and some others that I can't remember.

I want to know what sort of feat progression I should go with. I'd like to be a Warforged. Speaking of which, does a Warforged with Adamantine Body take a penalty if it isn't proficient in Heavy Armor?

Multiclassing is fine, but I don't want to incur a penalty, since I'll be taking this character from level 1.

Starting stats: (assign where you choose)

16
14
14
12
10
8

Any tips for playing barbarian would be appreciated. Thanks.

Smiley_
2008-04-17, 07:52 PM
Full barbarian, soon as possible take champion of gwinhyarf (or however it's spelled) Your levels stack for determining all the rage abilities like tireless, greater and mighty rage and the number of times a day you can rage. You also get 5/- DR for the whole 10 levels of the class.

Once you get immunity to charm and compulsion, get some soulfire armor, a whole lot of save-or-suck spells (Power words? Immune! Harm, finger of death? Soulfire Armor takes care of that. Hold monster? Forget it!) become useless against you.

To get all this nice stuff you will have to burn a feat or two, though.

Solo
2008-04-17, 07:55 PM
Spirit Lion Totem Barb1/Fighter2/BarbX

Grab Endurance and Steadfast Determination to get Con mod to will saves instead of wis mod.

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

Grab feats such as Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Shock Trooper, Leap Attack, Extra Rage, and Combat Reflexes.

At the start of combat, Rage, charge, and kill things with MASSIVE DAMAGE!

Kizara
2008-04-17, 07:59 PM
Lion-totem variant in Complete Champion barbarian 1/fighter 2/hexblade 3/frenzied beserker 10. Its a 16-level build, sue me.


Feats: Power attack, Cleave, Extra Rage, Intimidating Rage, Destructive Rage, Leap Attack.

After that you are ethier going to want to pick up Improved Bull Rush and Shock Trooper or Improved Sunder and Combat Brute.

Jasdoif
2008-04-17, 09:07 PM
Kind of an aside, but it was asked.
Speaking of which, does a Warforged with Adamantine Body take a penalty if it isn't proficient in Heavy Armor?Nope!


Does a warforged with the Adamantine Body feat need to have Heavy Armor Proficiency in order to avoid suffering penalties for wearing heavy armor?

No. The Adamantine Body feat resembles heavy armor in many ways, but it doesn’t require you to have any special proficiency.

Icewalker
2008-04-17, 10:22 PM
Nonetheless, I believe it qualifies as heavy armor in terms of "you can do this unless you are wearing medium or heavy armor." Don't Barbarians have a few of those?

Mushroom Ninja
2008-04-17, 10:30 PM
Frenzied Beserker 10 + Combat Brute + That feat from Complete adventurer that boosts Power attack conversion rate = win.

cupkeyk
2008-04-17, 10:31 PM
My suggestion has no Barb levels but it does rage.

1/2Orc Paragon 3/ Warblade 2/ Kensai 1/Bear Warrior 5/Kensai 9

Select Weapon Focus (Claws) and you can have both power surge and a brown bear form for +24Str for two claws.

Reel On, Love
2008-04-17, 10:32 PM
The Champion of Gwynharwyf from the BoED is strictly superior to a normal barbarian. The Runescarred Berserker from the 3.0 Unapproachable East FR splatbook is the strongest, thanks to its great spell list.

Jasdoif
2008-04-17, 10:39 PM
Nonetheless, I believe it qualifies as heavy armor in terms of "you can do this unless you are wearing medium or heavy armor." Don't Barbarians have a few of those?A barbarian's fast movement doesn't work if they're wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load. That's it, as far as armor restrictions.

And unless I'm mistaken (don't have the book for this one) that Lion Totem Barbarian variant that's been referenced a few times replaces that ability, and I honestly don't know if the pounce that replaces it has a similar restriction or not.

esorscher
2008-04-17, 10:41 PM
Nonetheless, I believe it qualifies as heavy armor in terms of "you can do this unless you are wearing medium or heavy armor." Don't Barbarians have a few of those?


Fast Movement, but a Lion Totem Barbarian gets Run instead.

Hadrian_Emrys
2008-04-17, 10:53 PM
Spirit Lion Totem, not the Lion Totem. It's a one word diff, but an important one.

Jasdoif
2008-04-17, 11:03 PM
Spirit Lion Totem, not the Lion Totem. It's a one word diff, but an important one.Oh, so like "touch attack" vs "incorporeal touch attack"?

Keld Denar
2008-04-17, 11:11 PM
Oh, so like "touch attack" vs "incorporeal touch attack"?

Exactly....especially when you prepped and cast Ectoplasmic Armor this morning.....

SCPRedMage
2008-04-17, 11:13 PM
Spirit Lion Totem, not the Lion Totem. It's a one word diff, but an important one.
Which gets you Pounce, instead of Run, neither of which are armor-restricted. I think it's fairly obvious which is the better of THOSE two choices...

Of course, there's also a 7th level alternate class ability that follows up on Spiritual Totem, that for the lion totem allows you to make a roar to that makes anyone within 30' shaken, should they fail a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 barb level + Str bonus).

The Lion Spiritual Totem... well, it's pretty much pure awesome, even if you only take the level 1 ability.

Talic
2008-04-17, 11:16 PM
What Solo said, except add in Mad Foam Rager to it also. The ability to ignore any effect for 1 full round? Priceless.

EDIT: For a different route, go Armor Spikes, Guisarme, and Wolf-Totem Barbarian. At level 2, you get improved trip, even if you don't qualify for it, and you can go as a Two Weapon Fighting/Two handed Weapon/Grapple/Trip engine.

Eldariel
2008-04-18, 04:50 AM
I personally like Runescarred Berserkers from Unapproachable East, but it's not in the listed books. Also, Intimidating (using Imperious Command from Drow of the Underdark along with Intimidating Rage to make enemies cower) Shock Troopers are rather amusing. That said, for damage potential, Frenzied Berserkers and their Supreme Power Attacks are tough to beat. I like Runescarred Berserker for the ability to cast Anti-Magic Field, Air Walk and Heal (among others) though. Spells are just such a huge asset.

Either way, I tend to like to max out Survival and pick up Trap Killer (Dungeonscape) and Track along the way to do some non-combat tasks. Maxing out Intimidate, Gather Information (through Skilled City-Dweller from the Cityscape Web Enhancement; handle animal is rarely what I have in mind for barbarians) and spending the rest on physical skills tends to be sufficient.

Baxbart
2008-04-18, 07:41 AM
I'm currently playing about with a Half-Dragon Warforged Barbarian 2 (Spirit lion totem sub)/Fighter 2/Warblade 6/Warforged Juggernaut 2

Pounce, Shock Trooper, Power attack, Leap attack, a SHEDLOAD of immunities, Adamantine body, Armour spikes, Extra Rage, Fast Healing (From Draconomicon), bonuses to charging (stacks again on the shock/leap attack) = Pain

He usually stops to rest once a week or so. He doesn't east, sleep, drink, breathe and most things just bounce off him. Anything that does hurt him is lessened by DR/adamantine, and he has fast healing so that he need not stop to spam-heal with wands.

He is currently (as a strictly theoretical exercise for my bored mind) decimating his way... single-handedly, through the Forgotten Realms adventure books (Cormyr: Tearing of the Weave, Shadowdale: Scouring of the Land, Anauroch: Empire of Shade). He's half way through the second book, and has so far proved to be completely unstoppable.

Person_Man
2008-04-18, 09:08 AM
Frozen Dwarf Hulk Smash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50588)!!!!!!

List of Rage abilities (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36238).

Hellreaver from Fiendish Codex is also a great Barbarian/Tank PrC. It has light pre-reqs, and allows you to heal 10/20/30 (depending on your level) hit points every round as a Swift Action. Synergizes well with Champion of Gwynharwyf.

If you want a pure Barbarian, then the urban street fighter variant (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) is ok.

What ECL are you going to be?

How "pure" of a Barbarian build do you want it to be?

Talic
2008-04-18, 11:13 AM
11 Int. Focused Specialist Wizard 1 (Transmutation)/Lion Totem Barb X

Choose every combat whether you want Fist of Stone (+6 Str), Enlarge Person (reach), or Expeditious Retreat (Mobility). Remember to carry your pet toad in your pocket to offset the HP loss.