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Handsome Rob
2008-10-05, 10:04 AM
Hey playgrounders!

I've been a long time forum lurker and after being awed by your collective knowledge and helpfulness on many occasions, I have decided to come to you for some advice.

After being swept in all the hype of 4e, my group has decided to go back and play a campaign in 3.5. For me, this is awesome news, because it lets me play my favourite class, the BARBARIAN!!! *yawps ecstatically*

However, I'd like to try out a non-core race but I don't have the time to trawl through all of the books to find one that works well. Preferably I'd like a 0 LA race (although I don't mind one with a small LA if its good) and one that'll make me a strong barbarian but not overshadow my other party members (we aren't a very serious group, and we play more the roleplay experience, so the other characters aren't going to be highly optimised). I also know from my dm that the campaign is set in a highly magical/psionics setting compromised of an archipelago of small islands.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Adumbration
2008-10-05, 10:11 AM
Neanderthal from Frostburn is a good one. +2 Str and Con, minus the same to Int and Dex. Orc is another one, if you want the extra Str, and Water Orc if you want to go on the cheesy side.

Riffington
2008-10-05, 10:12 AM
If it's heavily psionic, grimlock could be fun (if low-powered).
Goliaths are darn cool, and I've always wanted to play one...

JeminiZero
2008-10-05, 10:16 AM
Warforged come with a nifty Con bonus and various immunities, but are harder to heal.

Doresain
2008-10-05, 10:22 AM
half ogre...large size, +6 to str, natural armor bonus...comes with a +2 LA though

bosssmiley
2008-10-05, 10:25 AM
Shifters (ECS + MM3) also make for fun barbs, but I understand that they're legally obliged to call everyone "bub".

Orcs are classic barb chassis. LA +0, +4 Str, heinous mental penalties. But you do get to shout "WAAAAARGH!"

Goliaths (found in "Races of Short") are good for Barb cheese. They're a +1LA Monstrous Humanoid race with bonuses to Str + Con as well as Powerful Build. IIRC they also have Barb racial sub levels that make them even cheesier.

Hurlbut
2008-10-05, 10:37 AM
Shifters (ECS + MM3) also make for fun barbs, but I understand that they're legally obliged to call everyone "bub".Hm where is that sourcebook with those claw weapons...

Chronos
2008-10-05, 12:43 PM
Shifters (ECS + MM3) also make for fun barbs, but I understand that they're legally obliged to call everyone "bub".Only if they have the Mineral Warrior template.

xPANCAKEx
2008-10-05, 12:47 PM
http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Races.pdf

page 50 for a complete list

those with favoured class as barbarian:

Cyclops (Feral-Kind), Darfellan, Dragonkin, Feral Gargun, Giant (Hill, Stone), Goatfolk, Goblin (Forestkith), Goblin (Forestkith, Jungle),
Goliath, Grimlock, Halfling (Jungle), Half-Ogre, Half-Orc (base, Aquatic, Arctic, Desert, Jungle, Scab-Lands, Water), Minotaur,
Neanderthal, Ogre, Orc (base, Aquatic, Arctic, Desert, Jungle, Water), Quaraphon

Person_Man
2008-10-05, 02:18 PM
Darfellan: +2 Str, -2 Dex, Swim speed, and a Bite attack. No LA. Remember, any natural attack counts for Power Attack/Leap Attack. Using the Complete Champion Lion Totem Barbarian variant, you get pounce. So right off the bat you get 2 attacks every turn (three with Improved Unarmed Attack or TWF). For a Barbarian with 20ish Str while raging, that's pretty impressive.

I'm also a fan of my Frozen Dwarf Hulk Smash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50588) build, which can be used with anything that counts as a Dwarf.

Eldariel
2008-10-05, 02:31 PM
Really, Water Orcs are awesome. Dragonborn Water Orcs are just plain schweet (they retain their racial Swim speed). +4 Str and Con?! Sign me up (Yea, -2 Dex, Int, Wis and Cha... Whatever! You only need Dex and Wis out of those)! Oh yeah, and no Light Sensitivity, and you get either Wings (awesome!), Darkvision/Immunity to everything/Low-Light Vision/skill bonuses (awesome!) or Breath Weapon (bleh - not too strong).

Oh yeah, and you get to hate evil Dragons! Smite them! Mind-aspect, Whirling Frenzy, Pounce and Power Attack + Brutal Throw for lots! Extra Rage as your level 1 feat and you'll be dealing epic pain. Level 1 26 Str for 2 attacks with a two-handed weapon? Sign me up! +7 to hit, 2d4+12 damage (or 2d6 with Greatsword, but I'd pick Guisarme for Tripping)!

Grynning
2008-10-05, 02:32 PM
Darfellan: +2 Str, -2 Dex, Swim speed, and a Bite attack. No LA. Remember, any natural attack counts for Power Attack/Leap Attack. Using the Complete Champion Lion Totem Barbarian variant, you get pounce. So right off the bat you get 2 attacks every turn (three with Improved Unarmed Attack or TWF). For a Barbarian with 20ish Str while raging, that's pretty impressive.

I'm also a fan of my Frozen Dwarf Hulk Smash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50588) build, which can be used with anything that counts as a Dwarf.

Darfellan Barbarian with Pounce, plus Frostrager from Frostburn would be wicked awesome. Good flavor too, Darfellans being very similar to northern native Americans in many ways, being at home in the cold and what not.

RTGoodman
2008-10-05, 02:35 PM
I like Goliaths and Neanderthals. Goliaths not only have great stats and abilities for a barbarian, but they're also a REALLY cool race for role-playing purposes. Neanderthals aren't QUITE as good regarding stats, but they do give you, IIRC, proficiency with primitive weapons, including the Sugliin, my favorite weapon. Seriously, it's basically a tree with some horns and other pointy bits tied to it.

Chronos
2008-10-05, 04:13 PM
Remember, any natural attack counts for Power Attack/Leap Attack.It also lets you fill the "donut hole" left by a reach weapon, so you can threaten near and far without a spiked chain.

monty
2008-10-05, 05:11 PM
Depends how cheesy you want it. On the limburger end, you could play a feral half-minotaur goliath. +20 Str, -6 Dex, +10 Con, -6 Int, +2 Wis. Large size and powerful build (making you effectively Huge in many cases) along with a whole bunch of other crap for +3 LA. Your AC (touch AC, anyway, since you have 10 NA) will probably be in the nether regions, but you don't care because everything should be dead before it can get a chance to hit you.

Hurlbut
2008-10-05, 07:09 PM
Depends how cheesy you want it. On the limburger end, you could play a feral half-minotaur goliath. +20 Str, -6 Dex, +10 Con, -6 Int, +2 Wis. Large size and powerful build (making you effectively Huge in many cases) along with a whole bunch of other crap for +3 LA. Your AC (touch AC, anyway, since you have 10 NA) will probably be in the nether regions, but you don't care because everything should be dead before it can get a chance to hit you.I would think Large size override Powerful Build.

Eldariel
2008-10-05, 07:22 PM
Powerful Build makes you one category larger rather than simply large. If your core is large, it's a virtual increase on top of that for huge. Virtual increases don't stack, real and virtual co-exist just fine.

monty
2008-10-05, 11:39 PM
I would think Large size override Powerful Build.


The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.

Also, it noticeably avoids using specific size categories when describing its effects. It always says things like "one size category larger."

Baron Corm
2008-10-05, 11:53 PM
I enjoy raptoran barbarians, for the mobility. Honestly, +2 Strength from a barbaric race isn't going to matter much in the long run.

Xyk
2008-10-05, 11:54 PM
I would definitely go with either orc, goliath, or dwarf.

Bassikpoet
2008-10-06, 12:07 AM
Call me crazy, but I love playing a halfling barbarian. Nothing like walking up to something 5 times your size, raging and slashing it in half from crotch to cranium. Plus, the movement bonus makes up for the 20ft base speed. The +1 to hit from being a halfling makes up slightly for the -2 to strength. And it comes down to "It's not the size of the sword you weild but how you weild it." The halfling racial substitution levels also add interesting fluff.

BobVosh
2008-10-06, 12:08 AM
Pixie. Sure the stat adjustments suck, but you fly and are invisible. Plus a flying invisible ball of death...how do you fail?

>.> No, not all of my choices were taken up above...

monty
2008-10-06, 12:10 AM
Pixie. Sure the stat adjustments suck, but you fly and are invisible. Plus a flying invisible ball of death...how do you fail?

>.> No, not all of my choices were taken up above...

Pssh. -4 to strength and +lots to almost everything else? That doesn't suck. +4 LA, however, does suck.

sonofzeal
2008-10-06, 12:11 AM
Call me crazy, but I love playing a halfling barbarian. Nothing like walking up to something 5 times your size, raging and slashing it in half from crotch to cranium. Plus, the movement bonus makes up for the 20ft base speed. The +1 to hit from being a halfling makes up slightly for the -2 to strength. And it comes down to "It's not the size of the sword you weild but how you weild it." The halfling racial substitution levels also add interesting fluff.
Oh gods.....

A Halfling Half-Dragon Barbarian armed with a sling can put a stone right through a brick wall, with pinpoint accuracy. Go for Whirling Frenzy here for even more "fun".

Vossik
2008-10-06, 12:12 AM
half ogre...large size, +6 to str, natural armor bonus...comes with a +2 LA though

I second this decision, best class/race combo I ever had.

streakster
2008-10-06, 12:19 AM
Maenad - You can hurt people by screaming in rage at them (in the fluff, seriously), and once per day for 4 rounds take a hit to Int and Wis to boost Str. No LA!

Fax Celestis
2008-10-06, 12:22 AM
Varags from MMIV make decent barbarians. Long and short of it:

+4 Str, +4 Dex, +2 Con, -4 Int
3 Humanoid RHD
Medium, Humanoid (Goblinoid)
60' land speed base.
Darkvision 60'
+8 Move Silently (and skill mastery for Move Silently), +4 Survival when tracking by Scent
Natural Armor +3
Scent
Run and Spring attack as bonus feats.
LA +2

Sure, you're ECL 5, but as a Barbarian, you don't really care about LA, especially since you'll start with a 60' move speed and Pounce (with CCham's Lion Totem) or a 70' move, plus you can take 10 on Move Silently checks to get into a decent position to open up with a big charge. I tried it, and it was pretty bad-ass.

Person_Man
2008-10-06, 11:41 AM
Call me crazy, but I love playing a halfling barbarian. Nothing like walking up to something 5 times your size, raging and slashing it in half from crotch to cranium. Plus, the movement bonus makes up for the 20ft base speed. The +1 to hit from being a halfling makes up slightly for the -2 to strength. And it comes down to "It's not the size of the sword you weild but how you weild it." The halfling racial substitution levels also add interesting fluff.

If you want to go in that direction, you should try and get as tiny as possible for the Dex, To-Hit, and AC bonuses. Take the Ferocity rage variant (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36238) (which increases Dex instead of Con). Use natural weapons and/or unarmed attacks (which count for Weapon Finesse and Power Attack). You'll have a ridiculous To-Hit bonus, and by mid levels your damage output will be comparable thanks to Leap Attack.

SoD
2008-10-06, 10:08 PM
I'm suprised nobodies suggested the Mongrelfolk yet.

Penalties to int and cha (-2 and -4), no bonus to strength, but a whopping +4 con!

Races of Destiny (pg. 100) for more details...

And on roleplaying: Ever wanted to roleplay several races with one character? Mongrelfolk actively try to hide their race, they are descended from: humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, halflings and gnomes, and, to someone who doesn't know their real race, they appear to be any of them, but not the viewers own race. An orc might think they were human, a human might think they were a dwarf, a dwarf might think they were an orc, etc.

Leon
2008-10-06, 10:50 PM
Thri-Kreen or Feral Gargun, both have a +2 LA and 2 RHD but both make for good Ragers