Quote Originally Posted by Just to Browse View Post
... that sort of sounds like a sorcerer with full BAB and rage... I think the draw of the barbarians is that he spends available actions attacking and buffing, not using fireball or summoning minions.
Well yes, but the barbarian as-is is a Tier 4 class. If you want him to compete with the big bad spellcasters, he needs some spellcasting. There's no way around that, even if you draw up a small list of abilities and gave them to him, even a large list for him to choose from, it would not equal the 1000+ options granted to a sorcerer, unless you give him the 1000+ options granted to a sorcerer.


For tier 2, you might either need to combine Martial Maneuvers with minor spellcasting/extra actions (consider mixing in some Factotum with all non-casting classes), or devise a new system of non-magical effects with both strong effects and the ability to do more than just combat. *ponders this*
The tier system is partially a comparison of classes, as much as it is a "solution to problems" system (which is why I made the Syndrome quote before). Even if you come up with a system of "strong effects", it will most likely not compare to the incredibly vast system of strong effects that sorcerers and wizards (and to an arguable extent, druids and clerics) enjoy.

You can give the mundane barbarian the ability to fly, give him a massive boost to Intimidate and let him panick creatures with it, give him the ability to Sunder spells and pierce DR and even read minds, but sorcerers can teleport all the way across the world, or shift planes, or gate in solars, or change into dragons, or craft constructs, or animate the dead, or....so many different options.