3.5E Barbarian/Warlock Build

[mage1337]

Hey playgrounders,

I'm looking for help creating a "Viking Skald" or "Runecaster"-type character for a new campaign I'm starting. Unfortunately, I have no idea what combination of classes best represents my character concept, or how to optimize it.

For RP purposes, I would like my character to have:
1) Strong melee abilities, and ideally raging (eg, for Viking berserker flavor)
2) Limited but repeatable magical powers (eg, to simulate runic magic)
3) OPTIONAL: High Charisma, and ranks in diplomacy (eg, to simulate natural leadership ability).

For reference, my ideal character would be very similar to the (obscure) 2E "Runecaster" class that appeared in the Viking Historical Sourcebook.

Notable campaign features and limitations are:
Starting character level is 7
Stats are rolled, and I recieved: 17, 16, 13, 12, 10, 7
Books allowed are Core, all Complete, and Tome of Battle
No house rules are used, but (very) small changes to classes for flavor purposes would probably be allowed

The closest I have come so far to making a mechanical representation of my character is a Barb 3/Warlock 4 using Incantations reflavored as runes.

Any way, any help that can be given to make my character concept a reality would be greatly appreciated. I'm particularly interested in optimized or powerful builds. I've turned to you playgrounders in the past for help, and have recieved some epically (no pun intended) good advice. I look forward to hearing your thoughts once more. Thanks!

[Demons_eye]

Raging Cleric5/ Rune caster 2? You lose Domain powers and domain Spells but gain rage. Rune caster must have been updated, its in PGF.

This is how I would build it.

Human Raging Cleric 1/Human Pargon 3/Cleric 2/Rune caster 1

Str:18 (+2 from HP O:16)
Dex:12
Con:13
Int:12
Wis:18 (+1 from level up O:17)
Cha:7

Spell casting as 6th level Cleric
BaB:+4
Fort:+6
Ref:+2
Wil:+8
You get 5 feats (3 from from levels 2 from human. To a max of 7 with flaws)
Skill points : 42 (Yay 42!)

[Thrice Dead Cat]

This may sound silly, but go bard. Since you've got access to ToB, you can grab Song of the White Raven and then multiclass into either Warblade or Crusader. Describe the combat as a tranquil fury type of thing if you don't dip barbarian for rage.

The quick and dirty would be to go Bard 4/(Crusader or Warblade) 16, maybe loosing another level of Martial Adept for Barbarian or more Bard, if you feel like you don't have enough runic prowess. You could also maybe reflavor the Bardic Music as heroic inspiration for Fightan'.

[Kylarra]

Could play a Druidic avenger.

It has more than just "limited spellcasting" but if you limited yourself to mostly buffing and utility spells rather than outright battlefield control, you should be fine with the flavor you want. Plus you can literally be a bear in combat.

Alternatively, skald makes me think you want some sort of bard (thanks to BG2), but I suck at even pretending to optimize bards, so I'll leave that one to people who make a hobby out of breaking 3.5 via RAW.

[Deth Muncher]

Isn't a skald a bard? Why not do the traditional build of Bardarian?

EDIT: Hey guys. He wanted help on building a barbarian, not a ninja.

[Adumbration]

If you somehow manage to grab Unapproachable East book, and persuad your DM to accept it, I would suggest Runescarred Berserker. I am hesitant to present it, becouse it isn't in your books allowed, but I might as well toss it here.

You can enter it after 7th level - requirement is BaB +7 - and you gain the ability scribe spells on your body, much like a scroll. You still have to pay for it, and there are limitations, but the spell list is great - for an example, among 1st level spells there's Cure Moderate Wounds and See Invisibility.

The scribing costs as much as scribing a scroll would, and you can only have 7 runes at a time, but in my opinion, given that it advances Barbarian without any drawbacks, it's worth it.