Advice on a Shock Trooper Build

[codexgigas]

In a new campaign, I decided to break with my trend of playing spellcasters and play a barbarian. It seems like creating a shock trooper build will give me the most bang for my buck, since my character lacks in the intelligence to qualify for Improved Trip and the like. That said, I have two questions.

1. Is Improved Buckler Defense worth the feat? I could use the extra AC, but I'm not sure if I won't be better off in the long run just saving up for a nice ring of protection.
2. Will Bounding Assault and Rapid Blitz (PH2) allow me to make multiple attacks during a charge? Are they worth the feat investments required?

[Tellah]

Skip Improved Buckler Defense and buy an animated shield. Better to spend money than feats--good feats are priceless.

[Tor the Fallen]

Dip fighter for 2nd and 3rd levels to qualify for shock trooper earlier. Don't forget leap attack.

[The_Werebear]

One thing I recommend- Splash two levels of fighter for the extra feats. Those extra two are quite handy. The way I would do it is go Barbarian, then Fighter, then fighter again, then the rest on Barbarian.


Also, those feats won't help.

And if you want improved trip, look at the Wolf Totem Barbarian from the Varients in the SRD. It gets it for free.

[Hurlbut]

And if you want improved trip, look at the Wolf Totem Barbarian from the Varients in the SRD. It gets it for free.

Not exactly free. You lose Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge, and Trap Sense in exchange for it.

[Teilos]

You can't take a 5 foot step in a round with a charge => You can't move after the charge again.

[Tor the Fallen]

Not exactly free. You lose Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge, and Trap Sense in exchange for it.

Those aren't particularly fantastic abilities.

[The_Werebear]

It is totally worth the trade off.

[JaronK]

Yeah. If you really want to go all out for it try this:

Fighter 2/Ape Totem Barbarian 8/Frenzied Berserker 10, going into FB as fast as you can. 6:1 power attack returns is nothing to sneeze at, since you can take, by level 20, -20 to AC in exchange for +120 to damage. An continual pounce item would be a very nice investment.

Of course, killing your party is bad, so make sure the party casters have grease or calm emotions ready to take you down if you go berserk at the wrong time.

JaronK

[Tor the Fallen]

Yeah. If you really want to go all out for it try this:

Fighter 2/Ape Totem Barbarian 8/Frenzied Berserker 10, going into FB as fast as you can. 6:1 power attack returns is nothing to sneeze at, since you can take, by level 20, -20 to AC in exchange for +120 to damage. An continual pounce item would be a very nice investment.

Of course, killing your party is bad, so make sure the party casters have grease or calm emotions ready to take you down if you go berserk at the wrong time.

JaronK

What feats do you get for first and second level?

[JaronK]

Well, you'd want Barbarian to be your first level (more hit points, more skill points). And forget Ape Totem... free Power Attack is nice, but move speed is good too if you're a charger. I'd do something like this, using a human:

Wolf Totem Barbarian 1 Power Attack, Intimidating Rage
Fighter 1 Improved Bull Rush
Fighter 2 Cleave, Destructive Rage
WT Barbarian 2
WT Barbarian 3 Improved Trip
WT Barbarian 4 Shock Trooper
Frenzied Berserker 1
FB 2
FB 3 Leap Attack
FB 4
FB 5
FB 6 Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Spiked Chain
FB 7
FB 8
FB 9 Combat Reflexes
Frenzied 10
WT Barbarian 5
WT Barbarian 6 Extra Rage
WT Barbarian 7
WT Barbarian 8

The chain lets you get in close with your charge... then when other enemies come at you while your AC is low, you can make AoOs at them with the bonus from power attack (remember, it lasts one full round). It's also useful for tripping. If you prefer, use a Guisarme instead and get a different feat.

JaronK

[Tor the Fallen]

Do rage feats count as fighter bonus feats? Otherwise, I'd switch destructive rage and cleave.

[JaronK]

Err, right. Fair enough.

[SpatulaOfDoom]

Bounding assault and rapid blitz use the same rules as spring attack (no charge because you have to move after the attack and charge doesn't allow that), and for a feat hungry barbarian the spring attack line up into bounding assault and rapid blitz are probably going to be difficult to come by.

My suggestion:
Make your armor class as terrible as possible and turn that to your advantage. Your armor class will go from a number to "You can't hit me cause you're dead".
Wolf totem is good for a tripper, spiked chain is ok but a polearm and armor spikes works just as well if you're not planning on disarming stuff. For a hypothetical build frenzied berzerker is good but in actual play it's a pain in the ass (I tripped and fell down the stairs for 1d6 subdual, I frenzy and kill everyone in the inn including my party members!).

If you can get your DM to allow it Mongose Publishing's Ultimate Prestige's Dragon Slayer prestige class is pretty nice. Power attack and Iron will and BaB+5 are the pre-req's and it gives you Improved Power attack (double power attack bonus to damage) at 1st level and an ability similar to Deathless Frenzy at 7th level (Fort Saves to resist dying from HP loss but you have to make an attack every round), it also gives bonuses to fighting huge or larger creatures, and immunity to fear.
Best of all the Book's Open Gaming Content.


This is a basic charger build with a twist.

Flaws Vulnerable and Shaky
Barbarian1: Power attack, cleave, combat reflexes
Bar2:
Bar3: Endurance
Bar4:
Bar5:
Ftr1: Imp bull rush, Shock Trooper
Ftr2: Leap attack
Warblade1: (Maneuvers:Charging Minotaur,Steel Wind, Steely strike. Stance: punishing stance)
WB2: Steadfast determination
WB3: (Maneuver: Wall of Blades)
WB4:
WB5: Great Cleave, Robilars gambit (This is the linchpin of the build) (Maneuver Iron Heart Surge. Stance: Absolute Steel Stance)

How it works: Combining Leap attack and Shock troopers 'heedless charge' is a tried and true method of making big damage charge attacks that actually hit but when you add in a Charging Minotaur strike (which allows you to combine a normal charge attack with a bull rush) it turns into a pinball game when you can suddenly use all 3 of the Shock troopers tactical maneuvers in a single charge. With a good strength and +2 from charge +4 from Improved bull rush your bull rush should be successfull (which allows you to add in Charging Minotaurs 2d6+str bonus hit for wining the bull rush). As a Wolf Totem Barbarian with a decent strength your trip attempt using Domino Rush should also be successfull allowing your 2 extra attacks so long as they're still within reach. Charging minotaur also allows you to avoid AoO's from your movement.

Punishing stance is a nice little bonus to damage, the penalty to AC is meaningless with this build.

Now you're saying that "That's nice and all and maybe I've hurt the guy pretty bad but now I'm a sitting duck with an armor class in the negatives." That's where Robilars gambit comes in, each time they attack you you get an attack on them, hopefully for as much or more damage than they can do. Use the Wall of Blades counter on anything that looks dangerous to cause that attack to miss (you should have a high attack bonus) and still get your AoO.

Steadfast Determination allows you to add your Con modifier to your will saves rather than your Wis modifier, great for a build with a base Will save of +2. If something does slip through you can probably use Iron Heart Surge to recover.

So long as you have the fighting space for it Enlarge person is a must for the extra damage and bonuses on Trip and Bull rush. And as always don't forget to Cleave.

A good race for this tactic is the Orc +4 str with no Level Adjustment, Dwarf is also a decent choice. If you take human I'd suggest Improved Toughness, you'll need those hitpoints.
Hopefully by level 12 your stats will be be sitting at 22-24str (26-28 when raging +4 if you went orc), 18 con (the more the better, +2 if Dwarf), and 14-16 dex for 3-4 AoO's with Robilars gambit.

EDIT: Oh and since you're throwing AC out the window anyways pick up a set of rhino hide armor for +2d6 on a charge, there's also Armbands of Might (can't remember which book they're from) a low price item that gives a bit of extra damage when power attacking.

[Annarrkkii]

Orc is an excellent choice for the above strategy, because of Headlong Rush.

The other option is Raptoran, which naturally doubles its charge damage when performing a diving charge. Add in Diving Charge, the feat, for another 2d6 damage, if you like, Flyby Attack to sweep on past, and the Twisted Charge skill trick to make altitude adjustments mid-charge.