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Thread: Barbarian Build Help
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2007-07-27, 11:30 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- Connecticut
- Gender
Barbarian Build Help
Alright, for the next campaign I'll be playing in, I've decided to play a melee character instead of a full-caster (yes, I know it's mechanically inferior, I want a change of pace). However, the only character I've ever played that wasn't a full-caster was an archery-based Ranger, so I don't have much experience in that regard.
I'm going to play a dwarven barbarian. Since the campaign has a Norse setting, I thought that it'd be fun to play a berserker, so I'll be prestige classing into Bear Warrior (CW). That's set in stone. The dm has agreed to modify the class so that I don't actually turn into a bear but channel a bear spirit; I'll give up some of the bonuses, but I get to keep my tricked-out greatspear. I dipped the level of Ranger for better skill points at first level, a favored enemy, and Track as a bonus feat. I don't plan on advancing as a Ranger.
I've come up with my basic build, and got dm approval to swap out my dwarven racial favored class (fighter to barbarian) and traded my weapon familiarity for greatspear proficiency. That said, I'm not sure where I'm going to take this after about level nine. Any suggestions are appreciated. Arcane magic is not available to any pcs (it's rare in the campaign world), and I wouldn't want it if it was, so refrain from suggesting anything of that sort. I'm also away from books at the moment, but if I remember correctly, Bear Warrior requires a BAB of 7. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Here's my character.
Dwarven Ranger 1/Barbarian 4
(Stats were generated 4d6 drop lowest, and I rolled well.)
STR 20 (18+2 (gloves of giant strength))
DEX 15
CON 20 (17+2 (racial) +1 (4th level))
INT 11
WIS 14
CHA 9 (11-2 (racial))
Proposed Build
Ranger 1- Power Attack, Track
Barb 1
Barb 2- Improved Bull Rush
Barb 3- +1 Con
Barb 4
Barb 5- Shock Trooper
Barb 6
Bear Warrior 1- +1 Con
BW 2- Leap Attack
BW 3
BW 4
BW 5- (Cleave or Improved Favored Enemy?), +1 Con
BW 6
BW 7
BW 8- ???
BW 9- +1 Con
BW 10
Barb 7- ???
Barb 8
Barb 9- +1 Con
Edit: I forgot to mention, allowed books are: Core, PHB 2, All Completes, Heroes of Battle, and Heroes of Horror.Last edited by codexgigas; 2007-07-27 at 11:34 AM.
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2007-07-27, 11:50 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
- Location
- Poland
- Gender
Re: Barbarian Build Help
I don't know if Improved favored enemy is good for such build (if you don't want more ranger levels).
What's your fauvorite enemy? Beacuse if your character must often fight with his specific enemy it can be better.Last edited by Spiryt; 2007-07-27 at 11:55 AM.
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2007-07-27, 01:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Gender
Re: Barbarian Build Help
Iron Will. Having the Greater-Rage-ing Power-Attack-ing Shock-Trooper-ing barbarian get Dominate-ed is not fun for the rest of the part.
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Avatar thanks to Kiren
Current Characters:
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2007-07-27, 01:56 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Location
- Dayton, Ohio
- Gender
Re: Barbarian Build Help
Trade your first level of Barbarian for the Lion Totem Barbarian variant from Complete Champion. You lose Fast Movement, you gain Pounce.
Congrats, your leap-attacking Bear Warrior is now making a full-attack on every charge, and adding his Shocktrooper/Power attack bonus to each of the attacks he makes at the end of that charge.
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2007-07-27, 01:58 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2005
- Location
Re: Barbarian Build Help
Something like ranger 3/barbarian 2/fighter 2 would be a better entry into bearwarrior. The two extra feats you get you can spend on extra rage and steadfast determination.
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2007-07-27, 05:08 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- uk
Re: Barbarian Build Help
fighter 2 yes, but ranger three? what for? i do not see what this adds to the build apart from skill points, you'll even gain fighting styles that you will never use!
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2007-07-27, 06:51 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- Connecticut
- Gender
Re: Barbarian Build Help
Well, the character is set in stone through level 5. I've already submitted the character sheet to my DM. My favored enemy is monstrous humanoids, chosen per my DM's urging, so it's going to come into play quite a bit. Since I'm basically a one-trick pony when it comes to charging, I'm not sure how useful cleave would be.
I'll look at Lion Totem Barbarian (and ask for it if I like it), but I don't have access to Complete Champion at the moment (and won't until the game begins). However, since my charge needs to reach enemies, and I have reduced movement from being a dwarf, I tend to like fast movement.
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2007-07-27, 10:12 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2006
- Location
- A Galaxy Far, Far Away...
Re: Barbarian Build Help
Spoiler
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2007-07-28, 12:28 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Kanagawa, Japan
- Gender
Re: Barbarian Build Help
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