Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Preview #10

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook is set to release on August 13th, 2009, and in anticipation, we are releasing a preview of the game each week until the game hits store shelves. This week, we are getting angry with Amiri, the iconic barbarian.

Amiri
Female human barbarian 17
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +21
DEFENSE
AC 26, touch 14, flat-footed 24 (+9 armor, +4 deflection, +2 Dex, +3 natural, –2 rage)
hp 252 (17d12+136)
Fort +19, Ref +10, Will +14; +4 vs. enchantment
Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, indomitable will, trap sense +5; DR 4/—
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +4 frost keen adamantine greatsword +31/+26/+21/+16 (2d6+19/17–20 plus 1d6 cold)
Ranged +2 frost composite longbow +21/+16/+11/+6 (1d8+9/x3 plus 1d6 cold)
Special Attacks greater rage (41 rounds/day), rage powers (fearless rage, increased damage reduction, intimidating glare, knockback, powerful blow +5, renewed vigor [4d8+6], superstition +6, terrifying howl [DC 27])
BASE STATISTICS
AC 28, touch 16, flat-footed 26 (+9 armor, +4 deflection, +2 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 201 (17d12+85)
Fort +16, Will +11
Melee +4 frost keen adamantine greatsword +28/+23/+18/+13 (2d6+14/17–20 plus 1d6 cold)
CMB +24; CMD 40
Skills Climb +27
STATISTICS
Str 24 (30), Dex 14, Con 16 (22), Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +17; CMB +27; CMD 41
Feats Bleeding Critical, Blind-Fight, Critical Focus, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Iron Will, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness, Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +22, Climb +30, Intimidate +19, Perception +21, Survival +21
SQ tireless rage
Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds (6), potion of haste (2); Other Gear ring of protection +4, amulet of natural armor +3, cloak of resistance +3, +4 frost keen adamantine greatsword, +2 frost composite longbow (Str +7), +5 moderate fortification hide armor, bag of holding (type II), belt of giant strength +6, cube of force, ring of freedom of movement, scarab of protection, winged boots

Don't make Amiri angry, you won't like her when she's angry. Of all of our iconics, none is more focused on dishing out pain than the barbarian. Although her stat block shows her damage while raging, it does not include Power Attack, which would give her a –5 on attack rolls, but increase her damage to 2d6+34. If she were to score a critical hit, while using Greater Vital Strike and Power Attack, her damage would jump to 10d6+68 and her victim would take 2d6 points of bleed damage each round thereafter. Enough with the math though, lets get in to some of the specifics of the barbarian.

To start off, let's take a look at rage. In the Beta version of the Pathfinder RPG rules, barbarians received a pool of rage points that they could spend on rounds of rage and to activate various rage powers. We have simplified this for the final, making it so that the barbarian now only needs to track the total number of rounds of rage per day. This starts at 4 + her Constitution modifier and increases by 2 for every level beyond 1st, meaning that even a 1st-level barbarian can rage more than once per day, so long as they are short rages. She also spends only 1 round of rage per round, regardless of the type of rage she is using (this is a change from the Beta).

Rage powers were added to the barbarian early on in the design. These powers can only be used while raging and allow the barbarian to perform fantastic feats of Strength, make more powerful attacks, and terrify those around her. Since these no long consume rage points, most have been reworked to be used only once per rage or once per day. Rage powers are gained at 2nd level and the barbarian gains an additional power for every two levels beyond that. Let's take a closer look at Amiri's specific powers.

Fearless Rage: With this power, which cannot be selected until 12th level, Amiri is immune to shaken and frightened condition while raging.
Increased Damage Reduction: While raging, Amiri's DR increases to 5/—.
Intimidating Glare: With this power, Amiri can attempt to Initimidate one adjacent foe as a move action, causing them to become shaken for 1d4 rounds +1 round for every 5 points by which her check exceeds the DC.
Knockback: Once per round, Amiri can use this power make a bull rush attempt against a foe in place of a melee attack. If successful, the target takes damage equal to her Strength modifier and is moved back without Amiri needing to follow.
Powerful Blow: Once per rage, Amiri can use this power as a swift action to add +5 to one melee damage roll. This bonus scales as she gains levels.
Renewed Vigor: Once per day, while raging, Amiri can use this power to heal herself. It starts at only 1d8 + her Constitution modifier, but scales as she gains level. Amiri must be 4th level before taking this power.
Superstition: This new rage power gives a barbarian a morale bonus on all saves against spells, supernatural abilities, and spell-like abilities while raging. While valuable, it comes with the drawback. While raging, Amiri cannot be the willing target of any spell and must attempt to resist all spells, even those case by allies.
Terrifying Howl: Amiri had to take Intimidating Glare before she could select this 8th-level rage power. As a standard action, Amiri can unleash a blood-curdling war cry that causes all shaken enemies within 30 feet to make a Will save or become panicked for 1d4+1 rounds. Once a foe has made a save, successful or not, they are immune to this power for 24 hours.

These powers are designed to give the barbarian a few more options in combat besides running up and murdering folks (although there are plenty that do that too). During the Beta, there were a few rage powers that did not really fit the theme (such as the one that did elemental damage), but these have been trimmed in favor of abilities that are all exceptional abilities. You might see some supernatural rage powers in later books, but they will be tied to specific themes.

Beyond the changes to rage and the addition of rage powers, not much else has changed with the barbarian. She still gets greater and mighty rage at high levels, damage reduction, uncanny dodge, and trap sense. We added Acrobatics and Knowledge (nature) to her list of class skills. The other changes of note here are in her feats. Critical Focus and Bleeding Critical give her a +4 bonus on attack rolls made to confirm critical hits and anyone who takes a critical hit also gains 2d6 points of bleed (damage that recurs each round until healed). Iron Will works as before, but Improved Iron Will lets Amiri reroll one Will Save made each day, after the first roll is made but before the results are revealed. Toughness grants +1 hit point per level, with a minimum of +3 hit points (so +3 until you reach 4th level, at which point it becomes +4). Finally, there is Power Attack, which grants a +2 bonus on damage for a –1 penalty on attack rolls. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and for every 4 beyond +4, the bonus to damage increases by +2 and the penalty increase by –1. Wielding a two-handed weapon increases the damage by 50%, whereas off-hand weapons get only half the damage bonus. Just thought I would let that cat out of the bag, since there has been quite a bit of speculation as to the exact formula.

There are only four more previews before the release of the Core Rulebook! If I can find her, next week we will take a look at Merisiel, the iconic rogue.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer