Can a raging barbarian/magus use Arcane Strike?
"While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration."
What abilities exist that do not require patience or concentration?
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Can a raging barbarian/magus use Arcane Strike?
"While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration."
What abilities exist that do not require patience or concentration?
I'm guessing you meant Pool Strike. Pool strike is a Supernatural ability. However, the arcane pool points are based off intelligence modifier, so I would consider it to be unable to be used while raging.
As for abilities that don't require patience or concentration? Any rage power. Power attack. Combat maneuvers. Dodge bonuses. Lots of things classes give could be used during a rage. Some things couldn't. Really, its up to GM call for what takes patience or concentration. (I think spellcasting counts as concentration required, as if you are damaged during spell casting you have to make a concentration check.)
Craft and profession skills will cover 90% of things not covered by other skills - and both are int based, so cannot be done while raging. Sewing, painting, sailing, setting up dominoes, the like.
I'd also disallow a raging barbarian to answer questions from a 3 year old.
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Unless the three year old asks them what is good in life. Then they must answer.
Craft and profession skills will cover 90% of things not covered by other skills - and both are int based, so cannot be done while raging. Sewing, painting, sailing, setting up dominoes, the like.
I'd also disallow a raging barbarian to answer questions from a 3 year old.
Sorry, but profession is Wis based, so yes, you can have a raging barbarian pirate sailing away angrily! (See archetype sea reaver)
Sorry, but profession is Wis based, so yes, you can have a raging barbarian pirate sailing away angrily! (See archetype sea reaver)Craft and profession skills will cover 90% of things not covered by other skills - and both are int based, so cannot be done while raging. Sewing, painting, sailing, setting up dominoes, the like.
I'd also disallow a raging barbarian to answer questions from a 3 year old.
Correct you are. Misremembered on my part.
So raging while on latrine duty as a professional soldier is allowed.
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Spell-like and Supernatural abilities are all fair game while Raging. They require no components and no concentration. They work with a simple thought. Especially since the Barbarian has Su abilities he can activate already (like Elemental Rage)
Straight up Spellcasting, however...
From the rules on Magic:
To cast a spell, you must be able to speak (if the spell has a verbal component), gesture (if it has a somatic component), and manipulate the material components or focus (if any). Additionally, you must concentrate to cast a spell.
So, Pool Strike yes. Spellstrike/Spell Combat no, since they require you to cast.
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Unwittingly posted something very similar, so I'm going to move my examples here:
Total defense?
Dealing nonlethal damage with a lethal weapon?
Combat Style feats (Dragon Style is especially nice for an UAS barbarian)?
Bardic performance types that don't require a check?
Unless the three year old asks them what is good in life. Then they must answer.
Conan wasn't raging at the time.
Spell-like and Supernatural abilities are all fair game while Raging. They require no components and no concentration
Spell-like abilities require concentration.
Using a spell-like ability works like casting a spell in that it requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. Spell-like abilities can be disrupted. If your concentration is broken, the attempt to use the ability fails, but the attempt counts as if you had used the ability.
EDIT @OP: Urban barbarian might be a good idea for you since it doesn't restrict actions you take while raging, allowing you to spellcast normally.
Total defense? Yes
Dealing nonlethal damage with a lethal weapon? Yes
Combat Style feats (Dragon Style is especially nice for an UAS barbarian)? Yes
Bardic performance types that don't require a check? Sure, as long as they aren't (Sp).
Now I have a very strong want to make a "Rage Mage". Barb/Magus that focuses on getting damage through pool strike/arcane strike/high str and uses spells only for buffs and utility. Not ideal I know but sounds like a ton of fun. I will have to think on this and come up with a build.
There's a Rage Mage PrC in 3.5's Complete Warrior, which allows spellcasting during a rage (with some benefits, like caster level = character level for certain schools).
Of course, it would be quite different from the concept you envision :)
On the off chance you did mean the feat 'Arcane Strike' then it's a swift action. If a Barbarian/Magnus can get the feat, you should be able to use it.
Can a raging barbarian/magus use Arcane Strike?
"While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration."
What abilities exist that do not require patience or concentration?
I'm guessing you meant Pool Strike. Pool strike is a Supernatural ability. However, the arcane pool points are based off intelligence modifier, so I would consider it to be unable to be used while raging.
As for abilities that don't require patience or concentration? Any rage power. Power attack. Combat maneuvers. Dodge bonuses. Lots of things classes give could be used during a rage. Some things couldn't. Really, its up to GM call for what takes patience or concentration. (I think spellcasting counts as concentration required, as if you are damaged during spell casting you have to make a concentration check.)
I meant Arcane Strike. It's a feat from the CRB. It lets an arcane caster spend a swift action to add +1 to weapon damage for 1 round, +1 per 5 CLs.
Oh, arcane strike the feat? Sure. No problem.
I would think that arcane strike would be even easier when raging. Unleashing your magical power in a burst of energy around your weapon? What could be more barbarian than that? Heck, I'd rule that he could NOT stop using the feat while raging.
Mechanically, the feat does not have a concentration check, it is not a skill, and the fact it is a swift action means that you do not need patience to use it. Nothing seems to particularly stop you from doing so.
SWEET!!!!
There's a Rage Mage PrC in 3.5's Complete Warrior, which allows spellcasting during a rage (with some benefits, like caster level = character level for certain schools).
Of course, it would be quite different from the concept you envision :)
Yeah I am aware of the PrC. I don't use 3.5 materiel unless its a 3.5 game. (Which I don't play in any of atm.) Honestly to me this feels like a much better rage mage concept. Hitting things with a big two handed weapon with wild arcane forces striking in unison.
The build would pretty much ignore spell combat. Though it would be limited to one hit a round and likely would not hold up well into lvl 15+ because of this. Still sounds like a ton of fun for a game that wont go that high.
If you aren't planning on using spell combat or spell strike too often then here are a few ideas to maximize damage:
Put spell storing on your weapon so you can have a shocking grasp/ vampiric strike ready for that "ohh crap" moment when you need it.
If you know you are going to be entering combat soon, cast a touch spell and hold the charge before combat start, use the spell just before you enter rage.
Consider taking the spell blade archetype for magus levels sense it doesn't really rely on spell strike so much as it does things like pool strike strike and your magus arcana. Also, a barbarian who two weapon fights and still has a hand free can (it might be stretching the wording, but I'd Allow it) wield a 2h weapon and his athame simultaneously which equates to a lot of damage.
I was more aiming for a two handed weapon combined with poolstrike used with spell strike. Well that is the idea I would like to play anyway but the more I mow it over the less it seems doable.
With spellstrike to deliver pool strike it leaves the C permanently limited to one attack per round. So it would be good fun up til say 8 or so and them would fall behind more and more. Since vital strike does not jive with spellstrike that can't be used to help sure things up a bit.
As much as I would love to make it work it seems it will get filed away for later revisiting. For awhile now I have wanted a magus archetype that trades something at least sort of useful for spell combat. This idea is just another reason I want that.
I plan on making a dwarf barbarian 1/magus 3+ and using a dwarven waraxe. I can use it 1-handed with spell combat, or 2-handed without spell combat.
I'm not entirely sure you can even deliver pool strike with spell strike because spell strike specifically calls out touch spells, not touch attacks.
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I do not believe even the Urban Barbarian can cast spells while in a Rage:
When an urban barbarian rages, instead of making a normal rage she may apply a +4 morale bonus to her Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. This bonus increases to +6 when she gains greater rage and +8 when she gains mighty rage. She may apply the full bonus to one ability score or may split the bonus between several scores in increments of +2. When using a controlled rage, an urban barbarian gains no bonus on Will saves, takes no penalties to AC, and can still use Intelligence-, Dexterity-, and Charisma-based skills. This ability otherwise follows the normal rules for rage.
Even though Controlled Rage allows you to use Int-, Dex-, and Cha-based skills, it still otherwise follows the normal rules for rage, which means the temporary inability to do anything that "requires patience or concentration" (such as spellcasting).
I'm not entirely sure you can even deliver pool strike with spell strike because spell strike specifically calls out touch spells, not touch attacks.
From the SRD:
Pool Strike (Su)
Benefit: The magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a standard action to charge his free hand with energy. He can make a melee touch attack with that hand as a free action as part of activating this ability. If the touch attack hits, it releases the charge and deals 2d6 points of energy damage (acid, cold, electricity, or fire, chosen when he spends the arcane pool point to activate this ability). He can use this ability with the spellstrike class feature. (emphasis mine). If he misses with this attack, he can hold the charge for up to 1 minute before it dissipates. At 6th level, and every three levels thereafter, the amount of damage dealt by this attack increases by 1d6.
I'm not entirely sure you can even deliver pool strike with spell strike because spell strike specifically calls out touch spells, not touch attacks.From the SRD:
Pool Strike (Su)
Benefit: The magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a standard action to charge his free hand with energy. He can make a melee touch attack with that hand as a free action as part of activating this ability. If the touch attack hits, it releases the charge and deals 2d6 points of energy damage (acid, cold, electricity, or fire, chosen when he spends the arcane pool point to activate this ability). He can use this ability with the spellstrike class feature. (emphasis mine). If he misses with this attack, he can hold the charge for up to 1 minute before it dissipates. At 6th level, and every three levels thereafter, the amount of damage dealt by this attack increases by 1d6.
Ohh cool. I was looking at spell strike, which specifically says spells. But hey.
I can't provide a link at the moment, but I believe there's a rage power called "Moment of Clarity" which lets you act normally during your rage for one round. I think there's also a PrC that requires it and combines barbarian with oracle, which isn't relevant other than that it shows you can have a caster barbarian.
I can't provide a link at the moment, but I believe there's a rage power called "Moment of Clarity" which lets you act normally during your rage for one round. I think there's also a PrC that requires it and combines barbarian with oracle, which isn't relevant other than that it shows you can have a caster barbarian.That would be the rage prophet PrC.
Also, couldn't you just cast the spell, move into melee range with your target, then start your rage, then deliver the blow while raging. You didn't cast while raging, all you did was hold the charge.
I already suggested that.