need barbarian advice

[deathlymallows]

i'm pretty new to the game and I'm trying to make a good build for a barbarian. i was looking at the archetypes and i love the backstory to the scarred rager archetype, so i was thinking of going with that. it was going okay at first, but now I'm starting to get very lost as to how I am supposed to build and what feats/rage abilities/skill to get to properly build my half-orc barbarian that loves nothing more than to hear his bellowing roar throughout the halls and to chop you in half with his 2h Axe.

please help me with any info/suggestions you may have, thank you.

[grimdog73]

Well, other than the obvious for combat(WF, toughness, Power attack and such), maybe Intimidating prowess? adding your STR to intimidate checks works well I think.

[master_marshmallow]

Feats, look into Power Attack, Furious Focus, and Intimidating Prowess.

Skills, max out Intimidate and Perception, and look at what other skills you are actually using in game. Survival is good, and Knowledge (Nature) can help you identify certain types of enemies.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Rage abilities I really like beast totem line. Pounce at level 10 equals win.

Feat wise Raging vitility, power attack are your 2 core feats.
toughness is always amazing as having one of the biggest hp pools helps a lot.

I m not the furious focus type. I prefer weapon focus over furious focus on everything unless im going vital strike. If you go beast totem line you get pounce which is full attacks so your return on weapon focus is better the furious focus. Some people will tell you furious focus is a near mandatory feat but I wont as it is ok but not as mandatory as power attack.

Feat to avoid: cleave. ..I hate cleave with a passion. I refuse it unless it can be retrained as fighter or using retraining rules.

The intimidating prowess> Car. Smash>dazzling display> shatter defenses is a strong chain.
Step up line gets some good praise as well.

You can also load up on extra rage powers as well. Superstition and witch hunter are awesome.

If your DM allows you to take regional feat Big game hunter is a very good feat after level 7.

You also could do well with Improved critical or a Keened weapon.

[Argus The Slayer]

Weapon Focus, and Improved Critical are great feats if you know what kind of weapons that you are likely to be using. If you are playing PFS or your DM will customize the magic items that you find to suit your needs, than those feats are awesome for your barbarian. If you don't know what kinds of magical weapons you might stumble upon, Barbarians do great in that scenario, too: you just won't want to spend feats to specialize on a specific type of weapon (Weapon Focus, Improved Critical). Barbarians excel in those circumstances, because your STR bonuses while raging make it so that you don't care what weapons you are using, just pickup whatever is around and use it to bash your enemies.

I'm not a huge fan of Furious Focus for a barbarian: your first attack is already pretty likely to hit w/o FF. It helps a little at lower levels (maybe 4th through 8th?), but then becomes less valuable as your attack bonuses climb.

Here's my take in priority for Barbarian feats:
Raging Vitality
Weapon Focus (if applicable)
Power Attack
Toughness
Improved Critical (level 9 - if applicable)
Intimidating prowess
Tribal Scar Feat (extra movement and HP, plus a bonus to Acrobatics?)

[Gwen Smith]

If you take Intimidating Prowess, the Enforcer feat gives you a nice option for those times you don't want to turn the enemy into red mist. Bludgeoner (do non-lethal damage with no penalty) goes along well with that combination, or there are some traits that can reduce the penalties there, also.

Also, my favorite low-cost magic item for Barbarians is the Aegis of Recovery. For 1500 gp, it automatically casts cure moderate wounds on you when you go below 0 hp. Once you hit the "going unconscious while raging = instant death" break point, it's money well spent!

[Arksangiel]

Gwen Smith wrote:

If you take Intimidating Prowess, the Enforcer feat gives you a nice option for those times you don't want to turn the enemy into red mist. Bludgeoner (do non-lethal damage with no penalty) goes along well with that combination, or there are some traits that can reduce the penalties there, also.

Also, my favorite low-cost magic item for Barbarians is the Aegis of Recovery. For 1500 gp, it automatically casts cure moderate wounds on you when you go below 0 hp. Once you hit the "going unconscious while raging = instant death" break point, it's money well spent!

I would second that Aegis--and suggest a level of Unbreakable Fighter (for free Diehard/Endurance) to get the Fast Healer feat. Couple that with Guarded Life and Greater Guarded life...you get 4d8+6+Con Mod hp of healing (half from lethal and half from nonlethal) and it absolutely works wonders if you happen to have someone cast an extended Infernal Healing on you. Not to mention even if you halve healing through the superstitious rage power's mandatory attempt, you still get some bonus HP from it.