best style feat for my barbarian


Advice


Invulnerable Rager x, 1 dip into oracle of metal (lame & +10' bonus), and 1 dip into unarmed fighter... i like both the unarmed strike for grapples & the style feat.
now.... what style?
since it's a one shot for no pre-req style feat - need to choose wisely.
so.......
1 feat - 1 free style....
options are:

1) pummeling charge - it's a poor man's charge - unarmed only but.... saving 3 feats so no waste the beast totem line on the rare times i dont have full attacks.

2) Boar Shred > intimidate as a move action ? YUMMIES. and later on, adding the Boar Style isnt half bad...although as levels grow i might be using more weapons than grapple and unarmed but...

3) Crane Style > well.... -2/+4 AC is classic. go VERY well with both stalwart tree (already got free endurance from 1/2 orc) & natural armor of beast totem (if i take it.) ... making a fearsome tank.

4) Grabbing Style > well.... first i CANT take it normally, only with the fighter dip, as i got no flurry... no -4 at 1 hand is handy for a weapon using melee, and allow me to use a rope\chain on other hand for the hog tie trick. lastly - no minus while i pin aint bad.

5) Panther Style > mini - me "come & get me" - you move with DR shield, soak and attack and punch. so-so but nice.

6) Snake Fang > really nice really... with the AC boost barbarian get's i might get missed - and X2 free 1d3+power attack + STR isnt bad.

7) Snapping Turtle Shell > +2 shield bonus is nice.
but..... Snapping Turtle Clutch is WAY better . free grapple chance ? than it's all my turn to try and STR surge you into a pin\hog tie? nice!

8) Tiger Pounce > since i will spell sunder, its a nice chasing the caster style but a bit rare.

so... which is the winner and why ?


You also miss the advantage of pummeling style itself- Cluster shot

All your attacks are pooled into one big attack...which means you only hit DR once. It solves one of the main problems of nonmonk unarmed builds (how to deal with DR?) by taking those problems' lunch money and stuffing them into a locker.

Also, if you take pummeling charge, you could actually take a totem that is not beast totem. Dragon totem looks nice since it can get you an extra 6 DR/-. Maybe grab the increased damage reduction rage powers too, and end up getting a total of DR 19/- from barbarian (before getting into stalwart stuff). Oh, and you also get resistence 38 to a select element due to how dragon resilience works, which is nice too.

You would grab your pseudo pounce 3 levels late though (the need for BAB+12 since you aren't a monk, as well as your oracle dip)

I would be wary of crane and snapping turtle- they require a free hand. Unfortunately, the main bonuses that barbarians get are str and power attack...which means you generally should be 2 handing.


well... crane style doesnt need a free hand, only the rest of the chain...

Snapping Turtle Clutch - need a hand for the grab but one can free a ahnd ...freely...

Scarab Sages

Note, all of your choices are illegal for a level of unarmed fighter. Unarmed fighter gives you a free Style feat at level one, which means the actual Style itself. All the later feats in the style chain are not Style feats, but simply combat feats with a Style feat as a prerequisite.


oh! i missed that part!
that helps narrow it down.....
the Boar Shred will wait a dip into monk of styles on a ranger \ fighter.
for my barb. it seem like :

Crane Style
drgon style if i plan on charging.
Grabbing Style that is REALLY nice for a hog tie \ grab with weapon.
Panther Style risky yet nice.

Dark Archive

If your already planning on pouncing then I have to vote dragon. Ignore difficult terrain on a charge, the allies thing is nice if you get ambushed.


true, but i dislike the beast totem.
1) claws suck. i like unarmed not cause of effective - cause in real life no melee WILL EVER NOT learn it. it's basic combat training.
and.... i love grapples. its a lot like trip. when focused upon - it work sometimes - but when it does... and - its a solid plan for shutting down casters. you sunder their freedom of movement, than hug them to sleep.

2) natural AC is nice. i agree. but not worth the 2 feats.

3) yes, pounce add a lot of theory damage. in real game?
-- not all places fit a charge (but dragon style will assist here).
-- you don't always want to leave formation.
-- yes, more damage is fun - but 3 rage powers? thats a long path to walk...

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