which is a better defensive build - barbarian


Advice


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i am barbarian 12, fighter 1, oracle 1 (fatigue immune)
invul. rager . i dont wear an armor, DM gave me a simple "shirt" that add 2 to my DR (no armor bonus).
so, Basic DR = 8.

Build:

human
1: fighter unarmed : dragon style + imp. unarmed strike, power attack, imp grapple.
3: imp sunder + superstitious.
5: extra rage (see below the dilemma) + Witch Hunter
7: greater grapple + spell sunder
9: oracle lvl : + extra rage (see below the dilemma)
10 :strength surge
11: rapid grapple
12: Animal fury
13: (see below the dilemma)
14: open rage power

so, 3 feats \ 2 rage powers open.

option 1: 2 feats > 2 rage powers.
intimidate glare, dragon totem, dragon resilience, dragon wings.
DR is now 14 ALL THE TIME.
fire resistance is 28.
can minor fly if needed for a short rounds.

option 2:
unexpected strike. + :
"choose 3 more: "
combat reflexes
knockback
knockdown
savage dirty trick
dazing assault.
*** risky *** come and get me.

dont forget, i got AC OF 10.
so, the idea isnt sucking the attack with DR, but it's getting a reach weapon. you come near me? you provoke and i :
1) bull rush you with str surge WAY back.
2) either trip you (rare at our levels) or blind you with dirty tricks.
3) didnt find any creature immune to dazing, so i might daze you
you come in .
4) might ask party member to add shaken - and i can add sicken with an item.

it's a less "i am a wall" tactics - and i wonder how will it fair in comparison to a flat DR booster.


I... Don't really understand what you want to do with this post.


The Dragon wrote:
I... Don't really understand what you want to do with this post.

get an advice.

is dragon totem rage power chain that is worth
+6 DR ( 8 > 14)
28 fire resistance
minor flight

BETTER OR WORSE, tactical, "staying alive wise" than taking (same "cost" of 4 feat \ rage powers) :

choose any 4:
unexpected strike (must have)
dazing assault
come and get me (risky but nice with knockback )
savage dirty trick (for huge + foes)
reflexes (maybe worth it)
knockdown
knockback

will the Attack of opportunity the foe keep provoking be more effective or less the flat bonus to DR ?
it will be more fun play.... but i need to survive with AC of 10.


Advice - wear armor or take a class that gives bonuses to AC. That will do more for your defense than either option.

Liberty's Edge

Advice - don't wear armor, you're a barbarian, you gave up winning the AC game long ago. If you have a shirt (effectively 0 AC armor) that boosts your DR stick with that. Maybe see if you can get fortification on it. Come and Get Me and Dazing Assault is a great combo, you likely want potions of enlarge person to make sure you can attack creatures larger than yourself with it. Boost your Con, try to get your HP as high as you can, and get a cloak of displacement, minor. If you're in a home game, see if you can combine it and a cloak of displacement into one item, or see if you can have a vest of resistance.

As for your power options. Dragon totem is pretty good, if you don't plan on taking another totem line. If that's the case, take dragon totem, take Come and Get Me, Dazing Assault, and just let people come try to hit you, then you daze them, and they're stuck eating a full attack on your next turn.


By level 14 he's dealing with enemies with on average well over +20 to attack. A bit of armor isn't going to help. As a barbarian, his best best is to just soak up as much as he can, because he really isn't going to be dodging any attacks. With or without armor, his AC will be terrible.

As for the advice, I don't have any sadly. I'd probably recommend just going with the beast totem route since pounce is very, very powerful. That said, tough to argue with extra DR/-, and fire is a fairly common resistance.


Advice - barbarians can easily have more ac than fighters.

At level 14, a fighter in +5 fullplate has 24 base AC (up to 28 with +4 dex). 10+14Armor(+4 dex)
At level 14, a beast totem barbarian in +5 mithral breastplate has 23 AC (Up to 28 with +5 dex). 10+11Armor+4Natural-2Rage(+5 dex)

So there. Almost the same AC as an equal-level fighter.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

Combat Expertise, Endurance, Stalwart, Improved Stalwart.

Boost DR w/Combat Expertise, add 10 to DR, add Dragon Totem, get 24/- DR.


Deighton Thrane wrote:

Advice - don't wear armor, you're a barbarian, you gave up winning the AC game long ago. If you have a shirt (effectively 0 AC armor) that boosts your DR stick with that. Maybe see if you can get fortification on it. Come and Get Me and Dazing Assault is a great combo, you likely want potions of enlarge person to make sure you can attack creatures larger than yourself with it. Boost your Con, try to get your HP as high as you can, and get a cloak of displacement, minor. If you're in a home game, see if you can combine it and a cloak of displacement into one item, or see if you can have a vest of resistance.

As for your power options. Dragon totem is pretty good, if you don't plan on taking another totem line. If that's the case, take dragon totem, take Come and Get Me, Dazing Assault, and just let people come try to hit you, then you daze them, and they're stuck eating a full attack on your next turn.

first good advice.

i agree the dragon totem is a nice one, and i aint gonna take beast totem (dont like it.) .

come and get me fear me a bit, but might be nice with knowckback.


The Dragon wrote:

Advice - barbarians can easily have more ac than fighters.

At level 14, a fighter in +5 fullplate has 24 base AC (up to 28 with +4 dex). 10+14Armor(+4 dex)
At level 14, a beast totem barbarian in +5 mithral breastplate has 23 AC (Up to 28 with +5 dex). 10+11Armor+4Natural-2Rage(+5 dex)

So there. Almost the same AC as an equal-level fighter.

barbarian dont do dex :)


Taenia wrote:

Combat Expertise, Endurance, Stalwart, Improved Stalwart.

Boost DR w/Combat Expertise, add 10 to DR, add Dragon Totem, get 24/- DR.

i wanted to go that road with dragon totem.

but... the grapple chain and spell sunder took a heavy tole.

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