Hello all. I am attempting to make a bloodrager. Most of the guides I have found are older and my internet searches for a build I like have been fruitless.
So I was wondering if you would take a look and give some much needed advice. Thanks.
Race: Half Elf. Class: Bloodrager. Favored class: Bloodrager. FCB: Increase rage rounds by 1 per day. Archetype: Primalist. Traits: Missing child and Reactionary. Racial traits: Ancestral Arms (Fauchard) and Fey magic.
1st level: Bloodline: Arcane. Bloodline Power: Disruptive bloodrage. Feat: Power attack.
2nd level: Uncanny dodge.
3rd level: Feat: Raging vitality.
4th level: Bloodline Power: Lesser beat totem and Superstition. Bonus feat: Eschew materials.
5th level: Feat: Arcane strike. Improved uncanny dodge.
6th level: Bloodline feat: Improved initiative.
7th level: Feat: Reckless rage. Damage reduction 1/-.
8th level: Bloodline Power: Beast totem and Swift foot.
9th level: Feat: Bloodline feat: Combat reflexes.
10th level: Damage reduction 2/-.
11th level: Feat: Extra rage power – Greater beast totem. Greater bloodrage.
12 the level: Bloodline feat: Iron will.
Honestly, the powers of the arcane bloodline are too good to trade out. With the exception of the first level one, which you've kept (though primalist won't take it you can get a familiar or a bloodline mutation for it). Even if you really want greater beast totem and superstition you might drop reckless rage (bloodrage & power attack are probably enough) & swift foot, get another extra rage power and so keep either the level 4 or 8 bloodline power.
Also you've missed a feat at level 9 (which might be extra rage power if you like my suggestion above but want to keep reckless rage) and the build going to level 12 suggests it might be for PFS, which bans primalist.
To add to what avr said about getting a familiar.
Those with an inherent connection to magic often attract creatures who feel a similar instinctive pull toward magical forces. At 1st level, a sorcerer, bloodrager, or any other character with one of the following bloodlines can choose to gain a bloodline familiar. The character gains a familiar (as a wizard’s familiar), treating her class level as her wizard level for the purposes of this ability. This familiar has an additional ability listed below based on the master’s bloodline.
This replaces the 1st-level bloodline power granted by the character’s bloodline; in addition, the character gains bonus spells from her bloodline one level later than she normally would. For example, a sorcerer with the aberrant bloodline who takes a bloodline familiar would not gain the acidic ray bloodline power, and she would gain her first bonus spell at 4th level, her second bonus spell at 6th level, and so on.
The first ability of the Arcane bloodline isn't very exciting, so I'd also recommend you to take a familiar in place of it. This would allow you to get +2 to a save, +3 to a skill, or +4 to Initiative. It could be a good idea to get a familiar with Scent/Darkvision so that it can notice enemies you don't.
And of course, if you take an Archetype for your familiar, it could greatly complement your build.Your familiar would then have a scaling bonus to knowledge checks, his own skill ranks, and all knowledge skills as class skills from the Sage archetype. He would also be able to take the Skilled eidolon evolution to get a +8 Racial bonus to a skill, and change this bonus every day.
The Protector archetype allows you to share damage taken with your familiar, effectively giving you a +50% hp pool.
The Mauler is a combat-focused archetype, if you're feeling lonely on the frontlines. I'd probably take the Mauler's Endurance feat to give it more HP though.
The Valet archetype allows you to share your teamwork feats with your familiar, which grants many opportunities for the crafty player. Roll twice on all Initiative rolls and Stealth checks with Trade Initiative and Stealth Synergy. Or gain AoO's from all who attack you with Broken Wing Gambit/Paired Opportunists.
I made some adjustments based on your advice. Does this look better? I am forced to take Missing child trait due to the campaign I will be doing and the reason I stopped at level 12 is because we normally don't take characters past that.
1st level: Bloodline: Arcane. Bloodline Power: Familiar (Greensting scorpion with protector archetype, gives +4 to initiative). Feat: Power attack.
2nd level: Uncanny dodge.
3rd level: Feat: Raging vitality.
4th level: Bloodline Power: Arcane bloodrage. Bonus feat: Eschew materials.
5th level: Feat: Arcane strike. Improved uncanny dodge.
6th level: Bloodline feat: Improved initiative.
7th level: Feat: Reckless rage. Damage reduction 1/-.
8th level: Bloodline Power: Greater arcane bloodrage.
9th level: Feat: Improved critical (If I haven’t keened my weapon yet). Bloodline feat: Combat reflexes.
10th level: Damage reduction 2/-.
11th level: Feat: Reckless rage. Greater bloodrage.
12 the level: Bloodline feat: Iron will. Bloodline Power: Caster scourge.
I made some adjustments based on your advice. Does this look better? I am forced to take Missing child trait due to the campaign I will be doing and the reason I stopped at level 12 is because we normally don't take characters past that.
1st level: Bloodline: Arcane. Bloodline Power: Familiar (Greensting scorpion with protector archetype, gives +4 to initiative). Feat: Power attack.
2nd level: Uncanny dodge.
3rd level: Feat: Raging vitality.
4th level: Bloodline Power: Arcane bloodrage. Bonus feat: Eschew materials.
5th level: Feat: Arcane strike. Improved uncanny dodge.
6th level: Bloodline feat: Improved initiative.
7th level: Feat: Reckless rage. Damage reduction 1/-.
8th level: Bloodline Power: Greater arcane bloodrage.
9th level: Feat: Improved critical (If I haven’t keened my weapon yet). Bloodline feat: Combat reflexes.
10th level: Damage reduction 2/-.
11th level: Feat: Reckless rage. Greater bloodrage.
12 the level: Bloodline feat: Iron will. Bloodline Power: Caster scourge.
You probably won't need Reckless Rage twice, if even once.
If you take the feat Extra Rage Power (as arv mentioned) instead of that duplicate, then you can pick up a rage power, such as Superstition.
Lol, I sometimes edit what I type but not obviously every time. I will look at switching that out. Thanks.
Worth noting that Primalists cannot take extra rage power. Their ability to trade bloodrage powers for rage powers specically calls out not counting as having rage powers for feat pqs.
Find a way to get Paragon Surge (Wand or Scroll with UMD is probably your best bet) - it's a Half Elf only spell that allows you to gain the use of an extra feat every day.
I made some adjustments based on your advice. Does this look better? I am forced to take Missing child trait due to the campaign I will be doing and the reason I stopped at level 12 is because we normally don't take characters past that.
1st level: Bloodline: Arcane. Bloodline Power: Familiar (Greensting scorpion with protector archetype, gives +4 to initiative). Feat: Power attack.
2nd level: Uncanny dodge.
3rd level: Feat: Raging vitality.
4th level: Bloodline Power: Arcane bloodrage. Bonus feat: Eschew materials.
5th level: Feat: Arcane strike. Improved uncanny dodge.
6th level: Bloodline feat: Improved initiative.
7th level: Feat: Reckless rage. Damage reduction 1/-.
8th level: Bloodline Power: Greater arcane bloodrage.
9th level: Feat: Improved critical (If I haven’t keened my weapon yet). Bloodline feat: Combat reflexes.
10th level: Damage reduction 2/-.
11th level: Feat: Reckless rage. Greater bloodrage.
12 the level: Bloodline feat: Iron will. Bloodline Power: Caster scourge.
I see no reason to go half-elf over human, especially if you're taking the human FCB. A cracked Opalescent White Pyramid is 1500gp, and gives you weapon familiarity which means you can get proficiency without wasting a feat. If you plug it into a Wayfinder then you get Weapon Focus for free as well.
[lvl 1] Power Attack, Raging Vitality; Familiar (+4 initiative)
[lvl 3] Reckless Rage
[lvl 4] Eschew Materials
[lvl 5] Arcane Strike
[lvl 6] Improved Initiative
[lvl 7] Blooded Arcane Strike
[lvl 9] Blasting Charge (unless you find some better way to use those spell slots that aren't worth wasting the actions to cast)
[lvl 11] filler feat to be retrained in a level because feats are dumb
[lvl 12] retrain the filler feat to Raging Brutality
Race: Half Elf. Class: Bloodrager. Favored class: Bloodrager. FCB: Increase rage rounds by 1 per day. Archetype: Primalist. Traits: Missing child and Reactionary. Racial traits: Ancestral Arms (Fauchard) and Fey magic.
Ancestral Arms is only saving you the 1500gp cost of an opalescent white pyramid ioun stone. I'd pick one of the other racial traits that swaps Adaptability, or keep it for Skill Focus (Perception) and be the one guy who never misses anything. Assuming a 12 in wisdom, you'd be Perception +10 at 1st level.
Hadn't checked this in a while, thanks for the replies. I have changed up the build a bit and went human instead.
Race: Human. Class: Bloodrager. Favored class: Bloodrager. Archetype: Cross blooded/Steel hound. Traits: Missing child and Indomitable faith. Racial traits: Bloodlines: Aberrant/Arcane. Alternate racial traits: Fey magic (Urban terrain).
Stats at 1st level: Str: 20 Int: 12 Wis: 14 Dex: 14 Con: 18 Chs: 16
1st level: Bloodline power: Familiar (Hedgehog with protector archetype, gives +2 to will saves). Feat: Power attack. Human feat: Aberrant tumor.
2nd level: Nothing.
3rd level: Feat: Raging vitality.
4th level: Bloodline Power: Arcane bloodrage. Bonus feat: Eschew materials. Stat: +1 Str.
5th level: Feat: Arcane strike. Improved uncanny dodge.
6th level: Bloodline feat: Improved initiative.
7th level: Bloodline spell: Enlarge. Feat: Blooded arcane strike.
8th level: Bloodline Power: Greater arcane bloodrage. Stat: +1 Str.
9th level: Bloodline feat: Combat reflexes. Feat: Improved critical.
10th level: Bloodline spell: Invisibility.
11th level: Feat: Improved critical. Greater bloodrage.
12th level: Bloodline feat: Iron will. Bloodline Power: Unusual anatomy. Stat: +1 Str.
13th level: Bloodline spell: Displacement. Feat: Critical focus.
14th level: Indomitable will.
15th level: Bloodline feat: Feat: Critical blinding.
16th level: Bloodline Power: True arcane bloodrage. Bloodline spell: Dimension door. Stat: +1 Str.
0 level druid spells: Detect magic, light and resistance.
1st level druid spell: Longstrider.
1st level Bloodrager spells: Endure elements, Phantom blood, Shield and Windy escape.
2nd level Bloodrager spells: Bears endurance, Bull strength, Ironskin and Mirror image.
3rd level Bloodrager spells: Channel vigor, Fly, Heroism and Monstrous physique I.
Why the blooded arcane strike? I don’t see anything that needs the swift action in your build. You can take the excellent riving strike instead.
What about boring toughness or Cornugon smash? I like Riving strike, didn't see that one when searching. Will put it in the build.
Toughness is never a bad choice, but you have con to spare, so no priority there. If you like cornugoun smash then I highly recommend you get riving strike, intimidating prowess and a cruel weapon. This way in two attacks you can give a whopping -6 to saves and -4 to attacks, making you an amazing debuffer on top of your damage skills.
Oh, and it seems you wrote improved critical twice.
I certainly did. What about switching out for Cornugon at 11th and Hurtful at 13th? I also added Quick draw as my level 15 Bloodline feat.
I have normally had the gold to buy a keened weapon by now so I could skip Improved critical. My Gm is allowing eastern weapons so I am going to pick up a Nodachi.
Note that hurtful takes a swift action to activate, as does arcane strike, so going hurtful and riving strike means you need blooded arcane strike, so another feat.
Poop, action economy in Pathfinder still gets me. I will dig into it more, maybe take some crit feats. Thanks for all your help on this.
Sorry to bump my old thread. I took most of your advice, changed the race and a couple of feats. I was wondering if anyone would give their two cents on this build. It is set to go live in less than a month so I want to be done with the research. Thanks.
Moksha the reaver.
Race: Half Orc. Class: Bloodrager. Favored class: Bloodrager. Archetype: Cross blooded/Steel hound. Traits: Missing child and Indomitable faith. Racial traits: Intimidating. Alternate racial traits: Fey magic (Urban terrain), Fey thoughts and Sacred tattoo. Bloodlines: Aberrant/Arcane.
Stats at 1st level: Str: 20, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Dex: 14, Con: 18, Chs: 16
1st level: Bloodline power: Staggering strike. Feat: Power attack.
2nd level: Nothing.
3rd level: Feat: Raging vitality.
4th level: Bloodline Power: Arcane bloodrage. Bonus feat: Eschew materials. Stat: +1 Str.
5th level: Feat: Arcane strike. Improved uncanny dodge.
6th level: Bloodline feat: Improved initiative.
7th level: Bloodline spell: Enlarge. Feat: Blooded arcane strike.
8th level: Bloodline Power: Greater arcane bloodrage. Stat: +1 Str.
9th level: Bloodline feat: Combat reflexes. Feat: Riving strike.
10th level: Bloodline spell: Invisibility.
11th level: Feat: Cornugon smash. Greater bloodrage.
12th level: Bloodline feat: Iron will. Bloodline Power: Unusual anatomy. Stat: +1 Str.
13th level: Bloodline spell: Displacement. Feat: Hurtful.
14th level: Indomitable will.
15th level: Bloodline feat: Quick draw. Feat: Critical focus.
16th level: Bloodline Power: True arcane bloodrage. Bloodline spell: Dimension door. Stat: +1 Str.
0 level druid spells: Detect magic, light and resistance.
1st level druid spell: Longstrider.
1st level Bloodrager spells: Endure elements, Phantom blood, Shield and Windy escape.
2nd level Bloodrager spells: Bears endurance, Bull strength, Ironskin and Mirror image.
3rd level Bloodrager spells: Channel vigor, Fly, Heroism and Monstrous physique I.
4th level Bloodrager spells: Black tentacles, Dimensional blade, Fire shield and Monstrous physique II.
Sorry for the wall of text.
Looks generally good. Don't neglect your saves as time goes on - as a crossblooded bloodrager who might like to get bigger than medium size sometimes your will and reflex saves won't be naturally good. Items can help. The arcane bloodrage may help with dealing with the consequences of failing reflex saves.
Thanks for the reply, going to submit to the GM for final approval.
Thanks for the reply, going to submit to the GM for final approval.
Get a Cruel enchant to your weapon when you get Cornugon Smash at lvl 11, you can have the Shaken/Sicken combo -4 att/skills/saves/abilchecks and -2 dmg. It would go nicely with your Riving Strike :)
Also, if you find it hard to land intimidate checks in the late game, you should consider dropping Critical Focus at 15 for Intimidating Prowess so you can add your Str mod to Intimidate.
Nice, got a while til that level so will make the changes. Appreciate it.