What would be a good build for a half-orc barbarian? (20 point buy) Want to try to plan one out to level 12.
Need a bit more input. You've already said melee. Weapon preference ? A big two-hander for damage or a falchion for crit range ? Do you want to put any points in charisma for intimidate, or would you rather put them in dex for a bit more AC ? What's your character concept, other than the race and class choice you've given us to work with ?
Do you get a choice of campaign traits ? From the standard list of traits ?
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What would be a good build for a half-orc barbarian? (20 point buy) Want to try to plan one out to level 12.Need a bit more input. You've already said melee. Weapon preference ? A big two-hander for damage or a falchion for crit range ? Do you want to put any points in charisma for intimidate, or would you rather put them in dex for a bit more AC ? What's your character concept, other than the race and class choice you've given us to work with ?
Do you get a choice of campaign traits ? From the standard list of traits ?
oops! I am looking for a 2 handed barbarian, with some skill in intimidate ( want to use the rage intimidate chain). Looking for more two handed hammer or axe over sword. For ranged, would like to go thrown.
All basics, regional and race traits available. 2 trait slots
Suggestion the first:
Social trait Bully: You grew up in an environment where the meek were ignored and you often had to resort to threats or violence to be heard. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you.
I don't have all the regional and race traits to hand, just the basics. When do you need this by ?
Half-Orc barbarian, 20-point buy. Str 16 (+2 Racial), Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10.
Feats-Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Toughness, Dodge, Improved Critical (Falchion).
Rage Abilities-Animal Fury, Scent, Surprise Accuracy, Superstition, Unexpected Strike, Increased Damage Reduction.
2H Falchion fighter. Feats and powers not necessarily in that order other than the first one listed on each.
That's close to where I was going. Because of what the OP said, I reversed your Wiz and Cha, and sacked Great Cleave for Intimidating Prowess. I'd choose different rage abilities too, to get Intimidating Glare.
Falchion is a must-have for Barbarians. Stack Keen and Vorpal on that and go to town.
A fun alternative would be to go Dwarf Barbarian and use a Dwarven Waraxe and a Heavy Shield, if the party needs an, and apologies for using an MMO term here, Off-Tank or secondary tank. A barbarian can be a tolerable tank, matching and even surpassing Paladins and Combat-Clerics in some cases.
But to the two-hander Barbarian? Keep a Falchion for all the normal enemies, but against non-crittable critters and the occasional 'loss of a head doesn't really stop it', might pay to grab yourself a nice heavy weapon weapon like a Warhammer or Heavy Pick (or Maul and Dire Pick, if the GM will allow it)as your secondary weapon. Melee must, cannot stress this enough, MUST have backup weaponry, since any GM worth their salt will know that as the PCs get stronger and their names get spread around, people might start looking at them and thinking "Hmmmm, I could use a weapon like that." Would the Fighter notice if his +5 Speed Bastard Sword was swapped out for a prefect non-magical replica with Magic Aura cast on it before he went and tried to cut a Dragon apart?
Get a Falchion/other melee weapon/Composite Longbow. Alternatively you could go for thrown weapons for flavour, or to be truly evil, sneak in Brutal Throw from the Complete Adventurer so you can use your strength for throwing weapons.
Blargh I'm rambling, time for another shower and to go back to bed. Damn flu virus.
What resources are available? Core only or WoTC material as well?
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What resources are available? Core only or WoTC material as well?
Personally I'd trade out great cleave and dodge for improved bull rush and greater bull rush. The best rage abilities a barbarian gets are the one that lets him trade an attack for a bull rush attempt and the one that lets him take an AoO when someone steps into a threatened square, thereby never having to soak a full attack at later levels.
The best rage abilities a barbarian gets are the one that lets him trade an attack for a bull rush attempt
Knockback (Ex):
and the one that lets him take an AoO when someone steps into a threatened square, thereby never having to soak a full attack at later levels.
Unexpected Strike (Ex): Sadly, it's once per rage, and you can't take it until Barb lvl 8.
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"The Intimidator" build (Paizo core only with basic traits)
PC Gen came up with the generated name "Bagdish". Meh.
I'm sure there's room for improvement, as I didn't look outside of core.
Half-Orc barbarian, 20-point buy.
Str 16 (+2 Racial)-> 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12.
Skills: You only get 3 skill points per level (unless you use your favored class bonus, but that's probably going to hit points). This character wants to keep Intimidation maxed, so pick one other class skill, either Perception or Stealth or Acrobatics, to keep maxed. Spread the remaining skill points around to other class skills.
Traits: Take the social trait "Bully" for a +1 trait bonus to intimidate. Cover your weak will save with the faith trait "Indomitable Faith" for a +1 trait bonus to will saves.
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Focus, Dazzling Display, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Improved Crit
Rage Abilities: Animal Fury, Intimidating Glare, Knockback, Terrifying Howl, <pick 8+>, <pick 8+>
Animal Fury is nice because it gets you a second attack at no penalty and helps get you out of grapples. Intimidating Glare lets you intimidate adjacent opponent as a move action and is a prerequisite for Terrifying Howl. Knockback, in combination with Intimidating Glare, would let you Intimidate an adjacent opponent as a move action, then when you attack him as a standard action, knock him away, so he won't get to full attack in return.
Terrifying Howl lets you cause all those shaken opponents (from Dazzling Display) to make a will save or panic.
For the <pick 8+>, if you take Improved Damage Reduction, I'd take as many of them as you can get (up to three). Otherwise, take the Unexpected Strike. If you took the Improved Critical feat, take Mighty Swing when you reach lvl 12, as this lets you auto-confirm your crit once per rage.
So at level 8, this character can put on a Dazzling Display as a full-round action, having an Intimidate skill check of 1d20 +8 ranks +3 class skill +2 racial bonus +1 cha +4 str +1 trait; that's 1d20+19 vs. a DC of 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier against every target within 30 feet. Targets are shaken for 1 round + 1 round for every 5 point over the required DC.
In the following round, this character can rage and Terrifying Howl, All shaken enemies within 30 feet (those who were demoralized above) must make a Will save (DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the barbarian’s level + the barbarian’s Strength modifier or DC20 for this raging character) or be panicked for 1d4+1 rounds.
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I like that build. Thanks! I will have to get that on a character sheet and have him ready.
"The Intimidator" build (Paizo core only with basic traits)
PC Gen came up with the generated name "Bagdish". Meh.
I'm sure there's room for improvement, as I didn't look outside of core.Half-Orc barbarian, 20-point buy.
Str 16 (+2 Racial)-> 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12.
** spoiler omitted **Skills: You only get 3 skill points per level (unless you use your favored class bonus, but that's probably going to hit points). This character wants to keep Intimidation maxed, so pick one other class skill, either Perception or Stealth or Acrobatics, to keep maxed. Spread the remaining skill points around to other class skills.
** spoiler omitted **Traits: Take the social trait "Bully" for a +1 trait bonus to intimidate. Cover your weak will save with the faith trait "Indomitable Faith" for a +1 trait bonus to will saves.
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Focus, Dazzling Display, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Improved Crit
** spoiler omitted **Rage Abilities: Animal Fury, Intimidating Glare, Knockback, Terrifying Howl, <pick 8+>, <pick 8+>
** spoiler omitted **...
Vorpal was nerfed in 3.5 and carried over to Pathfinder. It only takes heads on a natural 20 with a confirmation not on any crit.Falchion is a must-have for Barbarians. Stack Keen and Vorpal on that and go to town.
Bah, I must have missed that, thank you. Go Holy (or Unholy) if you can get it instead then. Additional damage and of a type that is guaranteed in most normal (heh) campaigns to put the hurt on 80% of your targets.
I like that build. Thanks! I will have to get that on a character sheet and have him ready.
Let us know what final choices you make and how it works out for you.
If other than core traits are available, TEoG: Taldor Echoes of Glory has a racial trait "Brute" for Half-Orcs that can replace the "Bully" social trait. It gives a +2 trait bonus to Intimidate rather than the +1 of "Bully".
(Thanks to Nethys collected traits list here )
Vorpal was nerfed in 3.5 and carried over to Pathfinder. It only takes heads on a natural 20 with a confirmation not on any crit.Falchion is a must-have for Barbarians. Stack Keen and Vorpal on that and go to town.
Vorpal always (since 2nd ed. at least) needed a 20 to behead, btw.