Simply saying, I was not impressed with the 3.5 to Pathfinder barbarian. It just seemed like there was too much love sent to the fighter and paladin, and the barbarian wasn't put up to par with them. With the APG, and time to comb it over, I thought I would ask.
Yeah some of the abilities gained in the APG can be nice, but do they cost too much, or not really do that big a difference.
What is your spin? What is the point now to playing a barbarian? What can they do that no other class can do?
Personally I would think that the barbarian would be the damagers, while the fighter would be the accurate ones, but that is my rub, and this really wasn't done last I checked.
At the earlier levels barbarians are fine. But rage powers, while an interesting idea, don't do much. After 5th level the barbarians power level starts to slip a bit and after 9th it becomes pretty weak. However this can be highly dependent on your DM's play style. If the spells he uses against you are direct damaging spells or if he uses alot of melee enemies than you should be fine. However if your DM is the type who uses tactics and battle field control than your going to feel the hurt.
To me barbarian's should be doing 3 things. 1.) Hitting you with a big weapon 2.) Taking pain to the face without flinching 3.) Leaving a path of carnage in his angry, angry wake. Problem is that the current barbarian kinda sucks at it.
Intresting question - in short yes.
it ist true that the rage powers so far mentioned are strong - but the one thing that puts the Barb now in the leadposition among all Melee classes is CaGM (Come and Get Me) - combined with combat Refelexes and later on Stunning Assault you have the most powerful class in Melee there is. - actually too powerful in my opinion
Said barbarian has the same to hit as a fighter (+6 vs Wpn train 4 and Gtr Wpn fcs) but he doesn't get the damage bonus.
How do you figure this?
Intresting question - in short yes.
it ist true that the rage powers so far mentioned are strong - but the one thing that puts the Barb now in the leadposition among all Melee classes is CaGM (Come and Get Me) - combined with combat Refelexes and later on Stunning Assault you have the most powerful class in Melee there is. - actually too powerful in my opinion
Interesting thread. Thanks!
The Barbarian is no longer the damage king he was, but he is now one of the best martial classes for combat manuevers. Rage powers are awesome abilities that are amasingly useful in games. He is the only class that can bull rush on an AoO without using shield bash. He is the only class that can make an AoO when someone closes (trip the opponent that closes, all allies get free AoO, then bull rush him away). He is the only class that can chase an opponent on the opponent's turn (No Escape is the bane of enemy casters. He can also add his level to his CMB. He can get more damage than any other class in a grapple, getting a free bite attack every turn, which also grants him a +2.
I will link to some old builds to show what I mean. They are pre-APG, and I think the APG brings some new options to the table (I haven't really tried to build much with it yet).
This is the draft of a barbarian made with the APG, up to level 20.. but you can mix and match almost every feat and rage power (Assumes human, or the Anti-Hero rule).
1 Feat: Power Attack, Improved Overrun
2 Rage Power: KnockDown
3 Feat: Charge Trough
4 Rage Power: Beast Totem,
5 Feat: ERP: Strenght Surge
6 Rage Power: Beast totem II (6th)
7 Feat: Combat Reflexes
8 Rage Power: Overbearing Advance
9 Feat: Greater Overrun
10 Rage Power: Knockback
11 Feat: ERP: Overbearing Assault (6th)
12 Rage Power: Beast totem III (10th)
13 Feat: Improved Sunder
14 Rage Power: Come and Get Me (12th)
15 Feat: Dazing Assault
16 Rage Power: Unexpected Strike
17 Feat: Improved Unarmed Strike
18 Rage Power: Smasher
19 Feat: Improved Grapple
20 Rage Power: Animal Fury
Basically, this guy is a dangerous mobile warrior because can full attack after a charge.. can decide to overrun multiple enemies knoking them down AND dealing damage to them.
Can decide to overrun a target AND charge and full attack another one. Has great battlefild control thanks to Knockback (Bull Rush) and Knockdown (trip) maneuvers. Strenght Surge can be used to make trivial almost any attempt.
The guy can enter into a "sacrifice stance" and deal a lot of damage with CAGM. Can decide to sunder a valuable item and be sure to break it thank to smasher. Can grapple very well thank to strengt and rage powers, again Strenght Surge comes in help.
It isn't even optimized at best, I just tried to find the best "Overrun" spectacular combos (you can remove them and add more powerful things, like, say, Lunge) + something very "animal".. but if you look at it carefully, it's full of synergies, very fun and quite versatile.
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All of the above are nice takes on the current barbarian situation, but I have one more. My barbarian was made for Pathfinder Society, so he's only statted out to level 12 (that may make a difference if you're playing to 20). I am also a dwarf for roleplaying purposes, but a human would be even more powerful because he could end up taking improved critical as well (though he would switch from dwarven waraxes to rapiers).
1 - two weapon fighting
3 - raging vitality
5 - power attack
7 - improved two weapon fighting
9 - double slice
11 - two weapon rend
2 - lesser fiend totem
4 - lesser elemental rage
6 - fiend totem
8 - elemental rage
10 - unexpected strike
12 - greater elemental rage
With this setup I deal about the same damage as your average min/maxed two weapon fighting fighter. That doesn't take into account the 1d6 damage I do against every person that hits me either, because the variable is too great to factor in.
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And both the Inquisitor and the Arcane Duelist Bard come close as well.
Now Monk, alas, poor Monk...If only they had added abilities like the two-weapon warrior archetype has. Several attacks in a standard action or lowering TWF-penalties the overall effect would have been a more capable warrior who doesn't scorn Power Attack and does passable damage even when using his massive base speed.
Another option would have been strikes and stances similar to Bo9S, but the player base would have cried "weeaboo!" faster than you can say "Junji Ito". Gah.
On the other hand, Paizo has got it right with both bards and sorcerers so far, and now made barbarians into proper death machines, so maybe Ultimate Combat is all that's needed for monks to rock.
So maybe Ultimate Combat is all that's needed for monks to rock.
I do hope that Ultimate Combat will look a little like ToB - Bot9S, but with a better art cover and without the few manoeuvres that are too much over-the-top. (;
The Barbarian is no longer the damage king he was, but he is now one of the best martial classes for combat manuevers. Rage powers are awesome abilities that are amasingly useful in games. He is the only class that can bull rush on an AoO without using shield bash. He is the only class that can make an AoO when someone closes (trip the opponent that closes, all allies get free AoO, then bull rush him away). He is the only class that can chase an opponent on the opponent's turn (No Escape is the bane of enemy casters. He can also add his level to his CMB. He can get more damage than any other class in a grapple, getting a free bite attack every turn, which also grants him a +2.
I will link to some old builds to show what I mean. They are pre-APG, and I think the APG brings some new options to the table (I haven't really tried to build much with it yet).
I would be more thrilled if my iconicly less intelligent barbarian didn't require an Int of 13. But you make some good points.
Builds? Bah!
Conan spits on your builds and skewers you with his greatsword.
It's all about the style.
Though, in all honesty, the APG makes barbarians a hellavu lot better.
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I... don't know what to tell you. If you didn't like the barbarian then that seems like you must have issue with the flavor, because the mechanics behind the class are pretty rock solid. At least until you start comparing them against full-progression spellcasters at HIGH levels.
A barbarian should (in combat) always have at LEAST a +2-6 str and con difference between itself and any other class even IF they had the "Rage" spell cast on them.
Some of the rage powers albeit are kinda lame but the APG does help with this some.
Your attitude of "worth playing" is pessimistic at BEST, trolling at worst. Any character is "worth playing," even a character that has 1 level in each class can be worth playing if you have fun with it. What you seem to be suggesting however is that they are mechanically weak, and that makes them worthless. That is the wrong attitude to have, especially when you are playing a social RPG like pathfinder is. You can't win the game, there are no achievement points, and anyone who is playing for any reason other than to simply have fun is going to end up sorely disappointed.
Here, here. Same with the monk hate.
Hah! I spliced together two threads.
I... don't know what to tell you. If you didn't like the barbarian then that seems like you must have issue with the flavor, because the mechanics behind the class are pretty rock solid. At least until you start comparing them against full-progression spellcasters at HIGH levels.
I would say the disparity between casters and barbarians starts with 4th level spells. Thats not HIGH levels thats level 7.
A barbarian should (in combat) always have at LEAST a +2-6 str and con difference between itself and any other class even IF they had the "Rage" spell cast on them.
Happy Birthday.
Some of the rage powers albeit are kinda lame but the APG does help with this some.
True but not much. The APG just gave a few more low to mid level options.
Your attitude of "worth playing" is pessimistic at BEST, trolling at worst. Any character is "worth playing," even a character that has 1 level in each class can be worth playing if you have fun with it. What you seem to be suggesting however is that they are mechanically weak, and that makes them worthless. That is the wrong attitude to have, especially when you are playing a social RPG like pathfinder is. You can't win the game, there are no achievement points, and anyone who is playing for any reason other than to simply have fun is going to end up sorely disappointed.
The "if you have fun with it" clause. Yes anything is playable if your having fun. I have played a 10 year old human expert modeled after the artful dodger and a pixie barbarian whose primary weapon was a lasso. They were next to useless (and in the case of the pixie it was actually more of a hindrance to the party then an asset) but they were a blast to play. That's because, like you said, anything can be a blast to play. The only way to judge a class IS mechanically exactly because anything at all can be fun to play regardless of its usefulness. Its an entirely useless claim.
This idea that wanting to be mechanically powerful means you want to "win the game" is just silly. How about simply wanting to be able to contribute to the party on equal terms? The barbarian can't do that. Yes some people will be able to have fun with it(myself included), that doesn't mean that it should come packaged with a post-it note that reads "less imaginative players need not apply". The barbarian shouldn't require band-aids to be good. And it certainly shouldn't require players who are ok with being weak. The barbarian should be able to bring something fun and exciting to the table and contribute equally at every level without the need of hand waving and disclaimers. It doesn't do that.
How many of you in this thread have played a high level barbarian and can speak from experience?
I DM weekly for a bunch of very experienced role players (15 years experience each)
I DM Pathfinder, and in the (long) wait for my current campaign to go live, I playtested Pathfinder to get a feel of the power level with a party of six players from level 1 tot 20, perfectly min-maxed as we played a few sessions at lvl 2/4/6/8/10/12/14/16/18/20. Everything from PF was allowed, when APG came out, they could re-spec their build.
Long story short, the barbarian OWNED everyone and everything!
Sidenote: I removed the DR 5/- from the fighter at lvl 19/20 (whatever)... DR is for barbarians, not for fighters, that was a slip on behalf of PF that I thought needed to be corrected. You can be a tank, but to be a tank with DR? No thanks!
Especially with the Invulnerable Rager from the APG (DR 10 at lvl 20) combined with the extra DR rage powers (three of those), so DR 13/- at highest level.
Add to that superstition (way too good in my book, every barbarian takes it, so that says something), reckless abandon, come&get me, ...
The barbarian has virtually no weaknesses left... No sneaking him, no flanking him, trapsense, very good saves all round now (high dex as usual, and superstition for those pesky will saves). 'Per Rage' powers which are there every round (free action to go in and out of rage, rinse and repeat)
His AC at lvl 20 was like 8 or 10 or something... His damage output and to hit however were through the roof. I posted a while back (I play more than I post) on how the barbarian fared against a CR 23 half red dragon barbarian 20... he smashed the pulp out of it in 1,5 rounds. Nuff said.
Your question: is the barbarian worth playing again?
My reply:
1/ For usefulness in combat? Hell yes! The most powerful all-round melee-bruiser in town. Heavy DR, so he can take a LOT of punishment. Heavy Damage with witch hunter, reckless abandon, power attack. Always hits his targets with his first few attacks.
2/ Outside combat? Meh... low cha, low int, the usual dump stats. If your campaign is all about combat and tactics, then fine. If there is a lot of roleplay, then your barb is going to be bored...
My two cents.
Btw, the actual campaign (lvl 0 to lvl 30) went live a month ago with same player again picking up barbarian... there's also a fighter, rogue, cleric, oracle and bard. In combat: barbarian ownage (double the hitpoints of anyone else at lvl 2). Outside combat: bored barbarian :-)
I like the PF Barbarian. With just core I feel that the Barbarian is easily outshined by the fighter and paladin, however the APG has given them much love.
Here is my current build. Mind you it is for Darksun, and I am playing a Mul that starts with Endurance as a bonus feat and DR 1/- racially.
1-Die Hard, Endurance
2-Lesser Beast Totem
3-Power Attack
4-Superstitious
5-Toughness
6-Beast Totem
7-
8-Reckless Abandon
9-Combat Reflexes
10-Greater Beast Totem
11-Dazing Assault
12-Come and Get Me
From there you can really play around with whatever you want. For level 7 I'm not sure if I want to take Iron Will, Dodge, or Extra Rage Power (Animal Fury). It's damn near a supercharger. Soaks hits like a mofo, and Dazing Assault, Combat Reflexes, Come and Get Me combo is pretty hot. Charge a guy, get a full attack, and they have to make 2-4 DC 22 Fort saves? Even at level 12 odds are they'll fail 1 in a round.
How many of you in this thread have played a high level barbarian and can speak from experience?
Actually i DO. Im gming a group of lvl 17 chars -
Long story short, the barbarian OWNED everyone and everything!
That´s exactly the same conclusion i arrived at.
Especially with the Invulnerable Rager from the APG (DR 10 at lvl 20) combined with the extra DR rage powers (three of those), so DR 13/- at highest level.
Add to that superstition (way too good in my book, every barbarian takes it, so that says something), reckless abandon, come&get me, ...
The barbarian has virtually no weaknesses left... No sneaking him, no flanking him, trapsense, very good saves all round now (high dex as usual, and superstition for those pesky will saves). 'Per Rage' powers which are there every round (free action to go in and out of rage, rinse and repeat)
His AC at lvl 20 was like 8 or 10 or something... His damage output and to hit however were through the roof. I posted a while back (I play more than I post) on how the barbarian fared against a CR 23 half red dragon barbarian 20... he smashed the pulp out of it in 1,5 rounds. Nuff said.
you are absolutely right about this, but i have to make a little addition than in my opinion you forgot to mention, what happens when the barb takes Stunning assault. that´s the pointed out here.
Go to Come and Get me & Stunning Assault.|
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I too am a bit perplexed over the "barbarian can't mechanically contribute to the party" thing.
First of all, our campaign has been going for approximately two years now. My friend has had his raging shoanti single-handedly destroy encounters ever since we fought goblins up until a fairly recent glabrezu. Of course this assumes that it's an encounter where his strengths get to shine, but the same holds through for all characters.
Note here, this is Rise of the Runelords, we are up against outsiders and monsters sporting DR and a good mix of spellcasting and combat ability. I could attribute the barbarian's survivability to having a paladin that's a shining beacon of "HIT ME", but that doesn't cut it when the Shoanti puts out horrendous damage, always hits with his two highest bab attacks plus when buffed(since everyone loves buffs) rarely misses with any of them and seems to be impervious to charms and enchantments(Will +12 when raging).
Heroism + Bull's Strength(because he has a Constitution belt) + rage + Furious Focus + PA + boots of speed = +27/+24/+17/+13 for 2d6+27(17x2)
Once per rage(so about four or five times a session) when he threatens(often) he can confirm with Mighty Swing for godawful damage + bleed. Though the bleed is just for flavor.
Next level(14) it gets even more ridiculous when he gets indomitable will and takes Reckless Abandon for +4 to hit. Though we might have to start boosting his AC because 27 at this level is kind of bad, heh. Insted of AC, he usually just takes hits, but 148 hp(+39 when raging) is quite enough to last any a bite, claw claw, tail, wing wing. Except back at Kreeg Wood:
Edit: Almost forgot, last session my character got possessed by...ehm, certain things(play the damn campaign) and the barbarian just raged, dropped his greatsword, saved against my Heightened Greater Command(big surprise) and pummeled the poor cleric to unconsciousness. 1d3? It's the concrete damage bonus I'm worried about I really want to see what the bastard can do with a sling. And Magic Stone.
Except back at Kreeg Wood. Dawndamned ogres.
Please use a spoiler box for this stuff. I know it's ages old, but some of us are still playing the older AP's.
I am surprised a lot of people are perplexed with my question. Please note sentence #3 of the original post. My opinion is clearly based off of the core book material alone.
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What can the Barbarian do that other classes can do, discounting APG? Well, sport decent melee damage, have the mobility to bring that damage where it hurts and have the will saves to make fighters look like second rate warriors.
However, I'd never make a Core Barbarian that's supposed to tank for the team, that's not viable in any way thanks to both the rage ac penalty and having to buy heavy armor proficiencies with his few feats. Nevermind making a Barbarian with a shield is a bit...eh, unthematic. So, his ac and the ability to take punishment is abysmal. APG fixes that with abilities and alternative variants, but without that book, I'd only build a Barbarian that's capable of moving around the battlefield and delivering heavy damage without staying put to die, preferably with a frontline buddy who has the AC to take hits. PF Barbarian is a very different beast than the 3.5 Barbarian.
IS THE BARBARIAN WORTH PLAYING AGAIN?
Sure he is
Take a Human, make him a Fighter, and then Act like a Barbarian. After a while you will be called one too.
(What, thats what we did in AD&D 2nd Ed all the time)
What can the Barbarian do that other classes can do, discounting APG? Well, sport decent melee damage, have the mobility to bring that damage where it hurts and have the will saves to make fighters look like second rate warriors.
However, I'd never make a Core Barbarian that's supposed to tank for the team, that's not viable in any way thanks to both the rage ac penalty and having to buy heavy armor proficiencies with his few feats. Nevermind making a Barbarian with a shield is a bit...eh, unthematic. So, his ac and the ability to take punishment is abysmal. APG fixes that with abilities and alternative variants, but without that book, I'd only build a Barbarian that's capable of moving around the battlefield and delivering heavy damage without staying put to die, preferably with a frontline buddy who has the AC to take hits. PF Barbarian is a very different beast than the 3.5 Barbarian.
Yeah, I was expecting a more damaging class than the fighter, while being less accurate and easier to hit.
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Nevermind making a Barbarian with a shield is a bit...eh, unthematic.
?????
It's always been my understanding that D&D Barbarians--with their rage ability and all--were based on, or heavily influenced by, the Berserkers of Scandinavian myth and legend. From Wikipedia:
I'll ask of the berserks, you tasters of blood,
Those intrepid heroes, how are they treated,
Those who wade out into battle?
Wolf-skinned they are called. In battle
They bear bloody shields.
Red with blood are their spears when they come to fight.
They form a closed group.
The prince in his wisdom puts trust in such men
Who hack through enemy shields.
and
His (Odin's) men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild oxen, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon them. This was called Berserkergang.
I realize mine isn't necessarily the only possible take on the class, but I doubt I'm alone in looking at it this way either.
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When I think of Barbarians I obviously think of Conan first (I mean, barbarian is in his name)! After a few seconds, though, I think of both The 13th Warrior and The Deadliest Warrior (or substitute actual history), which both saw barbarians using shields like crazy. A barbarian with a shield is extremely thematic.
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When I think of Barbarians I obviously think of Conan first (I mean, barbarian is in his name)! After a few seconds, though, I think of both The 13th Warrior and The Deadliest Warrior (or substitute actual history), which both saw barbarians using shields like crazy. A barbarian with a shield is extremely thematic.
I can see that...
I usually think of Spartans. Historically they epitomized them.
Tried doing a spartan build once...shield bashes and short spear...didn't really work well in the damage department, sadly.
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Sorryy, I didn't really elaborate on that quip(good that no one found anything else to disagree with my post) of not finding shields thematic. I meant it in the DnD, huge over-bearing strength brute sense. I admit that my image of the class, or the presenstations of characters so far attributed to the class is almost entirely mechanical. Of course they have massive swords and can't read! etc.
However, I don't feel that the class, in the historical and dramatic context of both the abilities and image has to comply to that image. No, I find for instance Gaelic Gaesatae or Zulu Impi great iconic images to build a barbarian upon. Savage Barbarian archetype even gives a nod to the naked-but-shielded style of those legendary warrior classes. Most of ancient warfare had it's tides and turns over massed units of men bearing shields and spears and I think Golarian qualifies into this martial equation as well. I've misspoken and I'm sorry for that.
In fact, I kind of wanted to make a Bandu hillfolk(modeled after either Zulu with spear and shield or the Iranian axe and leather shield skirmish style warrior) fighter/barbarian for our gaming group's upcoming Serpent's Skull AP, but I was kind of pressed into playing a rogue, eh.
When I think of Barbarians I obviously think of Conan first (I mean, barbarian is in his name)! After a few seconds, though, I think of both The 13th Warrior and The Deadliest Warrior (or substitute actual history), which both saw barbarians using shields like crazy. A barbarian with a shield is extremely thematic.I can see that...
I usually think of Spartans. Historically they epitomized them.
Tried doing a spartan build once...shield bashes and short spear...didn't really work well in the damage department, sadly.
Wut?
Being that Spartans were Greeks, and that the term barbarian is a derogatory term for anyone not Greek, I'd so they do not epitomize barbarians. Largely the term refers to the germanic tribes of europe.
I usually think of Spartans. Historically they epitomized them.
I can definitively see an axe and shield barbarian, or a falcata and shield barbarian.
But I definitively DO NOT see the spartan hoplites as barbarians. If those aren't fighters.... (probably the Phalanx ones)
I usually think of Spartans. Historically they epitomized them.
I can definitively see an axe and shield barbarian, or a falcata and shield barbarian.
But I definitively DO NOT see the spartan hoplites as barbarians. If those aren't fighters.... (probably the Phalanx ones)
Well looking at 300, the movie, (That's the new spartan hoplite :-) they looked pretty barbarian to me. (barbarian the RPG class, not barbarian the historically and linguistically correct term)
Well, maybe for the bare-chest thing :P
I didn't see Rage or Uncanny Dodge (for the latter see the Immortals fight).
I did see Phalanx Fighting, Stand Firm, Improved Shield Bash, Improved Bull Rush, Shield Slam, few teamwork feats and a great use of prepared actions.
After the hail of arrow, one can see King Leonidas performing a Dazzling Display.
Or, at least, it's how I see it ;)
I didn't see Rage
O.o
For the other things, indeed, they seemed to have an array of feats and dicipline. Multiclass perhaps? :-)
-edit-
That reminds me. We really need somekind of viable option/build to make a 'bare chest' warrior. Theres too much pop art and fiction presenting a raging warrior with a big weapon in a loincloth, to not have that in a fantasy RPG... What? No. I'm straight... Why?
That reminds me. We really need somekind of viable option/build to make a 'bare chest' warrior.
How about a high Dex fighter/warrior with a loincloth of armor +8?
I didn't see RageO.o
For the other things, indeed, they seemed to have an array of feats and dicipline. Multiclass perhaps? :-)
-edit-
That reminds me. We really need somekind of viable option/build to make a 'bare chest' warrior. Theres too much pop art and fiction presenting a raging warrior with a big weapon in a loincloth, to not have that in a fantasy RPG... What? No. I'm straight... Why?
I've only see Leonidas enraged in the final part, but that happened AFTER he delivered the blow to Xerxes. Spartans seemed quite ligh-hearthed for a greater part of the movie - and with a reason, they outclassed the large part of their enemies, thanks to their techniques.
The only exception was maybe the scond-in command, but I think is more about the Character than everything else. Moreover, I guess that mindset and that way of fight are quite Lawful.
For a bare chest barbarian, take a look in the APG. With an archetype and few rage powers you can stack up a serious amount of AC.
Generally speaking, everyone concerned with barbarian should take a look in the APG (this counts for the monk, too, but barbarian took few toys really awesome).
I've only see Leonidas enraged in the final part, but that happened AFTER he delivered the blow to Xerxes.
Well, I guess rage is in the eye of the beholder :-p
For a bare chest barbarian, take a look in the APG. With an archetype and few rage powers you can stack up a serious amount of AC.Generally speaking, everyone concerned with barbarian should take a look in the APG (this counts for the monk, too, but barbarian took few toys really awesome).
Hmm... I skimmed it through and only thing I saw working off being unarmored was Savage Barbarian. It seemed kind of crap? Total +4 AC at lvl 10 is ok I guess but at lower levels I see no reason not to use atleast a chain shirt? (game mechanically)
Yeah, at low levels definitively. I admit that I misinterpreted the beats totem power - I was somehow thinking that it stacks with the archetype.
I owe my players some apologies, BTW :P
Nevertheless, I guess that one can ad + 8 from the class and + 8 from bracers of armor before necklaces, rings and Rolling Dodge and similar rage powers.
Well, maybe for the bare-chest thing :P
I didn't see Rage or Uncanny Dodge (for the latter see the Immortals fight).
I did see Phalanx Fighting, Stand Firm, Improved Shield Bash, Improved Bull Rush, Shield Slam, few teamwork feats and a great use of prepared actions.
After the hail of arrow, one can see King Leonidas performing a Dazzling Display.
Or, at least, it's how I see it ;)
I think that maybe, just maybe, you're playing a little to much D&D/Pathfinder. (;
It reminds me of one of my friend who used to give a charisma score to every girls he saw in the street. :P
I didn't see RageO.o
For the other things, indeed, they seemed to have an array of feats and dicipline. Multiclass perhaps? :-)
-edit-
That reminds me. We really need somekind of viable option/build to make a 'bare chest' warrior. Theres too much pop art and fiction presenting a raging warrior with a big weapon in a loincloth, to not have that in a fantasy RPG... What? No. I'm straight... Why?
This, the bare-chest barbarian, it comes mostly from Conan, the iconic barbarian. I'm reading the Complete Chronicles of Conan (from Robert E. Howard) right now and I can tell you that, even as a barbarian, Conan is wearing an armor most of the time. He's bare chest only when he's on sea (as a pirate) or when he needs to be stealthy (for thievery or assassination). One day he will have is own kingdom, and then he will wear a black armor when he's at war, but that's another story...