|
Ok just got finished reading the APG and really want to play both a Two handed weapon fighter (love overhand chop) and an barbarian raging
Would like you input regarding feats and stat builds using living pathfinder rules.
basically big sword and dealing a high amount of damage and intimidating.
Think Norse Viking ulfen type
If you're just concerned with damage output, then straight barbarian will get you there quickest.
For feats, take the Power Attack feat chain and, if you find yourself running low during the day, Extra Rage. Weapon Focus (Greatsword) will help your hit when you're power attacking. If intimidation is really a big deal for you, take the feat that allows you to add Strength mod to Intimidate (I don't recall the name off the top of my head), and possibly Skill Focus (Intimidate). Will saves are going to be your weak spot, so Iron Will is a good option, too.
As far as race is concerned, you can go Human for the extra feat at first level, or Half-Orc for the Darkvision and bonus to Intimidate. In either case, put the +2 racial bonus into Strength.
Stat priority is probably going to look like STR > CON > DEX > WIS > INT > CHA. Move Charisma above Intelligence if Intimidate is a priority.
Skills are probably going to be Perception/Survival/Intimidate, if you have the skill points for all three. Priority is up to you, but normally Perception is more important that Survival.
Go Fighter if you want more versatility in combat and higher AC.
Taking 3 levels of 2Handed Fighter for Over-Hand Chop is definitely do-able within a Barbarian Build.
The next big ability (Weapon Training is nice, just not revolutionary) is Backswing at 7th,
and since Barbs can already easily accomplsh what Piledriver does, the next abilty after that is at 15th.
I´d say that unless you are planning a MAJORITY Fighter build, you don´t need to go past 3rd level in Fighter.
Along with Weapon Training, you qualify for Weapon Spec at 4th level, but I probably wouldn´t go there myself, waiting longer for Barbarian abilities is just too painful... It IS an effective damage boost though.
The Fighter level also gets you Heavy Armor Proficiency, which is nice.
Since you aren´t going to START with Heavy Armor in all likelihood, it makes sense to be a Barbarian at level 1. I would say for your 2nd level class, it depends on whether you foresee buying Heavy Armor immediately, or prefer a Rage Power. It seems reasonable to have picked up 3 Fighter levels by the time you are 7th Character Level, give or take. You will just be delaying your Barb Level Pre-Req Powers by 3 levels is the main down-side.
Feat-wise, you aren´t really doing anything different than a pure Barbarian doing big 2-Hander stuff, you will just have 2 more Feats to play with... So Power Attack, Cleave, etc, will do you good. Vital Strike seems like a plausible way to increase your single attack damage even more (enough to 1-shot more enemies, hopefully), though I wouldn´t bother taking more than the first Vital Strike Feat. In the long run, I would look at the 2 Bonus Feats as making it easier to fit in more ´utility´ and defensive Feats that aren´t direct damage boosts, but help you keep in the fight and stay effective.
I would say that the bonus Fighter Feats will outweigh possibly running out of Rage Rounds for a few levels, since you will be more effective OUT of Rage than a pure Barbarian.