What are good classes to multi class with a Barbarian besides Oracle? I am looking for something unique to play as my next character.
What are good classes to multi class with a Barbarian besides Oracle? I am looking for something unique to play as my next character.
Sorc then Dragon Disciple
a level or Rogue or Vivisectionist (Alchemist) to add sneak attack is fun
its too bad you cant add Monk (ask your DM though... Rage Flurry is awesome
One level of Sorcerer with Dragon blood line. Go crazy with your claws as natural attack thing maybe with a bite attack as well.
Than prestige into Dragon Disciple. Become the dragon.
Monk and Sorcerer.
Nothing cheesy about a monstrous barbarian whose rage manifests in the blood of ancient draconic creatures of elemental fury and ancient intellect.
The fact that he gets stronger, tougher, and more spellcasty is just good fun.
Do you know what you are trying to achieve with the combination?
I am looking for a solid melee barbarian with some flexibility and role playing options besides just being able to kill things. Something interesting to play.
Well, roleplaying options aren't necessarily tied to classes - class levels just provide background hooks. For example, a barbarian multiclassing to fighter might have become a mercenary, one who becomes a ranger might have a bone to pick with a particular enemy of his/her tribe or faith, etc.
BTW, if you can afford decent charisma a barbarian/bard (aiming for dragon disciple, most likely) may be a fun character. Consider perform (oratory) or (comedy) to inspire your kin, or mercilessly mock your enemies.
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Alchemist can add to your combat abilities and gives you some usefulness out of combat. Explain the mutagen as a "tribal concoction to increase a warrior's prowess in battle" or something to that extent. Take the vivesectionist archetype so you don't have to explain bombs.
Ranger or bard would work well too.
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I had originally planned to multiclass into Sorcerer (Fire Elemental), then into Oracle (Flame) with this barbarian. But after reading this thread, maybe Dragon Disciple is the way to go! Sounds like lotsa fun.
I'll have to read up on DD.
Sazzle thanks you all.
(Hey, you'ld have anger issues too if your idiot parents had named you Sazzle)
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Do you know what you are trying to achieve with the combination?I am looking for a solid melee barbarian with some flexibility and role playing options besides just being able to kill things. Something interesting to play.
In my experience I have had the best result adding flexibility and flavor with levels of rogue and/or ranger.
Rogue -Solid amount of skill point combinations give the ability to lead the Barbarian in all sorts of different directions for both role-playing and combat. Social skills allow for a more a streetwise and/or mouthpiece Barbarian and dex based skills give you an expanded roll in the group.
In combat, using acrobat to position yourself to flanking positions and using rage combined with sneak attack can really increase your damage output.
Ranger -
The barbarian hunter idea who is in search of racial enemies or ghosts from the past is a good story hook. Gaming options include an expanded skill and feat array including tracking and animal/nature based social options. The trapper archetype from Ultimate Magic gives you trapfinding from 1st level. If you hadn't given yourself enough dex for two weapon fighting this is also a route to get it.
I've always found ranger to be the best fit with barbarian synergy wise. A two or 3 level dip nets you a couple feats, great skills, and if you go guide variant, super rage.
Bards and Summoner's can get you access to Dragon Disciple and allow you to wear light armor while casting, arcane duelist makes splashing bard not even that cheesy. Rogue for UMD and evasion is really nice, plus thug or rake allow you to do some fun stuff with intimidate.
Barbarian/Witch=Shaman, especially good if you are using some sort of barbarian tribe idea (like Shoanti) and the familiar is the same as your totem animal.
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A few levels (3) of ranger works quite well -- still a big hit die, still full BAB advancement, new class skills and abilities (tracking, favoured enemies), a spell list (giving you the ability to heal yourself and others from wands as well as gain access to wands of personal buffs -- longstrider and lead blades, especially), and then getting endurance for free at third eliminates the barrier to taking Diehard (preventing your rage from killing you when you're knocked out).
Plus, I tend to think the fluff mixes well, too-- it's easy to envision the self-sufficiency of the ranger overlapping with the barbarian.
I think based on the feedback so far, I am interested in the following:
Barbarian/Fighter
Barbarian/Ranger(Guide)
Barbarian/Druid
Barbarian/Oracle
Shapeshifting and arcane spells do not feel right for my playstyle. I think I would like to go more Barbarian than the other class.
I have a question, is the loss of Uncanny Dodge and improved uncanny dodge worth it for the Invulnerable Rager?
if you are multiclassing no way. uncanny dodge is severely overlooked as one of the better base abilities.
if you are multiclassing no way. uncanny dodge is severely overlooked as one of the better base abilities.
That is what I thought. My DM likes playing NPC rogues, so I can see myself getting sneak attacked to death. heh heh.
it's not just sneak attack, being never caught flat footed lets you lose initiative and still be able to
-make attacks of opportunity
-make immediate actions
-look cool
I keep trying to multiclass in Ranger, or Fighter as an example, but I find I can make a better character staying solid Barbarian for 10 levels. The extra feats from the fighter are not 'necessary' and neither are the benefits from the Ranger class in comparison to what is delayed or lost when sacrificing Barbarian levels.
Am I doing something wrong???
I keep trying to multiclass in Ranger, or Fighter as an example, but I find I can make a better character staying solid Barbarian for 10 levels. The extra feats from the fighter are not 'necessary' and neither are the benefits from the Ranger class in comparison to what is delayed or lost when sacrificing Barbarian levels.
Am I doing something wrong???
Nope jsut the system working as intended.
How viable is a straight Barabarian past level 10 in comparison to a straight fighter, ranger, or paladin. Does it hold it's own?
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I keep trying to multiclass in Ranger, or Fighter as an example, but I find I can make a better character staying solid Barbarian for 10 levels. The extra feats from the fighter are not 'necessary' and neither are the benefits from the Ranger class in comparison to what is delayed or lost when sacrificing Barbarian levels.
Am I doing something wrong???
No!! One of the most fundamental principles of economics is that value is subjective. "I really like barbarians; what do you like the most of things that are like one but different?" Well, if you really like barbarians, then it's entirely possible that you just won't like any of the alternatives as much. Do what makes you happy.
But anyway! Here's my answer to your question-that-might've-been-the-wrong-one.
As a consequence, you can maintain good AC with close, reach and range weapons that all scale their damage with your strength when you rage. Take a couple more levels of barbarian and then go all five levels of halfling opportunist (HoG p.28). The end result is that your Stealth and Sleight of Hand are class skills, your Trap Sense is complemented with Improved Trap Spotter and Disable Device, your Small speed is offset by your barbarian bonus, and your saving throws are through the roof.
Also, your teamwork is tight as can be, due to the incentives; first there's that Helpful bonus to you aiding another, and then there's an Excellent Aid bonus to others aiding you. You have some sneak attack damage that applies to attacks of opportunity no matter what. And, ever since character level 7th, your action descriptions have been getting ever-more cinematic due to being able to force your opponents to aid-another you.
Or at least, that's how I picture it. And I don't mind sharing it, since it's kind of a blend of a few different paths that I've plotted out, without being exactly like any of them. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if you hate it. ;)
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How viable is a straight Barabarian past level 10 in comparison to a straight fighter, ranger, or paladin. Does it hold it's own?
Straight barbarian past 10 can definitely hold its own compared to those other classes. None of those other classes can get a full attack on a charge.
And yeah, uncanny dodge is nice, but I personally think losing it for DR = 1/2 barbarian level is worth the trade. It's fun laughing at your DM and saying "No" when he tells you to take damage that your DR mitigates. At least I enjoy doing that, not sure about others.
Do you know what you are trying to achieve with the combination?I am looking for a solid melee barbarian with some flexibility and role playing options besides just being able to kill things. Something interesting to play.
May have been said but alchemist and up your mutagens. Gives you good spells like enlarge and bulls str and all that if you realy push you might even get master chymist but i would go without it.
I keep trying to multiclass in Ranger, or Fighter as an example, but I find I can make a better character staying solid Barbarian for 10 levels. The extra feats from the fighter are not 'necessary' and neither are the benefits from the Ranger class in comparison to what is delayed or lost when sacrificing Barbarian levels.
Am I doing something wrong???
No - first of all, Pathfinder set out to balance the classes in order to make multi-classing less attractive -- so it's not surprising that you would feel that way. Generally, you gain versatility at the expense of power -- although in practice it's really a matter of how much you value what you're giving up versus how much you value what you get.
For example, if we're comparing Barb 7/Ranger(or Fighter) 3 to Barbarian 10, assuming no archetypes, you give up:
- 2 rage powers (8th and 10th)
- 3hp (assuming average rolls)
- one additional point of DR
and almost most importantly....
- eligibility for rage powers that require 8th or 10th level
In exchange, if you go ranger, you get:
- Wild Empathy
- New Class skills (Stealth)
- Tracking Bonuses
- A favored enemy (+2 attack, damage, bluff, etc.)
- A favored terrain (+2 init, stealth, survival, etc.)
- 1 Combat Style Feat + Endurance (Bonus Feat)
- A spell list (letting you use wands, such as CLW, Longstrider and Lead Blades)
- Better saves (+8/+5/+3 vs. +7/+3/+3)
Is that a good deal? Well, that depends on the campaign and, more importantly, how you see the character.
If, for example, you view your barbarian in a certain way, then the extra abilities may fit your view of the character, which makes it stronger (to you). If you think of yourself as a wilderness warrior, skirmisher or guerilla fighter, for instance, this works well mechanically. You're now a better at finding your enemies (tracking bonus), observing and ambushing them (stealth class skill), beating down the threat to your tribe (favored enemy), know the area so well that you're hard to surprise and impossible to track (favoured terrain bonuses)... and more self-sufficient, as you can use wands to heal and buff yourself [making your weapons larger, moving 10' faster, gaining natural armour] and you can sleep in armour without penalty (endurance).
How viable is a straight Barabarian past level 10 in comparison to a straight fighter, ranger, or paladin. Does it hold it's own?
As long as the barbarian isn't evil (in which case the paladin will clobber him) -- pretty darned good (thanks to the APG) -- at least until his rage runs out -- but it very much depends on the build of each, I would say (which then, to me, suggests that they're fairly well balanced).
Right now I am barbarian2/cleric1.
I started as a Barb at lvl 1. and due to lack of healing in the party, I decided on cleric for 3 reasons.
1. The extra healing will help us out at lower levels
2. Travel Domain. I like characters with fast move. This domain gives you 10 extra to your move, plus "Long-strider" (another 10)as a domain spell, plus the option to occasionally move through difficult terrain easily.
3. Community domain. Mainly because you can remove "fatigued" condition (and some other stuff). Which should be forever useful.
How viable is a straight Barabarian past level 10 in comparison to a straight fighter, ranger, or paladin. Does it hold it's own?
At level 12 a barbarian can get "Come and Get Me" as a rage power, if at level 11 they grab combat reflexes and have a half way decent Dex, they become crazy powerful. At level 10 you can get pounce, which is another way to get more hits in. Invulnerable Rager archetype gives you DR equal to half you barbarian level, so continuing in Barbarian is pretty sweet.
If none of those things interest you, continuing in Barbarian may not be worth it.
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Right now I am barbarian2/cleric1.
I started as a Barb at lvl 1. and due to lack of healing in the party, I decided on cleric for 3 reasons.
1. The extra healing will help us out at lower levels.
2. Travel Domain. I like characters with fast move. This domain gives you 10 extra to your move, plus "Long-strider" (another 10)as a domain spell, plus the option to occasionally move through difficult terrain easily.
3. Community domain. Mainly because you can remove "fatigued" condition (and some other stuff). Which should be forever useful.
Kurgess -- best barbarian deity ever. If you're a dwarf who wants to mix fighter levels and wear heavy armor, the drunken variant forfeits the barb's move (which would get nerfed anyway) for move-action potion-swigging -- result is guy who still moves 30 in FP.
Monk- Martial artist archetype, or race: Aasimar with the enlightened warrior trait.
Ranger- not really, just go Horizon Walker PrC at lvl 7 (take the desert terrain)
Fighter- mix the two best static damage classes? Yes please!
Rogue- the ultimate Thug (take the archetype)
Alchemist- build a moderate str score and RP turning into the hulk with rage + mutagen + enlarge person
Sorcerer- as noted DD is the key here
Druid- see if you can look up that "failed Druid" build (+3 to awesomeness)
Inquisitor- no one expects the inquisitor!
Oracle- Rage Prophet for the...what everyone DOES expect.
Witch- isnt there an archetype that lets a half-orc use con for spell power? add in a little urban barbarian and send your con through the roof
I am sure I am missing something somewhere... probly something obvious too.
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Right now I've got a Sczarni PFS character called Dr. Jim. He's an alcoholic ex-pharmacist (Drunken Rager Barbarian 1/Alchemist X) with a rather loose disposition towards morals and a short temper.
At level two, with 18 starting strength, a greatsword, rage, extract of Enlarge Person, Power Attack, and Mutagen, he hits for 3d6 + 16, and can drink as a move action to keep his rage up. Good times. (Not to mention a fair number of skills and a few extra extracts on the side.)
I just made a barbarian / Daemon bloodline
Enlarge Person + Rage = Fun... I miss monkey grip any replacements for that?
Pro tip: Until you've played several characters to level 12, don't attempt to multiclass. It's a suboptimal strategy except in low level situations or in cases of extreme synergy.
Look into Variant Multiclass though.