I am working on a low level barbarian build, and am looking to functionally optimize the character concept. The concept started out with the silly idea of a barbarian with such a low wisdom and perception score that he was convinced that the rogue/sneaky characters in the party didn't actually exist, but were, in fact, phantoms. This lead me to wondering why a character would believe that these phantoms were all around him, directly effecting his environment. In turn, this made me think of the haunted oracle curse and the spirit totem rage powers.
Right now I am torn as to whether the level of oracle is worth it for the build. It's very flavorful and gives some interesting utility (and Will save boost) to the character, but how painful is that level going to be if the character is meant to be played from level 3 to around level 6 or 7? I hadn't planned to take Rage Prophet, since casting spells isn't currently part of the planned story for this character. If I take the level of oracle, I'd effectively use the four or five spells available as neat little SLAs rather than primary character attributes.
I figured I'd go for Superstition as well, and probably the Invulnerable Rager archetype.
If anyone can offer advice on feats, weapons, other rage powers, better build options for the concept. I would probably need to be human, elf or half-elf (because of setting for the campaign) with a 20 point buy, but everything else is pretty open. If it's available on the PRD, then it's open game.
Thanks in advance for any assistance or help offered.
I am working on a low level barbarian build, and am looking to functionally optimize the character concept. The concept started out with the silly idea of a barbarian with such a low wisdom and perception score that he was convinced that the rogue/sneaky characters in the party didn't actually exist, but were, in fact, phantoms. This lead me to wondering why a character would believe that these phantoms were all around him, directly effecting his environment. In turn, this made me think of the haunted oracle curse and the spirit totem rage powers.
Right now I am torn as to whether the level of oracle is worth it for the build. It's very flavorful and gives some interesting utility (and Will save boost) to the character, but how painful is that level going to be if the character is meant to be played from level 3 to around level 6 or 7? I hadn't planned to take Rage Prophet, since casting spells isn't currently part of the planned story for this character. If I take the level of oracle, I'd effectively use the four or five spells available as neat little SLAs rather than primary character attributes.
I figured I'd go for Superstition as well, and probably the Invulnerable Rager archetype.
If anyone can offer advice on feats, weapons, other rage powers, better build options for the concept. I would probably need to be human, elf or half-elf (because of setting for the campaign) with a 20 point buy, but everything else is pretty open. If it's available on the PRD, then it's open game.
Thanks in advance for any assistance or help offered.
Sounds like the Spirit Totem is the way to go... and Superstitious as well. I have a superbly optimized Barbarian build along the lines of an Invulnerable Rager, but its not the same concept at all.
Power gaming? Play a full orc!
Str 14+4 Dex 16 Con 16 Int 9-2 Wis 10-2 Cha 7-2
Rage stats will be a massive 22/16/20 at level 3 (translating to a +10 to hit from BaB and Str alone). Use Superstitious to bump up your will saves while raging. Grab Power Attack and Furious Focus (you won't feel the negatives so much as your BaB won't go past 7) and pick something large to swing. Shield of Swings for your level 5 feat for +4 to AC against anything manlier than you (which will be very little at this point). Level 7, pick up Raging Vitality for +2 Con while raging. Your two skill points a level should go to acrobatics and swim/climb.
If the party doesn't like your orcishness, then you can administer blunt-force-trauma to their heads until they agree.
If your trying to rage cycle, get the cord of stubborn resolve on your belt, instead of the one level of oracle. Problem solved.
The level of oracle would qualify you for rage prophet if the character ever advanced that far...
I don't think we are going to get to level 9, otherwise I would have probably opted for the Lame curse. Before then, you're just slower than a normal barbarian.
Since I think we are only going from level 3 to level 6 or 7, I am not sure if Rage Prophet is worth it. Assuming the first level is Oracle (because that's how his backstory starts), then he follows with 5 levels of Barbarian (to get the BAB requirement), he may get one level of Rage Prophet. One level of Rage Prophet gets you a +1 bonus once per rage, +1 level to my mystery and a few flavorful SLAs. The boost to the rage power level comes from taking another level of Barbarian just the same; the added level to the oracle curse would come either way (as the 6th Barbarian level increases it the same as a level of Oracle or Rage Prophet does); and I actually lose a point to my reflex over taking Barbarian.
If we were to be starting at a higher level and going to a higher level, namely to get Ragecaster, I could definitely figure out a way to flavor the spells being cast as coming from the spirits or something.
I'll see about the cord or stubborn resolve. That seems very useful.
As far as feats, Power Attack was definitely on the menu. I hadn't considered Furious Focus, but it makes lots of sense. We've been playing high level games for so long, that I forgot what it's like to only have one attack. I'm not so enamoured with Shield of Swings. If it wasn't half of my damage for +4 AC, I'd consider it, but when damage is my main purpose and my AC will be abysmal anyway (because medium armor and lowish Dex due to wanting a positive Cha), it doesn't seem worth it. I'll look into Raging Vitality.
Sadly, orc is not an option. The campaign we are going to play is "you are all members of the same village with a pre-established history" of which there are only humans, elves and half-elves (with the latter two being rather rare). So I'm thinking human, for the bonus to either Strength or Con and the access to Heart of the Fields to use before I get access to the cord. I'm trying to decide if I should go Str > Con or Con > Str. I'm also thinking a Cha of 12 or so. Wis, obviously, of 7.
Any other suggestions? These have been really helpful.
Invulnerable rager is so, well over done.... is there something more, interesting out there?
Urban Barbarian might fit the whole grew up in the same town together.. does it mix with armored hulk? that might be fun If you're not going to have a high dex?
edit: no the dont stack
It is overdone, I know. Urban doesn't work because they are supposed to be from a small rural village. Armored Hulk doesn't interest me, as it sort of encourages a defensive build and/or using overrun. Scarred Rager could be interesting, but Invulnerable is just almost too good to pass up.
yea it trades things out most barbs dont use for early DR. thats why it's over drone. Lol
Urban archetype doesn't have to mean the city. You can always roleplay it as them being from the small rural village, while typical barbarians, might be from tribe like societies. Either way, invulnerable archetype is with a doubt in my mind, hands down, the preferred barbarian archetype, for universalist type builds for barbarians. If they are focused on some, like a large weapon wilder, or thrower,other archetypes will of course seem and possibly be better, otherwise, invulnerable is too good toads up, especially for low levels, where DR is a bigger impact than higher levels.
I like Scarred Rager, the whole flavor package feels very nice,
and notice that it can enable a 'Rage Cycle' strategy, albeit more limited than total Fstigue Immunity.
(halving duration from 2 rounds = 1 round duration, 1 round duration effects started on your turn end just before your next)
...but if 'Invulnerable is just almost too good to pass up', then so it is :-)
(I look at things as: can I live without this? I think you can, therefore I don't limit myself to just Invulnerable, unless the whole flavor/build style seems to especially match the character/play style I want for the character)
If you're not interested in maxing a wide variety of skills, I would say consider giving up the Human Skilled +1rank for the Heart of Wilderness ability: you gain +5 to Survival (also covering Tracking) which is great if you were interested in covering that niche, and it also increases your 'death point', normally equal to negative CON score... since Rage HPs disappearing can quickly drop your HPs, on top of normal combat, an increased 'death point' is really useful... The +5 to Stabilization checks kind of goes with the increased 'death point' (since you take a penalty on the roll = your negative HPs). Even without the Human Skilled +1 rank, Barbs still get alot of Skill Ranks, so you should be able to cover the basic, and then some, anyways. If you go Scarred Rager, note the bonuses to Intimidate AND Diplomacy (the latter just for 'barbarian peoples') means you effectively don't need to max both of those skills to be effective at them, especially with a decent CHA, so a loss of Skill ranks is even less big of a deal for you.
If you think you might get to Level 8, consider that going full Barbarian will let you get Barbarian Level 8 prereq Rage Powers, one of which is Unexpected Strike: letting you make Movement Provoked AoO's vs. 5' Steps AND movement ENTERING your threat area (instead of just leaving, as per the norm). This effectively increases your threat area 5' in terms of AoOs you may make, as well as negating the safety of 5' steps. If you have Knockback, you can Bullrush as an AoO, meaning many opponents may not be able to close with you and attack. Or just smack them upside the head.
It's not available in the PRD, but if you can get your hands on the Sargava Companion, there's a Feat Rhino Charge (prereq: Combat Reflexes and Improved Bullrush, whose prereq is Power Attack) that lets you Ready a 'Partial Charge' as a Standard Action (you are free to spend your move action however on your normal turn). The Combat Reflexes and Improved Bullrush prereqs would synergize if you took Knockback and Unexpected Strike.
If you want to go with a char concept 'never notices stealthing rogues' or 'never notices anything but the most obvious', I wouldn't necessarily force lowering the WIS score, unless the other implications of that are also the intent. I would just implement a specific 'penalty' to Perception (or just Perception vs. Stealthers or things with Cover/etc), even if you don't gain some 'benefit' from this penalty, it still lets you pull off your char concept without needing to gimp WIS.
Clear Mind Rage Power also becomes available from Barb Level 8.
A local PfS player just made a Wild Rager barbarian build which is pretty nice.
Wild Rager isn't legal for PFS.
If you want to go with a char concept 'never notices stealthing rogues' or 'never notices anything but the most obvious', I wouldn't necessarily force lowering the WIS score, unless the other implications of that are also the intent. I would just implement a specific 'penalty' to Perception (or just Perception vs. Stealthers or things with Cover/etc), even if you don't gain some 'benefit' from this penalty, it still lets you pull off your char concept without needing to gimp WIS.
I had intended to use the things that go with a low Wis as well: he's kind of dim, gullible and rash. Right now, as the player, I don't have the power to impose ad hoc penalties on myself. I might discuss with the DM if I can impose some sort of "flaw" system (letting him determine the specifics), but until then I am going to just assume a Wis of 7. I was considering an Int of 8 as well (largely because I just came off a three year game of playing an Int-based caster and would like some variety).
As far as Heart of the Wilderness, do you find it more useful than Heart of the Fields?
I'm honestly considering Scarred Rager, since I'm planning to go with a positive Cha anyway. It would be fun to play it as acting the exact same way, barbarian or not, just with different results because of culture.
Wild Rager doesn't interest me. This guy is dim, but ultimately I want him to be a nice guy. A real team player... when he thinks you exist. Heck, if the quasi-mythical "rogue" that everyone keeps referring to is helpful, he might be fine with teaming up with the people he isn't sure exist.
Dropping Uncanny Dodge is fine with me, as it actually fits the concept pretty well. Uncanny Dodge sort of implies being very aware of your surroundings, which this guy is most certainly not. Same with trap finding. Luckily, most barbarian archetypes swap out both of these features. Fast Movement isn't vital to the character either, so swapping it out is fine by me.