| Cardinal Reinhardt |
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Barbarians are extremely good at killing things, especially at level 10 (since you have access to pounce from the beast totem line). However, there are a lot of manners in which to go about this. Thanks to rage powers, barbarians are incredibly versatile for a martial class.
First of all, barbarians can only take one line of "totem" rage powers, and I believe that most people would end up taking the beast totem line. Roughly speaking, the point of this line is to give the barbarian the ability to pounce at level 10. This is particularly powerful, as it allows you to full attack after a charge action, giving you an incredible amount of mobility. However, there are other totems which you may want to look into for flavor reasons, or if you have a concept that differs from "rage, pounce at thing, kill thing" (except the hive totem, that thing is awful). Regardless, you should be able to hit your preferred totem's greater power at level 10.
Now, if you decide to grab an entire totem line, you still have at least two rage powers remaining (extra rage power is a feat that you may like). Using these, you can turn your barbarian into a mage-killing machine, give him some pretty fun intimidate abilities, have a mount that rages with you, gain some more survivability through untyped DR, etc. There's a lot of flexibility here, and I would highly suggest taking a look at the rage powers that are available to you found here. In particular, I like the "superstition, witch hunter, spell sunder" line a lot because it allows you to smash spells with your weapon. Not only is that awesome ("I sunder the darkness"), it gives the barbarian a bunch of utility. Another power I like is Terrifying Howl, but that would require a build at least somewhat geared towards intimidate.
Insofar as feat selection is concerned, you definitely want to grab power attack and raging vitality. The latter allows you to continue to expend rage rounds even while unconscious, which prevents you from dying after being put to 0 health while raging. Outside of that, it's very much so up to you, and probably depends upon your rage power selection. If you want spell sunder at level ten in addition to a full totem line, you will need an extra rage power and you may want to grab improved sunder. However, if you want to intimidate things into oblivion, you may want to pick up cornugon smash and furious focus (so you can pick up dreadful carnage later on). The flexibility inherent in a barbarian is rather nice.
As far as stats are concerned, I would suggest putting the 18 into strength, having a constitution of at least 15, and making your wisdom and dexterity modifiers positive. Barring that, it's your choice (though I have my preferences). Race and traits are also up to you, though I would suggest a race that has a positive strength modifier or a dwarf. I really like the human favored class bonus for barbarians if you plan on grabbing superstition, and luckily half-elves and half-orcs can take it as well.
Okay, I didn't exactly give you a build, but hopefully I gave you enough pieces to construct a build of your own. I hope this helps.
Edit: I forgot to mention that there are some really nice archetypes for barbarian. Invulnerable rager in particular is fantastically fun.
| Abyssian |
"I sunder the darkness"
So cool.
For real, though- with those stats, seriously, go nuts. You don't need to play a barbarian to make that effective. A dang Aristocrat will kick butt with those stats.
You mentioned Zen Archers being OP. Will that dissuade/disqualify you from playing a different archetype of Monk? You have dream stats for one.... Just saying.
| Abyssian |
There are, indeed, ways to rage cycle before 17. One of the easiest is to dip Oracle (Lame Curse). Once you have an effective Oracle level of five, you are immune to fatigue. Common ways to get there: Barb1/Oracle4/Barb+ or Barb1/Oracle1/Barb7+. Just depends on if you want a bunch of Oracle levels to get it fast, or want as few Oracle levels as possible to get it...a little less fast.
EDIT: Ninja'd with more and better information....curse you, ArmouredMonk!
ArmouredMonk13
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An oracle dip with lame nets you immunity to fatigue at level 9. The Metal Mystery with Dance of Blades nets you +10ft move speed, so you take no penalty and get some spells at the cost of 1BAB. Other than that, your stats are absolutely stupid-high, and you are playing a class that only needs 2. A CAGM Invulnerable Rager Pounce build would probably get barbarians banned by 12th level with Combat Reflexes and Power Attack, so probably want to go with a more vanilla barbarian.
Of course, you could also try going for the Rage Prophet PrC if you dip oracle for more a cool concept, as you have the stats to get a decent CHA without sacrificing much.
| Cardinal Reinhardt |
Yep, a player in the group was a zen archer, ( I came in a tad late) and the DM decided he wants no more of the monk shenanigans.
I was looking at urban rager + invulnerable rager actually. they could mesh well I think.
also, I DO like the sunder magic idea, also, any ways to rage cycle before 17?
The only things I can remember off the top of my head are by taking a dip in oracle, or a dip in horizon walker. If you dip into the oracle (which only requires one level), you'll want the lame curse since your barbarian levels count as 1/2 oracle levels for gaining benefits from curses. The horizon walker requires three levels, but you sacrifice a bit less in regards to being able to chase things down and hit them.
Actually, the cord of stubborn resolve does the trick as well. It takes up a belt slot, but you can add that to your existing belt of +x strength for additional cost. I can't remember the rules for that off the top of my head though.
Oh, and yes, I do like urban barbarian + invulnerable rager, especially since you can potentially take advantage of the additional skills offered by urban barbarian. It also makes raging vitality less of a "must have" and potentially frees up a feat slot.
Edit: Well, it seems like I'm two posts behind.
| Abyssian |
Watch out with Rage Prophet. Some call it a trap, and for a lot of Barbarian/Oracle builds it is. If you don't have Revelations or Rage Powers that increase in strength as you level, it can be a trap.
I have a Rage Prophet in PFS (OK, she isn't a Rage Prophet yet) so I can advance the Bonded Mount Revelation to take advantage of an Axebeak boon.
| Abyssian |
Just take a level of Oracle as your second level. Be sure to take the Lame Curse. After that, go back to Barbarian.
The Metal Mystery offers a Revelation that adds 10' to your base movement, effectively negating the "curse" portion of the Lame Curse. You will lose +1 BAB for eventual immunity to fatigue and pick up a couple of spells, while you're at it.
That's why I like the Barb1/Oracle4/Barb+. You still only give up a single BAB (well, you also give up two Rage Powers and class progression in Barbarian), but you get second level spells! You can throw one of your "mediocre" stats into CHA and get an extra spell slot. I wouldn't get spells that have saves, though, since you won't probably be boosting CHA, much, throughout your career. Get buff/utility spells.
| Atarlost |
The most up to date barbarian guide is N. Jolly's
I would avoid an oracle dip. You lose a mobility, which is especially bad for an urban barbarian, and slow your rage power progression and BAB, and there are other ways to rage cycle. I'd suggest a scarlet and green cabochon ioun stone to convert the fatigued condition into the sickened condition and the internal fortitude rage power to make you immune to the sickened condition when raging. This is doable a level before you can take the oracle dip even.
Witch Hunter/Beast Totem/CAGM is the standard barbarian. You need almost no feats, just power attack and combat reflexes and improved sunder if you want spell sunder. Some archery feats would be nice as well, of course, but even just a high strength composite bow and the rage to dex option will make you enough of an archer to not be a liability when melee is off the table. You can try a TWF build with those stats as well. It won't pay off until you get Two Weapon Rend or one of the on-crit effects after Critical Focus, but you will also be able to look forward to two weapon pouncing.
Whatever you do within the barbarian umbrella I'd just lay those stats down in descending order.
rorek55
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although, even with those stats, assuming +2 swords That would be
(while raging)
10+9+1 = 20 Attack bonus -2 for dual wielding, -3 power attack.
so 17/17/12/12 if charging +2. for 1d6 + 18. I think that perhaps it would be best to stick to two handed. (frees up feats for fun things, also, is there an extra rage power feat?