Barbarian Build Questions

[Dema_89]

Hi there,
i'm currently building a Barbarian (level 6) for an upcoming campaign.

The character idea is to build an Half-Elf Barbarian that has been trained by Elves thus not feeling himself part of them and hating their addiction to spells or magic in general.

The party is composed by:

Melee Paladin
Ranged Grenadier Alchemist
Offensive DPS Sorcerer

So the build i came up is the following (15 point buy):

Half-Elf Invulnerable Rager 6

STR: 18 (14 Base, +2 Half-Elf bonus, +2 Belt of STR)
DEX: 14 (13 Base, +1 at 4th level)
CON: 14 (14 Base)
INT: 10
WIS: 12 (12 Base)
CHA: 10

HP: 56
DR: 3/-

AC: 19 (+2 Dex, +7 Mithral Breastplate +1) // 12 // 17

Fort: 9 (+5 Base, +2 Con, +2 Cloack of Res)
Refl: 6 (+2 Base, +2 Dex, +2 Cloack of Res)
Will: 7 (+2 Base, +1 Wis, +2 Dual Minded (Half-Elf), +2 Cloack of Res)

While Raging: +5 for Superstition (with the Human favoured class bonus)

[I talked with my GM if i can take the +1/3 bonus at level 1 thus not having yet Superstiotion, and he gave me the "ok"]

Weapons: +1 Greatsword (+11/+6 - 2d6 + 13)
MWK Comp, Longbow (+9/+4 - 1d8 +4)

Feats: Improved Initiative
Power Attack
Improved Sunder

Rage Powers: Superstition
Witch-Hunter
Spell-Sunder

Skills: Acrobatics (6 Ranks)
Perception (6 Ranks)
Survival (6 Ranks)
Know. Nature (6 Ranks) // Use Magic Device (6 Ranks)

So, here are my questions:

1) Do you think that 18 STR (with the belt) is too low? I can get a 20 lowering INT, CHA or WIS, but i was trying to build a balanced character. If 20 is better i'll change it.

2) My Feat/Rage-Powers progression will be:

7: Extra Rage: Reckless Abandon
8: Lesser Beast Totem
9: Extra Rage: Beast Totem
10: Greater, Beast Totem

So basically i can't get "Raging Vitality". Do you think it is a big deal? I Like the feat but i can't find space for it (maybe sacrificating Improved Sunder or Reckless Abandon, but i'm not sure about it).

3) Skills:

I know Survival isn't that great if we don't track, but it seem a cool ability for a Barb. The real question is about UMD if it is worth or not. I can use it telling i've been trained by Elven so it won't be out of background, but i don't know if it's worth not being a class skill.
The same i was wandering about Knowledge Nature, it seems cool for a feral Barb but maybe not as good as UMD. What do you suggest?

I'm not going to build an optimized character, but i don't want either to build an ineffective one :)

Thanks in advance

[The Shaman]

For a barbarian, you can probably try to start at 16 or at least 15 strength (+1 at level 4). It will make a bit of a difference. You can probably make the difference elsewhere, i.e. charisma (you don´t seem to be going for an intimidation build) or intelligence. Raging Vitality is imo quite nice, but more important at higher levels where losing the extra HP from rage when you are unconscious practically guarantees death. It is not vital to take it very early, but I would definitely consider it for lvl 5+

I am less than sold on rushing witch hunter or spell sunder at those levels, imo they are more useful later on when more opponents come with spell-likes etc. One more thing - furious focus can be handier than reckless abandon since it negates the penalty on the first attack with no downside, and the second isn´t that likely to hit. Matter of choice though.

UMD shouldn´t be that high on your list unless you are the most skillful/charismatic character of the bunch. KNature or the like could be handier, and I´d probably split some points among various less used skills such as climb.

[Daenar]

Kudos for no stat dump! I just made a dwarf barb 15 pt last night. An argument could be made for higher strength but an 18 in rage is not too gowdawful and you can work on it as you go up in levels. With your stats you could end up with a 30 strength before mighty rage at 20th,and thats just going for obvious increases. Way to go hope you dont dump any stats after this thread for this character anyway.

[Daenar]

I always take at least one rank of survival. Abelt bonus is treated as permanent after24 hours so last i knew this let you qualify for the feat when the time comes.ymmv.

[Gregory Connolly]

If you plan on getting to level 12 and playing much after that you should plan for Come And Get Me. It is so good it makes you want to take combat reflexes even with a mediocre dex. My wife plays a Half-Elf invulnerable rager and you don't look too far off her build, she has ancestral arms and is a falcata specialist with weapon focus going into improved critical at 9th and two hands an oversized falcata despite the -2 to hit. She also lacks the mage killing powers and is backed up by a battle oracle, a magus, and a wizard so she gets more support magic than you will. The build looks fine for what you want to do.

[Daenar]

Come and get me is indeed sweet. +1

[Dema_89]

Ok, thanks to all for the suggestion, very usefull :)

I was thinking in getting a second Archetype in Urban Barbarian, so i can use "Controlled Rage" and avoid the need of the Raging Vitality feat.

Also, with it i can split my skill point in:

Acrobatics (6), Intimidate (6), Perception (6) and UMD (6).

Intimidate sinergize well with "Crowd Control" while UMD is usable in Controlled Rage, so it seem a good choice.

Light armors hurts but not that much considering the future of the build (Come and Get Me and so on ...)

[Gregory Connolly]

I see you playing a Half-Elf without Skill Focus or Exotic Weapon Proficiency. Did you trade the Skill Focus for something?

[Dema_89]

Gregory Connolly wrote:

I see you playing a Half-Elf without Skill Focus or Exotic Weapon Proficiency. Did you trade the Skill Focus for something?

Dual Minded, a +2 Will Save seemed to me a better option than SKill Focus or a Weapon Proficiency :)

[XMorsX]

You could take raging vitality instead of Improved Initiative. Until you get pounce, you do not really want to go first anyway.

Also, a Nodachi or a Falchion will wield better DPR than the Greatsword because of the bigger critical threat range.

[sunbeam]

Make no mistake, Spell Sunder is awesome and pretty much every barbarian takes it.

But at level 6.. it's coming soon but I think that the Beast Totem powers might be better to take first.

In your shoes my first three rage powers would be Lesser Beast Totem (not crazy about claws but you need it for..), Beast Totem (for the natural armor), and Superstitious.

As far as feats go Power Attack is a basic need. Can never argue against Improved Initiative.

But I would take Toughness over Improved Sunder at your level.

Actually I might never take Improved Sunder. I'd prioritize Strength Surge over that.

You really need a way to Rage Cycle too. There is a belt or something that you see in a lot of builds (if you don't dip Oracle and the Lame curse).

So if I were making your character I'd take the following Rage Powers at the indicated level:

2) Lesser Beast Totem
4) Superstitious
6) Beast Totem
8) Witch Hunter
10) Spell Sunder

Feats:

1) Improved Initiative
3) Toughness
5) Power Attack
7) Extra Rage Power:Strength Surge
9) Maybe Improved Sunder

I say maybe because you might want to go down the Come And Get Me road.

As the above poster said, Falchion is probably a better weapon. If you took that, Improved Critical might be better to take at 9th level. A lot of people say you could just take Keen on the weapon, but depends on Ye Olde Magic Shoppe I guess.