| Malodeus |
Greetings. My friend is starting a gestalt campaign. I am deciding between two interesting builds. We are starting at level 1, but knowing the DM, I expect to level up extremely quickly.
The first is the "Barbighter", or Barbarian Fighter. I am thinking of selecting the Invulnerable Rager, and Two Handed Fighter Archetypes. I would be an Orc for the bonus to strength, and use a falchion as my primary weapon. I would dump my mental stats (except for maybe Wis for Will saves).
The next is the "Barb#tch", or Barbarian Witch. I would select the Scarred Witch Doctor, and probably again the Invulnerable Rager archetypes to compensate for the lack of armor. I can still dump my mental stats with this build (Wis too this time because of the Witch's good Will saves).
I know that the first build would probably be a stronger character in general, more useful to the party, and more fun to play, but the idea of a full spellcaster with a fast BAB, a lot of hp, a d12 HD, and other useful front line combat abilities is very tempting to try out.
Which build should I choose? Are both of these even viable? Thank you!
Deadmanwalking
|
This post may or may not be a pointless, last-ditch effort to move this thread up in the list in order to possibly get a response.
Hold your horses, two hours isn't very long.
Of the two, I'd go Barbarian/Witch. Barbarian/Fighter is pretty pointless, too much overlap.
Other good builds: Barbarian/Oracle maybe switching one of them out for Rage Prophet at some point, Barbarian/Martial Artist Monk (for unarmed combat murderousness), Barbarian/Druid (Raging Dire Tiger), Barbarian/Vivisectionist Alchemist (really cool and effective), or Barbarian/Bard (loads of fun).
| Malodeus |
Thanks for the input. I was considering taking oracle with the lame curse, but I think someone else in the party is looking into oracle.
I completely forgot about not being able to cast spells during rage, because I playtested the Bloodrager which could, so I think the Witch is out of the picture.
An alchemist would be interesting (one of my original ideas was a ragechemist Abyssal Bloodrager for the ridiculous strength bonuses), but what is the selling factor with the Vivisectionist in particular? I see sneak attack as being extremely inconsistent. Is there something else I am missing?
Fruian Thistlefoot
|
u got it. You will be a better brute rogue.
You will get sneak attacks with the potions and extracts your using.
Your combining the 2-handed weapon damage and sneak attack. Once your chugging greateriinvisibility extracts you will usually always have sneak damage.
Mutagens and rage stack so have fun being as strong as a dragon.
Deadmanwalking
|
An alchemist would be interesting (one of my original ideas was a ragechemist Abyssal Bloodrager for the ridiculous strength bonuses), but what is the selling factor with the Vivisectionist in particular? I see sneak attack as being extremely inconsistent. Is there something else I am missing?
It is. But when you don't get it, you're a Barbarian. When you do, you're a Barbarian plus Sneak Attack. It makes you very melee focused to the standard Alchemist's switch hitter...and Barbarians are excellent as melee focused characters.
Fruian Thistlefoot
|
Is it bad to focus? Barbarian is a strong melee class. Give them magical effects like fly and invisible he becomes fierce. Switch hitting is ok but why do it when you will almost kill everything in a full round attack. As for a ranged option you can use wands with UMD.
As gestalt you only get normal amount of feats so focusing on 2 handed feats allows for most your feats to be freed up. Discoveries act as feats. I know organ preservation is great. Built in fortification.
| Malodeus |
Would a 14 Int be acceptable? I want a high Str and Con, so I think I can probably get a headband to bring it to a 16 before I need to make higher level extracts.
Also, any suggestions for good races? I don't think Orc is the best option anymore. I think the GM will probably let me use the Lizardfolk example race in the ARG. I am tired of being a human, and would like to try another race.
| nate lange RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
it sounds like your mind is pretty well made up already but it might be worth taking one more look at barb/scarred witch doctor... it is true that you can't cast spells while raging, but you can use many hexes and their DC will be based on Con- so if you start with 20 con, take the raging vitality feat and rage it up to 26 your DC for Slumber at 2nd level would be 19! just focus your spells on utility and longer duration buffs you can cast before raging.
if you really want to cause problems, mix and match... a barb 1|alchemist 1/scarred witch 2 could stack mutagen on the above strategy for a 30 Con at 2nd level (DC 21 hexes). you can pick up the Ability Focus feat (with GM approval) to up the DC by another 2. if you stay an orc you could eventually combine the Augmented Rage teamwork feat with leadership (and an half-orc barb/ulfen guard) to get your Con up around 34... around 10 level (give or take, depending on whether you take craft arms/armor) you should be able to get a +2 furious, courageous falchion (or whatever weapon), which gets your Con up to 36- so at 10th the DC for ice tomb when raging will be roughly 30 (without any items, so 33 really). thats a tough save even in gestalt! edit: i forgot leveling bonuses- 34.
| Malodeus |
Although the idea of a DC 19 slumber at 2nd level is amazing, I am not sure that you can use Hexes while raging. The core rulebook says, "While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration." I would think that a hex requires concentration to use..
| Malodeus |
I just realized that you can get around the problems of spells and hexes in rage casting in rage with the Urban Barbarian archetype. Although I would not be getting the same bonus to strength for melee combat, I could still make really amazing hexes like Nate Lange suggested.
I still like the idea with the Vivisectionist, though, and will most likely play it. I like the invisibility and enlarge person with Duerger.
| Azten |
I just realized that you can get around the problems of spells and hexes in rage casting in rage with the Urban Barbarian archetype.
Your GM might allow it, but as written you can't cast spells while in a Controlled Rage.
When using a controlled rage, an urban barbarian gains no bonus on Will saves, takes no penalties to AC, and can still use Intelligence-, Dexterity-, and Charisma-based skills. This ability otherwise follows the normal rules for rage.
It doesn't say you can, and since you can't cast spells in a regular rage, and it follows the normal rules for rage beyond the exceptions made...
| nate lange RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Although the idea of a DC 19 slumber at 2nd level is amazing, I am not sure that you can use Hexes while raging. The core rulebook says, "While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration." I would think that a hex requires concentration to use..
sorry, i just noticed this... its probably too late for you but i think you can use hexes while raging... they don't require patience (because they happen right away), i don't think they really require concentration (since you're not required to make a concentration check to use them even if attacked or otherwise distracted, and they don't provoke AoOs), and they're not skills... even if you applied the logic that they're 'a skill' in the sense that they require skill to use (even though they don't require skill checks) a scarred witch doctor could still use them because they're Con based, not Int.