Best Rage Powers for the Primalist Bloodrager


Advice

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

I'm not experienced with Barbarians much, but I love the idea of the Primalist archetype for the Bloodrager. It allows you to swap out your 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, or 20th level bloodrage power for two rage powers that you otherwise qualify for.

What're the best rage powers to take, assuming an 8th level bloodrager? (If you think I'm giving up Demonic Bulk at level 4, you're crazy.) I don't know which rage powers are generally considered the strongest.


Beast totem line is the best overall if you swap 2 bloodline powers: pounce.


Yeah, pounce would be the most sought power. Followed by Come and Get Me.


So do it at 8 and 12 to pick up all three of the beast totem powers and CAGM?


Atragon wrote:
So do it at 8 and 12 to pick up all three of the beast totem powers and CAGM?

That would probably be the best way if you can stand giving up those Bloodline Powers.

Shadow Lodge

Either Celestial Totem if you are only getting 2[personal favorite of mine, 2 incredibly useful, if situational spells while raging, and then bonus healing for emergency combat heals], or Beast Totem[Bite Attack will let you do fun things, like threaten full range with Reach weapon, and then the AC buff will make you harder to hit when you rage]. Giving up the 12th Abyssal power will be pretty heavy, considering the massive Strength buffs you eventually get from it and the 4th power. If you do 2, Beast Totem line and Superstition beat out everything.


giving up abyssal 12 would be a serious shame

bloodrager can get pounce via spell


EvilPaladin wrote:
Either Celestial Totem if you are only getting 2[personal favorite of mine, 2 incredibly useful, if situational spells while raging, and then bonus healing for emergency combat heals], or Beast Totem[Bite Attack will let you do fun things, like threaten full range with Reach weapon, and then the AC buff will make you harder to hit when you rage]. Giving up the 12th Abyssal power will be pretty heavy, considering the massive Strength buffs you eventually get from it and the 4th power. If you do 2, Beast Totem line and Superstition beat out everything.

I disagree about Superstitous. Without the Human favored class bonus (which Bloodragers don't get the Human Barbarian FCB to Supersition) the bounus to saves is slow progressing and doesn't get all that great. Not to mention that you can't cast buff spells on yourself without having to save against them, and that it doesn't make sense thematically that someone that can cast spells should be afraid of magic.

plaidwandering wrote:

giving up abyssal 12 would be a serious shame

bloodrager can get pounce via spell

What spell is that? Are you talking about a Beastshape spell?

Shadow Lodge

Claxon wrote:
EvilPaladin wrote:
Either Celestial Totem if you are only getting 2[personal favorite of mine, 2 incredibly useful, if situational spells while raging, and then bonus healing for emergency combat heals], or Beast Totem[Bite Attack will let you do fun things, like threaten full range with Reach weapon, and then the AC buff will make you harder to hit when you rage]. Giving up the 12th Abyssal power will be pretty heavy, considering the massive Strength buffs you eventually get from it and the 4th power. If you do 2, Beast Totem line and Superstition beat out everything.

I disagree about Superstitous. Without the Human favored class bonus (which Bloodragers don't get the Human Barbarian FCB to Supersition) the bounus to saves is slow progressing and doesn't get all that great. Not to mention that you can't cast buff spells on yourself without having to save against them, and that it doesn't make sense thematically that someone that can cast spells should be afraid of magic.

plaidwandering wrote:

giving up abyssal 12 would be a serious shame

bloodrager can get pounce via spell

What spell is that? Are you talking about a Beastshape spell?

Fair enough about Superstitious, I was referring to the fact that the Bloodrager has[or at least, had], a poor Will Save, and the normal +2 Rage bonus didn't help too much. Didn't realize that you can't get the human FCB for the Parent classes[thinking back, not sure why I thought you would], so yeah, its not as good. Perhaps CAGM instead.


Look at the guides to Barbarians, there are plenty. The primalist archetype is a huge middle finger to the entire Barbarian class.


Beast totem isn't nearly as good now that there's the pummeling style feat tree. It's not like barbarians or bloodragers are feat-starved.


I would much rather trade out two mediocre powers, which pretty much all the bloodlines have, than spend three feats to do the same thing, and pick up a nice AC boost along the way. Abyssal actually takes a bit of a downgrade for not being able to swap for pounce at 12, waiting til 16. Personally, I have destined as the top bloodline, since it has an amazing 4th level power, swappable 8 and 12th, and good 16th and 20th. Quite frankly, I would much rather have the massive defensive boosts than +3 to hit and +4.5 damage from abyssal. I can get that from feats pretty easily. I cant get level/4+1(fate's favored) to AC and all saves starting at level 4 and near crit immunity at 16th easily. I also think the capstone immunities for destined are the best as well.

The fourth rage power depends a lot on bloodline and build. For a steelblood destined, Im going with reckless abandon. AC is not a concern for that build, so trading that when needed for an attack boost is nice. Not a big fan of the superstition line, or any 1/rage powers, since I would lean against rage cycling due to the free spell you get when rage starts, you dont have a ton of spell slots to through. Some of the new bloodline rage powers have pretty awesome lessers. Celestial is nice for a Wrath of the Righteous style campaign, Fey has a nice crit rider, and Undead is pretty awesome too for pouncers.

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