|
A while ago I posted a thread where I needed a cool character idea. The one I came up with was a barbarian tank that used DR as his tool. Sadly, this idea is far from original as invulnerable ragers seem to be the new 'core' barbarian.
Still, I liked the idea and noticed that other builds claimed immortality but all seemed decidedly inferior to the one I had come up with. Regardless, no one in the previously mentioned thread found the idea as appealing as I did. Maybe that's the ACG's fault as I posted at the time of release. Well, I have had time to refine it and here it is:
Gogalthamir, The Immortal
Barbarian Invulnerable Rager 8, Fighter Lorewarden 2.
Half-orc, Shamans Apprentice, Skilled.
Str-15/16, Dex-10-ish, Con-20, Wis-7, Int-10-ish, Cha-7
Traits:
Threatening Defender, Mindlessly Cruel.
Feats:
Endurance (Race trait)
1.)Diehard
F-3.)Fast Healer, Power Attack (fighter bonus).
F-4.)Stalwart (fighter bonus), Combat Expertise (Lorewarden Bonus).
5.)Improved Bullrush.
7.)Raging Throw.
9.)Deathless Initiate
11.)Improved Stalwart.
Rage Powers
2.)Lesser Celestial Totem
4.)Knock back
6.)Ground breaker
8.)Undecided.
This version has less uber tanking ability than before (and thus less immortal). Previous feats like Raging Vitality and Ferocious Tenacity were removed because they were nerfed pretty hard (once a day, really?) or did not offer enough to warrant not being able to do one of the other cool things he can do.
The remaining rage power decisions look like: Impelling Disarm, Renewed Vigor, Increased Damage Reduction and Superstition, although the improved version of ground breaker is kind of tempting as well.
I had considered the fiend totem line for the automatic damage dealt when I am hit, but lesser celestial seemed a mechanically more valuable and theme-appropriate choice for less of an investment.
Golgy here uses an orc double Axe because he can. Obvious enchantments to grab are furious and courageous and to make one side adamantine. I haven't really figured out what other enhancement should go anywhere else. There is monetarily only room for about a +3/+2 weapon in this case. What goes where still has to be decided.
The goal is to keep it simple yet interesting enough to keep me engaged. Massive HP and healing combinee with dr and the capability to fight into the red while hurling disarmed weapons and enemies at other enemies. Anything sound objectionable from a DM point of view? Any table variance here? I am trying to avoid any of that by keeping everything I do as painfully simple as possible. Any important things missing? Thoughts or suggestions? I wanted something a bit nonstandard here but I am not sure how far off the beaten path I have traveled with this.
This guy's big weakness is his will save. You have a +2 will save while raging at level 10. reflex is a +2 always. To help with this would be to grab superstition early and boost with human FCB, but then healing spells can't reach you either. But against physical fighters, yeah having DR/-20 is pretty awesome.
This guy's big weakness is his will save. You have a +2 will save while raging at level 10. reflex is a +2 always. To help with this would be to grab superstition early and boost with human FCB, but then healing spells can't reach you either. But against physical fighters, yeah having DR/-20 is pretty awesome.
I won't say that superstition is absolutely necessary for a good will save. I know enough tricks to make a caster cleric jealous at early levels, and it at least beats out an uninvested wizard at high levels- versus saving against your team's spells when something blindsides you with no saves or something.
.... but yeah, making wisdom a dump stat is painful, a very good argument for superstition. Especially since your whole shtick is immortality (would hate to fall to a save or die, no?)
Literally no reason to have CON that high.
Why Lore Warden 2/Half-Orc and not Unbreakable Fighter 1/Whatever Race You Want?
it gives him combat expertise for free, a "prereq" for using stalwart well, while dropping his int.
@Secret Wizard, he can fight to -32 with that con. Fighting in the negatives is one of his features. He has both diehard and deathless initiate after all. -32 is acceptabl but I wouldn't want to reduce the max negative amount by much more than I already have for not taking raging vitality.
Why not have higher other stats, so you hit hard enough that you might kill the enemy before it gets you to -32 HP? Or what about higher Dex, so you don't get hit as often? What about higher Wis, so you don't kill your own team?
|
|
@ GM Bold Strider, I didn't see a mechanical advantage of going human barring the racial trait letting you really far into negative HP. Also orcs and half-orcs have so many amazing race feats that I wanted to capitalize on that. Sadly, many are not legal. I also chose half orc because I tend to play humans and have been going out of my way to try things I never play. Also, half orcs get endurance as a bonus feat which I need. Humans get a bonus feat which I need. Half orcs get an extra skill per level. Humans get an extra skill per level. Both have a +2 selective stat bonus. Granted, the half orc has to swap things out to compete but the free exotic weapon profiencies, orc feats and ease of stat distribution made going half orc easier. As a human I would need to select unbreakable but them need a 13 int. As a half orc I can pick Lorewarden and optionally have a 13 int. The biggest draw for human, though, is the heart of the wilderness alternate racial trait. I want it so bad I can nearly taste it (it tastes like wilderness).
@lemeres and chess, at level 6 base con mod is +1. Raging it is another +2. With the courageous weapon another +1. With a +2 cloak of resistance, an additional +2. That's a +6 will save -2 for poor wisdom. It's not amazing but it's nearly as terrible as it seems. If I could get another +2 in there, it would be nice and I am sure there are a few items that can help keep him from being held, or turned into something bad. Bead of newt prevention is a cheap 1k investment I can count on. Clear spindle stops a lot of any martials biggest concerns (when inserted into a way finder).
Also, I am debating between a warsighted Oracle with the metal mystery, the Brawler, or a third level of Lorewarden to give me my full 11 levels. If I grab Oracle I will get an additional +2 will save and this will happen around 7-8th level, I figure. If I choose oracle I also get the goodness that is wands of stuff. Wand of protection from evil can replace the much more expensive clear spindle and I can also be cheesy and use a wand of infernal healing to make GM's hate me.
Is that all too little, too late? Just enough?
|
|
@Secret Wizard, he can fight to -32 with that con. Fighting in the negatives is one of his features. He has both diehard and deathless initiate after all. -32 is acceptabl but I wouldn't want to reduce the max negative amount by much more than I already have for not taking raging vitality.Why not have higher other stats, so you hit hard enough that you might kill the enemy before it gets you to -32 HP? Or what about higher Dex, so you don't get hit as often? What about higher Wis, so you don't kill your own team?
I am 100% OK with being dominated and turned on the party. I am not trying to make a typical barbarian that can do everything. I don't mind having a weakness or two. I want to have fun and I want my group to have fun and good memories with the character.
I don't care too much about damage dealing. Hitting hard enough to kill enemies before I get low is not my goal. The Dr and stupid HP total should be enough to keep me going for a good while. If not, that's what the ridiculous healing amounts are for. I didn't want to tank 'the normal way'. High ac is something many others and myself have already done a lot. I have never used Dr but it appears that every single barbarian uses it by default because they're all invulnerable ragers. So I won't be unique or different in that respect. But focusing on HP, Dr and healing feels like a fresh new way and useful combination for tanking. I want to try it.
Honestly, if I made him for dpr, ac tanking and good will saves he would rapidly begin to look a lot more typical for a barbarian and less interesting and thematic. As is, this guy plans to two-weapon fight; something many barbarians never do. The only reason he even has power attack in this version is because it is a requirement for raging throw. Before I saw that feat, I did not even have power attack on the build. Not specced for DPR. It's not his interest. I want something fresh and cool, this seems to fit that idea better than the tried and true high ac, good saves, amazing damage builds/characters. Even my math works out to support that this character can tank throughout his career. Just differently.