Thanks for taking a moment to help a noob. I'm currently in my first Pathfinder game, and I'm playing alongside several extremely experienced players and a veteran GM. The pressure to not hold the group back is real.
I'm rolling a IR Barbarian. The group is level 8 and the campaign will take us to level 18, so I'm trying to map my build. I've done plenty of research, read all the guides available, and I'm confident in most of my choices. I'm going Improved Stalwart for extra DR and CAGM + Dazing Assualt with a reach weapon for battlefield control.
However, I've got several questions regarding the in-game value of several rage powers which look great on paper (and are well-rated in guides), but may suck in practice. I just don't have the experience to make a good choice. Any input from seasoned players would be extremely welcome.
The three rage powers in question are Ghost Rager, Unexpected Strike, and Spell Sunder.
Ghost Rager: I've already taken Superstition and am using my human favored class to beef it up even more. Thus Ghost Rager will be providing a serious buff to my touch AC. Unbuffed, my touch AC is 14 and unlikely to improve anytime soon. Is it worth spending a rage power to have a fighting chance at avoiding touch attacks?
Unexpected Strike: Before you ask, my GM has banned any cheesy infinite rage cycling mechanics. I am using Roused Anger and the human Heart of the Field racial to get a few rage cycles a day (because at some point I'll need a heal and not want to resist it thanks to Superstition). All that to say, once a rage powers are not something I can do every round. Still, an extra swing seems like a really powerful asset, especially with Dazing Assault. Will I get enough use out of this extra attack for it to be worth something?
Spell Sunder: Some guys claim this is the greatest rage power out there. Others say it's too situational and the DC is too high unless you pick up Strength Surge. Of course, you also need to pick up Witch Hunter as a prereq, so Spell Sunder will require four of my feat/rage power slots to be optimally functional. Currently the party has a Oracle and a Cleric (although that will probably change, our cleric is on his fifth character, the suicidal bastard) so should I leave dispels to the casters, or is it worth the high cost?
Thanks again for any advice you have to offer. It's much appreciated.
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Spell Sunder is pretty cool because it allows you to personally destroy spells all day long. Yes, a Cleric or Oracle can do it, but that costs spell slots, you just do it. And do it targeting CMD if doing it on buff spells, which is often a lot more likely to succeed than an opposed CL check on things like, oh, an actual humanoid spell caster. Even once or twice an encounter, this is very cool.
Also, Witch Hunter is a damage bonus against most of the stuff you fight at higher levels, so it's not exactly a speed bump. And Strength Surge lets you auto-win non-Spell Sunder CMB checks, too, when you need to, which is potentially awesome. So...it's not like you only get Spell Sunder for the multiple power investment.
You've pretty much got it with Ghost Hunter. The Ghost Touch is occasionally cool, but the bonus to Touch AC is amazing. Is it worth it? Depends on the game, but it's certainly cool and worth it in some.
I've never been too enthused about Unexpected Strike.
And remember, the Extra Rage Power Feat is wonderful and wants to make you happy. Use it early and often. Or as early and often as you can arrange anyway...
Ghost Rager - depends who your enemies are. Against level-appropriate monsters it will help some. Against a gunslinger of similar level it won't. Against spellcasters using touch attacks and mooks who somehow have a touch attack (e.g. shadows, low level guys with guns) it will be worthwhile. But ... BBEG spellcasters tend to use area attacks or minions, there are huge numbers of monsters which don't use touch attacks, and monsters above your CR are unlikely to be inconvenienced much by it. Basically, usefulness depends on the campaign.
Spell Sunder is more reliable than dispels even without Strength Surge. The opportunity cost depends on what else you want in the way of rage powers, if you're going for the beast totem line I'd get those first, if that's not in your plans it should be possible to afford it.
Unexpected Strike - unless you're doing something to make your AoO's particularly useful, forget it. One attack won't normally stop an enemy doing whatever they were going to do and you're apparently not cheesing it out enough to get that extra attack often enough to affect your overall damage output.
Ghost Rager - depends who your enemies are. Against level-appropriate monsters it will help some. Against a gunslinger of similar level it won't. Against spellcasters using touch attacks and mooks who somehow have a touch attack (e.g. shadows, low level guys with guns) it will be worthwhile. But ... BBEG spellcasters tend to use area attacks or minions, there are huge numbers of monsters which don't use touch attacks, and monsters above your CR are unlikely to be inconvenienced much by it. Basically, usefulness depends on the campaign.
Spell Sunder is more reliable than dispels even without Strength Surge. The opportunity cost depends on what else you want in the way of rage powers, if you're going for the beast totem line I'd get those first, if that's not in your plans it should be possible to afford it.
Unexpected Strike - unless you're doing something to make your AoO's particularly useful, forget it. One attack won't normally stop an enemy doing whatever they were going to do and you're apparently not cheesing it out enough to get that extra attack often enough to affect your overall damage output.
I'm going Beast Totem line first. As it stands, I won't be able to pick up Spell Sunder until level 15, due to all the feats and powers I need to get Improved Stalwards and CAGM rolling. And that's using Extra Rage Power every time I possibly can.
Being able to Sunder spells is still a good capstone. Better than many class' 20th level ability.
1) Ghost rager kinda depends upon the campaign. If there are going to be a lot of incorporeal opponents (or if you know there will be lots of touch attack spells flying around) then it could be well worth it. Otherwise I would probably buy one of the casters a wand of mage armor and wand of protection from evil to use on you when necessary.
2) I think unexpected strike is good if you really build around it or you don't have anything else in particular that you want. You have a whole list you want and you didn't build around it. I think you would feel like it is a bit underwhelming though not horrible.
3) Spell sunder can be great but can be a waste. You have casters, but what kind of casters are they. If they only cast SoD, blasts, or buffs; then spell sunder is great for making the enemy less powerful by taking away buffs. If your casters use a lot of debuff spells or some of the debuff battle field control spells, then it might not be as commonly utilized. Still useful in some situations, so not a bad choice by any means.
Several of you have said that Ghost Rager's utility depends on the campaign. However, I am brand new to Pathfinder, so I have no idea how often I'm going to run into touch attacks. Can anyone tell me if it's a worthwhile investment for the Rise of the Runelords campaign without any spoilers?
I will be getting Dazing Assault to go with CAGM. Is the daze on hit enough to make Unexpected Strike worth it?
It's a worthwhile investment in RotRL just for a few encounters in later books. Saved my Barbarian's bacon a few times.