Neither the barbarian or the blood rager are really the simple, big hitters they appear to be but the barbarian is the most simple. I like the abbysal primalist bloodrager to get the beast totem Line and come and get me(some at 8 and some at 12 retrain the 12's at 16 to get back the level 12 power) and a gigantic axe or possibly half orc with bite and claws and Frostbite. It is quite simple and it is also fun.
Barbarian is slightly tougher and needs less stats (can dump cha). Must be non-lawful.
Bloodrager has more options, gets spells eventually but needs cha. Doesn't have any alignment issues.
The spell eater bloodrager can use his spell slots for self healing similar to, but weaker than lay on hands.
The primal bloodrager can trade bloodline abilities for ragepower and can mix the best of both.
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I've not played a bloodrager yet, which intruiges me. I was looking at-
Primal/spelleater bloodrager
With either
Draconic, arcane, abyssal, or celestial bloodlines (really drawn to draconic/celestial for free flight while ragining.)
Feats in no particular order would be
Arcane/bloodied arcane strike
Power attack
Intimidating prowess
Corungon smash
Combat relexes
While the main rage powers I'd like would be CAGM/reckless abandon/ renewed vigor/vitality (the ones that give a CLW-CCW + fast healing) to stack with spelleater.
And maybe-maybe beast totem
Any big suggestions of things I'm missing?
I endorse the combo of spelleater and ablative barrier for tanky-ness. Add adamantium armor or other DR and it is quite cute.
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Be an abyssal-blooded Rageshaper Primalist Bloodrager. At level 4 your claws will hit for 2d6 each--they'll hit for 3d6 each if you retrain your 1/3 feat to Improved Natural Attack--or you can wait til 5 to take it. At lvl 8, they'll go up to 4d6. At lvl 12, you get an extra d6 of fire. Throw an amulet of might fists in there with some kind of enhancements on there and that'll give you something more.
There are definitely stronger ways to go, but this is a lot of fun and definitely still hits hard.
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Be an abyssal-blooded Rageshaper Primalist Bloodrager. At level 4 your claws will hit for 2d6 each--they'll hit for 3d6 each if you retrain your 1/3 feat to Improved Natural Attack--or you can wait til 5 to take it. At lvl 8, they'll go up to 4d6. At lvl 12, you get an extra d6 of fire. Throw an amulet of might fists in there with some kind of enhancements on there and that'll give you something more.
That's quite a nasty build, def. Keep that around but I'd rather use normal weapons this time around. Great axe or sword. Or falchion.
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Be an abyssal-blooded Rageshaper Primalist Bloodrager. At level 4 your claws will hit for 2d6 each--they'll hit for 3d6 each if you retrain your 1/3 feat to Improved Natural Attack--or you can wait til 5 to take it. At lvl 8, they'll go up to 4d6. At lvl 12, you get an extra d6 of fire. Throw an amulet of might fists in there with some kind of enhancements on there and that'll give you something more.That's quite a nasty build, def. Keep that around but I'd rather use normal weapons this time around. Great axe or sword. Or falchion.
I forgot to mention, for the primalist bit, swap out your 8th and 12th bloodline powers for the beast totem chain, and you'll be pouncing at lvl 12. And like Cap Darling said, retrain your 16th lvl power into 12th to get back the str bonus and have those be the beast totems.
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If you're taking 7 rage powers, you'll sacrifice all but one of your bloodline powers (aside from your first level power, which you cannot sacrifice). Keep that in mind.
Beast Totem is expensive if you don't plan on using the claws, and with Reckless Abandon and CAGM you're gutting your AC so the natural armour bonus won't be as useful as a non-AC defense. Usually the barbarian would go invulnerable rager for stronger DR. As a bloodrager, the arcane bloodline has the best options - the ability to cast blur or displacement. Of course, that means not trading them away for rage powers. A Minor Cloak of Displacement is also an option, but it's expensive.
Renewed Vitality allows you to ignore ability penalties/damage. Regenerative Vigor grants fast healing. I don't think it stacks with the fast healing granted by Spelleater.
I would recommend the Lesser Celestial Totem instead, as it will add your character level to the damage healed with each use of your spelleating, and also affects healing other party members give you.
Lesser Celestial Totem and Reckless Abandon can be taken at level 4 or 8. CAGM can be taken at level 12+ along with another - Clear Mind and Mighty Swing are fine choices. This fits adequately with the arcane bloodline, since you can give away your 4th level power, relying on your healing for a few levels, then keep Displacement at level 8 to deal with your low AC, and give away Caster's Scourge at level 12.
You may also consider Crossblooded (draconic or celestial), which would allow you to take a better rage power at level 1 and take the flight ability at either level 12 or 16 (depending on whether you prioritize flight or CAGM). In this case you will want to shore up your Will save with Iron Will and Clear Mind.
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Thanks for the input, I won't be taking the beast totem powers of I go blood rager due to just that.
Planning on picking up as many free feats SD possible with bloodline too, intimidating prowess/power attack/combat relfexes are the ones I'm seeing the most.
Also, what makes you think the fast healing wouldn't stack? If that's the case I'd probably go superstitious/witch hunter or increased DR. Powers a lot to think about.
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Can't a Barbarian take Bloodline Rage Powers?
Who needs Beast Claws when you can have Animal Fury, Lesser Fiend Totem, and Lesser Draconic Bloodline for a Bite, Gore, and 2 Claw Attacks?
Getting draconic or cereal bloodline for fligth at level 12 is less amazing when you have fly spell at level 10. IMOP.
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cereal bloodline
Is Cap. Darling endorsing Cap. Crunch?
;)
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Getting draconic or cereal bloodline for fligth at level 12 is less amazing when you have fly spell at level 10. IMOP.
Maybe. But now you- 1 have true flying whenever you rage, open up spell slot for a spell other than flight, have bad ass wings and can scream war shouts as you fall from on high to destroy your foes.
Its still quite a hard decision but I honestly don't see a large reason to go AM BARBARIAN over the bloodrager.
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Its still quite a hard decision but I honestly don't see a large reason to go AM BARBARIAN over the bloodrager.Extra Rage Power.
I said large :p yesh, rage powers are nice. But 4-6 are plenty.
Getting draconic or cereal bloodline for fligth at level 12 is less amazing when you have fly spell at level 10. IMOP.Maybe. But now you- 1 have true flying whenever you rage, open up spell slot for a spell other than flight, have bad ass wings and can scream war shouts as you fall from on high to destroy your foes.
Yes but alternatly you get up to 6 more in strength:) or 2 more rage powers or extra attacks of oppotunity that only works vs. Folks that try to cast spells... Ok that last one suck:) but the first 3 powers if arcane are boss.
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Saving a spell slot on Fly is certainly still valuable, since bloodragers don't get many spells and if you're taking spelleater you'll chew slots up even faster.
Also, what makes you think the fast healing wouldn't stack? If that's the case I'd probably go superstitious/witch hunter or increased DR. Powers a lot to think about.
There seems to be a general consensus, and the staff marked the first thread as no FAQ required which suggests the consensus is correct. DR, energy resistance, and spell resistance from multiple sources do not stack, so it would be inconsistent for fast healing to do so.
I said large :p yesh, rage powers are nice. But 4-6 are plenty.
Depends what you want to do with them. The 7 you were originally looking at were all have good choices, though maybe not for your character concept. There are also some good barbarian archetypes without bloodrager equivalents, like the invulnerable rager, urban barbarian, and savage technologist.
That said, paladin is a generally better melee class. Stick with that if you're already familiar with it.
YMMV and what's wrong with trying something new?
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I find Plain old Barbarian boring and prefer the Bloodrager myself. Here is my main man Carl Jr. This my typical go to build when I roll one up. He specializes in crushing Magic Users.
Note the Fast healing isn't Stacking...it just keeps getting stronger as your levels and CON go up. It is not a stacking effect grabbing it from different sources...it just scales up.
Half-Orc Primalist Spell-eater Bloodrager
Alternate Racial Traits: Sacred Tattoo and Shaman's Apprentice
20 point buy: Str: 16, Dex: 14, Con: 15, Int: 8, Wis: 12, Cha: 13
Trait 1: Fate's Favored- Paired with Sacred Tattoo you get +2 Luck bonus on all 3 saves...this is better than taking 3 feats.
Trait 2: Dangerously Curious (cause UMD is a Nice skill to Have...scrolls are cheap)
Trait 3: Optimistic Gambler (this is NOT PFS legal cause it is a campaign trait from second darkness. but if you play in a home game where they don't care about where the trait comes from and allows 3 traits and 1 draw back This is the trait to pick up.) This trait comes from the second darkness campaign and is THE BEST trait for a Bloodrager or Barbarian that is not rage cycling like the build below. Gives 1-4 extra rage rounds after you choose to end your rage every time. Basically its better than taking Extra rage feat 2+ times.
Build By Level:
1 HD: Feats- Endurance(from Shaman's Apprentice Trait) and Die Hard, fast movement, bloodrage, Disruptive Bloodrage (Su)
2 HD: Blood of Life(Su) Notice the SU in that ability. This fast healing IS magical and not a EX ability like a majority of Fast Healing
3 HD: Feat-Fast Healer, Blood sanctuary
(because of Blood of Life (Su) your fast healing IS magical...makes Fast Healer actually work for you to increase your amount of Fast healing by 1+ Half CON modifier= 3 currently)
4 HD: Eschew materials, Blood casting, Arcane Bloodrage (Sp)
5 HD: Feat-Raging Vitality, Spell Eating (Su)
(another source of Magical healing in spell eating and Raging Vitality makes your CON effectively 2 points higher and you don't end rage while unconscious so you can fast heal while down to stabilize and get back up)
6 HD: Bloodline Feat- Power Attack
7 HD: Feat- Arcane Strike, Fast Healing/ Increase
8 HD: Greater Arcane Bloodrage (Sp)
(Doesn't every melee frontliner want Displacement to add layered defense to your AC...amazing ability to have as a free action)
9 HD: Feat- Sunder , Bloodline Feat- Iron Will
10 HD: Fast Healing/ Increase
11 HD: Feat-Bloodied Arcane Strike, Greater bloodrage (Need to take bloodied Arcane strike to free up your swift actions for Raging Brutality and Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier.)
12 HD: Bloodline Feat- Disruptive, Primal Choices: Superstitious & Witch Hunter
(you're giving up Caster's Scourge (Ex) for 2 rage powers. You should already be a caster's worst nightmare with Disruptive Bloodrage (Su), Disruptive feat, and spellbreaker feat. Now add in more damage you're doing to casters and increasing your saves seems more important to me)
13 HD: Feat- Raging Brutality, Fast Healing/ Increase
14 HD: Indomitable will
15 HD: Feat- Eldritch Heritage- Orc ,Bloodline Feat- Spellbreaker
16 HD: Fast Healing/ Increase, Trade out True Arcane Bloodrage (Sp) for Eater of Magic and Spell Sunder
17 HD: Tireless Bloodrage (Su), Feat- Improved Eldritch Heritage (Strength of the Beast (Ex) from Orc bloodline...+4 Str now and +2 more at level 19....this is a +6 str INHERENT boost. Means it STACKS with whatever Enhancement bonuses you may have acquired)
The gear I recommend:
Headband of Cha +2 or GREATER (You don't need to +1 Cha if you go this route to cast your highest level spells)
Jingasa of the Fourtant soldier- This gets you +2 luck AC and 1/day critical negation for 5k...this really is a bargain Item.
Spell Storing and Furious Adamantine Weapon (preferably reach)
Spell Storing Armor (W/armor spikes if you took a reach weapon)
Spell Storing allows you to cast more spells a day by loading them in your down time. They also are a way to free up action economy and using Vampiric touch or a debilitating Touch attack can make you even better front line tank.
You can also drop arcane strike and Bloodied arcane strike for other feat choices and move them around abit. But the jist of it is I have:
Fast healing, Other sources of healing, UMD, Choice of Resist energy, Haste, or 20%->50% miss chance (I go Displacement all the time), Great Saves, and full CL on self buffs.