
| ASharkInAPanzerNamedShark | 
Joining a Pathfinder game just this next Friday. First time playing Pathfinder. I couldn't exactly wrap my head around character creation mechanics so I had to get some help from the GM. Decided to multiclass Fighter/Barbarian after seeing the Invuln. Rager and Two-Handed Fighter archetypes.
The game begins at level 1 and is 25-point buy. I am starting as a True Neutral Human Fighter (2h-fighter) with plans to take levels in Barbarian (Invuln. Rager). The GM is running Shattered Star and our party is fairly non-standard with a Warpriest, Alchemist, and another unorthodox class which I can't remember at the moment.
Questions: 
Is Fighter/Barbarian, specifically, Two-Handed Fighter/Invulnerable Rager, viable?
If it is viable, what's the best way to do it?
I've already got my stats decided, is there anything I could tweak here? (19/13/16/10/13/7)

|  Imbicatus | 
 
	
 
                
                
              
            
            While a Fighter/Barbarian can be a decent combatant, there really isn't much synergy between the two.
Two-Handed Fighter needs at least 7 levels to get the full benefits of Overhand Chop, and 15 to get improved power attack.
Invulnerable Rager needs barbarian levels to keep DR relevant, and to increase rage rounds, rage bonuses, and get new rage powers.
If you only take a level or two dip of barbarian, it will make your fighter more powerful for most of your leveling career, but you will be hurting yourself at high level.
If you wanted to be mostly barbarian, the fighter dip really isn't adding anything.
What exactly are your trying to get out of the multiclass?

| Ravingdork | 
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. | 
 
	
 
                
                
              
            
            Take barbarian first, since you get max hit points at 1st-level. Not only will it help you survive that first level, you will have one or two more hit points then you would have had otherwise.
Also, you may want to consider the Mutation Warrior fighter archetype from the Advanced Class Guide instead of the Two-Handed Fighter. It allows you to brew a drought that gives you a +4 alchemical bonus to a physical ability score.
You don't get the mutagen until level 4 (assuming one level of barbarian), so if you started with a 19 Strength, you make that a 20 with your ability score bonus level 4, then you can drink the drought to get 24 Strength, then you rage for 28 Strength. Get a party-member to cast bull's strength (or get it from a potion perhaps) and you can get to 32 easily. Whatever you hit with that two-handed weapon is going to die awfully quick.
That's a +11 to hit and +16 to damage from Strength alone at level 4! Add in your base attack bonus (+4), weapon focus (+1), and a +1 weapon, and you could have an attack line as follows:
+1 greatsword +17 (2d6+17/19-20)
+1 greatsword +17 (2d6+23/19-20) with Furious Focus and Power Attack
At 5th-level, with haste and Weapon Specialization, you could be looking at the following:
+1 greatsword +18/+18 (2d6+19/19-20) or
+1 greatsword +18/+16 (2d6+23/19-20) with Furious Focus and Power Attack
And hell, why not throw in a cloak of the hedge wizard for a free once per day enlarge person effect for an additional +2 strength, base 2d6 weapon damage, and reach? (Potions of enlarge person are only 50gp each and work just as well.)
That's a whopping 30 Strength for that nasty boss fight at the end of the day! All possible by level 4!
Sticking with the Two-Handed Fighter archetype is still a strong choice too though (sadly, you can't get both fighter archetypes).

| ASharkInAPanzerNamedShark | 
While a Fighter/Barbarian can be a decent combatant, there really isn't much synergy between the two.
Two-Handed Fighter needs at least 7 levels to get the full benefits of Overhand Chop, and 15 to get improved power attack.
Invulnerable Rager needs barbarian levels to keep DR relevant, and to increase rage rounds, rage bonuses, and get new rage powers.
If you only take a level or two dip of barbarian, it will make your fighter more powerful for most of your leveling career, but you will be hurting yourself at high level.
If you wanted to be mostly barbarian, the fighter dip really isn't adding anything.
What exactly are your trying to get out of the multiclass?
I'm really just trying to be the party's beatstick, and I saw that Overhand chop would provide a nice bonus to damage for one attack. If it's not worth taking then I think I'd be better off going as a straight barbarian, then. Thanks for the advice.
Take barbarian first, since you get max hit points at 1st-level. Not only will it help you survive that first level, you will have one or two more hit points then you would have had otherwise.
Also, you may want to consider the Mutation Warrior fighter archetype from the Advanced Class Guide instead of the Two-Handed Fighter. It allows you to brew a drought that gives you a +4 alchemical bonus to a physical ability score.
You don't get the mutagen until level 4 (assuming one level of barbarian), so if you started with a 19 Strength, you make that a 20 with your ability score bonus level 4, then you can drink the drought to get 24 Strength, then you rage for 28 Strength. Get a party-member to cast bull's strength (or get it from a potion perhaps) and you can get to 32 easily. Whatever you hit with that two-handed weapon is going to die awfully quick.
That's a whopping +11 to hit and +16 to damage from Strength alone at level 4. Add in your base attack bonus (+4), weapon focus (+1), and a +1 weapon, and you could have an attack line as follows:
+1 greatsword +17 (2d6+17/19-20)
+1 greatsword +17 (2d6+23/19-20) with Furious Focus and Power AttackAt 5th-level, with haste and Weapon Specialization, you could be looking at the following:
+1 greatsword +18/+18 (2d6+19/19-20)
And hell, why not throw in a cloak of the hedge wizard for a free once per day enlarge person effect for an additional +2 strength, base 2d6 weapon damage, and reach?
That's a whopping 30 Strength for that nasty boss fight at the end of the day! All possibly be level 4.
Sticking with the Two-Handed Fighter archetype is still a strong choice too though (sadly, you can't get both fighter archetypes).
I'm not interested in powergaming that heavily- as I said, I'm interested in knowing if this is viable or not. Now my question is if there are any classes that DO synergize well with Barbarian, or if I'm just better off taking only Invulnerable Rager levels and being invulnerable?

|  Imbicatus | 
 
	
 
                
                
              
            
            
I'm really just trying to be the party's beatstick, and I saw that Overhand chop would provide a nice bonus to damage for one attack. If it's not worth taking then I think I'd be better off going as a straight barbarian, then. Thanks for the advice.
Yeah, the problem with Overhand Chop is that it only applies that damage bonus on a charge or an attack action, not a single attack during a full attack. You need the 7th level ability to use it in a full attack.
Now my question is if there are any classes that DO synergize well with Barbarian, or if I'm just better off taking only Invulnerable Rager levels and being invulnerable?
Again, it depends on how much optimization you want to bring to the class. Five levels of Martial Artist Monk or one level Oracle with the Lame curse will make you immune to fatigue at high levels, letting you rage cycle for longer than normal if you were to single class.
But it's an advanced build, and it does delay your rage growth.
If the rest of the party isn't heavily optimized, I'd stay pure Barb.

| Darksol the Painbringer | 
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            If you are serious about combining the two, I would suggest going the full Fighter and pick up Barbarian Variant Multiclassing.
Although it's not a complete hybrid, you will get access to some of the key things granted from a Barbarian, such as Rage, Uncanny Dodge, a few Rage Powers, etc.
This will cost you half of your standard feats, but with Fighter Bonus feats, you should do just fine with the feat cost.

| ASharkInAPanzerNamedShark | 
That's what passes for heavily powergaming these days???
If you want to be the beat stick, shouldn't your damage output should be all that matters?
I tend to pass on stuff that would turn most encounters into a joke, which is why I'm not playing a caster. I think I'll just stick with pure Barbarian as Imbricatus said, but thanks for the advice.
 
	
 
     
    