So I'm trying to come up with some sample builds for the class selection guide I'm writing, but all my Bloodrager builds end up being too similar and I want some variety.
Can you propose some sample Bloodrager builds that are pretty straight forward (that is, no dipping, no VMC, no shenanigans) and have some of their own flavor?
I'm feeling like I should add a Blood Conduit build but I'm having a hard time making one with respectable CMB, or at least respectable enough for me to recommend it.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Meet Marigold. She's here to kindly tell you that you are, in fact, not going to cast that spell.
|
I look forward to when I learn the secrets of Shock Shield. While in the bloodrage, I can release the shield and damage those who surround me with no risk to myself. My allies will be given warning, such that they can step back.
|
Not PFS legal because of Primalist Archetype but here is my build.
Half-Orc Primalist Spell-eater Bloodrager
Alternate Racial Traits: Sacred Tattoo and Shaman's Apprentice
20 point buy: Str: 16+2 racial=18, Dex: 13+1=14, Con: 15+1=16, Int: 10, Wis: 12, Cha: 13+1=14
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. Also I am a firm believer in the Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier.
Trait 2: Dangerously Curious (cause UMD is a Nice skill to Have...scrolls are cheap and VERY useful)
Trait 3: Optimistic Gambler (this is NOT PFS legal because 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 drawback 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)
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- Combat Reflexes , 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 & Come and Get me
13 HD: Feat- Raging Brutality, Fast Healing/ Increase
14 HD: Indomitable will
15 HD: Feat- (whatever seems good to you) ,Bloodline Feat- Spellbreaker
16 HD: Fast Healing/ Increase, Trade out True Arcane Bloodrage (Sp) for Eater of Magic and Witch Hunter
17 HD: Tireless Bloodrage (Su), Feat- (whatever seems good to you)
Hope you Enjoy. I'm sure you can figure out spell list. Typical gear of Course but I tend to buy up spell storing to give me more spells per adventuring day, if I have a day of downtime.
Trying to make all builds PFS legal (except Antipaladin for reasons).
A Dragon-bloodline or Demon-bloodline Bloodrager with the Rageshaper archetype pretty much writes itself, doesn't it?
Yep, I'm aiming for 3.
I have:
- Draconic Rageshaper
- Arcane Caster Harrier
- ???
I'm toying with Greenrager summoner, but it seems a bit meh; Blood Conduit touch treatment, but it seems like CMB is never competitive...
So I'm thinking about Destined Steelblood AC tank.
The Aberrant Bloodline "Reach Into Eternity" build is always fun.
Yep, I'm aiming for 3.
I have:
- Draconic Rageshaper
- Arcane Caster Harrier
- ???
I'm toying with Greenrager summoner, but it seems a bit meh; Blood Conduit touch treatment, but it seems like CMB is never competitive...
So I'm thinking about Destined Steelblood AC tank.
Having a bit of fun with blood conduit at the moment, you can still release the spells using unarmed strike.
Bought a spell storing amulet of mighty fists at lv5 for double shocking grasp on hit. Provides quite a nice burst for low levels, but it does not scale too well.
Yeah, I'm thinking that it wants to be a Magus + Brawler, which is awesome, but it is missing a meaningful scaling bonus to CMB -- I mean, I could see it work with a lot of beast shapes into something with tentacles, but I wouldn't call this a simple build :P
|
I've been thinking about the following:
- Draconic/Abyssal Rageshaper Dragon Disciple hulk build
- Arcane caster harrier; there's an Orc feat for an additional +3 concentration DC.
- Celestial Urban Bloodrager/Inspired Blade dex-to-damage "Paladin of Cayden".
- Half-elf Abyssal/alchemist with extra arms and Curve Blade and Branched Spear through alternate racial trait for Weapon Familiarity.
Not really doing the simple part for me :P
An idea I've been toying with while researching a different bloodrager (won't post here, since he's definitely not "simple") is an arcane bloodline snake style blood conduit. Mixing Snake Fang, 50% miss from Greater Arcane bloodline and Spell Conduit is a blast. You can get some natural attacks and make a single casting of frostbite or chill touch a nightmare.
If you want to go dex based, for combat reflexes for example, Blood Conduit stacks with Urban, and an Agile Furious AoMF will take care of the rest.
The biggest draw back here is that the main feature of the build is Displacement+Snake fang, that you only get at 9. Pretty late for PFS.
An idea I've been toying with while researching a different bloodrager (won't post here, since he's definitely not "simple") is an arcane bloodline snake style blood conduit. Mixing Snake Fang, 50% miss from Greater Arcane bloodline and Spell Conduit is a blast. You can get some natural attacks and make a single casting of frostbite or chill touch a nightmare.
If you want to go dex based, for combat reflexes for example, Blood Conduit stacks with Urban, and an Agile Furious AoMF will take care of the rest.
The biggest draw back here is that the main feature of the build is Displacement+Snake fang, that you only get at 9. Pretty late for PFS.
It also doesn't work. Snake Style + Snake Fang both use immediate actions, just like the Blood Conduit's features.
You've misread the style. Snake Fang means that while using Snake Style (not when you use the immediate action from Snake Style) you get an AoO whenever an enemy attack misses you, and can choose to make another one as an immediate action. At no point do you need to use one, it just helps. Anyway, the strength of the build only needs you to use Spell Conduit once every few turns to cast frostbite or the likes again. The Snake Fang is for being able to deliver the spell effects as many times in a round as possible.
An idea I've been toying with while researching a different bloodrager (won't post here, since he's definitely not "simple") is an arcane bloodline snake style blood conduit. Mixing Snake Fang, 50% miss from Greater Arcane bloodline and Spell Conduit is a blast. You can get some natural attacks and make a single casting of frostbite or chill touch a nightmare.
If you want to go dex based, for combat reflexes for example, Blood Conduit stacks with Urban, and an Agile Furious AoMF will take care of the rest.
The biggest draw back here is that the main feature of the build is Displacement+Snake fang, that you only get at 9. Pretty late for PFS.
If you are going dex based, there is a new archetype in one of the newer book (can't recall the name) called the Urban Bloodrager, which basically lets you gain +4 dex like the urban barbarian.
I second the Aberrant Bloodrager. Use a reach weapon + Long Arm + Enlarge Person + Abnormal Reach = 25 foot reach. Get your dex moderately high for 3 AOOs/round with Combat Reflexes, then add in things like Lunge, Combat Patrol or Stand Still.
Not only is the reach impressive in combat, but you get to do fun things like cast touch spells on people from 25 feet away, unlock door/chests from 25 feet, or grab the top of 25 foot high walls to climb up.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
If you are going dex based, there is a new archetype in one of the newer book (can't recall the name) called the Urban Bloodrager, which basically lets you gain +4 dex like the urban barbarian.An idea I've been toying with while researching a different bloodrager (won't post here, since he's definitely not "simple") is an arcane bloodline snake style blood conduit. Mixing Snake Fang, 50% miss from Greater Arcane bloodline and Spell Conduit is a blast. You can get some natural attacks and make a single casting of frostbite or chill touch a nightmare.
If you want to go dex based, for combat reflexes for example, Blood Conduit stacks with Urban, and an Agile Furious AoMF will take care of the rest.
The biggest draw back here is that the main feature of the build is Displacement+Snake fang, that you only get at 9. Pretty late for PFS.
I know, as is written in the bolded segment :P
I've always wanted to try a Rageshaper/Id Rager. Not sure if either archetypes are allowed in PFS, but taking Anger would allow you to Slam Jam every enemy into oblivion.
Or you could go for Summoner-Lite, and take Ancestral Harbinger, which just oozes flavor.
The hardest part of that Bloodrager Idea is getting a slam attack. Neither Rageshaper or Id rager gives you a slam attack.
Abyssal Bloodrager wielding a reach weapon, taking Power Attack, and Lunge(and, optionally, Furious Focus and/or Combat Reflexes if you have the dexterity to actually use it while large sized).
If Cross-blooded is acceptable, consider Abyssal/Aberrant for even more reach (taking claws at level 1, demonic bulk at level 4, abnormal reach at level 8, and abyssal bloodrage at level 12.
You get to be large (increasing damage dice of your weapon and strength), get extra strength when raging, and have ridiculous reach (reach weapon, large size, lunge, and +5 feet of reach from aberrant if desired). You also have claws for when things get too close to hit with your reach weapon, which can hit things from between 15 and 20 (or 20 and 25, if cross-blooded) feet away. Anything that wants to get close to you or the party, has to wade through a 15 foot radius of pain.
Stat-wise, I think, you would want good Str, Con, and Dex, and just enough Cha to cast your spells (14).
EDIT: Had an idea - if you don't think you need spells and/or will not have too many points to put into Cha, anyway, consider the Untouchable Rager Archetype to pick up spell resistance.
The Aberrant Bloodline "Reach Into Eternity" build is always fun.
Ah, the reach weapon+aberrant's 5'+longarm combo?
Hopefully it doesn't rely on enlarge. I know it controls a larger area, but leaves a huge hole next to you where your reach doesn't work (and you would have to spend a move action backwards, provoking AoO, to hit if you want to use your nice big shiny spear).
I think that having enough reach that you can full attack with barely moving at the same range where dwarves have to spend a move action to get to is fine enough. Just throw some lunge on it, and you may well struggle to find battlefields where you can't full attack. It would certainly be near impossible in a dungeon unless you are just at opposite ends of a long hallway.
Enlarge is just icing on the cake if you really want it. When you're already threatening out to 20 ft with your choice of polearm as a medium creature it isn't exactly necessary.
|
|
The Aberrant Bloodline "Reach Into Eternity" build is always fun.Ah, the reach weapon+aberrant's 5'+longarm combo?
Hopefully it doesn't rely on enlarge. I know it controls a larger area, but leaves a huge hole next to you where your reach doesn't work (and you would have to spend a move action backwards, provoking AoO, to hit if you want to use your nice big shiny spear).
I think that having enough reach that you can full attack with barely moving at the same range where dwarves have to spend a move action to get to is fine enough. Just throw some lunge on it, and you may well struggle to find battlefields where you can't full attack. It would certainly be near impossible in a dungeon unless you are just at opposite ends of a long hallway.
I've seen a simple Abyssal Bloodrager build in action. It had only AC 12 while raging, but at level 4-9, enemies rarely made it near enough to make any attacks due to that large threatened area.
If enemies do get closer, you've got claws, or perhaps armor spikes. The "reach hole" is something that can be cheaply fixed.
I like arcane with Blur and Moonlight Stalker. Simple enough and more or less builds itself. You could add a Bloodline protector Hedgehog familiar for good measure.
Dip brawler so you don't need 13 INT for combat expertise.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Human STR 18 DEX 10 CON 14 INT 13 WIS 10 CHA 12
Traits: Wil Save Boost and?
1 CE, Blindfight
3 Moonlight Stalker
5 WF?
6 PA (Bonzs)
7 Iron Will
9 Improved Critcal
11 ?
Not ideal but workable. Said Protector Hedgehog will help with both your sucky AC and WIL saves :). The constant Blur Effect is also gonna make you much harder to hit. Urban Bloodrager would help with AC as well.
Love the Blur and Moonlight Stalker bit with Bloodragers. Rageshaper is my fav archetype for this class. I like to go cross-blooded with Fey and Draconic..go Draconic on the 1st and 16th level Bloodlines but Fey for the rest...love ignoring difficult terrain when charging, Blur and Haste when moving. And be human with Heart of the Fields for built in resistance to fatigue.
Half-orc is just over done so much. It's a cheese build, IMO. Usually done to get the bite trait.
Tiefling Pitspawn Abyssal Rageshaper. Go for the Maw and Natural Armor alt racials.
Take Extra Rage at level 1 to get more rounds with both your claws. At level 3, take Power Attack. At level 4, you enlarge when you rage, so each of your Natural Attacks deal 1d8 points of damage. For Beastial Aspect, use it to improve your claws, and take Improved Natural Attack at level 5 for your bite.
At level 5, you should have three attacks, two of which deal 2d8+11 points of damage and one which that deals 2d6+11 points of damage, with +10 to attack with both of them.
Assuming 20 pt. buy, initial build should look like this:
STR: 17 (+2 from racial included.)
DEX: 14
CON: 16
INT: 8
WIS: 8
CHA: 12 (+2 from racial included.)
Use 4th level increase to bump STR to 18 out of rage, or 24 in rage. Use items and built-in stat increases to bump CHA up to a 14, and try to get a twofer with a crown that will put WIS to 10 and CHA to 14.
If enemies do get closer, you've got claws, or perhaps armor spikes. The "reach hole" is something that can be cheaply fixed.
Lets compare- when large, you have armor spikes that do 1d8/x2 damage, with x1 str multiplier and power attack multiplier.
VS: 1d10 (2d8 large) or 1d12 (3d6 large) weapons, some of with have 19-20/x2 (or even 18-20/x2 if you grab that one exotic one). And that has x1.5 str and power attack. On a class where its buff mechanic is str bonuses (and possibly making power attack near free, cause who wouldn't go primal and grab such stuff?). And it will most likely be much more enhanced than the armor spikes since it is your primary weapon.
Armor spikes are not a solution. They are a bandaid. And what you gain in area control, you lsoe in distance control. There are builds that can reset the distance and let you get AoOs time and again- and enemies may well have to keep coming at you, since you are not a turtled monk- you are a 2 hander that can practically full attack anything and you are a circle of pain that stand between them and the squishier party members (25' wide circle normally...aberrant can easily go 45' wide).
Going large with reach isn't quite the complete buff to melee attacks as it is with normal 2 handed weapons.
dot
|
Kashala-Moz
Male half-orc (mystic) bloodrager (crossblooded) 12 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 15, 83)
LN Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+7 armor, +2 Dex, +2 luck)
hp 112 (12d10+36)
Fort +16, Ref +12, Will +10; +2 bonus vs. spells cast by self or an ally
Defensive Abilities blood sanctuary, improved uncanny dodge; DR 2/—
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 40 ft. (30 ft. in armor)
Melee +3 furious horsechopper +24/+19/+14 (1d10+16/×3)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +15/+10/+5 (1d8+3/×3)
Special Attacks blood casting, claws, greater bloodrage (28 rounds/day)
Bloodrager (Crossblooded) Spells Known (CL 12th; concentration +15)
. . 3rd (2/day)—burst of speed[UC], fly, haste, heroism
. . 2nd (3/day)—ablative barrier[UC], false life, glitterdust (DC 15), mirror image, resist energy, see invisibility
. . 1st (3/day)—burning hands (DC 14), enlarge person (DC 14), feather fall, long arm[ACG], protection from evil, shield, touch of the sea[APG] (DC 14)
. . Bloodline Aberrant, Abyssal
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 28, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +12; CMB +21 (+25 trip); CMD 36 (38 vs. trip)
Feats Arcane Strike, Blooded Arcane Strike[ACG], Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Eschew Materials, Greater Trip, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Power Attack, Reckless Rage[ACG]
Traits fate's favored, freed slave (andoran), reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +14, Climb +10, Craft (painting) +18, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Perception +14, Spellcraft +5, Survival +3, Swim +10
Languages Common, Goblin, Orc
SQ abnormal reach, demonic bulk, fast movement, orc blood
Combat Gear jingasa of the fortunate soldier[UE]; Other Gear +1 breastplate, +3 furious horsechopper[ARG], arrows (20), mwk composite longbow (+3 Str), belt of giant strength +6, cloak of resistance +4, cracked dusty rose prism ioun stone, headband of alluring charisma +4, masterwork artisan's tools, 84 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Abnormal Reach (Su) Increase reach by 5 ft when raging.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Blood Casting (Su) Cast bloodrager spells while in bloodrage.
Blood Sanctuary +2 (Su) +2 bonus to save vs. spells cast by self or an ally.
Blooded Arcane Strike While bloodraging, Arcane Strike is always in effect and multiplies with Vital Strike.
Bloodrage (28 rounds/day) (Su) +8 Str, +6 Con, +1 to Will saves, -4 to AC when enraged.
Combat Expertise +/-4 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Combat Reflexes (3 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Damage Reduction (2/-) You have Damage Reduction against all attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Demonic Bulk (Su) When entering bloodrage, can choose to increase size by one category (as enlarge person).
Endurance +4 to a variety of fort saves, skill and ability checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Fast Movement +10 (Ex) +10 feet to speed, unless heavily loaded.
Flaming Claws (Su) 2 Magic Claw attacks deal 1d8 damage + 1d6 fire
Greater Trip Foes you trip provoke AoO when they are knocked prone.
Improved Trip You don't provoke attacks of opportunity when tripping.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Lv >=16) (Ex) Retain DEX bonus to AC when flat-footed. You cannot be flanked unless the attacker is Level 16+.
Orc Blood Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.
Power Attack -4/+8 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Inc.®, and are used under license.
|
|
The hardest part of that Bloodrager Idea is getting a slam attack. Neither Rageshaper or Id rager gives you a slam attack.I've always wanted to try a Rageshaper/Id Rager. Not sure if either archetypes are allowed in PFS, but taking Anger would allow you to Slam Jam every enemy into oblivion.
Or you could go for Summoner-Lite, and take Ancestral Harbinger, which just oozes flavor.
Why would you want a Slam Attack?
RAW- Id Rager grants you the abilities of your emotional focus, while raging. In regards to Anger, you get Power Attack while Raging and your weapon damage increases a size.