Hello,
I am putting together a Thunder and Fang Barbarian for an upcoming run at the Rise of the Rune Lords.
I was thinking of either human or half-orc.
I am aware that half-orc will delay actually using Thunder and Fang but I was trying to figure if which way would be interesting.
I have never really played a barbarian I have played a lot of clerics and several scoundrel characters and rangers.
Any reasons fluff or crunch to go one way or the other?
Anything that is easy to miss your first time running a Barb.
Barbarian is the choose your own adventure class. Human is the best since you want Raging Vitality unless you go Unchained Barbarian, and even with Human you aren't getting Thunder and Fang until 5th, with Improved Two Weapon Fighting at 7th, leaving you with Power Attack or Raging Vitality at 9th.
Do you know of Explosive Barbarian death syndrome? That's the only tricky thing about Chained Barbarians.
The "Best" barbarian to go if Beast Totem for the cheese that is Pounce. There are also some super cheese ways to use barbarian with rage cycling and once/rage powers. Free action start rage, use power, end rage (with immunity to fatigue), repeat next turn.
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There's a simple reason to go human according to the fluff. Shoanti, the tribal people the Thunder and Fang feats are attributed to in Golarion, have a massive grudge against orcs. So a half orc learning the style would be much rarer. That's just a fluff reason though, and a story can be made to explain a half orc learning the style. Or the in setting heritage of the feat can be ignored.
If you're not that interested in Rage Powers, the Viking Fighter archetype switches out weapon training for Rage, and gives all the lovely bonus feats.
If you're not that interested in Rage Powers, the Viking Fighter archetype switches out weapon training for Rage, and gives all the lovely bonus feats.
The Viking Archetype might be a lot better for the Thunder and Fang build. It even gives you a better shield bonus, but you don't get Rage until 5th and you lose out on Armor/Weapon training.
You can still get Rage Powers for this, but you can't until 6th. You get to select a rage power or combat feat at every even level instead of just a combat feat.
It also helps you actually be able to get the Shield Master feat (I believe it works with the Klar) and some of the Two-Weapon extra feats like Double Slice and Rend.
There's a simple reason to go human according to the fluff. Shoanti, the tribal people the Thunder and Fang feats are attributed to in Golarion, have a massive grudge against orcs. So a half orc learning the style would be much rarer. That's just a fluff reason though, and a story can be made to explain a half orc learning the style. Or the in setting heritage of the feat can be ignored.
Yeah I am going to either be a Shoanti human or a half-orc (half-Shoanti) for precisely that reason.
As for pounce of course!
I thought about Viking but I figured straight Barbarian because you want to rage in the barfight at level one . . . if your going to be a Barbarian ;)
Beware your Will save as a Barb, you don't wanna get dominated and end up TPK'ing the party. I'd strongly suggest Superstition/ Iron Will/ not dumping your Wisdom.
Also the feat Extreme Mood Swings is really good for you too.
Barbarian is a little tight on Feats for a real Thunder and Fang build, you have to give up something. Is rage in general more important or is Thunder and Fang?
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I was thinking of either human or half-orc.
Half-orcs get a whole lotta bennies in exchange for that one feat.