Yes I know that sounds like a really, really stupid question, but... Theorycrafting again
I was thinking about Tieflings, and how I could imagine a lot of characters that were really nervous about using something akin to blood rage, and only pulling it out once in a blue moon... But with how Pathfinder Classes work, I'd assume a barbarian or bloodrager that basically never uses their rage is majorly gimping themselves. What do you do in this situation?
Check out the enlightened bloodrager. You don't suffer any penalties for using bloodrage after a level 4. Also the metamagic eager. You sacrafoc rage rounds for metamagic. So you can spend your rounds boosting your spells rather that raging. The two together actually combo pretty well as enlightens gives up dr for extra feats which can be metamagic.
Note there are two versions of the enlightens bloodrager. I like the older version more myself, but both should fit the bill here.
There's the fighter archetype Child of Acavna and Amazen, which is... not that great, really, but could work.
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Games generally try to avoid this 'once in a blue moon' sort of abilities, as they tend to leave the character:Yes I know that sounds like a really, really stupid question, but... Theorycrafting again
I was thinking about Tieflings, and how I could imagine a lot of characters that were really nervous about using something akin to blood rage, and only pulling it out once in a blue moon... But with how Pathfinder Classes work, I'd assume a barbarian or bloodrager that basically never uses their rage is majorly gimping themselves. What do you do in this situation?
- a) Underpowered when not using the special ability,
- b) Overpowered when using it, or
- c) Both of the above.
I'd talk to the DM about it and turn that part of the character over for story purposes. Then just make a character who didn't have a rage like mechanic.
There's also Blood Vengance that gives you a rage like effect when an ally drops. You could probably homebrew some other equally undesirable trigger.
You could always build another class and then take a 1 pevel dip in barbarian/bloodrager. Should net you ~6 rounds of rage per day. If that's not enough take the Extra Rage feat for another 6 rounds.
Child of Acavna and Amazen, Fighter gets Bloodrager spells without the rage.
Oh, or depending on whether this fits your flavour, just go Alchemist (Mutagen ~= Rage). For better flavour take 1 level in Master Chymist. This may not fit what you're going for, but it's a similar concept.
How or why would someone who's "really nervous about using something akin to blood rage" become a Barbarian or Bloodrager? Those are the one who embrace their inner rage and the power it grants them.
It feel like the "nervous to access some sort of power you hold inside of you" concept works better with the Medium than the Bloodrager. Since it has that built in "influence gives you power but also gives the spirit control over you" mechanic.
I would recommend the Fiend Keeper possibly with the Medium of the Master archetype (requires GM approval since both alter "spirit" but not in incompatible ways) if you want a purely martial approach.
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Honestly, you could do any melee class x levels and any rage class 1 level dip, without the extra rage feat. You now have a very small rage pool that allows you to rage sometimes for bigger effect, forcibly reserved for emergencies.
You don't gain much by doing this, but you probably don't lose much by only taking a one level dip in something with no further investment. You still get a fort save boost and fast movement and/or a replacement for the bloodline powers with archetypes, since those are sometimes online at level 1 rather when you'd normally get it.
Alternatively, you can pick a paladin with the sacred servant archetype or a cleric and pick the rage domain. At domain level 8, this gives you rage, which might not be something the typically pious divine classes prefer to use. You can also fluff the inquisitor's bane ability as a rage-like effect that the inquisitor doesn't like to use, since it's A: so deadly and B:so limited in how often it can be used. Inquisitor also has wrath has a unique spell at level 1 which is also rage-like.
I'd go with the dip idea, into whatever you like. Basically one short fight's worth of rage, for when you finally snap or are desperate enough.
Because, as pointed out, someone who is that wary and reticent about rage, but still has control, wouldn't build into it.
If you want your char to be like our iconic Bloodrager and have no control whatsoever, that's another thing.
Check out the enlightened bloodrager. You don't suffer any penalties for using bloodrage after a level 4. Also the metamagic eager. You sacrafoc rage rounds for metamagic. So you can spend your rounds boosting your spells rather that raging. The two together actually combo pretty well as enlightens gives up dr for extra feats which can be metamagic.
Note there are two versions of the enlightens bloodrager. I like the older version more myself, but both should fit the bill here.
The Urban Bloodrager is another option. You get fewer benefits and fewer penalties from your bloodrage.
Check out the enlightened bloodrager. You don't suffer any penalties for using bloodrage after a level 4. Also the metamagic eager. You sacrafoc rage rounds for metamagic. So you can spend your rounds boosting your spells rather that raging. The two together actually combo pretty well as enlightens gives up dr for extra feats which can be metamagic.
Note there are two versions of the enlightens bloodrager. I like the older version more myself, but both should fit the bill here.
The Urban Bloodrager is another option. You get fewer benefits and fewer penalties from your bloodrage.
Also a good pick. I wish you could combine the two to make a sweet dexraging castery type, but alas, it's not meant to be.
Wanna be nervous about raging? Try the wild rager barbarian archetype. That'll do it.
Perhaps you could play an Eldritch Scion magus, and if you really need the rage, dip bloodrager or VMC into barbarian.