So I have a lvl 6 goblin Giant Instinct Bararian in pathfinder society play. I have a heavy splash into champion dedication allowing me to get Champion's reaction. The goal would be to reliably apply retributive strike (paladin cause) with rage damage for some good mitigation and damage dealing.
However up until this point I've been using a bastard sword & shield to help mitigate my AC loss due to rage/clumsy. Retributive strike however, makes it convincing to switch to a reach weapon like the Guisarm. The reach would synergize well with the new reaction and athletics trip.
Basically I'm asking for advice on whether I should switch from sword and board to polarm. I can't carry both as large barbarian weapons have double bulk and adding up my full plate, weapon, and adventuring equipment would encumber me. I feel like without the raise shield AC I may be too squishy.
Anybody with mid-level barbarian experience to help me inform this decision? Thanks a lot in advance!
P.S I also plan on purchasing the shifting rune in the future if that changes anything.
If you're going for retributive strike anyway, why not take the ranged reprisal feet? You can't use it on anyone further than 15 feet anyway. I guess you'd have to wait until level 8, but it makes the point moot.
I don't want to rain on your parade here, because it is a neat idea. But I'm not sure this will work well. The reason why champion reactions rock on a paladin is because they have the best armor class. The giant barbarian is going to be two points lower. You'll also be the biggest target who deals the most damage. It seems like if enemies realize you can punish them for attacking your friends they will focus fire on you, and even barbarian HP runs our quick.
By comparison, attack of opportunity with 15 foot reach can punish most enemies who approach you or your friends. It triggers pretty dang often and can mitigate damage to yourself or allies if you manage to kill the enemy or disrupt their movement with a crit specialization. Plus, spells.
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No mid-level barb experience here, but I would like to mention that a bastard sword is a one-handed weapon you can two-hand, not a two-handed weapon you can one-hand, so you can't switch your bastard sword into a guisarm with a shifting rune.
If you're going for retributive strike anyway, why not take the ranged reprisal feet? You can't use it on anyone further than 15 feet anyway. I guess you'd have to wait until level 8, but it makes the point moot.
I don't want to rain on your parade here, because it is a neat idea. But I'm not sure this will work well. The reason why champion reactions rock on a paladin is because they have the best armor class. The giant barbarian is going to be two points lower. You'll also be the biggest target who deals the most damage. It seems like if enemies realize you can punish them for attacking your friends they will focus fire on you, and even barbarian HP runs our quick.
By comparison, attack of opportunity with 15 foot reach can punish most enemies who approach you or your friends. It triggers pretty dang often and can mitigate damage to yourself or allies if you manage to kill the enemy or disrupt their movement with a crit specialization. Plus, spells.
Thanks for the reply! I am also heavily considering taking AoO but in society play the ability to keep your allies up through damage mitigation is arguably even more important since I can't guarantee that there will be any other supportive characters at the table.
Either way do you think a reach weapon is more valuable since it seems the extra reach synergizes better with both feats (I could always retrain if it Champion Reaction doesnt go as planned).
Im not going ranged reprisal as I took Lay on hands at level 4 (for groups without a healer) and at lvl 8 I will get giant's statue which will give me a 15ft reach with a reach weapon.
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Unconventional Weaponry (Human Ancestry feat) Gnome Flickmace will keep up your damage amd give you more reach if you still want a shield.
You get reach from Giants Stature, so I assume you have that. If not retrain and get it. Sword and Board is still a valid option because of this.
Armor Proficiency (General Feat ) for Heavy Armour is good till level 13 and will get you an extra point of AC if you want to go for a polearm. But you are already a Champion so you already have it.
Get to know an alchemist for Drakeheart Mutagen
At level 8 you can take Renewed Vigour as a sort of shield replacement. It can make you feel more comfortable getting hit.
Barbarians get hit a lot. Stand near a Champion or Cleric. Stay at reach range.
Unconventional Weaponry (Human Ancestry feat) Gnome Flickmace will keep up your damage amd give you more reach if you still want a shield.
You get reach from Giants Stature, so I assume you have that. If not retrain and get it. Sword and Board is still a valid option because of this.
Armor Proficiency (General Feat ) for Heavy Armour is good till level 13 and will get you an extra point of AC if you want to go for a polearm. But you are already a Champion so you already have it.
At level 8 you can take Renewed Vigour as a sort of shield replacement. It can make you feel more comfortable getting hit.
Barbarians get hit a lot. Stand near a Champion or Cleric. Stay at reach range.
Thanks for your reply Gortle! Your guide has been a great reference for this character. Unfortunately they are a goblin which means no flick mace for me (but If I had to min max this character it would definitely be my weapon of choice). I hadn't looked at renewed vigor and Il definitely keep an eye on it!
I like the greatpick or ogre pick for damage.
A reach flickmace with knock prone as a critical is also good.
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Retributive strike is indeed good, but you'd probably invest too much.
I'd go instead with the sentinel dedication ( lvl 2 would make you able to wear heavy armors )
Remember that this is for Society play, which currently caps out at level 10. Champion Dedication offers the same proficiency as Sentinel Dedication for barbarians until level 13.
I recommend any d8 weapon you like + a shield, so your basic turn can be Strike + Strike + Raise a Shield. You don't want to rely on reach to avoid attacks because you might find yourself in a group that lacks front-liners, in which case you would want the enemy to attack you instead of a fellow player's caster.
I recommend Ranged Reprisal at 4th level over lay on hands, just because PFS scenarios allow plenty of time for Treat Wounds and usually at least one PC is trained in Medicine. It's more important to help your Retributive Strike land.
I think Retributive Strike is better than Attack of Opportunity if nobody's knocking enemies prone (which you shouldn't spend attack actions doing and you can't count on fellow PCs doing for you) and you’re not worried about casters. Champion’s Reaction is a good 6th level feat.
Before each scenario, ask your fellow players if any of them can cast enlarge on you early in each fight. That's equivalent to Giant's Stature. I and the casters I play with are always happy to do that, so other players might be as well.
Unconventional Weaponry (Human Ancestry feat) Gnome Flickmace will keep up your damage amd give you more reach if you still want a shield.
You get reach from Giants Stature, so I assume you have that. If not retrain and get it. Sword and Board is still a valid option because of this.
Armor Proficiency (General Feat ) for Heavy Armour is good till level 13 and will get you an extra point of AC if you want to go for a polearm. But you are already a Champion so you already have it.
Get to know an alchemist for Drakeheart Mutagen
At level 8 you can take Renewed Vigour as a sort of shield replacement. It can make you feel more comfortable getting hit.
Barbarians get hit a lot. Stand near a Champion or Cleric. Stay at reach range.
This was also my first thought, but it's probably too late to implement this on a character unless they happen to be human.
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Thanks everyone for the advice!
I've decided to go Champion's Reaction (Retributive Strike) and a Polarm for now. Everyone's opinion really helped me make an informed decision and shoutout to NECR0G1ANT who convinced me that the sword and board playing style was worth keeping as a backup. Thanks to a lifting belt I'm managing to fit all my weapons and gear on my person.
As for AoO I'm gonna keep it in the back of my mind incase Retributive Strike doesn't pop off the way I expect it too. Retraining is only a week after all.
Thanks again!