Interesting ways to barbarian druid


Advice


Using free archetype. How would you build an interesting barbarian druid?

One I'm working on is a giant instinct barbarian using verdant weapon and flavor the large bo staff as wielding a tree.

Feats are rough. But it's mostly focusing on defense and utility on the druid side. By level 8 I'll have resistances to, bludgeoning, electricity, cold (winter touched human), fire and poison.

How would you build them?


Martialmasters wrote:
How would you build them?

For my own character: Depends on if the GM allows using Rage while in a Polymorph battle form. And whether it is ruled that Rage damage is added to what the battle form spell already specifies.


I really want to know why you want to use the Barbarian here? I mean Barbarian in PF2 means Berserker and that doesn't combine well with a defensive caster concept. Personally I'd go Investigator, Monk, Ranger, Rogue or Fighter first.

A Barbarian would need Second Wind or Moment of Clarity to be able to drop out of Rage to cast. Action and resource wise is it worth it?

Don't mistake me it can work:
Prefuffing before Rage is useful. Certainly there are some good spells like Longstrider, Protector Tree, Shattering Gem, Haste, Stoneskin , Clone Companion, Envenom Companion, Organsight, Elemental Gift. Occasionally Something very impactful like a Wall of Stone or a Heal may be worthwhile.
But out of combat healing is better done with Medicine of a focus point healing spell like Goodberry.

So here are a coupke of quick builds.

So as a Barbarian/Caster Druid who wants to melee.
Str 18
Dex 14
Con 12
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 10

Barbarian
1 Sudden Charge
2 Moment of Clarity
4 Swipe
6 Attack of Opportunity
8 Giant's Stature
10 Furious Bully
12 Embrace the Pain

Free Archetype
2 Druid Dedication Leaf
4 Order Spell Goodberry
6 Basic Druid Spellcasting
8 Basic Wilding => Order Explorer => Storm Born
Just so I can cast Obscuring Mist for a nice defensive bonus for the
Barbarian that protects me from ranged attacks.
10 Primal Breadth
12 Expert Druid Spellcasting

So as a Barbarian/WildShape Druid who wants to melee. Only if you GM allows Rage to work as it is additional damage in Wild Shape ( I think it is legit but that is contested)
Str 18
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 10
Barbarian
1 Sudden Charge
2 Moment of Clarity
4 Swipe
6 Attack of Opportunity
8 Furious Bully
10 Renewed Vigor
12 Embrace the Pain
14 Whirlwind Strike

Free Archetype
2 Druid Dedication Wild
4 Basic Wilding => Wild Shape
6 Basic Druid Spellcasting
8 Advanced Wilding => Thousand Faces
10 Primal Breadth
12 Expert Druid Spellcasting
14 Advanced Wilding => Form Control
16 Advanced Wilding => Ferocious Shape

So I missed Verdant Weapon which you asked for. I guess you just need to delay the other Druid stuff. I'm really not seeing what it is giving you apart from a stick.
Also you can get size and reach from your WildShape so you don't actually need it from Giant Barbarian. The whole concept is full of duplication and negative synergy.


Gortle. it's mainly a themed build and not an optimal build. I'm aware of the innate anti synergy. Wich is part of why I was wondering how others would build it.

My build, basically let's me have bludgeoning, electric, fire, cold and poison resistance by level 8 along with verdant weapon.

After that I do feel it became a bit more dubious.

Fire lung, storm born (to see in bad weather), shore step, fiery retort, natural swimmer, pristine weapon.

Zero spells.

Then went heavy into intimidation. Took diplomacy as well.

Edit: in my specific example this would be for the AP strength of thousands.


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The “wielding a tree” part sounds fun. As for magic, I’d focus on taking Primal Spells that mainly help with exploration an investigation, like Detect Magic & Seashell of Stolen Sound.


Martialmasters wrote:
Gortle. it's mainly a themed build and not an optimal build. I'm aware of the innate anti synergy. Wich is part of why I was wondering how others would build it.

I'm not really invested in the theme. What is the theme resist everything? But how does that go with a stick?

I don't mind theme builds but I need a bit of a core that works. I'm just not seeing it here.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Martialmasters wrote:


Interesting ways to barbarian druid

Be a dog.


Gortle wrote:
Martialmasters wrote:
Gortle. it's mainly a themed build and not an optimal build. I'm aware of the innate anti synergy. Wich is part of why I was wondering how others would build it.

I'm not really invested in the theme. What is the theme resist everything? But how does that go with a stick?

I don't mind theme builds but I need a bit of a core that works. I'm just not seeing it here.

Defender of nature. Walk quietly and carry a big stick.

The idea for mine generated when I realized that from what I can see by RAW. there is no rule saying you cannot create a verdant weapon of a larger size.

The ability to have a large weapon stowed into the form of a small seed was an appealing bit of role play with some minor benefits to things such as social encounters and sneaking weapons into places. Plus the surprise factor and flavor I just loved.

Beyond that my original intent was to go with spells. But spells are action cost intensive on their own. Even more so when you are raging. I agree with the suggested spell selection of the other poster.

I also think a barbarian wild shape druid is great if the DM allows it (as you and others said, contentious so DM dependant). Personally I already built a monk that does this so it mostly feels like a retread for me in terms of flavor.

As for complete theme, idea is he traveled to the school to learn druidry so dabbled in many of the orders while working on building his tolerance to the elements and fighting with nature... Literally, via verdant seed (playing up the very linear mind of a barbarian).

So the idea of building resistance to the elements, seeing in the smoke of a forest fire, peering through storms, swimming through the strongest of white waters.


Martialmasters wrote:

Defender of nature. Walk quietly and carry a big stick.

The idea for mine generated when I realized that from what I can see by RAW. there is no rule saying you cannot create a verdant weapon of a larger size.

The ability to have a large weapon stowed into the form of a small seed was an appealing bit of role play with some minor benefits to things such as social encounters and sneaking weapons into places. Plus the surprise factor and flavor I just loved.

Beyond that my original intent was to go with spells. But spells are action cost intensive on their own. Even more so when you are raging. I agree with the suggested spell selection of the other poster.

I also think a barbarian wild shape druid is great if the DM allows it (as you and others said, contentious so DM dependant). Personally I already built a monk that does this so it mostly feels like a retread for me in terms of flavor.

As for complete theme, idea is he traveled to the school to learn druidry so dabbled in many of the orders while working on building his tolerance to the elements and fighting with nature... Literally, via verdant seed (playing up the very linear mind of a barbarian).

So the idea of building resistance to the elements, seeing in the smoke of a forest fire, peering through storms, swimming through the strongest of white waters.

It is the Barbarian part that is the problem. Barbarians are Berserkers not nature warriors. I really wish Paizo had called them that. You can do the Big Stick with Enlarge (via Humanoid Form), and I not sure there is any value in Verdant Seed than being able to conceal it. You are way better off with Ranger or Fighter. I get that you don't like the flavour of a Monk.


It's more than I already built a monk druid with wild shape

So building a barbarian the same way kinda bores me.

But this was about sharing builds, and you shared yours. It's a good one. Thank you !

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