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Cuddly
2008-05-04, 08:02 PM
I've been thinking about making a new barbarian base class that is on par with a well played wizard.

The only real relation to the old barbarian would be that the new barbarian is also prone to fits of anger. The only alignment prereq would be: angry.

As for a mechanic, I'm thinking something like the facototum- rage points. The barbarian gets 3+con modifer rage points/day. He can spend one rage point to enter a rage for a battle. Spending more points while in a rage means he does more badass stuff.

And for badassery, I'm looking at this level of stuff:

Furious Grasp (level 2)
While in a rage, the barbarian adds his barbarian level to any grapple checks he makes.

Reaping the whirlwhing (level 12)
While in a rage, a barbarian may spend one rage point to attempt to grapple a wind effect that is currently affecting him. This could be a light, dusty breeze, a hurricane, a wall of wind, a tornado, or even the whirlwind form of an elemental. The barbarian automatically succeeds at the touch attack to make this check.

If the barbarian spends one additional rage point, he may make this check as an immediate action.

Treat a light wind as a large creature with a strength score of 22 (no BAB). Each wind category above light counts as a creature of one larger size (adjust effective str score). If the wind is magic in nature (such as a gust of wind spell), add the caster level to the wind's grapple check. If the wind effect is a creature, resolve the grapple normally.

Black Rage of Annihilation (level 17)
The barbarian channels his rage and fury into a blow so devastating, his target is totally annihilated, as if having been struck by a sphere of annihilation.
While in a rage, the barbarian may, as a full round action, may make a single attack and spend 3 rage points. If the attack lands, do not roll damage. Instead, the target must succeed on a fortitude save (DC 19+ barbarian
s str mod) or else be destroyed. No piece of the creature or its equipment remains after such a strike. If used against an object, the object is annihilated (no save). Up to a five foot sphere of matter may be destroyed in this manner.

For every additional rage point over 3 the barbarian spends, the save to resist increases by 1 and an additional foot of matter destroyed.


Anyone have any ideas for totally badass things you would want to do because you're so mad?

Deepblue706
2008-05-04, 08:29 PM
Mortal Kombat fatalities - you should be able to pull off an arm of your foe, and then beat their head in with it. Or, perhaps instead just rip their spine out. That'd be sweet too.

So, howabout we call it Tear you to effin' shreads (Ex) (level 14)

If sucessfully grappling an opponent, you may spend 3 rage points to attempt to cripple your foe. Make opposed STR checks - if you win, your opponent suffers 6 permanent STR damage. If you are successful two consecutive rounds, you may remove a limb (Arm or leg, your choice) from this opponent unless they succeed a Fort save (DC: your STR score), failure results in 1d6 CON damage. Removal of a limb that the creature is dependent upon has varied effects (ie removing an arm denies usage of two-handed weapons, unless they still have multiple arms, removing the eye-stalk of the beholder nullfies the spells it could unleash, etc)

Kizara
2008-05-04, 08:34 PM
Reaping the whirlwhing (level 12)
While in a rage, a barbarian may spend one rage point to attempt to grapple a wind effect that is currently affecting him. This could be a light, dusty breeze, a hurricane, a wall of wind, a tornado, or even the whirlwind form of an elemental. The barbarian automatically succeeds at the touch attack to make this check.

If the barbarian spends one additional rage point, he may make this check as an immediate action.

Treat a light wind as a large creature with a strength score of 22 (no BAB). Each wind category above light counts as a creature of one larger size (adjust effective str score). If the wind is magic in nature (such as a gust of wind spell), add the caster level to the wind's grapple check. If the wind effect is a creature, resolve the grapple normally.


How the hell is that supposed to work? And why would you ever want to? This is beyond silly, its downright nonsense.

Cuddly
2008-05-04, 08:39 PM
How the hell is that supposed to work?

The way everything else in D&D works- imagination and a piece of paper that says it does. Duh.


And why would you ever want to?

Uh, because past level 7 or 8, playing a single classed core melee character doesn't have much going for it. And past level 15, melee's practically the caster's special friend who they let tag along.


This is beyond silly, its downright nonsense.

You probably don't know how to have fun, so I'll forgive your insults.

DementedFellow
2008-05-04, 09:00 PM
Nothing personal Cuddly, but I've never encountered a game where the wind was a foe. So I'm really not seeing the usefulness of that ability.

Also, I suggest you put the rage points include half the barbarian level. It wouldn't hurt.

Cuddly
2008-05-04, 09:10 PM
When you're this angry, everything's a foe.

Anyway, I'm working for a character with that sort of epic feel- wizards read a book about it, sorcerers are just rilly rilly ridiculously good looking, and barbarians have some SERIOUS anger issues.


Hmmm, what about a summon anger elemental?
That would be flippin sweet.

How many points/what level should it be so that you're angry enough to break a wall of force? Level 11? 12? 2 points? Shatter that magic crap like it's a glass window.

Deepblue706
2008-05-04, 09:26 PM
Wall of Force? I'd say level 15+.

Any opinion on my first suggestion? :smallbiggrin:

Cuddly
2008-05-04, 09:36 PM
I really like the name, and the general idea. Maybe to simplify it, it'd do the same thing as a curse spell? One thing I don't like about a lot of the homebrew called shot stuff is how long the mechanics take to roll out. Tend to be clunky

Smash his fingers- drain 6 dex. Pull his guts out- drain 6 con, etc. Crush him so badly that he's wracked with pain and unable to move- everyone round 50% chance of being stunned (alternatively, hurt it so bad it can't use its eye rays, etc). Bash its head in real good- blinded and deafened.

Make it only curable with a Heal or Regenerate spell (not remove curse).


I'm not sure how opposed strength checks would work. Versus most humanoids, it'd be great, but this is the sort of character I want to be able to get in melee with a dragon and come out victorious.

Deepblue706
2008-05-04, 10:10 PM
Well, a Black Great Wyrm apparently has 37 Strength. If you're a Human Barbarian at level 20, you could have 34 before raging (18 starting, +5 from levels, +5 from inherent bonus via manual of strength-boosting nonsense, +6 magical item). A Barbarian's Mighty Rage gives +8, giving you a total 42 STR. Could totally do it.

Curse-like effect sounds good. It'd certainly be less annoying to manage.

Funkyodor
2008-05-05, 02:56 AM
How about instead of Black Rage of Annihilation, you make it Knocked to Next Tuesday!

With a mighty scream of rage and immense strength you slam your target seven days into the future and all thats left are his shoes. The target wakes with a splitting headache (in whatever injured state he was before the immense attack) without footwear.

bosssmiley
2008-05-05, 04:40 AM
In response to the question: "How does that even work?"

The way everything else in D&D works- imagination and a piece of paper that says it does. Duh.

QFT. :smallcool:

@OP: paizo.com are going with Rage Points for their 3.P barbarian, so I can see where you're coming from with this.

I really like Black Rage of Annihilation; it's the kind of thing that's wholly appropriate for a high level full-BAB character in a high-magic setting like D&D. Poxy old Tireless Rage - which a Warforged gets at 1st level as a side-effect of his racial abilities - doesn't compare.

Eldariel
2008-05-05, 06:29 AM
How about this?

No Cage Strong Enough (Level X)
While in Rage, Barbarian may spend 2 Rage Points to try to break through Force-effects that are normally unpenetratable through sheer Strength, such as Force Cage. If the effect is caused by a cast spell, the Strength DC to break through is 10+Caster Level. Otherwise treat the DC as a flat 30. If the Barbarian succeeds, this leaves a hole big enough for him to go through in the effect.


Could also be made as a Fortitude Save against the effect, or a simple Attack Roll to break it, giving the effect something like Adamantine's stats, but I think a simple Strength check is the most flavourful and coolest. This is the real "With a roar of effort, I break the magical chains and rip the Wizard's head off!"-ability.

Keld Denar
2008-05-05, 09:37 AM
How about something defensive, similar to Iron Heart Surge, only more clearly worded so that it applies to the things it should, and not apply to the things it shouldn't.

Define it as "the ability to shrug off effects that cause slow, entangle, hold, paralasis, dominate, charm, sicken, fatigue, exhaustion, shaken, frightened, and paniced.

Thats a pretty complete list of everything that I think IHS should stop, most of which it doesn't work against. It also prevents silly things such as:

With a roar of effort, I turn off gravity.
With a roar of effort, I turn off night.
With a roar of effort, I stop time.

etc...

BadJuJu
2008-05-05, 11:35 AM
Maybe a fort save equal to caster level to break out of petrification. or strength check. you could also allow them to spend rage points to gain steely resolve (the Crusader ability) but a little different to ignore damage untill your rage is over. Or just let it be ignored all together by letting you lose a round of rage per 10 points of damage you take.

Craig1f
2008-05-05, 11:56 AM
How about instead of Black Rage of Annihilation, you make it Knocked to Next Tuesday!

With a mighty scream of rage and immense strength you slam your target seven days into the future and all thats left are his shoes. The target wakes with a splitting headache (in whatever injured state he was before the immense attack) without footwear.

"without footwear"
I lol'd.

Draz74
2008-05-05, 12:09 PM
If you're basing it on the Factotum, do it the way the Factotum does it. A small number of Rage Points (and maybe not modified by CON), but per-encounter rather than per-day. Then, any ability that would get abusive if you could use it infinitely outside of combat should also be limited in number of uses per day, as well as possibly requiring Rage Points.

Edit: And definitely include an ability that lets you spend Rage Points and make an Intimidate check to duplicate a Fear spell. You could even get this at about the same level (7-8) that casters get Fear spells.