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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    What are optimal ways of building a barbarian in pathfinder

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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by about50heavies View Post
    What are optimal ways of building a barbarian in pathfinder
    Beast Totem, Reckless Abandoned, Power Attack = 10 Levels and you are awesome. Pick anything else you want but you should go Invulnerable Rager.... DR 10/- is nice and DR 20/- vs Nonleathal is very nice.

    You get the same with 6 levels of 3.5 Barbarian but then again PF melee was nerfed.

    Edit: Oh go Human and get the rage power at level 2 "Superstitious" (+favored class) and your saves versus all spells will be... insane haha
    Last edited by TopCheese; 2013-01-22 at 09:09 PM.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Aren't natural attacks weak

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    Orc in the Playground
     
    Beholder

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Natural attacks aren't spectacular, but pounce is.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    As said, Beast Totem for Pounce.

    Human w/ Superstition and its offspring rage powers (witch hunter, ghost fighter, spell sunder, eater of magic) is a very solid way to go, too.

    For archetype you generally want Invulnerable Rager.

    You also want Come and Get Me (with Combat Reflexes feat) as soon as you hit Barbarian 12. It skyrockets your damage output. I would also suggest picking up the Dazing Assault feat (requires BAB +12, so if you dipped Oracle - see below - you should be getting both it and Come and Get Me at level 13). It's not required, and will cut down your damage output by ending the foe's turn early. But, since your AoOs happen before your foe's attacks, the prospect of ending his turn (by dazing him) before he can even do anything is just yummy.

    You should also be dipping 1 level into Oracle at anytime before 9th level. You take the Lame Curse. Non-Oracle levels count as half levels for curse advancement, so 8 Barb + 1 Oracle = 5th level oracle = fatigue immunity. You can now do single round rages to turn 1/rage powers into 1/round powers. Still not that broken, but Spell Sunder + Strength Surge, Eater of Magic, and Flesh Wound all benefit quite a bit from the combo.

    This concludes PF Barbarian 101.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Person_Man's Avatar

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    It's also worth mentioning that the Mounted Skirmisher Feat gives you Pounce while mounted at level 14. So if your game is starting at level 14+ you should consider replacing Beast Totem with something else, and use Mounted Fury archetype + Shared Fury rage powers + Power Attack/Spirited Charge feats + a lance two handed. If you can get three to five attacks in at triple damage with Power Attack, pretty much any target will be killed.


    Conversely, if you're playing in a low to mid-level game, you should probably consider a multi-class build, since non-caster classes have their abilities front loaded. Ranger 5 with the Skirmisher archetype can give you free movement, Fighter 2 for bonus feats, Paladin 2 for Smite and Divine Blessing, etc.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    What are the benefits of dipping in oracle

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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by about50heavies View Post
    What are the benefits of dipping in oracle
    A level 17 Barbarian class feature... Immunity to Fatigue.

    Also Rage Prophet is nice :p

    Anyways people tend to get Barbarian to level 12 after that they get out since you have everything you need.

    I personally don't take the oracle level but get a flawed item (ioun stone) that turns fatigue into nauseated and get the rage power that gets rid of nauseated when raging...

    I have a sickly barbarian that rage cycles with strength surge and the sunder rage power...

    Barbarian 12/Fighter 8 is nice. Two Handed Fighter Archetype can sure up your standard attack damage

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Griffon

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Is bolstered resistance worth it once you have immunity to fatigue?

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    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Which book does it say that non oracle levels count as half levels for oracle curse advancement

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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by Baroncognito View Post
    Is bolstered resistance worth it once you have immunity to fatigue?
    http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/genera...red-resilience

    If you find yourself not using immediate actions much then it works quite well when with Invulnerable Barbarian and against charges. It is only for one hit soo.. It kinda sucks kinda doesn't.

    If it was a free action... Or at least upgraded to a free action then that would be a very very good feat.

    Do note that melee/mundane got shafted in Pathfinder so this is as good as you gonna get.

    OH! Get 15 con and there is a feat that let's you keep raging while knocked out... Forgot its name...

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Person_Man's Avatar

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by about50heavies View Post
    What are the benefits of dipping in oracle
    Oracle 1 gives you the Oracle's Curse ability.

    An oracle's curse is based on her oracle level plus one for every two levels or Hit Dice other than oracle. So Oracle 1/Barbarian 8 has a Curse ability as strong as an Oracle 5.

    The "Lame" Curse reduces your base speed (which is canceled out by the Barbarian's Fast Movement ability), but your speed is never reduced due to encumbrance, and (at Oracle 5 effective level) you are immune to the fatigued condition. Being Immune to Fatigue means that you can use Rage (and Rage Powers) for 1 round without penalty, which makes the class much more versatile.

    Essentially the same thing as Barbarian 17, but 8 levels earlier.

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Griffon

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by TopCheese View Post
    It is only for one hit soo.. It kinda sucks kinda doesn't.
    So it's better for a character with higher AC, like an Oracle with the mystery of battle and Iron Skin.

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    What would be a good race for barbarian

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    Troll in the Playground
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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by about50heavies View Post
    What would be a good race for barbarian
    Anyone STRONG and tough.

    So, Elves, Gnomes and Halflings are probably out, Humans and Dwarves are good, Half-Orcs have some useful racial abilities.
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  16. - Top - End - #16
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by Arbane View Post
    Anyone STRONG and tough.

    So, Elves, Gnomes and Halflings are probably out, Humans and Dwarves are good, Half-Orcs have some useful racial abilities.
    Well for this build then yeah but do note the Mounted Rager... Being a small barbarian while your mount (elephant/tiger/whatever) rages is pretty fun.

    For this Barbarian the two best races are Human and Half Elf. Both of these will give you a bonus to str, medium size, and higher than normal will saves. Humans beat out half elves in my opinion but then again I don't think Superstitious is cheesy (unlike one of my friends who thinks the game should be called "Casters").

    If you are starting low.. That extra feat is fantastic. If you are starting high level then it is good - great. One less feat to take later when you can take "extra rage power" instead of something like step up (which is great but rage powers > most feats).

    If your DM allows racial heritage (or if it already counts..not sure) to be taken by half elves (human feat) then you could get superstition rage power on a half elf and never worry about saves again.

    Dwarves make good barbarians but ... They don't have the pajazz as human/half elf.

    If you are going Orc you might as well make a Scarred Witch Doctor and have more hp in the long run and find a way to cast "rage" on yourself haha.

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    What benefits does the half elf bring to the table

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    As a Barbarian, you want a race w/ a Str bonus. You also want to be a valid target for Enlarge Person. Unfortunately, PF hates melee, and there are very very few str-boosting races, and a few that do exist are outsiders. That leaves your options at:

    Aasimar: There is a variant blooded Aasimar that gets +2 Str, +2 Cha, and you can take the Scion of Humanity variant racial feature to count as humanoid. You can actually trade the SLA to play russian roullette on a d% table and hope to land an additional +2 str, btw.

    Orc: You get +4 Str.... but you have a net -2 to stats when most races have a net +2, and the light sensitivity is annoying. You can do it, but it's an underpowered choice, IMO.

    That's....it. The only other +str options are the ones that get a +2 to one stat of your choice.

    Human: The best Barbarian race, it can massively boost the superstition bonus and gets the bonus feat, of course.

    Half-Orc: Darkvision, small intimidate boost, and some interesting racial variants. You could get +1 luck to saves or free Endurance feat or a bite attack, for instance.

    Half-Elf: Skill Focus is actually a bigger bonus than Half-orc's intimidate, if you're going that way. Or you can trade it for Exotic Weapon Prof. (exotic weapons in PF largely suck, though some are marginally better than martial). Not a great Barb race choice compared to the others, though.... The save and perception bonuses are ok...

    (FYI, the outsider races that boost Str are Oread, Suli, and some variant blooded Tieflings. None are worth choosing compared to the non-outsider options)

  19. - Top - End - #19
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by StreamOfTheSky View Post
    As a Barbarian, you want a race w/ a Str bonus. You also want to be a valid target for Enlarge Person. Unfortunately, PF hates melee, and there are very very few str-boosting races, and a few that do exist are outsiders. That leaves your options at:

    Aasimar: There is a variant blooded Aasimar that gets +2 Str, +2 Cha, and you can take the Scion of Humanity variant racial feature to count as humanoid. You can actually trade the SLA to play russian roullette on a d% table and hope to land an additional +2 str, btw.

    Human: The best Barbarian race, it can massively boost the superstition bonus and gets the bonus feat, of course.
    I never have had the love for enlarge person. Sure the weapon damage going up is nice though at a certain point not needed (weapon damage is meh) and reach is nice but... I just never really got into it.

    Just to add on to the above stuff... Just because I can.

    Aasimar is fricken fantastic for Barbarians on fluff alone. Due note that there is a racial variant that gives you a halo... Yes a halo... Bonus that it gives you some will save defense (meh) but a raging "angel" with a halo and a great sword... Have the mage "summon" a solar (err you) and scare your enemies to death.

    My Barbarian had a ring of invisibility and we used "Dancing Lights" to be the "summoning ring" that I would have my character turn visible in while the wizard finished his "angel summoning powers".

    Human: If you plan on being any other race than Orc or Aasimar then be this instead. You can take a feat to be counted as another race so I'm not sure why you would be that other race. Superstitious is that good.

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Griffon

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Clearly the route to go with Barbarian is a Brigh worshiping kobold. Take Tail Terror and go the Beast Totem route. Also, go the Draconic Aspect feat tree so you can fly. You'll get a pounce at the end of an 8 square charge. If you can fit it in, also go for death from above.

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    I'd like to point out that on its own, Superstitious sucks. It takes a while for the bonus to get noticeable, and the will save bonus (ie, the save you were most desiring/needing) does not stack with the will save bonus from rage (they're both morale; paizo is incompetent), so you're not even really getting a benefit (you get fort and reflex, but you had the former in spades and the latter is pretty unimportant) until several levels in. In return, you need to resist and save against all healing and buff spells! That's seriously really bad.

    It's when you use Human to make the bonus actually gigantic that Superstitious kicks ass. Then you take the other rage powers that add the same bonus to other stuff, like touch AC (ghost rager) or damage against spell users / SLA users (witch hunter).

    Without Human, superstitious is probably not worth it, at least on its own. It opens up some very nice other rage powers and may be worth the sacrifice for them. But on its own merits, Superstitious w/o Human is basically nerfing yourself.

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    What about taking heart if the field trait or dual skilled dot human

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Heart of the Fields is only 1/day, you will want to be rage cycling much more often than that. Also, losing 1 skill point/level is a pretty hefty price.

    There are other options, though. The level 1 Bard spell Invigorate will let you avoid suffering from fatigue for its duration, which is quite long (10 min/level), so it makes a great wand or potion. Note that with a potion you are considered the caster. Which means you can bypass your own SR; presumably also means you can avoid having to save against it due to superstitious.

    There's also some drug that will let you avoid becoming fatigued for a duration, as well. Don't recall the name.

    You can also enter Horizon Walker, which will give you Fatigue immunity at 3rd level (character level 9 at the earliest). If doing this, you should be a Half-Orc to get the pre-req feat as a racial feature. Compared to Oracle, you don't lose any BAB in return for falling behind in Barbarian by *three* levels and not getting the oracle casting (opens up wand use and such). It won't let you get the immunity any earlier than the oracle dip will.

    I think ultimately you should just do the Oracle dip, though.
    Last edited by StreamOfTheSky; 2013-01-26 at 03:39 PM.

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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    There is a Ioun stone that is "flawed" that turns all fatigued into nauseated. There is a Rage Power that allows you to ignore the nauseated condition during the rage...

    Rinse and repeat!

    Of course this can help you make a "sickly" warrior that wigs out and knocks the crap out of everyone.

    The flawed version cost 8,000 gp and is even legal in pathfinder society.

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Griffon

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by TopCheese View Post
    There is a Ioun stone that is "flawed" that turns all fatigued into nauseated. There is a Rage Power that allows you to ignore the nauseated condition during the rage...

    Rinse and repeat!

    Of course this can help you make a "sickly" warrior that wigs out and knocks the crap out of everyone.

    The flawed version cost 8,000 gp and is even legal in pathfinder society.
    I am, at this moment, imagining a kobold Barbarian that sounds just like Woody Allen.

  26. - Top - End - #26
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Is their anyway to lose fatigue after raging

  27. - Top - End - #27
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Griffon

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by about50heavies View Post
    Is their anyway to lose fatigue after raging
    No. Once your character has raged, she will be fatigued for the rest of her life. You're better off dying at the end of a rage and then being resurrected.

  28. - Top - End - #28
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Quote Originally Posted by Baroncognito View Post
    I am, at this moment, imagining a kobold Barbarian that sounds just like Woody Allen.
    Hahahaha niiiiice!

    Quote Originally Posted by about50heavies View Post
    Is their anyway to lose fatigue after raging
    Read Rage... Seriously we can do only so much for you, but if you don't read the key ability for the class then there isn't much we can help you with.

    Quote Originally Posted by Baroncognito View Post
    No. Once your character has raged, she will be fatigued for the rest of her life. You're better off dying at the end of a rage and then being resurrected.
    Ha

  29. - Top - End - #29
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Should I go with 2 weapon fighting or two handed weapon

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: How to build a barbarian pathfinder

    Two-handed is better. Just, in general. Add to that the fact Barbarians have no bonus feats and you'll find yourself hardpressed to fit the TWF chain in. It's true you eventually get pounce. But you also get an AoO-based ability, Come and Get Me, that is very powerful. And since you only get one attack each AoO, 2H builds are better for AoO set ups because each of their attacks is much more devastating.

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