Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ront Iron-Roar 06-16-06, 01:32 AM	Just wanted to beat someone to the bunch. 1.) Make sure to get Improved Unarmed Strike. There will always be the time when you don't have a weapon in hand. It makes Rage still useful and you can use it with subdual damage.
belthazzar1113 06-16-06, 01:41 AM	2. KRONK SMASH! 3. No squish rogue! 4. mmmm.... beeer.... 5. KRONK SMASHED! WOOOOOO!
PoorHobo 06-16-06, 01:45 AM	6. Never trust your allies to always accurately read something to you. They may tell you the sign says all barbarians have to run around in their underwear and yip like a dog but that may not always be the case. 7. Play the archetype and carry a great axe. 8. Play 2nd edition, where you can get the Barbaric Yaulp!
Ront Iron-Roar 06-16-06, 01:47 AM	2. KRONK SMASH! 3. No squish rogue! 4. mmmm.... beeer.... 5. KRONK SMASHED! WOOOOOO! Those aren't rules. But, I appreciate the flavor. Anyways... 9.) Half-Orc Barbarians with the Channel Rage feat are the masters at being Frenzied Berserkers. Sacrifice a Rage or Frenzy gain a bonus on your Will save equal to your Strength Modifier. Frenzy and Rage put together anyone?
Zephyrus/Sonet 06-16-06, 01:49 AM	10 Save atleast one Rage for the BBEG, you'll need it. 11 Unless your build or flavor demand otherwise, get Power Attack
Ront Iron-Roar 06-16-06, 01:54 AM	12.) If you want a Barbarian that two-weapon fights. Go with Whirling Frenzy and the first Two-weapon fighting feat. It works well enough and you'll have more attacks at earlier level.
Zephyrus/Sonet 06-16-06, 01:58 AM	13) If you can help it, don't fight Balors without a weapon. ;)
StarDrifter 06-16-06, 02:10 AM	14. it doesn't really matter what I write here, because you can't read this anyway. Which leads to... 15. two skill points is a small price to pay for not getting screwed over 16. always have at least one trick that nobody expects from a barbarian. 17. ragemages are awesome (have they updated that to 3.5 yet?)
Ront Iron-Roar 06-16-06, 02:14 AM	14. it doesn't really matter what I write here, because you can't read this anyway. Which leads to... 15. two skill points is a small price to pay for not getting screwed over 16. always have at least one trick that nobody expects from a barbarian. 17. ragemages are awesome (have they updated that to 3.5 yet?) Yep, its in the Complete Warrior doesn't have a picture though. 18.) Always remember to keep trophies of your kills. It helps in intimidation and good for NPC interaction. "Remember where I got these?" or "I killed this!"
Mystyc 06-16-06, 02:57 AM	Yep, its in the Complete Warrior doesn't have a picture though. I've read this one, and I still don't understand how it works. Does the spell rage have the normal rage effects also, or do you have to use normal rage on top of it? If you do, do the AC penalties from each stack, and are you exhausted when they both wear off? 19. Your AC will not be as good as other melee classes. If possible, get a magician to hit you with blur or other miss-chance effect. 20. Extra Rage is always an excellent choice. 21. Raging is not required for all combats, even with Extra Rage. Ration yourself.
utilitarian 06-16-06, 02:58 AM	19:) Frostragers are fun! Nobody expects your AC to go UP when you rage!
BadgerTheHarbringerOfDoom 06-16-06, 03:00 AM	20.) Buy mithral full-plate as soon as you can get it. With a normal speed in full-plate armor is a good thing...especially when you're raging and a negative to AC won't hurt you as much. 21.) Multi-class as a fighter to get extra melee options as a barbarian, so you can spend your general feats on things to improve your rage. Spend fighter feats on Power Attack and Cleave. Plus becoming fighter makes you literate.
Whisper_Swiftblade 06-16-06, 03:07 AM	19:) Frostragers are fun! Nobody expects your AC to go UP when you rage! what the heck is a frostrager 22) headbuting the door open will not work every time (but the times it does it is worth it)
BadgerTheHarbringerOfDoom 06-16-06, 03:15 AM	what the heck is a frostrager 22) headbuting the door open will not work every time (but the times it does it is worth it) Frostburn prestige class!
Ront Iron-Roar 06-16-06, 03:19 AM	I've read this one, and I still don't understand how it works. Does the spell rage have the normal rage effects also, or do you have to use normal rage on top of it? If you do, do the AC penalties from each stack, and are you exhausted when they both wear off? You just get the effects of the Spellrage. No ability scores adjustments. You don't get into normal Barbarian Rage at the same time. Normal, Barbarian rage keeps you from casting spells. Ragemage is best for higher level chars. Say you a Rage Mage. Well, normally you can only get Fireball up to 15d6. With Spell Rage you can get it up to a number of die equal to your character level.
Silverthumb128 06-16-06, 03:22 AM	23) If you plan on multiclassing, take the feat Tireless from Dragon #318, so you don't have to worry about fatigue. 24) Its ok to get along with your party members, and to work with them. Sure, its fun to charge in and start busting heads, but maybe the Wizard has a plan that will optimize the blood you shed? 25) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Jovar+Improved Critical: Jovar. Don't have the Planar Handbook? Give it a look.
belthazzar1113 06-16-06, 03:45 AM	Those aren't rules. 26. KRONK SMASH IS A RULE!
Earthcrosser599 06-16-06, 03:51 AM	27. If you have to rage to be effective your barbarian sucks. 28. A multiclassed fighter barbarian is lame. None of that "But I need the feats" nonsense.
Silverthumb128 06-16-06, 05:25 AM	27. If you have to rage to be effective your barbarian sucks. 28. A multiclassed fighter barbarian is lame. None of that "But I need the feats" nonsense. 29. Trolls make good Barbarians. :rolleyes:
ninjarabbit 06-16-06, 09:47 AM	30) Get your will save as high as possible, nothing sucks more than being dominated and turning against your allies. 31) Don't marry yourself to a particular weapon, spending feats on weapon focus and improved critical is a waste because for example if you take weapon foucs greataxe and find a really awesome greatsword you either lose a feat or an awesome weapon.
DarkCaller 06-16-06, 10:54 AM	32) Have your party spellcaster cast bull's strength andmage armor for best results to make the unstoppable barbarian.
Soulburn84 06-16-06, 11:50 AM	33. Watch you hit points. When they get into the single digits while raging, odds are that you'll be posting your character in the "1001 Best Character Deaths."
Malancthon 06-16-06, 01:47 PM	34) Extra Rage is great for multiclassing characters, or for going into a PrC. 35) Don't trust your raging HP. 36) Whirling Frenzy is beautiful.
bitnine 06-16-06, 02:38 PM	37) Rage is not frenzy. You don't gain the benefits of frenzying, so you don't need to act out the penalties. You can drink potions. You can refrain from running blindly into certain death. You can drop out of rage without having to make a DC 20 will save.
Ziggaraut 06-16-06, 03:00 PM	38) Scythes are good. 39) Goliath Hammers are better.
Insane Pixie 06-16-06, 03:03 PM	40) Take no prisoners. Survivors are harder to kill when you're fatigued.
utilitarian 06-16-06, 03:06 PM	Yes, Frostragers are a lovely little 5 level PrC from frostburn that give you goodies like increased AC and unarmed melee attacks while raging, immunity, and later ABSORBTION of cold when raging, and finally REND while raging. It's awesome, the only downside is since you take a Cold subtype you gotta be careful of fireballs o_O 41.) Remember you can still use your combat feats while raging! Increased strength equals a big bonus to trips!
SolkaTruesilver 06-16-06, 03:18 PM	42) Try that build: 1 Barb, 4 Fight, 5 Outcast Champion, 10 Frenz Berserk. Begin as Half-Orc, 20 Str. You will eventually gain 5 Str Points through leveling. + 5 for books, +6 for Magic items. you still are at 36 Str. Now, get into a Rage + Desperate Fury (OC) + Frenz Rage. You will earn a nice (+4 + 2 + 10) = +16 to Strength (and +2 to Dex and + 6 to Con). You now are at 52. You can now arm-wrestle a Great Golden Wyrm and have chances to win... + you have x8 to bonus damage per -1 to hit for every Power Attack you do with 2h weapon when leaping (Leap Attack) But as someone says, stay away from you friends...!
eeen13 06-16-06, 05:39 PM	43) go a frenzied berzerker get a merciful weapon get the rouge to coup de grace the masses of 0 HP enemys
Domar 06-16-06, 06:00 PM	44) Frostrage + Fireyrage + Final Strike = immunity to fire and cold when raging and if you die, HD x 3d6 damage in a 60 foot burst. :D
Xeraph 06-16-06, 06:16 PM	45) Be sure to let the Character Optimization board look at your build before you begin play. Theres always something you didn't think of. 46) KRONK SMASH! 47) Two levels of Fighter is a great idea. Feats are your friend. You will multiclass to Frenzied Berserker anyway. 48) Endurance and Steadfast Determination is a must if you begin a career as a Frenzied Berserker. 49) Rashemi Firewine works wonders if you have Steadfast Determination.
Zephyrus/Sonet 06-18-06, 01:37 AM	50) Carry a bag of Alchemist Fires with you. When the time comes, you'll know why.
Ront Iron-Roar 06-18-06, 02:34 AM	23) If you plan on multiclassing, take the feat Tireless from Dragon #318, so you don't have to worry about fatigue. 24) Its ok to get along with your party members, and to work with them. Sure, its fun to charge in and start busting heads, but maybe the Wizard has a plan that will optimize the blood you shed? 25) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Jovar+Improved Critical: Jovar. Don't have the Planar Handbook? Give it a look. PM me those details and any other Dragon Magazine Barbarian goodness.
TheDarkestOfAngels 06-18-06, 03:19 AM	51) Just because you're a barbarian, doesn't mean you're an idiot. Having a high strength can be a very versitile asset - know how to use it to the best of your ability - especially if your barbarian has an intelligence of 10 (the human average) or better. 52) Your AC will suck - especially as a frenzied berserker. Do everything you can to minimize the time you spend in front of your combatant or otherwise in the line of fire. Take advantage of your speed (such as with spring attack) or your strength (such as with grapple). Having the best hit point progression in the game doesn't make you invincible - rage/frenzy or otherwise. 53) Jump, Tumble, Intimidate, Dodge, Mobility, Power Attack, Cleave, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Run, Endurance, Quickdraw, Iron Will, Improved Sunder, Improved Bull Rush, Great Cleave, Deflect Arrows, Blind Fighting, and Combat Reflexes are all examples of feats and skills that are your friends. Barbarians have few feats, so make as good of use of them as you can. 54) Buy your equipment intelligently. Just because you're a barbarian, doesn't mean that the bigger, badder sword or shwankier armor is always the best choice. Even a barbarian doesn't always resort to brute force when it's necessary. They might use it often, but that doesn't mean it's the only or even the best option. 55) And this generally goes for just about any D&D character - remember that you're a part of a team and to help your team mates. Even if you're an evil bastard and you hate all your comrades to no end, that doesn't mean you should find it necessary to use your barbarian fury on your companions. You all need each other to survive, for as one, you are weak, but as a team, you are unstoppable. Even the most chaotic evil creatures recognize the necessity of having allies, even if you are planning to slit their throat one day. THerefore, it is wise help your comrades and allow your comrades to help you.
Wolfman1987 06-20-06, 01:19 PM	you have x8 to bonus damage per -1 to hit for every Power Attack you do with 2h weapon when leaping (Leap Attack) But as someone says, stay away from you friends...! Leap attack plus supreme power attack should just get you a 6:1 power attack ratio as they both add 100% to the damage done. Few people agree with me on this one, but I like it. 56) Don't play an overly cautious barbarian. Charging headfirst at the great wyrm red dragon may get you killed, but if it means your party succeeds, the treasure earned will surely pay for a nice true res.
Far_Traveler 06-20-06, 03:34 PM	Leap attack plus supreme power attack should just get you a 6:1 power attack ratio as they both add 100% to the damage done. Nope, Supreme actually changes it to 2:1 (4:1 2handed), it's not a percentage increase. Leap attack doubles it to 8:1. 57. Damage is good, but bull rushing off of a cliff is better.
Jovknee 06-20-06, 06:38 PM	Nope, Supreme actually changes it to 2:1 (4:1 2handed), it's not a percentage increase. Leap attack doubles it to 8:1. 57. Damage is good, but bull rushing off of a cliff is better. Doubling a double is actually triple damage, not 4x
Ziggaraut 06-20-06, 07:08 PM	Doubling a double may become a triple, but that's not what's happening here. It's doubling an increase in ratio, though what he meant was that leap attack changes it to 4:1 (8:1 2handed)
Wolfman1987 06-20-06, 08:34 PM	If you check the errata for complete warrior and complete adventurer, they both add 100% to your power attack damage. They don't change the ratio of power attacking.