Barbarian Defender [Archive] - Wizards Community

Barbarian Defender [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Muir
10-14-05, 12:55 AM I'm creating a character for a game-3rd level start. Party needs some kind of meat shield. I've got an interesting character concept of a dwarf barbarian who takes the PrC Dwarven Defender when he can. The barbarian rage ability gives me bonuses to str,con,will, etc and minus to AC. The dwarven defender's ability gives me bonuses to str,con,all saves and a bonus to AC. Overall when both are active then he won't be able to move but he'll deal good dmg and have pretty high health with the bonuses from both classes. I'm having problems choosing the class combo to start with though as well as what equipment to use. I was thinking of dual wielding dwarven battleaxes but the only way I would be able to start out that way would be to take a level in fighter. Any and all help about this would be welcome. Besides I think it'll be a fun combo to mess around with (both RP and number wise)
Krug_the_smasher
10-14-05, 01:19 AM wow that sounds like a PC I would not want to make mad. maybe try something like a dwarf fighter 1/barb 6 with a dwarven urgrosh. It is a double weapon that does 1d8/1d6(MW) or 1d6/1d4(norm) x3 crit and is slashing or piercing and costs 50 gp. not too bad for the price, although the idea of 2 dwarven war-axes sounds menacing. the only problem i see is that the dwarven defender needs to be lawful, when the barbarian loses the ability to rage if he becomes lawful. no way getting around that, but you may be able to get your DM to house rule it in. so with that said, take fighter 7 and the Bestial Rage feat(actually a half-orc feat, but the description leads one to believe it can be for any race) then you can do the dwarven defender. Other than that, there is no way you can mix the two.
Muir
10-14-05, 01:41 AM Ahh, how nice of you point out the flaw in the fundamentals. Thank you and I will try to convince the DM-"I'm a controlled Barbarian...."
I'll check out the feat if I knew where to find it. Thanks for the thoughts and critcism though. How to make a non-lawful class mix with a lawful class.....
The dwarven urgrosh is a cool weapon but but it is also exotic-meaning it would take the same amount of feats to be able to use both the urgorsh and the waraxes to best effect. The waraxes wouldn't have as good of an attack bonus as an urgrosh but it could do dmg. Besides I like the idea of a dwarf wielding two pretty large axes and just hacking with abandon in his full plate.(fast movement wouldn't help as the dwarf defender can't move with out losing bonuses). It's just a neat idea if one can get around the alignment barriers. My DM did say at the first meeting for guidelines that alignment was going to be either non-existant or less important as long as we kept from the evil path so it might be ok for this game. Thanks.
CommanderFalken
10-14-05, 08:33 AM The dwarven urgrosh is a cool weapon but but it is also exotic-meaning it would take the same amount of feats to be able to use both the urgorsh and the waraxes to best effect. The waraxes wouldn't have as good of an attack bonus as an urgrosh but it could do dmg. Besides I like the idea of a dwarf wielding two pretty large axes and just hacking with abandon in his full plate.(fast movement wouldn't help as the dwarf defender can't move with out losing bonuses).

I beg to differ. Dwarves have racial familiarity with both the Waraxe and the Ugrosh. Meaning that it is treated as a martial weapon.
Fidgit Surefoot
10-14-05, 12:10 PM Instead of trying to get the DM to give you the ability to go lawful, you should consider that you lose most of the barb's extra abilities except rage when wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load.

Plus the concept of rage is that it is uncontrolled, that's why barbarian says explicitly that you can be anything BUT lawful. The very concept of a rage is that it is out of control and wild, that's why you lose 2AC.

That's part of the reason that the Barb Dwarf is not very common, because this is a fundamental contradiction between a race that works well armored, and a class that functions best with med-light armor.

If you want to be mean look into Frenzied Berzerker or Bear Warrior out of Complete Fighters

Good luck to you either way.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Muir 10-14-05, 12:55 AM	I'm creating a character for a game-3rd level start. Party needs some kind of meat shield. I've got an interesting character concept of a dwarf barbarian who takes the PrC Dwarven Defender when he can. The barbarian rage ability gives me bonuses to str,con,will, etc and minus to AC. The dwarven defender's ability gives me bonuses to str,con,all saves and a bonus to AC. Overall when both are active then he won't be able to move but he'll deal good dmg and have pretty high health with the bonuses from both classes. I'm having problems choosing the class combo to start with though as well as what equipment to use. I was thinking of dual wielding dwarven battleaxes but the only way I would be able to start out that way would be to take a level in fighter. Any and all help about this would be welcome. Besides I think it'll be a fun combo to mess around with (both RP and number wise)
Krug_the_smasher 10-14-05, 01:19 AM	wow that sounds like a PC I would not want to make mad. maybe try something like a dwarf fighter 1/barb 6 with a dwarven urgrosh. It is a double weapon that does 1d8/1d6(MW) or 1d6/1d4(norm) x3 crit and is slashing or piercing and costs 50 gp. not too bad for the price, although the idea of 2 dwarven war-axes sounds menacing. the only problem i see is that the dwarven defender needs to be lawful, when the barbarian loses the ability to rage if he becomes lawful. no way getting around that, but you may be able to get your DM to house rule it in. so with that said, take fighter 7 and the Bestial Rage feat(actually a half-orc feat, but the description leads one to believe it can be for any race) then you can do the dwarven defender. Other than that, there is no way you can mix the two.
Muir 10-14-05, 01:41 AM	Ahh, how nice of you point out the flaw in the fundamentals. Thank you and I will try to convince the DM-"I'm a controlled Barbarian...." I'll check out the feat if I knew where to find it. Thanks for the thoughts and critcism though. How to make a non-lawful class mix with a lawful class..... The dwarven urgrosh is a cool weapon but but it is also exotic-meaning it would take the same amount of feats to be able to use both the urgorsh and the waraxes to best effect. The waraxes wouldn't have as good of an attack bonus as an urgrosh but it could do dmg. Besides I like the idea of a dwarf wielding two pretty large axes and just hacking with abandon in his full plate.(fast movement wouldn't help as the dwarf defender can't move with out losing bonuses). It's just a neat idea if one can get around the alignment barriers. My DM did say at the first meeting for guidelines that alignment was going to be either non-existant or less important as long as we kept from the evil path so it might be ok for this game. Thanks.
CommanderFalken 10-14-05, 08:33 AM	The dwarven urgrosh is a cool weapon but but it is also exotic-meaning it would take the same amount of feats to be able to use both the urgorsh and the waraxes to best effect. The waraxes wouldn't have as good of an attack bonus as an urgrosh but it could do dmg. Besides I like the idea of a dwarf wielding two pretty large axes and just hacking with abandon in his full plate.(fast movement wouldn't help as the dwarf defender can't move with out losing bonuses). I beg to differ. Dwarves have racial familiarity with both the Waraxe and the Ugrosh. Meaning that it is treated as a martial weapon.
Fidgit Surefoot 10-14-05, 12:10 PM	Instead of trying to get the DM to give you the ability to go lawful, you should consider that you lose most of the barb's extra abilities except rage when wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load. Plus the concept of rage is that it is uncontrolled, that's why barbarian says explicitly that you can be anything BUT lawful. The very concept of a rage is that it is out of control and wild, that's why you lose 2AC. That's part of the reason that the Barb Dwarf is not very common, because this is a fundamental contradiction between a race that works well armored, and a class that functions best with med-light armor. If you want to be mean look into Frenzied Berzerker or Bear Warrior out of Complete Fighters Good luck to you either way.