Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 longshot_barbarian Oct 21, 2010 11:43:46	My group started a new campaign recently and I wished to revisit an old character idea. Due to an unforeseen event in game progression, our ECL is getting bumped to 8. We must keep what we originally had for level 1, since in world, it is "concrete". My goal is to have an OP ranged Goliath using a fighter/barb combination, leaning heavy on Barbarian. I've been looking through handbooks and attempting to find builds. So far the deepwoods sniper looks promising. Nearly all open game content is allowed. As is most homebrew (have to run it by the DM first, but he's fairly loose). Please lend your incredible minds, people of the OP boards. (: CONCRETE: Goliath / Fighter 1   Str: 18 Dex:  16 Con: 17 Int: 15 Wis: 16 Cha: 12 Feats: EWP (Greatbow) and Point Blank Shot Skills: I can rework these. And I got the DM to houserule spot in.  Current Train of Thought: Fighter 2/ Barb 5 Put my two ability raises into Dex (18). Get the Whirling Frenzy rage variant. Feats: Rapid Shot, Imp Rapid Shot, Extend Rage Skills: Stack up on Spot, Craft (Bowmaking), Hide and Move Silently? We have 27,000 gold to work with, so I was thinking a +4 Force Comp. Greatbow, Gloves of Dex, and Eagle Eye lenses. But you are the OP masters. (: Please enlighten. P.S. Sorry if my organization is a bit haphazard. :/ Edit: I may be able to houserule in Move Silently and Hide also.
#2 eviltedzies Oct 21, 2010 14:41:42	You could look into the alternate barbarian ability from Cityscape. It gives +Str/Dex instead of +Str/Con among other things. If your going for straight hail of arrows then Whirling Frenzy is a better option, but as Ferocity improves the +Hit becomes significant. If your DM allows use the Lightly Armored Fighter varient mentioned in your top link. For giving up heavier armors you get 3 free feats. 2 of which are needed for Deepwood Sniper. Fighter 2[Light Armor Varient] Barbarian 11[Whirling Frenzy Varient or Ferocity Varient] Deepwood Sniper 7 Build Order: Fighter 2/Barbarian 3/Deepwood Sniper 7/Barbarian 8 Lvl1: EWP Great Crossbow, Weapon Focus Greatbow [Point Blank, Precise Shot, and Far Shot gained from alternate fighter varient.] Lvl2: Rapid Shot Lvl3: Extend Rage (Or if your combats are relatively short take Extra Rage) Lvl6: Rapid Reload (Great Crossbow) Lvl9: Crossbow Sniper (PHB2) OR Improved Critical (Great Crossbow) if your DM allows Keen/Improved Crit to stack. Lvl12: Open Lvl15: Open Lvl18: Open Reason for using a Great Crossbow instead of a Greatbow is that Great Crossbow has a critical range of 18-20/x2. By level 6 (your first level Deepwood Sniper) your threat range will be 15-20/x2 with your crossbow. By level 12 it will be 15-20/x4! If your DM allows Keen and Imp Crit to stack watch the insanity begin as your crit range becomes 12-20/x4. Crossbow Sniper allows your to add 1/2 your dexterity bonus to ranged damage rolls. This would be much more effective if you use the Ferocity varient as it increases your dexteriy. Also, if your DM allows you to take Manyshot for crossbows then do so and take Imp Rapid shot afterwards. Its not beautiful but its effective. Plus by level 20 you gain the Great Rage benefit.
#3 Maat_Mons Oct 21, 2010 15:58:17	Faiths of Eberron has a feat called frantic rage that gives you the option of exchanging your strength increase for a dexterity increase when you enter a rage. Unfortunately, the feat requires you to have the madness domain. The ferocity rage variant imposes a -2 on ranged attacks farther than 30 feet away. If you're going to be doing your ranged combat up close, that's fine. If you're going for more of a sniper thing, it cancels out the dexterity increase for purposes of attack rolls until barbarian 11. I think the 6 rounds your rages currently last are long enough. I second taking extra rage instead of extend rage. However, it's worth asking your DM if you can go on a quest involving an otyugh hole, or maybe even if the quest can have happened in whatever chunk of time you're skipping over. Otyugh holes are from Complete Scoundrel. If you spend a week in one, you gain your choice of extend rage, iron will, menacing demeanor, or skill focus (intimidate) as a bonus feat. This counts as 3,000 gp of treasure, but can't actually be bought or sold. Since you are interested in hide and move silently, you should consider the fox totem barbarian variant from Complete Champion. You trade fast movement for a +4 bonus to hide and move silently.