Needless to say I havent been able to find anything on it again. So does anyone know if there is a way to improve the STR modifier while using two-handed weapons, either through a feat or ability? (preferably non homebrew)
Thanks.
I'd have to pull out the Complete Warrior book to look for sure but that sounds right and was the first thing that came to mind when reading your post.
POWER ATTACK [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Str 13.
Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn.
Special: If you attack with a two-handed weapon, or with a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands, instead add twice the number subtracted from your attack rolls. You can’t add the bonus from Power Attack to the damage dealt with a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon attacks), even though the penalty on attack rolls still applies. (Normally, you treat a double weapon as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. If you choose to use a double weapon like a two-handed weapon, attacking with only one end of it in a round, you treat it as a two-handed weapon.)
A fighter may select Power Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.
there are several other feats as well .... will post them later
I know about power attack and it is great, not quite what I meant though
Not sure about the Frenzied Berserker, but I think it does, too.
===Aelryinth
What this means, if you were to say, take the two levels of totemist, is you'd get a 2.5X strength bonus to your weapon
Not sure about the Frenzied Berserker, but I think it does, too.
Ten levels of frenzied berserker makes your BAB/power attack trade 1:4 with two handed weapons
==Aelryinth
It states about adding an extra 1/2 strength per hand
I guess it would help if I put a little more info down, this is for my goliath barbarian.
Was kind of hoping not having to multiclass in order to do this. Oh well such is life, if anyone has any other tips or suggestions please let me know.
Thanks.
Goliath 1(Buy it off if you can)/Barbarian 4/Totemist 2/Totem rager X
Use the goliath substitution and gain Mountain Rage to actually become ferocious. Substitue fast movement for Spirit Lion totem and gain pounce
For totemist you can bind Girallon arms to your totem Chakra. Pick up Double Bind at some point, so you can double bind your totem chakra
supreme power attack from frenzied berzerker PrC @ 10th lvl
combat brutes momentum swing (tactical feat from complete warrior)
leap attack from complete adventurer
combine all these together while using a 2 hander, you can take a -5 to hit and gain 70 damage.
looking at it like this, all assumed using a 2 hander
supreme pwr atk: -5 hit +20 dmg
supreme pwr atk + leap atk: -5 hit +40 dmg
supreme pwr atk + leap atk + momentum swing: -5 hit +70 dmg
throw in Lion Totem variant so you can get pounce (full attack on a charge which allows the leap attack + momentum swing to happen together...i wanna say its in complete divine) and you've effectively turned yourself into one bad sumbitch any time you can lay steel on something
also, if you use the shock trooper feat (complete warrior tactical feat), you can take your power attack penalties away from your AC instead of your 'to hit'. you're a barbarian w/ all this stuff, you're going to get hit anyways, why not make it so you only miss on a nat 1, eh?
- Mountain Rage (makes me larger while raging)
- Power Attack
- Leap Attack (dont have yet but am planning on getting soon)
- Lion Totem variant
Shock Trooper I was considering but I just dont have the feats to make it viable, it requires improved bull rush in order to get. And I dont quite understand momentum swing, the wording for it makes it sound like you cant use it with a charge, basically saying you have to charge and then if you use power attack on the next round you get the bonus? So it seems like it doesnt work with a leap attack combo at all as leap attack is basically just a charging jump.
Although I could simply be reading all of this completely wrong.
either way, if i'm wrong, then you get stupid damage regardless.
A Valorous Weapon, Shock Trooper, Pounce and Power Attack are the core of an Uber Charger build. Kindly note that you get Supreme Power Attack at level 19 or so, and can't even start a Frenzied Build until level 9 or 10 or something.
Use Fighter levels to get the feats needed.
==Aelryinth
Level 4 Goliath Barbarian (pathfinder)
STR - 21
DEX - 12
CON - 20
INT - 8
WIS - 8
CHA - 8
Feats -
Power attack
Cleave
Toughness/Improved Toughness (house rule bonus feat)
Abilities -
Mountain Rage (Goliath racial alternative)
Pounce (lion totem variant)
Invulnerable = DR X/- where X is half my level (pathfinder alternative barbarian class)
Extreme Endurance - Cold (pathfinder alternative barbarian class)
Ultimately the other feats I am looking at are
- leap attack
- reckless rage
- instantaneous rage
- exotic weapon prof (heavy)
- ettercap barbarian lodge feat
The last two are just kind of thrown in there, the exotic weapon prof was to get a heavy weapon (treated as one size larger) since this would let me barbarian wield a huge weapon as opposed to the standard large that he can already use with powerful build. I wouldnt mind replacing this however if i could find something to boost my damage output more since an additional 1d6 is only an average of what 3? Hence while I was looking for something to improve my STR mod with two handed weapons.
The ettercap lodge feat basically gives me a bunch of resists and an extra +2 CON while raging, I actually may replace this with the "Roll With It" feat to get another 2/- DR since that what my character is pretty much all about is dishing out the damage while soaking up anything he gets.
The leap attack and reckless rage are both something I am pretty much set on, instantaneous rage I really like but I am sure there are better feats out there, and the last two I would replace if I could find some better alternatives.
the roll with it feat for an extra dr 2/- isnt going to make that big of a difference, particularly at higher levels. if you're allowed to retrain, then it wouldnt hurt much to have it atm, but other than that....not really worth it, imo. the ettercap barb lodge feat seems like it would benefit you more than the DR in terms of taking the hits.
instantaneous rage is helping your damage output none. all you'd be gaining is the extra hp (and less AC) when people smack you around before your initiative.
imo, get yourself set up to get into frenzied zerker first and foremost, to get the improved versions of power attack (unless your DM will let you take them as actual feats outside the PrC), then work on the other feats, and if you can fit combat brute in there for the momentum swing, do it.
What would you suggest instead of instant rage? No comment on the exotic weap prof heavy? I know my AC is already going to be terrible, I currently only have 17 with a +1 chain shirt and even fully equipped I would only be able to get up to what about 30 with a +5 breastplate, natural armor and deflection item, I figure DR is going to be a much better alternative since its a built in class feature anyway. It actually already saved me once when we fought a young hydra.
So ASIDE from the FB or any other PrC does anyone have any suggestions for feats to take? I am very limited on feats so while I like some of the big feat chains that people come up with they arent really viable for my situation.
Permanent Enlarge Person (not sure it works for a Goliath).
DR is a perfectly fine avenue to pursue, if you do so energetically. Note the base barbarian DR is not that impressive...to make it effective at higher levels you're going to need 10+ DR, if not more, to tank the stuff beating on you (i.e. at least equal to extra Power Attack dmg).
==Aelryinth
The only problem with strongarm bracers is they dont stack with powerful build, I believe they specifically says that in the discription.
Yeah, Strongarms basically = Powerful Build.
==Aelryinth
At any rate I think I at least know I am going to be replacing some feats
Alternatively, you can enhance your DR by purchasing an Adamantine Breastplate (which gives you 2/- and should stack with your personal DR/-, unless I have forgotten/missed something to prevent it .. but my DM knows lots about OGL and never mentioned any issues).
I built an Invulnerable Rager to replace the Fighter we had that died. I more than replaced him with the Leadership feat and having my character and his cohort (younger, stronger sister) both have Outflank and Amplified Rage (need to be adjacent and/or flanking--half orc racial ability).
But yes I chose the invulnerable rager as well specifically because we lost our fighter, as of right now I am the tank, we have a rogue, sorc, cleric, ranger and a monk and so far the DR as saved my life more then once even if its only 2/- right now. Also wanted to expand on it since everything about my rage just puts my AC in the pits, that and I like the idea of shrugging off attacks rather then just not getting hit XD
I will look into the adamantine breastplate, that sounds like it would be a good bonus to have provided it stacks.
Either +4 str / -2 Int or +4 Dex / -2 Wis or +4 Con / -2 Cha and the bonus type is Alchemical, which you can't get any other way. Mutagens only work for their creator, iirc.
Additionally, there are extracts (spells) with only personal range such as shield you can create. Yes, you could buy them but making them at 1/2 cost seems a bit more intelligent.
DR only stacks if it specifically says it does, not if it doesn't.You can get to DR 20 With Roll with Its and stuff. You're getting a bunch from class abilities already, adding 2/- per feat would take a lot of your feats, but really make your DR solid as a rock. Offense might suffer, but that's what rage is for.
==Aelryinth
I will just have to wait and see how the game plays out, right now the DM seems to like to hit us with creatures with alot of attacks but not a whole lot of damage.
Most damage I have taken so far as been like 30 something and that was from a hydra so my DR actually absorbed about 10 of that damage.
Go fight a Dragon with 30 HD that gives itself +20 dmg to all attacks against you, and I'm sure you'll see what I'm talking about.
DR is usually overcome with Power Attack...stuff with DR often has a lower AC. The same tactic can be used against you.
==Aelryinth
In the end I managed to take him down while prone XD
So a while back while looking at various feats and abilities I thought I came across something that increased two-handed weapon damage by giving you x2 STR modifier vs the standard x1.5.
Needless to say I havent been able to find anything on it again. So does anyone know if there is a way to improve the STR modifier while using two-handed weapons, either through a feat or ability? (preferably non homebrew)
Thanks.
There is a feat that I know of...the problem is that it is 3rd party...
I think it is called Strong Two-Handed Strike with prereqs of Power Attack and Cleave as well as high Str and Dex. Trying to remember which book...book is Torn Asunder I think...
===Aelryinth
Math works out so that unless you are power attacking for full on every attack already, or bigger than large size monky grip is not helpful.
Otherwise you get more of a benefit from taking a -2 penalty on power attack.
I just feel like there shouldn't be any "wasted" feats, especially for a barbarian who is already feat starved.
That and I already have powerful build as a Goliath and I think it specifically states in the feat that it does not stack with powerful build.
Have you considered going into the Sohei Rager prestige class? The barbarian rage and sohei fury stack, I believe, plus you get Pounce and haste as class abilities.
Ah well. The only other thing I can think of to suggest is if you can somehow swing the Feral template. The stat increases are well worth the +1 ECL, for a barbarian.
Two-Handed Power Strike [Fighter] Prerequisites: Power Attack, Str 15Benefit: When wielding a weapon two handed, you apply x2 your Strength modifier to melee damage. Normal: A character wielding a weapon two handed applies x1.5 Strength modifier to melee damage.
Yeah there is a feat. I like to use two handed weapons a lot and this feat helps out.
Two-Handed Power Strike [Fighter] Prerequisites: Power Attack, Str 15Benefit: When wielding a weapon two handed, you apply x2 your Strength modifier to melee damage. Normal: A character wielding a weapon two handed applies x1.5 Strength modifier to melee damage.
You bumped an eighteen-month-dead thread to point out a homebrew feat? (It's clearly homebrew, labelled as such - a huge portion of D&D-related wikis are clogged full of homebrew material, and for reasons I described here, wikis are not the place to do that.)
And it's not even a very good feat at that: Power Attack will add more to your damage in every case unless you're dealing with a truly insane Strength modifier. An identical ability shows up on the Exotic Weapon Master, which is easy to qualify for... yet no one ever takes it. Because the ability really isn't all that hot. It's usually a better investment to work on multiplying your Power Attack returns, which isn't that hard to do.