Gestalt powerhouse feat help - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Gestalt powerhouse feat help

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
gtobin
Sep 14, 2011 19:11:10 I am about to start a new gestalt campaign that I know nothing about, and I love being the smash and bash kinda guy. I kinda think the main villian is going to be a powerful dragon, but not sure. All I was told was to build a gestalt character to my liking (he knows I like barbaians) He said another member of the group is going to be the primary caster, and being he is going to have a gestalt character as well I am in very little need of extra added magical defenses ( I hope)

I have a Warforged male personality 20 Barbarian/ 10 Frenzied Berserker/ 5 Warforged Juggernaut/ 4 Fighter/ 1 Ranger. The Barbarian and Frenzied Berserker are fairly strait foward. The fighter I got for the feats, and the Ranger for a favored enemy and track.

I love the thousand fighting abilities I have, but I am lost on what feats to correctly pursue. So far I have Adamantine Body from ECS. My main weapon is probably going to be a greataxe of some sort. (havent picked any items yet either) I am thinking of Weapon Focus (greataxe) and Weapon Specialization (greataxe). To maximize on the Supreme Cleave ability of the Frenzied Berserker I was going to pick up Cleave and Great cleave. This still leaves me with 2 Fighter bonus feats and 3 Regular feats

Can someone help me to make a well balanced character with feat help. Like I said I dont know what kind of campaign my DM is going to run, but he limited me to the 3 core books, Eberron Campaign Setting, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, and any of the Complete... books.

My first session in the new campaign begins on Saturday September 24th and I have to submit my character to my DM for approval as well at least a few days before then. Please help me.
#2
alastordracul
Sep 14, 2011 19:38:23 Well not having access to Dungeonscape puts a damper on things. I have a full 20 level gestalt build for a warforged going down a very similar route. His lot in life is pointing him in the direction you want to go and he will go until he finds something he cannot break through. Definitly take power attack and leap attack. Since you need improved bullrush for juggernaut take the feat shocktrooper to give you a few fun option. That's all I really have for what your DM is allowing and what I can pull off the top of my head.
#3
Maat_Mons
Sep 14, 2011 20:44:02
What's your plan for not killing your teammates? That's an important thing to address with frenzied berserker.
#4
gtobin
Sep 14, 2011 22:31:09 I do like the shocktrooper feat, maximizes on alot of the abilities I have. Being I love to charge and leap attack alot as is I think I can utilize it. to a great benefit.

As far as keeping my teammates out of harms way, I only want frenzy as a last resort for the bad guys who really give me a work over. I figure if I am raging I will gain a +2 bonus to will saves to be able to end the frenzy ASAP. I plan on having a few items that increase my will saves as well. I would try to plan ahead as much as I can with figuring my frenzy only lasts 8 rounds and If the bad guy really is a dragon, I am sure I will be fighting longer than 8 rounds. But as long as the low hp party members stay in the back then the rogue-type char my friend is playing will have a decent chance of staying out of my way. I believe i am going to stray away from the Adamantine body and go with mithril, less penalty for jumping.

I dont really need the frenzy nor inspire frenzy, but I wanted the other abilities of the FB. I cant say in my years of playing have I been in a situation where I could have been like" DAMN! I really need to help my teammates go crazy!" Rarely in the group I play with are there 2 tanks in the group. Usually 1 tank, 1 skill-oriented player, 1 cleric or paladin (divine warrior) and 1 mage. Been playing with the same people for years and we like our little group.

#5
Tempest_Stormwind
Sep 14, 2011 22:47:18
As far as keeping my teammates out of harms way, I only want frenzy as a last resort for the bad guys who really give me a work over. I figure if I am raging I will gain a +2 bonus to will saves to be able to end the frenzy ASAP. I plan on having a few items that increase my will saves as well.

Keeping a Frenzy in reserve is exactly what you don't want to do, since as long as you can frenzy, you will frenzy every time you get hit, unless you make damn good Will saves all the time. This means you could trip on a root, scuff your knee, and fly into a frenzy and rip the wizard in half. Or any enemies who are smart enough to gather intel on you will know to shoot you with arrows first.

Here's a far simpler solution: Go off into the wilderness every morning and burn off your Frenzies. If you're out of Frenzies, no amount of damage will send you into one, and the wizard gets to keep his torso. The real power of the Frenzied Berserker isn't Frenzy anyway - it's Supreme Power Attack and all the abilities leading up to it (remember errata: Improved is +50% PA damage, Supreme is +100%). And those don't need Frenzy to function.

Not to mention, the way Leap Attack is written, it triples the bonus damage from Power Attack. For a two-handed Supreme Leap Attack weapon, that should be something like +12 damage per -1 you take on your two-handed weapon. (Combat Brute makes this even worse, but keeping the conditions for that and Leap Attack running at the same time takes some finesse.)
#6
gtobin
Sep 14, 2011 23:41:15 guess i didnt think of the instant frenzy for no reason thing. Good idea to burn it off early on in the day. I did kinda want to keep it for emergencies like if my main enemy really is a dragon, then i will need all the bonuses I can get my hands on. My DM has benn a very consistent person and loves to throw a random encounter in with the main bad guy as often as possible.

I really need to gain an extra feat. I only get 7 from levels and 3 for the fighter bonus feats! I though gestalt would solve all my problems without going epic.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 gtobin Sep 14, 2011 19:11:10	I am about to start a new gestalt campaign that I know nothing about, and I love being the smash and bash kinda guy. I kinda think the main villian is going to be a powerful dragon, but not sure. All I was told was to build a gestalt character to my liking (he knows I like barbaians) He said another member of the group is going to be the primary caster, and being he is going to have a gestalt character as well I am in very little need of extra added magical defenses ( I hope) I have a Warforged male personality 20 Barbarian/ 10 Frenzied Berserker/ 5 Warforged Juggernaut/ 4 Fighter/ 1 Ranger. The Barbarian and Frenzied Berserker are fairly strait foward. The fighter I got for the feats, and the Ranger for a favored enemy and track. I love the thousand fighting abilities I have, but I am lost on what feats to correctly pursue. So far I have Adamantine Body from ECS. My main weapon is probably going to be a greataxe of some sort. (havent picked any items yet either) I am thinking of Weapon Focus (greataxe) and Weapon Specialization (greataxe). To maximize on the Supreme Cleave ability of the Frenzied Berserker I was going to pick up Cleave and Great cleave. This still leaves me with 2 Fighter bonus feats and 3 Regular feats Can someone help me to make a well balanced character with feat help. Like I said I dont know what kind of campaign my DM is going to run, but he limited me to the 3 core books, Eberron Campaign Setting, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, and any of the Complete... books. My first session in the new campaign begins on Saturday September 24th and I have to submit my character to my DM for approval as well at least a few days before then. Please help me.
#2 alastordracul Sep 14, 2011 19:38:23	Well not having access to Dungeonscape puts a damper on things. I have a full 20 level gestalt build for a warforged going down a very similar route. His lot in life is pointing him in the direction you want to go and he will go until he finds something he cannot break through. Definitly take power attack and leap attack. Since you need improved bullrush for juggernaut take the feat shocktrooper to give you a few fun option. That's all I really have for what your DM is allowing and what I can pull off the top of my head.
#3 Maat_Mons Sep 14, 2011 20:44:02	What's your plan for not killing your teammates? That's an important thing to address with frenzied berserker.
#4 gtobin Sep 14, 2011 22:31:09	I do like the shocktrooper feat, maximizes on alot of the abilities I have. Being I love to charge and leap attack alot as is I think I can utilize it. to a great benefit. As far as keeping my teammates out of harms way, I only want frenzy as a last resort for the bad guys who really give me a work over. I figure if I am raging I will gain a +2 bonus to will saves to be able to end the frenzy ASAP. I plan on having a few items that increase my will saves as well. I would try to plan ahead as much as I can with figuring my frenzy only lasts 8 rounds and If the bad guy really is a dragon, I am sure I will be fighting longer than 8 rounds. But as long as the low hp party members stay in the back then the rogue-type char my friend is playing will have a decent chance of staying out of my way. I believe i am going to stray away from the Adamantine body and go with mithril, less penalty for jumping. I dont really need the frenzy nor inspire frenzy, but I wanted the other abilities of the FB. I cant say in my years of playing have I been in a situation where I could have been like" DAMN! I really need to help my teammates go crazy!" Rarely in the group I play with are there 2 tanks in the group. Usually 1 tank, 1 skill-oriented player, 1 cleric or paladin (divine warrior) and 1 mage. Been playing with the same people for years and we like our little group.
#5 Tempest_Stormwind Sep 14, 2011 22:47:18	As far as keeping my teammates out of harms way, I only want frenzy as a last resort for the bad guys who really give me a work over. I figure if I am raging I will gain a +2 bonus to will saves to be able to end the frenzy ASAP. I plan on having a few items that increase my will saves as well. Keeping a Frenzy in reserve is exactly what you don't want to do, since as long as you can frenzy, you will frenzy every time you get hit, unless you make damn good Will saves all the time. This means you could trip on a root, scuff your knee, and fly into a frenzy and rip the wizard in half. Or any enemies who are smart enough to gather intel on you will know to shoot you with arrows first. Here's a far simpler solution: Go off into the wilderness every morning and burn off your Frenzies. If you're out of Frenzies, no amount of damage will send you into one, and the wizard gets to keep his torso. The real power of the Frenzied Berserker isn't Frenzy anyway - it's Supreme Power Attack and all the abilities leading up to it (remember errata: Improved is +50% PA damage, Supreme is +100%). And those don't need Frenzy to function. Not to mention, the way Leap Attack is written, it triples the bonus damage from Power Attack. For a two-handed Supreme Leap Attack weapon, that should be something like +12 damage per -1 you take on your two-handed weapon. (Combat Brute makes this even worse, but keeping the conditions for that and Leap Attack running at the same time takes some finesse.)
#6 gtobin Sep 14, 2011 23:41:15	guess i didnt think of the instant frenzy for no reason thing. Good idea to burn it off early on in the day. I did kinda want to keep it for emergencies like if my main enemy really is a dragon, then i will need all the bonuses I can get my hands on. My DM has benn a very consistent person and loves to throw a random encounter in with the main bad guy as often as possible. I really need to gain an extra feat. I only get 7 from levels and 3 for the fighter bonus feats! I though gestalt would solve all my problems without going epic.