My friend oynas from post showed me this wonderful place
. I have been wanting to make a frenzy berserker ever since I read about the class. I'm not sure it's the most powerful class but it just appeals to me both as power play and role play. I have played a dusk blade earlier and a half orc druid before but have tons of experience from second edtion and then I have a huge weakness for cleave and power attack so FB was a natural choice after I read supreme power attack and cleave. :D My deal is that I would love to roleplay a frenzy barb I just need some help in making him count in the combat stats of the game too or atleast get a cleave off or two. :bounce:
The facts.
We are allowed to use all the complete books, players handbook I & II and dungeons masters. If you have a great idea from another book let me know and I will try to talk him into it. So all my co players who are mages are drooling from sunset to sundown. We will be playing from level 1 to level 20 with some dungeon crawling and maybe a bit more dungeon crawling :D
Starting stats
I have 55 stat points and the price is as follows
9 - 1 point
10 - 2 point,
11 - 3 point,
12 - 4 point,
13 - 5 point,
14 - 7 point,
15 - 9 point,
16 - 12 point,
17 - 15 point,
18 - 19 point.
5 stat points
str 18
dex 14(min 14)
con 16 (17)
int 14 (min 13)
wis 14
cha 11 (8)
My build!
Race human
1 barb lion totem complete champion
2 fighter 1
3 fighter 2
4 fighter 3
5 fighter 4
I need one extra attack bonus to change to FB but need help with what to take before and after.
6 ??
From here either frenzy berserker or a extra level in some class
10 levels frenzy berserker
What class should I get?
(I need to mention one rule that if we start a prestige class we need to finish or end with it at level 20)?
- I have thought about getting two more fighter levels for the extra feat
- some dusk blade
- Paladin variants: freedom chaotic good
- some prestige class?
(I need to mention one rule that if we start a prestige class we need to finish or end with it at level 20)?
- I have thought about getting two more fighter levels for the extra feat
- some dusk blade
- Paladin variants: freedom chaotic good
- some prestige class?
In his words, laugh maniacally as you chop everything into thick and chunky salsa! By the way, I've used this build to good effect on DMs/Players that hate elves and say they can't melee :D Booyah!
There is some other stuff which is even better that I'm not as familiar with (Steadfast Determination from ToB is one I've heard mentioned).
JanusJones has this little gem http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=761364 .
In his words, laugh maniacally as you chop everything into thick and chunky salsa! By the way, I've used this build to good effect on DMs/Players that hate elves and say they can't melee :D Booyah!
That looks really yummy, I can imagine how much fun that could be, but alas my dm has not allowed the books. I have spent hours also looking at the warblade but that is a no no too.
You need some way to avoid killing your party in your Frenzy. Cumberous Will from Savage Species can give you a +6 to your Will save, but has some negative effect afterwards (Shaken, I think). For the 6th level, Hexblade has good will saves and gives you a point of BAB.
There is some other stuff which is even better that I'm not as familiar with (Steadfast Determination from ToB is one I've heard mentioned).
I have been thinking about killing the party, but I was thinking that since they are insane casters, we should in combination be able to find a way. Casters have to be useful for something :D
The hexblade looks good with the +2 will but the duskblade will grant +2 Fort and +2 will include a lot of spells. So out of those two I would go with duskblade instead. Please correct me if i'm wrong.
You need some way to avoid killing your party in your Frenzy. Cumberous Will from Savage Species can give you a +6 to your Will save, but has some negative effect afterwards (Shaken, I think). For the 6th level, Hexblade has good will saves and gives you a point of BAB.
There is some other stuff which is even better that I'm not as familiar with (Steadfast Determination from ToB is one I've heard mentioned).
A simple Wand of Grease should work.
Enjoy rolling around on the floor after being unable to use any Dex-based skills :P
1. Barbarian (CC Lion Totem), Intimidating Rage, Power Attack, Cleave (2 flaws)
2-3. Fighter (Dwarf 1 racial sub level), Axe Focus, Improved Initiative, Destructive Rage
4-5. Hexblade
6. Occult Slayer (CW), Leap Attack
7. Exotic Weapon Master, Uncanny Blow
8-17. Frenzied Bersereker, Extra Rage, Extra Rage, Combat Focus
18-20. Occult Slayer, Combat Vigor
The Dwarf Fighter 1 racial substitution level is in Races of Stone, it replaces your Fighter 1 bonus feat with Weapon Focus in all axe-type weapons, and gets d12 instead of d10 HP. With Hexblade and Occult Slayer you'll have a decent Will save, and both of those plus the Dwarf racial traits will give you an amazing save bonus vs spells and spell-like abilities. With both Rage and Frenzy up and Uncanny Blow you'll be doing quite a bit of damage using a Dwarven Waraxe two-handed, especially with Leap Attack. Visit the Otyugh Hole detailed in Complete Scoundrel to get Iron Will for free.
A simple Wand of Grease should work.
Enjoy rolling around on the floor after being unable to use any Dex-based skills :P
That sounds like a cheap and easy idea, I will suggest that to the mages.
Bullheaded + Iron Will + Cumbersone Will means you are immune to shaken and have a +10 to will save
I'm not allowed to use bullheaded because it's not in the complete books or playershandbook. I can take iron will and I can't find cumbersone will. What book is that in?
Hmmm, if you take Jotunbrud as your first level feat (human regional feat, gives you something roughly similar to Powerful Build) would you then be able to take Knockback from Races of Stone, and the Dungeoncrasher Fighter ACF from Dungeonscape? Sounds like a good place to put all that extra str to, bouncing someone's head off the wall over and over until they get blenderized....
That jotunbrud feat sounds good, but Im not allowed to take it, many times have a weeped about that since it would be so nice to get the knockback feat. As you mention that would be a awesome use of the strength. I'm thinking maybe I should use sunder and bullrush a lot.
Go Dwarf if you can use flaws:
1. Barbarian (CC Lion Totem), Intimidating Rage, Power Attack, Cleave (2 flaws)
2-3. Fighter (Dwarf 1 racial sub level), Axe Focus, Improved Initiative, Destructive Rage
4-5. Hexblade
6. Occult Slayer (CW), Leap Attack
7. Exotic Weapon Master, Uncanny Blow
8-17. Frenzied Bersereker, Extra Rage, Extra Rage, Combat Focus
18-20. Occult Slayer, Combat Vigor
The Dwarf Fighter 1 racial substitution level is in Races of Stone, it replaces your Fighter 1 bonus feat with Weapon Focus in all axe-type weapons, and gets d12 instead of d10 HP. With Hexblade and Occult Slayer you'll have a decent Will save, and both of those plus the Dwarf racial traits will give you an amazing save bonus vs spells and spell-like abilities. With both Rage and Frenzy up and Uncanny Blow you'll be doing quite a bit of damage using a Dwarven Waraxe two-handed, especially with Leap Attack. Visit the Otyugh Hole detailed in Complete Scoundrel to get Iron Will for free.
I can't do this build because I have to finish a prestige class if I enter one. I have looked at the occult slayer and that looks good. Maybe I should go occult slayer from level 6 - 10 and then frenzy berserker after that.
Another question I have been comparing the hexblade and the duskblade and the hex blade seems weaker than the duskblade. I'm wondering if I am missing something?
That otyugh hole sounds interesting also for roleplaying
I'm very glad for all the help I get to complete my build!
Thanks for the help everybody!!!
I'm not allowed to use bullheaded because it's not in the complete books or playershandbook. I can take iron will and I can't find cumbersone will. What book is that in?
I am sorry you said that and I read it, but the book selection didn't take due to sleep deprivation. Cumbersone Will is in Savage Species.
)I am sorry you said that and I read it, but the book selection didn't take due to sleep deprivation. Cumbersone Will is in Savage Species.
don't worry about that I appreciate the advice!
While we're at it, if Savage Species material is allowed for you, take the feat pain mastery, which increase your Strength by 2 for every 50 points of damage you take. Combined with you deathless frenzy, this could become quite fearsome (especially if a that insane hulking hurler happens to be around; my guess is you could sunder earth after being hit by him
That sounds like a interesting feat, but it requires toughness. This might be a stupid question but if you take a 100 damage and is healed in the middel of the fight do you still have your + 4 str?
Endurance and steadfast determination (PHB II). Steadfast determination lets you use you con modifier for will saves instead of wis so you can completely dump wis
Damn this is yummy, that could really help me with my saves since my con will probably end up being goodie.
I still need to solve the problem of what classes to take but I saw the ranger gets endurance for free at 3rd level. Is there a way to get it as a barbarian? because 3 levels ranger would give me xp penalties since I would have 1 barb, 4 fighter, 3 ranger. Again thanks a bunch for all the input!
Damn this is yummy, that could really help me with my saves since my con will probably end up being goodie.
Again thanks a bunch for all the input!
If you're sticking with Human as your race, then the highest level class doesn't count towards XP penalties (as Humans have Favoured Class: Any) which should let you get away with it, except level 1 Barbarian.
Of course, depending on whether you're starting at ECL 1 or not, you'll have to watch your build, but that should be about it.
Maybe try something like:
1- Barbarian 1 (Lion Totem, Intimidating Rage, Destructive Rage)
2- Fighter 1 (Power Attack)
3- Fighter 2 (Cleave, Extra or Extend Rage)
4- Ranger 1 (+1 Con, Str or Dex depending on what you're lacking)
5- Ranger 2
6- Ranger 3 (Endurance, Steadfast Determination)
That neatly allows you to side-step the XP penalties, and should (can't tell for sure as I don't have my books with me) allow entry into Frenzied Berserker from lvl 7 onwards. If not, then you have the option of popping in Barb 2 for Uncanny Dodge, and the allowment of increasing Fighter to 4, still without XP penalty.
I'm sure I've made a fatal flaw somewhere, but it's 0430 and I'm sure someone will be able to optimise further/correct my mistakes.
That sounds like a interesting feat, but it requires toughness. This might be a stupid question but if you take a 100 damage and is healed in the middel of the fight do you still have your + 4 str?
You also need a 20 Con (you should get it fairly easily with your 55 points buy). The bonus last until the end of the encounter, at which point you are exhausted, but with no other reference to loosing the bonus for being healed. So you keep the bonus even if healed.
And yes toughness is a sucky feat but it often gives you access to very good feat.
I still need to solve the problem of what classes to take but I saw the ranger gets endurance for free at 3rd level. Is there a way to get it as a barbarian? because 3 levels ranger would give me xp penalties since I would have 1 barb, 4 fighter, 3 ranger.
Yes, but it's not ideal. Unearthed Arcana has the Horse Totem Barbarian, which grants Endurance at 5th, along with some other goodies at 2nd and 3rd. The totem concept outlined there appears to be distinct from the one in Complete Champion; you'd have to do some pretty fast talking to get the DM to allow both totems, but it is potentially viable. Come up with a way to switch tribal loyalty without losing Lion Totem's Pounce awesomeness, for instance, since all the listed benefits are at different levels.
If you're sticking with Human as your race, then the highest level class doesn't count towards XP penalties (as Humans have Favoured Class: Any) which should let you get away with it, except level 1 Barbarian.
Of course, depending on whether you're starting at ECL 1 or not, you'll have to watch your build, but that should be about it.
Maybe try something like:
1- Barbarian 1 (Lion Totem, Intimidating Rage, Destructive Rage)
2- Fighter 1 (Power Attack)
3- Fighter 2 (Cleave, Extra or Extend Rage)
4- Ranger 1 (+1 Con, Str or Dex depending on what you're lacking)
5- Ranger 2
6- Ranger 3 (Endurance, Steadfast Determination)
That neatly allows you to side-step the XP penalties, and should (can't tell for sure as I don't have my books with me) allow entry into Frenzied Berserker from lvl 7 onwards. If not, then you have the option of popping in Barb 2 for Uncanny Dodge, and the allowment of increasing Fighter to 4, still without XP penalty.
I'm sure I've made a fatal flaw somewhere, but it's 0430 and I'm sure someone will be able to optimise further/correct my mistakes.
As for race, yes I plan on sticking with human for the free feat and also because I don't see the other races offering anything.
I need to look and see if there are posibilities for swaping some of the ranger feats for something better since I will be using two handed weapons and hopefully karmic fighter.
I have been looking at a build with the occult slayer I just can't judge if he is worth it´anythoughts?
If you have extra space lying around in your build, going Hexblade 3 for Mettle (Ex) is actually very good for a Frenzied Berzerker. Why, you ask? Well, if you're below zero HP and a disintegrate hits you, normally you're dust; with Mettle this can be avoided with a Fort save (dusting is a partial effect of a saved disintegrate). Another little bonus of Hexblade is the good Will progression, if you're still having trouble making your will save at high levels.
mettle looks really sweet nizzle my jizzle. but besides that I don't really get anything out of the hex blade besides the saves too ofcourse
I for the later levels. I think I'm keeping him and the occult slayer in the house.You also need a 20 Con (you should get it fairly easily with your 55 points buy). The bonus last until the end of the encounter, at which point you are exhausted, but with no other reference to loosing the bonus for being healed. So you keep the bonus even if healed.
And yes toughness is a sucky feat but it often gives you access to very good feat.
20 con should be easy to net, but it's more with the feats since I would love to get my dirty little hands on karmic fighter and shock trooper so that I can charge people and take the power attack penalty to ac instead of bab^^
Yes, but it's not ideal. Unearthed Arcana has the Horse Totem Barbarian, which grants Endurance at 5th, along with some other goodies at 2nd and 3rd. The totem concept outlined there appears to be distinct from the one in Complete Champion; you'd have to do some pretty fast talking to get the DM to allow both totems, but it is potentially viable. Come up with a way to switch tribal loyalty without losing Lion Totem's Pounce awesomeness, for instance, since all the listed benefits are at different levels.
That makes me drool mmm yummy but I know that once I mention unearthed arcana my dm is going to laugh at me and then laugh at me again.
But I will look it up. I found something nice in CC Champion of the Wild for the ranger but then I would have to go 4 levels ranger. but still that ranger is haunting me. I'm going to work a little on my dm with the totems.
Btw I'm so happy for everybodies advice! Thank you veyr much guys and don't stop yet
I need to look and see if there are posibilities for swaping some of the ranger feats for something better since I will be using two handed weapons and hopefully karmic fighter.
You can always try to blag a different bonus feat instead of TWF at Ranger 2 from your DM, even if it's just a cheap Weapon Focus or whatever.
I have been looking at a build with the occult slayer I just can't judge if he is worth it´anythoughts?
Looks good. The extra bumps to your saves will help until you reach level 5 Occ and become immune to compulsion, and the weapon bond can cause extra giggles if you decide to slap Magebane (CAr version) onto a specific weapon for murdering spellcasters.
mettle looks really sweet nizzle my jizzle. but besides that I don't really get anything out of the hex blade besides the saves too ofcourse
Haven't really looked at the Hexblade, and haven't played one, so I'm not going to comment on it :P
I found something nice in CC Champion of the Wild for the ranger but then I would have to go 4 levels ranger. but still that ranger is haunting me. I'm going to work a little on my dm with the totems.
To be honest, wisdom isn't going to be your forte, but it does mean that you'll be running a barb1/fighter2/ranger4/occult5/frenzied8 at level 20, giving you a XP penalty (either lvl7 or lvl10, but you will get one) in return for a bonus feat and animal companion at Ranger4.
Personally, I hate using familiars/companions, so I'd try to squeeze in another variant, or sweet-talk the DM into letting me ignore the XP penalty if I ditch my companion :D
I need to look and see if there are posibilities for swaping some of the ranger feats for something better since I will be using two handed weapons and hopefully karmic fighter.
Check Crystal Keep for alternate Ranger fighting styles from Dragon #326. Strong Arm Style might fit your idea pretty well.