Dwarven Battlerager

[Kayan]

I'm hoping to try out a battlerager-type character, but I've never even tried to build a barbarian type before. I noticed there are some changes that went into effect re: feats and lowered requirements for epic rage, so I put this together:

http://nwn2db.com/build/?273892

Like I said, I have no idea what I'm doing, so this is just a starting point. I'm wondering if I should switch out some of the extended rage feats for armor or AB/damage feats, or if there's something glaring I'm missing here. I went for Fighter over FB for extra feats (and I'm not sure FB's extra power attack bonuses make it worth missing out on those feats).

[Sun Wukong]

In the Palace District of Baldur's Gate, there is a Merchant in the Old Market on the bottom right corner of the map who sells an Amulet with both Extend and Extra Rage feats. It also come swith +3 Natural Armor.

Now, the Extend Rage feat on the amulet does not stack with other Extend Rage feats, but you can use it to get the free Extra Rage feat.

I just want that out of the picture before I go on about the build specifics. Also, played a similar build myself on the server before.

1st change level order:

• You should change your first level to be Barbarian instead of Fighter, you will get more skill points that way, and can throw a few into Open Lock skill.
• Second and third level can be fighter, but I would take your third fighter level at level 20 as it literally gives you nothing.

2nd change Feats:

• Greater Resiliency gives you an additional one point of damage reduction, however, it costs an epic feat that you could have spent on an ability score increase through Great Strength or to get yet another Extend Rage feat.
• Thundering Rage can be nice flavour wise, but I would personally prefer to spend it on a Great Strength feat to get that base 22 strength. Your character will have Epic Rage, and that alone will give you +10 strength and you can only get +2 strength before being hit by the ability score enchantment cap. It means you kind of have to leave your base strength at an even number, but at least you can just keep using some easily acquire Bull's Horn Helmet for the additional +2 strength.
• Finally, you might want to consider switching Luck of Heroes to Able Learner as this server does not give Tumble as a class skill for Barbarians, nor Fighter.

[Kayan]

Thanks for the advice! I made some of your suggested changes, took knockdown instead of extra rage with plans to use the amulet and included a great strength and another extend rage feat.

Is AB going to be a problem here, especially with IPA? Would some weapon feats (since I'm taking fighter levels) be helpful, or are they or largely unnecessary for this?

[chad878262]

AB shouldn't be an issue when raging. When not raging could always use potions of (greater) heroism to supplement AB if necessary. Heroism gives +2 and lasts for 50 minutes real time while Greater gives +4, but only lasts ~13 or 14 minutes IIRC.

[AlfarinIcebreaker]

An off question, does one need UMD to use wands of, say, Mirror Image? I don't remember. And are there potions of Heroism and Shield available somewhere?

[chad878262]

An off question, does one need UMD to use wands of, say, Mirror Image?

yes, I believe all wands require 11 UMD.

And are there potions of Heroism and Shield available somewhere?

Heroism at Thayan Enclave, Shield at Sorcerous Sundries.

[Sun Wukong]

Thanks for the advice! I made some of your suggested changes, took knockdown instead of extra rage with plans to use the amulet and included a great strength and another extend rage feat.

Is AB going to be a problem here, especially with IPA? Would some weapon feats (since I'm taking fighter levels) be helpful, or are they or largely unnecessary for this?

I am not so sure about knockdown without improved knockdown... Personally I would just pile up on Extend Rage feats, because those just give you an almost endless amount of rage in the Epics, which you want to have for the increased AB and AC.

As for AB,
30 (BAB)
+ 4 (Weapon Enchantment Bonus)
+ 12 (Strength modifier during rage)
- 6 (Improved Power Attack)
- 2 (Whirlwind Frenzy Rage variant)
= 38

There are builds that have higher AB, but 38 is enough for clear majority of the server even without stacking Expose Weakness. You are going for a tanky build, so you can just sit still and duke it out.

And if you do need more AB, you can just switch down to Power Attack, or turn it off altogether. Or just gulp down those potions of Heroism.

As for weapon damage:
1d10 (Dwarven Waraxe)
+4 (Weapon Enchantment Bonus)
+12 (Strength)
= 21.5~ damage on an aware hit, and 27.5~ if you are without a shield.

- 24.5~ with Power Attack, and 33.5~ if you are without a shield.
- 27.5~ with Improved Power Attack, and 39.5~ if you are without a shield.

Thus damage wise, you will be okay.

Now, as for feat you could consider adding instead of Knockdown, or Extend Rage is Northlander Hewing. While it does reduce your number of attacks per round with -2 to AC and AB, it also greatly increases your damage per hit and lets you cleave through enemy DR.


I actually got a Barbarian to level 26 without Power Attack or Improved Power Attack by making use of Northlander Hewing. I also started that character from scratch, so being able to hold a shield while dealing lot of damage per hit did help.

In your case, Northlander Hewing would deal:
10 (Dwarven Waraxe)
+4 (Weapon Enchantment Bonus)
+12 (Strength)
+12 (Northlander Hewing Strength based bonus)
= 38 damage a hit, and 44 if you are without a shield.

You could add Power Attack or Improved Power Attack on top of it, but on early levels that does tend to drop your AB little bit too low. However, at level 30 or so, feel free to just turn everything on to throw 56 damage a hit because you just outclass majority of the server!

[thebeasttt]

Make a fully offensive battlerager the way Clanggeddin intended.

20 barb/5 frenzied berserker/5 battlerager