Shield Charging Battlerager Advice

[Blaze997]

I am working on the most fun way to build a shield charging battlerager. So far, I'm thinking something like 12 fighter, 4 barbarian, 5 battlerager. 9 frenzied berserker, but I am struggling with a few things. For one thing, I'm not sure if weapon mastery: blunt weapons works for shield bash. Also, I think I'll need at least fast healing I to use frenzy regularly, but I'm not sure how much AB I'll need in 25+ content. Is the extra con and feats for fast healing worth the hit to str/AB?

I feel like I'm using a strange combination of classes, but I need fighter to get all the shield charge related feats, and frenzied berserker gives my otherwise weak shield bashes a lot more damage with enhanced power attack and frenzy strength. Also, I need death ward to stop harms and no save level drains somehow, so I might as well have deathless frenzy.

Anyway here is what I have so far. I'm hoping someone can help me, especially with the lvl 18 general feat, and the epic feats. Is improved power attack even worth it with this build? It has solid but not amazing AB.

Shield Dwarf
Str 16 (+4)
Dex 14
Con 18 (+3)
Int 14
Wis 8
Cha 6
Background: Furious charger
1 (Barbarian): Shield bash, standard rage
2 (Fighter): Knockdown
3 (Fighter): Shield charge, power attack
4 (Fighter):
5 (Fighter): Cleave
6 (Battlerager): Shield slam, gruff, rock gut
7 (Battlerager): Fearless
8 (Battlerager): Improved UA strike, powerful charge
9 (Battlerager): Great cleave, reckless offensive, improved knockdown
10 (Battlerager): Dire charge
11 (Frenzied berserker): Toughness, Frenzy
12 (Frenzied berserker): Supreme cleave, steadfast determination
13 (Frenzied berserker):
14 (Frenzied berserker): Deathless frenzy
15 (Frenzied berserker): Enhanced power attack, blind fight
16 (Fighter):
17 (Fighter): Weapon focus light flail
18 (Fighter): Lightning reflexes?
19 (Fighter): Weapon specialization light flail
20 (Frenzied berserker): Inspire frenzy
21 (Frenzied berserker): Fast healing I
22 (Frenzied berserker): Greater frenzy
23 (Barbarian): Uncanny dodge
24 (Fighter): Epic prowess
25 (Fighter): Greater WF light flail
26 (Fighter):
27 (Fighter): Weapon mastery: Blunt, Great Str
28 (Barbarian):
29 (Barbarian): Rage 2x
30 (Frenzied berserker): Great Str

[Hendrak]

Enhanced PA/IPA doesnt work with Shield Bash. Its on the wiki page.

What are the numbers? AC? AB? DMG?

I dont think your regular barbarian rages will last very long.

Shield Bash only profits from regular PA/IPA and Sneak Attack.

A build i liked was made by Valefort in the past (google nwn2 db + valefort).

Some Shield Dwarf with 20 Rog/10 Fig. Has Hide in Shadows to vanish, Knockdown/IKD,PA/IPA BlindingStrike and of course all Shield feats. Focus on STR. probably also E.Precision.

[chad878262]

Why not Barbarian 21 / Fighter 4 / Battlerager 5?

[Blaze997]

Why not Barbarian 21 / Fighter 4 / Battlerager 5?

That seems like a great idea. I guess the biggest thing I lose is deathless frenzy, and I've seen a fair number of things (especially undead casters) with harm and level drains. 21 barbarian is so much better than 17 barbarian/4 FB otherwise though, ugh! Not sure what to do, but at least now I know I don't need enhanced power attack.

[Blaze997]

Enhanced PA/IPA doesnt work with Shield Bash. Its on the wiki page.

Shield Bash only profits from regular PA/IPA and Sneak Attack.

Sigh, sneak attack works but not enhanced power attack? 20d6 damage is ok, but watch out for that extra 2! Sounds like rog/ftr is the way to go, thanks for the heads up.

[Hendrak]

Depends on your playstyle. Chads suggestion is very nice if you wanna be a frontline barbarian melee.

Way to protect against DeathMagic: High Fortitude save - Steadfast Determination
High UMD - Scrolls of Shadowshield
For All - Wand of DeathWard

[Sun Wukong]

If you can get Toughness and Steafast Determination on that Shield Slamming Barbarian 21/Fighter 4/Battlerager, you will get rather high fortitude saves to partially cover for the lack of Deathless Frenzy.

Not to mention that with Standard Rage you are not in dire need to pump up the Extend Rage feats, and you could just make do with the +3 Natural Armor amulet that grants Extra Rages and Extend Rages.

[Blaze997]

If you can get Toughness and Steafast Determination on that Shield Slamming Barbarian 21/Fighter 4/Battlerager, you will get rather high fortitude saves to partially cover for the lack of Deathless Frenzy.

Not to mention that with Standard Rage you are not in dire need to pump up the Extend Rage feats, and you could just make do with the +3 Natural Armor amulet that grants Extra Rages and Extend Rages.

I might just have to go 17 Bar/4 FB. Greater rage + frenzy gets me to the +12 str cap anyway, and I do have the extra rage/extend rage amulet, which helps frenzy too. Also, I read somewhere that Barbarian and fighter get some kind of elemental endurance feat with medium and heavy armor. Is that implemented yet? At what level is that acquired and what does it do?

I’ve also noticed shield attacks ignore mirror images which is great. It is probably a bug, but I’m not complaining since I think great cleave should clear mirror images anyway. Shield slam stuns casters through images, gg.

[Hendrak]

https://wiki.bgtscc.net/index.php?title ... Efficiency

I would stick with the mentionened build. With Barbarian 17 you are missing a lot. Barb 18 gives Evasion, Barb 20 gives +2 AC and a free extra feat and also allows for E.Rage.

[Blaze997]

https://wiki.bgtscc.net/index.php?title ... Efficiency

I would stick with the mentionened build. With Barbarian 17 you are missing a lot. Barb 18 gives Evasion, Barb 20 gives +2 AC and a free extra feat and also allows for E.Rage.

Ok, thanks for all the information. That sounds like the way to go, epic rage is just too damn good.

[Blaze997]

New plan: 20 Barbarian, 5 Battlerager, 1 Fighter, 4 Frenzied Berserker. Hits 20 barbarian at 30 just in time to take epic rage as the last feat. I can still get all the combat feats I need by lvl 20 by cutting lightning reflexes at 18 and using the 10 Barbarian bonus feat I’ll get at level 20. Improved Knockdown and blind fight just have to wait until a little later.

Are there any items or potions (blind sight?) with blind fight I can acquire to cover myself in the mean time? I don’t seem to need blind fight that often yet anyway.

[Hendrak]

That build violates the 3B20 rule.

Just stick to Barb21/Fig4/BR5. Forget about Lightning Reflexes. Ranger can craft scrolls of Embrace the Wild which give the Blind-Fight feat for 15 minutes. It can be dispelled. BF may not be that important early and is just nice to have at later levels.

[Blaze997]

Oh yeah, forgot about that rule, damn. It shouldn’t apply to favored classes :p