I've been playing dwarven defenders for so long that it never dawned on me that having offense would be a nice addition to my defensive capabilities. So, I sat down with my favorite character creator excel sheet and drew up this dwarven barbarian. He was inspired by Phrostbyte's "Dwarven Barbarian That Won't Die." He's an offensive juggernaut that destroys all in his path.

Barbarian 32 / Fighter 8

Playable 1-40 PvM, maybe even PvP depending on the items.

Dwarf, Chaotic Neutral

Str 16 (26)
Dex 10
Con 19 (21)
Int 13
Wis 8
Cha 6

01: Barbarian(1): Weapon Focus: Greatsword
02: Barbarian(2): Bb: (Uncanny Dodge I)
03: Fighter(1): Power Attack, Cleave
04: Fighter(2): CON+1, Great Cleave, (CON=20)
05: Fighter(3)
06: Fighter(4): Knockdown, Weapon Specialization: Greatsword
07: Barbarian(3)
08: Barbarian(4): CON+1, (CON=21)
09: Barbarian(5): Improved Knockdown
10: Barbarian(6)
11: Barbarian(7)
12: Barbarian(8): STR+1, Improved Critical: Greatsword, (STR=17)
13: Barbarian(9)
14: Barbarian(10)
15: Barbarian(11): Toughness
16: Barbarian(12): STR+1, (STR=18)
17: Barbarian(13)
18: Barbarian(14): Skill Focus: Intimidate
19: Barbarian(15)
20: Barbarian(16): STR+1, (STR=19)
21: Fighter(5): Epic Weapon Focus: Greatsword
22: Fighter(6): Epic Weapon Specialization: Greatsword
23: Barbarian(17)
24: Barbarian(18): STR+1, Great Strength I, (STR=21)
25: Barbarian(19)
26: Barbarian(20)
27: Fighter(7): Great Strength II, (STR=22)
28: Fighter(8): STR+1, Overwhelming Critical: Greatsword, (STR=23)
29: Barbarian(21)
30: Barbarian(22): Epic Damage Reduction I
31: Barbarian(23)
32: Barbarian(24): STR+1, Mighty Rage, (STR=24)
33: Barbarian(25): Epic Damage Reduction II
34: Barbarian(26)
35: Barbarian(27)
36: Barbarian(28): STR+1, Epic Damage Reduction III, Terrifying Rage, (STR=25)
37: Barbarian(29)
38: Barbarian(30)
39: Barbarian(31): Epic Skill Focus: Intimidate
40: Barbarian(32): STR+1, Thundering Rage, (STR=26)

Hitpoints: 704
Skillpoints: 199
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 29/15/16
BAB: 30
AB (max, naked): 41 (melee), 30 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 12/23

Discipline 43 (51)
Heal 43 (42)
Intimidate 43 (54)
Listen 7 (6)
Taunt 43 (41)
Tumble 10 (10)

01: Discipline(4), Heal(4), Intimidate(4), Taunt(4), Save(4),
02: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
03: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
04: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
05: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
06: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
07: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(5), Taunt(5),
08: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
09: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
10: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
11: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
12: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
13: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
14: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
15: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Tumble(5),
16: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
17: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
18: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
19: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
20: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
21: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
22: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
23: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(3), Taunt(3),
24: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
25: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
26: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
27: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
28: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Save(1),
29: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(3), Taunt(3),
30: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
31: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
32: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Save(1),
33: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Taunt(1), Tumble(5),
34: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Listen(1), Taunt(1),
35: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Listen(1), Taunt(1),
36: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Listen(1), Taunt(1),
37: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Listen(1), Taunt(1),
38: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Listen(1), Taunt(1),
39: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Listen(1), Taunt(1),
40: Discipline(1), Heal(1), Intimidate(1), Listen(1), Taunt(1),

The biggest weakness I can see is that tiny brain of his. Anything shiny will cause him to stand in awe and drool while he's beat to death by some wizard's walking stick. My only suggestion to help that is either the Cowl of Warding or Potions of Clairty.

Any and all suggestions to help better this build will be very much appreciated.

King Harbromm

Edited By griphook on 10/07/05 20:48

Overwhelming crit is a bit overrated. For the feats involved, I find your character can be much more effective with a few tweaks:

Drop great cleave and skill focus(it is only 3) and replace those with Expertise(for situational AC boost) and Blindfight(a must for any melee character). Then replace overwhelming crit with armor skin.

Over all, a pretty straight up skull smasher who should kill first and collect shiny things later.

Edited By Talamier on 10/05/05 00:26

Cool build. My suggestion would be to drop Over Crit and take DR I as your FTR 8 bonus feat. Then take GRT CON I at level 30. That will net you +1 on your Fort saves and 40 more HPs at the cost of only 1d6 damage on a crit.

That may actually serve to free up Toughness for Blind Fight. Personally, I'd keep Skill Focus:Intimidate, since you're suffering a -2 on Intimidate from your CHA. That way, you end up with a net +1.
_________________
Wave upon wave of demented avengers marched cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream... What about taking 4 levels of CoT in place of Fighter to get a small boost to saves? I did that with my Barb 30/Ftr 4/CoT 6 and liked the result.

Kaliban
_________________
The people he knew were less than golden-hearted
Gamblers and robbers, drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me Here's the revised build so far...

Barbarian 32 / Fighter 4 / Champion of Torm 4

Dwarf, Chaotic Neutral

01: Barbarian(1): Weapon Focus: Greatsword
02: Barbarian(2): Bb: (Uncanny Dodge I)
03: Fighter(1): Power Attack, Cleave
04: Fighter(2): CON+1, Great Cleave, (CON=20)
05: Fighter(3)
06: Fighter(4): Knockdown, Weapon Specialization: Greatsword
07: Barbarian(3)
08: Barbarian(4): CON+1, (CON=21)
09: Barbarian(5): Improved Knockdown
10: Barbarian(6)
11: Barbarian(7)
12: Barbarian(8): STR+1, Improved Critical: Greatsword, (STR=17)
13: Barbarian(9)
14: Barbarian(10)
15: Barbarian(11): Blind Fight
16: Barbarian(12): STR+1, (STR=18)
17: Barbarian(13)
18: Barbarian(14): Skill Focus: Intimidate
19: Barbarian(15)
20: Barbarian(16): STR+1, (STR=19)
21: Champion of Torm(1): Epic Weapon Focus: Greatsword
22: Champion of Torm(2): Epic Weapon Specialization: Greatsword
23: Barbarian(17)
24: Barbarian(18): STR+1, Great Strength I, (STR=21)
25: Barbarian(19)
26: Barbarian(20)
27: Champion of Torm(3): Great Strength II, CT: (Smite Evil), (STR=22)
28: Champion of Torm(4): STR+1, Epic Damage Reduction I, (STR=23)
29: Barbarian(21)
30: Barbarian(22): Epic Damage Reduction II
31: Barbarian(23)
32: Barbarian(24): STR+1, Mighty Rage, (STR=24)
33: Barbarian(25): Epic Damage Reduction III
34: Barbarian(26)
35: Barbarian(27)
36: Barbarian(28): STR+1, Great Constitution I, Terrifying Rage, (STR=25), (CON=22)
37: Barbarian(29)
38: Barbarian(30)
39: Barbarian(31): Epic Skill Focus: Intimidate
40: Barbarian(32): STR+1, Thundering Rage, (STR=26)

Hitpoints: 704
Skillpoints: 199
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 32/17/18
BAB: 30
AB (max, naked): 41 (melee), 30 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 12/23

Anything else?

King Harbromm
Quote: Posted 10/05/05 00:37:33 (GMT) -- Cinnabar Din

Cool build. My suggestion would be to drop Over Crit and take DR I as your FTR 8 bonus feat. Then take GRT CON I at level 30. That will net you +1 on your Fort saves and 40 more HPs at the cost of only 1d6 damage on a crit.

That may actually serve to free up Toughness for Blind Fight. Personally, I'd keep Skill Focus:Intimidate, since you're suffering a -2 on Intimidate from your CHA. That way, you end up with a net +1.

Ah yes, intimidate is Cha based. Good call there Cin.

Still, great cleave is not the best feat. If you think about it, there are not going to be any monsters near your character's level that you can 1 hit kill to keep swinging. True, it's cool to run into a pack of kobolds at level 30 and watch the carnage ensue, but it will not benefit you against anything near your level. I'd throw toughness in to replace it for even more beefiness. I'm going to keep great cleave vice toughness. In playtesting, he hits pretty hard with a greatsword. He was able to, on a fairly consistant basis, hit for 40+ damage and even great cleave a few ogres. That's worth it to me.

King Harbromm
Quote: Posted 10/05/05 02:18:11 (GMT) -- Talamier

Ah yes, intimidate is Cha based. Good call there Cin.

Still, great cleave is not the best feat. If you think about it, there are not going to be any monsters near your character's level that you can 1 hit kill to keep swinging. True, it's cool to run into a pack of kobolds at level 30 and watch the carnage ensue, but it will not benefit you against anything near your level. I'd throw toughness in to replace it for even more beefiness.

Great Cleave does not rely on one-hit kills. What it does is allow you to Cleave as many times in a round as you kill something. As an example, imagine your character is Hasted and gets 5 attacks:

ROUND 1
Attack 1: hit, damage
Attack 2: hit, damage
Attack 3: miss
Attack 4: miss
Haste Attack: hit, kill
Great Cleave: critical hit, damage

ROUND 2
Attack 1: hit, kill
Great Cleave: hit, damage
Attack 2: Hit, damage
Attack 3: Hit, kill
Great Cleave: Hit, damage
Attack 4: miss
Haste Attack: critical hit, kill
Great Cleave: hit

Just an example, but I've seen this type of thing happen a number of times. That's 4 cleaves in 2 rounds. Not insignificant. (The cleave attack is at your highest AB, IIRC)
_________________
Wave upon wave of demented avengers marched cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream...