I've been thinking up a concept for a role playing server I want to start playing in again, but I'm a little unsure about how to build it properly.

The server has a maximum of 30 levels, and in order to multiclass with another primary class the character has to have at least three consecutive levels in the first class and then three consecutive levels in the second class to take a third class. Levels 28, 29, and 30 also have to be the same class. I think the best weapons are +3 attack with +6 damage (level 17 minimum) and best armor AC is +3 (level 11 minimum).

I would like to use the Wild Elf subrace, which changes the favored class to Sorcerer and has an additional +2 Dex and -2 Int.

In my prototype build, I started with 16 strength and constitution, and I was shooting for Thundering and Terrifying Rage with Great Strength feats. What I'm not sure about is what to use for pre-epic feats. Intelligence is not important as long as I have enough skill points for Tumble, Discipline, and Intimidate. nwn2 is another forum. Also, since bioware closed the mains here, i am not sure how much help is here. YOu can try the new bioware social nwn2 forum for help. Not sure if ECB2 is there but they do have builders on the forum. Er... Avado, I see no hint that the request is for NWN2... He does mention a subrace, but he tells us what it changes, which implies that this is a house rule. Anyways...

Short list, given just a slight bit of thought:

Blind Fight
Weapon Focus
Imp Crit
Expertise (if you have the INT, which you may not)
KD/IKD (as above)

Maybe Power Attack and Cleave

Also, it's likely worth multiclassing, perhaps fighter4, for combat featy goodness, heavy armor, and Weapon Specialization. If you're playing towards a certain level, where you really want the goodness to kick in, Rogue would finish it out nicely. Both will give you an XP penalty, but I would imagine that if you are willing to play an Elven barbarian, then you won't mind too much. The server is on NWN, not NWN2, and it has its own subrace system.

I may reconsider the low intelligence, as he will be an elf and even wild elves are not stupid. He will at least have a decent wisdom so that he's not a "me strong warrior, me kill things dead" barbarian. I could at least take advantage of the base elven intelligence bonus, which still applies.
Quote: Posted 07/23/10 19:23 (GMT) -- innic

The server is on NWN, not NWN2, and it has its own subrace system.

I may reconsider the low intelligence, as he will be an elf and even wild elves are not stupid. He will at least have a decent wisdom so that he's not a "me strong warrior, me kill things dead" barbarian. I could at least take advantage of the base elven intelligence bonus, which still applies.

Elves get +2 DEX and -2 CON. No INT bonus there, dude.

Also, IMO going for MIGHTY RAGE is impossible, I think, because you'd have a -2 CON penalty to begin with and need at least 21 CON and 21 STR to be able to get it. I am pretty sure you won't have enough stat increases to attain that unless you go for BARB / SORC / RDD or BARB / BARD / RDD, which would either avoid XP penalty if Sorcerer is the Favored class or be one of the most used class combos in the history of NWN.

Furthermore, going for Mighty Rage, even if possible probably means you'd have to get some pretty bad starting stats overall to have enough CON and STR and possibly drop your epic combat feats for stat increases. My advice, settle for Greater Rage and do a Barb 16 / Rogue 13 / SD 1 Epic Dodge DEX build.

The rage should give you a nice boost to Damage and HP, while a DEX build could better suit your elven traits.

Just a thought..

Take it EZ!

Edited By Maximillian Kane on 07/23/10 22:22

Quote: Posted 07/23/10 22:09 (GMT) -- Maximillian Kane

Quote: Posted 07/23/10 19:23 (GMT) -- innic

The server is on NWN, not NWN2, and it has its own subrace system.

I may reconsider the low intelligence, as he will be an elf and even wild elves are not stupid. He will at least have a decent wisdom so that he's not a "me strong warrior, me kill things dead" barbarian. I could at least take advantage of the base elven intelligence bonus, which still applies.

Elves get +2 DEX and -2 CON. No INT bonus there, dude.

Also, IMO going for MIGHTY RAGE is impossible, I think, because you'd have a -2 CON penalty to begin with and need at least 21 CON and 21 STR to be able to get it. I am pretty sure you won't have enough stat increases to attain that unless you go for BARB / SORC / RDD or BARB / BARD / RDD, which would either avoid XP penalty if Sorcerer is the Favored class or be one of the most used class combos in the history of NWN.

Furthermore, going for Mighty Rage, even if possible probably means you'd have to get some pretty bad starting stats overall to have enough CON and STR and possibly drop your epic combat feats for stat increases. My advice, settle for Greater Rage and do a Barb 16 / Rogue 13 / SD 1 Epic Dodge DEX build.

The rage should give you a nice boost to Damage and HP, while a DEX build could better suit your elven traits.

Just a thought..

Take it EZ!

I know I can't shoot for Mighty Rage as an elven barbarian, so I was planning on going for Terrifying and Thundering Rage.

The 16 barbarian/13 rogue/1 shadowdancer would not work on the server as I would need to take at least three levels of it. Taking Red Dragon Disciple levels is heavily restricted by the admin and the last time I played there were only two in the entire game.

As sorcerer is the Wild Elf's favored class, I'm reluctant to multiclass with primary classes, since there's no escaping the penalty. If my first class is barbarian, I need to get to barbarian level 3 before I can take a level in another class.

An alternative to barbarian I was considering is ranger, but the monsters are so diverse that I wouldn't know what to make favored enemies.
Quote: I know I can't shoot for Mighty Rage as an elven barbarian, so I was planning on going for Terrifying and Thundering Rage.

Thundering Rage is nothing special, it's the same as a temporary Overwhelming Critical. Terrifying Rage is nice, but you will need to max out Intimidate, and you're already short on skill points, and being an elf only makes sense if you do a DEX based barbarian.

Quote: The 16 barbarian/13 rogue/1 shadowdancer would not work on the server as I would need to take at least three levels of it. Taking Red Dragon Disciple levels is heavily restricted by the admin and the last time I played there were only two in the entire game.

Ok, if the best class spread is illegal, then go Barbarian 15 / Rogue 10 / Shadowdancer 5. It makes the build worse, but legal. It still gets Epic Dodge, but loses 2d6 Sneak Attack damage. You could go for Barbarian 12 Rogue 4 Shadowdancer 4 pre-epic, like this:

1- Rogue (for more Skill Points) - Dodge
2- Rogue
3- Rogue - Weapon Finesse
4- Barbarian
5- Barbarian
6- Barbarian - Mobility
7- Rogue
8- Shadowdancer
9- Barbarian - Weapon Focus
10- Barbarian
11- Barbarian
12- Shadowdancer - Knockdown
13- Barbarian
14- Barbarian
15- Barbarian - Improved Knockdown
16- Barbarian
17- Shadowdancer
18- Barbarian - Improved Critical
19- Barbarian
20- Shadowdancer

With this class combo on an elf, XP penalties are something you won't be able to get away from.

On the 10th Rogue level you will get Improved Evasion to qualify for Epic Dodge. Try to start with at least 14 Intelligence to have enough Skill Points to use. I wouldn't go for Terrifying Rage if I were you, I'd give preference to Hide, Move Silently, Listen (or Spot), Tumble, UMD. However, I'd have to do the math to know if you have enough skill points to get MAX intimidate also, and I don't want to . You do it and figure it out

Take it EZ!

Edited By Maximillian Kane on 07/24/10 11:21

Does your serve have any special rules for Terrifying Rage?

In my experience, the best reason to play a barbarian is Terrifying Rage, but my experiences with the feat have always come in a world where it's been beefed up a bit. It's hard for me to say how worthwhile it is in vanilla NWN.

That said, as starved for skill points as you like, it's really pretty awesome to combine sneaking w/ Terrifying Rage. It may not be entirely worth it on paper, if the feat in question is unmodified, but it's something no other class can get, which, IMO, so long as it's remotely useful, makes it worthwhile.
Quote: Posted 07/24/10 16:20 (GMT) -- onion eater

Does your serve have any special rules for Terrifying Rage?

In my experience, the best reason to play a barbarian is Terrifying Rage, but my experiences with the feat have always come in a world where it's been beefed up a bit. It's hard for me to say how worthwhile it is in vanilla NWN.

That said, as starved for skill points as you like, it's really pretty awesome to combine sneaking w/ Terrifying Rage. It may not be entirely worth it on paper, if the feat in question is unmodified, but it's something no other class can get, which, IMO, so long as it's remotely useful, makes it worthwhile.

This build can do it so long as he takes the last Barb level on a general feat lvl. In the spread, he still has 3 Barb levels to take in the epics. It needs at least 25 ranks of intimidate, which means he can take Terrifying Rage on levels 24, 27 or 30, but since the requirement is also Greater Rage (attained at Barb 15), he'd have to settle for 30 Discipline at the most. That means he'd have to take that last Barbarian level at 27, since at 30 it'd be Epic Dodge time. Or he could take the last 3 lvls of Barbarian and take ED at 27, but that'd mean not maxing out the stealth skills, which IMO is kinda critical to the build.

Take it EZ! Terrifying rage is unchanged, and the last three levels have to be the same, so 30 can't be Shadowdancer if 28 and 29 are Barbarian.
Quote: Posted 07/24/10 18:31 (GMT) -- innic

Terrifying rage is unchanged, and the last three levels have to be the same, so 30 can't be Shadowdancer if 28 and 29 are Barbarian.

Then here's my solution, forget Discipline and go for this:

21- Barbarian - Epic Weapon Focus
22- Rogue
23- Barbarian
24- Barbarian - Terrifying Rage
25- Shadowdancer
26- Rogue
27- Rogue - Armor Skin (IMO the best option) or Epic Prowess
28- Rogue
29- Rogue
30- Rogue - Improved Evasion, Epic Dodge (requires 25+ DEX, so you gotta start with a HIGH DEX (at least 18, preferably 20) and check if you'll have enough here. If not, take one Great Dex instead of Armor Skin.

Take it EZ!

Edited By Maximillian Kane on 07/24/10 20:50

I just now found out that in order to take Shadowdancer levels, both the build and role play concept must be approved by a DM and then a quest must be completed after the character is already made. If I prepare to take Shadowdancer levels but the character is not approved, then I will be stuck. All of the active prestige classes require some sort of quest and/or approval, and the Shifter and Red Dragon Disciple are the most tightly restricted prestige classes of all, as they require Admin approval and RDD needs a minimum of 12 sorcerer or bard levels.

I really appreciate the help I've been offered here, so I should apologize for not having known about this sooner.
Quote: Posted 07/25/10 00:28 (GMT) -- innic

I just now found out that in order to take Shadowdancer levels, both the build and role play concept must be approved by a DM and then a quest must be completed after the character is already made. If I prepare to take Shadowdancer levels but the character is not approved, then I will be stuck. All of the active prestige classes require some sort of quest and/or approval, and the Shifter and Red Dragon Disciple are the most tightly restricted prestige classes of all, as they require Admin approval and RDD needs a minimum of 12 sorcerer or bard levels.

I really appreciate the help I've been offered here, so I should apologize for not having known about this sooner.

Then come up with a story, dude! Or would you like us to do that as well??

You have the directions to make quite a good build there, all you gotta do is DO IT!

Take it EZ! Elven Barbarians is a heavily contested and debated combo. Most just discard them for having too much flaws to suit the Barbarian class. In the end, it will not be as powerful as its human, dwarven or half-orc counterparts.

But I agree with Onion. Fighter is the most useful combo.

Stats starting like:
Str: 15
Con: 13
Dex: 12
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 8
I didn't bother to check if these stats are completely legal, but its an estimate. Int can be 8 if it has to.

Barb: 1-4
Fighter: 5-8
Barb: 9-20

Feats:
Power Attack
Cleave
Weapon Focus
Weapon Spec
Blind Fight
Knockdown
Etc.

Sadly, Mighty Rage that is the most powerful one, will likely be hard to obtain, unless you min-max to hell. And by the sounds of the restrictions, its not an action server.

If you don't mind some penalties (that they've made sure to make hard for you to avoid) then I'd also say rogue on lv 28-30 for Tumble mostly.