14th lev barb

[Paladin63]

I am starting a 28 pt dwarf barb. Is there any reason to go 14 levels of pure barb or should I fold in a few classes of fighter along with it? Why or why not?

[Blazer]

Stay pure. What you think will be gains by splashing fighter will be offset by the losses of the high level barb skills/enhancements. I'm sure the barb voices will come here and tell you the same thing and it will carry more weight - I've not made a barb in game yet. Regardless, from what they've said, staying pure barb seems the way to go.

How many levels of fighter were you planning and for what purpose? Please don't say "tower shield proficiency". :)

[Paladin63]

Well it had been suggested to me to take 4 overall fighter levels alternating so that I would get a feat each level. No I wouldn't bother with tower shield. Nor do I plan on ever wearing more than medium armor. I was just curious what others thought. Personally, I am a fan of staying pure no matter my class. But don't want to develop tunnel vision on the subject either.

[tihocan]

Any barbarian wants to reach at least 14 (either now or later) to get critical rage II.

[Blazer]

Barbs go one of two directions these days it seems. THF or TWF (usually with picks in this case). In both cases you need the following feats.

THF or TWF
ITHF or ITWF
GTHF or GTWF
Improved Critical
Power Attack

Any race will get 5 feats granted to them, humans will get an extra feat to spend however you wish. I don't see taking fighter levels to gain feats as that beneficial. Taking 4 fighter levels opens up the Weapon Specialization feat (+2 damage) but you'll be missing out on enhancements like Critical Rage I and II, which MORE than make up for that +2 damage.

Stay pure barb.

[JustTurner]

I play a pure Barb and i love it
I play a slasher and i haven't met many ( if any ) pick users as far as barbs so far ( though i have rolled one and is currently level 7)

Level 1 Toughness
Level 3 Weapon Focus: Slash ( very handy for the extra confirmation on crits)
Level 6 Iron Will ( Barbs have a **** poor will save)
Level 9 Improved Crit: Slash ( Big Crit range now with my Dwarven Axe )
Level 12 Power Crit: Slash

But that is just me, there are plenty of fun options with pure barbs

[Hence]

Stay pure barbarian, the critical rage enhancement is the best one in the game. You get that at level 12, and critical rage 2 at level 14. That is when the power curve shifts in favor of the barbarian.

A higher critical range is the best thing any DPS character can have. Think about a Sword of Shadows with a 13-20 crit range... thats just obscene. But regular Greatsword will have a 15-20 crit range. This is with improved critical slash of course.

My Barbarian I am respeccing, right now he has:
Power Attack
Cleave
Improved Critical Slash
Improved Critical Pierce

And I have plans to swap out the other feats I have (not mentioned) with Great Cleave and something else (undetermined).

[Beherit_Baphomar]

There is nothing, imo, better in this game than critical rage II.

I swear if critical rage II was a girl Id make love to her all night long. She would be thee most beautiful girl on earth.

When ya take the THF feats all the way, PA all the way and critical rage II the damage is just.......it makes me emotional just talking about it....its just beautiful. Watching those red numbers fly is just special.

Do not taint your barbarian with some weak foolish class like fighter, you gain nothing. 14 levels of barbarian is what you want, it'll also set you up to get the extra nice stuff at level 17.

Stay pure man, stay pure.















*Dramatization for comical value only, I am not really this mental.

[sigtrent]

I think if you are looking at a character that "is a barbarian" aka a strong DPS machine of total offensive destruction... Splashing anything wtih barbarian is unlikely to increase their DPS.

Multi classing is only going to get in the way because of Crit Rage and the fact that more barbarian levels generaly means more rage time. Splashing Barbarian with another character type has the potential to up their DPS, at least in short bursts.

If you are looking to make a character that "Rages on occasion" then taking X barbarian levels might add something to said character. (all my barbarian characters fall into this category)

[spifflove]

I swear if critical rage II was a girl Id make love to her all night long. She would be thee most beautiful girl on earth.

When ya take the THF feats all the way, PA all the way and critical rage II the damage is just.......it makes me emotional just talking about it....its just beautiful. Watching those red numbers fly is just special.

*Dramatization for comical value only, I am not really this mental.

:eek:

[Shade]

Level 6 Iron Will ( Barbs have a **** poor will save)


No they don't. They have good will saves, rogues have **** poor will saves. At low lvls it can be low depending on your wisdom, but by high lvl it should be great.

Lvl1-10 - +2 over a fighter while raged, reasonable for the fighter to take like luck of heroes of +1 tho, so say +1
lvl11-13 Greater rage brings the will bonus to +3, but really at lvl11 everyone has greater heroism so it has no effect unless hunting a beholder (doesn't stack), so same saves as a fighter really.
lvl14 - Indomitable will - +4 to will saves makes you incredibly resistant to spells, far superior to fighters.

Really with indomitable will and a decent wisdom, Dwarf barbarians have excellent will saves and usualy only fail them in a 1-2. Other races are a bit behind less resistant but still reasonable scores.