Swashbuckling Bardbarian

[Fhtagn]

I am somewhat intrigued by the idea of a somewhat durable, swashbuckling barbarian/bard with huge crit multipliers, good hp and at least some group utility. He does not have to solo EE, but should be able to contribute well in 2-3 man parties. That being said, I am pretty much clueless when it comes to current endgame equipment (or current endgame, for that matter.)
So, as a first shot at a decent build on these premises (and I do realise there are probably several glaring mistakes and/or oversights):


Death Metal (working title)
11/5/4 Bard/Barbarian/Fighter
Chaotic Good Dwarf


Level Order

1. Bard . . . . . .6. Barbarian . . .11. Bard. . . . . .16. Bard
2. Bard . . . . . .7. Barbarian . . .12. Bard. . . . . .17. Bard
3. Bard . . . . . .8. Barbarian . . .13. Bard. . . . . .18. Fighter
4. Barbarian . . . 9. Fighter. . . . 14. Bard . . . . . 19. Fighter
5. Barbarian . . .10. Fighter. . . . 15. Bard . . . . . 20. Bard


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt. . .32pt. . .34pt. . .36pt . . Tome . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .----. . .----. . .----. . .---- . . ---- . . --------
Strength. . . . 16 . . . 16 . . . 16 . . . 16. . . .+6. . . .4: CON
Dexterity . . . 11 . . . 12 . . . 14 . . . 14. . . .+6. . . .8: CON
Constitution. . 18 . . . 18 . . . 18 . . . 18. . . .+6. . . 12: CON
Intelligence. . .8 . . . .8 . . . .8 . . . .8. . . .+6. . . 16: CON
Wisdom. . . . . .8 . . . .8 . . . .8 . . . .8. . . .+6. . . 20: CON
Charisma. . . . 11 . . . 13 . . . 13 . . . 14. . . .+6. . . 24: CON
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28: CON

Skills
. . . . .Bd Bd Bd Bn Bn Bn Bn Bn Fi Fi Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Fi Fi Bd
. . . . . 1. 2. 3. 4 .5. 6 .7. 8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Perform . 4. 1. 1. ½ .½. ½ .½. ½ . . . .5 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .½. . .3 .23
UMD . . . 4. 1. 1. . . . . . . . . . . .1 .5 .4 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 1 .2 .23
Balance . 4. 1. 1. ½ .½. ½ .½. ½ .½. ½ . . . .1 .3 .1 .4 .1 .½. . . . 20
Tumble. . 4. 1. 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 .1 .4 . . . . . 13
Heal. . . 2. ½. ½. ½ .½. ½ .½. ½ .½. ½ . . . . . ½. 1. . . . ½ .½. 1. 10
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .20. 5. 5. 3 .3. 3 .3. 3 .2. 2 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 .7 .7 .3. 3 .7
. . . . .20. 5. 5. 3 .3. 3 .4. 4 .2. 2 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 .7 .7 .3. 3 .7


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.3. . . . : Force of Personality
.6. . . . : Power Attack
.9. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
.9 Fighter: Improved Critical: Slashing
10 Fighter: Shield Mastery
12. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery
15. . . . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
18. . . . : Extend Spell
19 Fighter: Cleave
21 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic . : Great Cleave
26 Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . : Empower Healing Spell
28 Destiny: Lasting Inspiration


Spells

Expeditious Retreat, Master's Touch, Focusing Chant, Feather Fall
Blur, Invisibility, Rage, Heroism
Displacement, Haste, Good Hope, Cure Serious Wounds
Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, Cure Critical Wounds

Enhancements (80 AP)

Dwarf (18 AP)
Dwarven Toughness, Dwarven Constitution, Dwarven Toughness II, Dwarven Constitution II, Dwarven Toughness III
Axe Training, Dwarven Armor Mastery II
Axe Training
Axe Training
Axe Training, Throw Your Weight Around

Swashbuckler (16 AP)
Confidence, Swashbuckling, Uncanny Dodge
On Your Toes II, Tavern Shanties II
Fast Movement, Double Strike Boost III
Skirmisher

Frenzied Berserker (37 AP)
Die Hard, Frenzied Toughness
Extra Rage III, Die Harder III, Athletics III
Blood Tribute III, Extra Action Boost III, Sprint Boost III
Blood Trail III, Supreme Cleave III, Constitution
Constitution
Focused Wrath II, Accelerated Metabolism, Tantrum

Occult Slayer (9 AP)
Weapon Bond
Extend Rage II, Ear Smash III
Knockout III


Destiny (24 AP)

Legendary Dreadnought
Extra Action Boost III, Constitution
Imp. Power Attack, Constitution
Critical Damage III, Constitution
Anvil of Thunder, Constitution
Devastating Critical
Master's Blitz, Headman's Chop

Twists of Fate (18 fate points)
Primal Scream (Tier 1 Fury)
Legendary Shield Mastery (Tier 2 Sentinel)
Reign (Tier 3 Fatesinger)



I very much hope for input, scalding criticism, encouragement and whatever else you can offer - after all, I would very much like to make this guy work.

Edit: added actual build.

[EllisDee37]

I see the 19-20x8, which sounds fun, but can't figure out the 16-20x3 part. I get either 13-20x3 or 15-20x3 depending on what critical rage stacks with.

20x3 base
18-20x3 swashbuckling
15-20x3 improved critical (the feat doubles the swashbuckling bonus, but a keen weapon does not)
13-20x3 critical rage?

For heroic leveling, Axe of the Unseen Blow (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Axe_of_the_Unseen_Blow) looks like a clear winner with a base profile of 20x4. Unfortunately that appears to be the only enhanced crit handaxe in the game, so figure thunderforge for epics.

I would probably set my leveling order to get improved crit as early as possible.

[Fhtagn]

Oh, right, 15-20. Thanks. :)
Critical Rage won't work with the Crit Mulitplier from Frenzied Berserker, since both are T5.
As for axes, yeah, that was what I had figured. Don't know wether it's viable, though.

[EllisDee37]

Critical Rage won't work with the Crit Mulitplier from Frenzied Berserker, since both are T5.Oh, duh, right.

As for viability, at the very least get a healthy supply of displacement clickies, for sure.

[Fhtagn]

As for viability, at the very least get a healthy supply of displacement clickies, for sure.

I could just cast it, though, couldn't I?
I'll get Haste, Displacement and CSW (and one more) from my lvl 3 spells.

[unbongwah]

So I had a crazy flavor build idea inspired partially by the Ozymoronic Barbarian (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/457067-Ozymoronic-Barbarian): INT-based SWF barb 15 / bard 3 / rog 2 using rapiers. EEEEEHHHHH?!?! :confused:

Bear with me. :)


Barb 15 is for lvl 12 cores and more healing from Blood Strength. [With the recent BS nerf, if you don't care about that, you could dial down the barb lvls to 12.]
Bard 3 is minimum necessary for Swashbuckling.
Rog splash is for the usual reasons: Evasion + UMD + trap skills. With the nerf to armor MRR and the requirement to use light armor on a Swashbuckler, Evasion becomes more important. But how to get good Reflex saves?!
That's where going INT-based comes in: higher Reflex saves from Insightful Reflexes and more DPS from Know the Angles; so Rage is just for activating Crit Rage or other barb effects.
Crit Rage is now a competence bonus, so it will only stack with Swashbuckling if you use rapiers or kukris. So you'll have a 13-20/x3 crit spec (x4 w/Balizarde) by lvl 12.


Feats are tight but doable on a human: SWF (1), Insightful Reflexes (1), Power Atk (3), Shield Mastery (6), ISWF (9), Imp Crit Pierce (12), GSWF (15), Imp Shield Mastery (18), Overwhelming Crit (21), ??? (24), PSWF (26), ??? (27), PTWF (28). Haven't decided what the last two feats should be: Cleave + GC, perhaps?

Enhancements are also pretty tight: 36 APs Ravager (Blood Str + Crit Rage), 14 APs FB (Frenzy, Supreme Cleave), 12 APs Harper (KtA, Strategic Combat), 11 APs SB (stance + Skirmisher), 1 AP human (Dmg Boost), leaving 6 APs for...not a lot, frankly. :p Maybe dump it in OS for Knockout?

[Fhtagn]

So I had a crazy flavor build idea inspired partially by the Ozymoronic Barbarian (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/457067-Ozymoronic-Barbarian): INT-based SWF barb 15 / bard 3 / rog 2 using rapiers. EEEEEHHHHH?!?! :confused:

Bear with me. :)


Barb 15 is for lvl 12 cores and more healing from Blood Strength. [With the recent BS nerf, if you don't care about that, you could dial down the barb lvls to 12.]
Bard 3 is minimum necessary for Swashbuckling.
Rog splash is for the usual reasons: Evasion + UMD + trap skills. With the nerf to armor MRR and the requirement to use light armor on a Swashbuckler, Evasion becomes more important. But how to get good Reflex saves?!
That's where going INT-based comes in: higher Reflex saves from Insightful Reflexes and more DPS from Know the Angles; so Rage is just for activating Crit Rage or other barb effects.
Crit Rage is now a competence bonus, so it will only stack with Swashbuckling if you use rapiers or kukris. So you'll have a 13-20/x3 crit spec (x4 w/Balizarde) by lvl 12.


Feats are tight but doable on a human: SWF (1), Insightful Reflexes (1), Power Atk (3), Shield Mastery (6), ISWF (9), Imp Crit Pierce (12), GSWF (15), Imp Shield Mastery (18), Overwhelming Crit (21), ??? (24), PSWF (26), ??? (27), PTWF (28). Haven't decided what the last two feats should be: Cleave + GC, perhaps?

Enhancements are also pretty tight: 36 APs Ravager (Blood Str + Crit Rage), 14 APs FB (Frenzy, Supreme Cleave), 12 APs Harper (KtA, Strategic Combat), 11 APs SB (stance + Skirmisher), 1 AP human (Dmg Boost), leaving 6 APs for...not a lot, frankly. :p Maybe dump it in OS for Knockout?

I had been thinking about something similar (inspired by different int-based swashbuckler builds I had seen somewhere). Quite different from the dwarf above, more versatile for sure, and with better defenses, yet significantly less HP. Still, that 19-20/x8 is tempting... Though I could get close if I run this as a FB instead of Ravager, making it 15-20/x4, 19-20/x7. This would lose out on the bard spellcasting, mostly, but then again, the core enhancements might be worth that.

Can you tell I find it hard to decide how to roll?

Edit: and you're not making it any easier :p

[EllisDee37]

I could just cast it, though, couldn't I?
I'll get Haste, Displacement and CSW (and one more) from my lvl 3 spells.My thinking is that without extend, your self-cast haste and displacement would only last 60 seconds. Greensteel lasts for 90. Neither are very good, but in terms of dismissing rage so you can cast/clicky, 90 is better.

If you can fit in Extend, I would recommend you do.

[Fhtagn]

If you can fit in Extend, I would recommend you do.

If I go with the proposed class split, I should be able to - thank you for the reminder!

[Thoden]

...any reports on how well it's "performing"? I'm particularly interested in how well the Blood Strength works out with the speed of SWF. Also, Swashbuckling doesn't work with raging right? ...or does it?

[unbongwah]

Also, Swashbuckling doesn't work with raging right? ...or does it?
Swashbuckling works fine with Rage. Precision doesn't, though, which is why you take Power Atk on these builds instead.

[Thoden]

Swashbuckling works fine with Rage. Precision doesn't, though, which is why you take Power Atk on these builds instead.

So, that's why STR isn't dumped, ok. What I don't get is why Rapiers/Kukris and not other weapons?

Crit Rage is now a competence bonus, so it will only stack with Swashbuckling if you use rapiers or kukris. So you'll have a 13-20/x3 crit spec (x4 w/Balizarde) by lvl 12.

[unbongwah]

Prior to the recent balance pass, Crit Rage was an untyped bonus which stacked with everything, AFAICT. So a Swashbuckler / Ravager combo could use any Finesseable weapon and always gain +2 crit range from Crit Rage.

However, Crit Rage is now a competence bonus, which means in order to gain full advantage from it on a SWF bard / barb, you need to use a weapon which doesn't gain any crit range bonuses from Swashbuckling. Otherwise they won't stack; e.g., if you used handaxes, the +2 crit range from Swashbuckling is the same bonus type as Crit Rage, so there would be no improvement to your crit range. Which means this combo uses just rapiers or kukris.

EDIT: note that I'm talking about my proposed build (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/467381-Swashbuckling-Bardbarian?p=5717791&viewfull=1#post5717791), not the OP's build, which uses handaxes and goes T5 Berserker, not Ravager.

[Thoden]

Prior to the recent balance pass, Crit Rage was an untyped bonus which stacked with everything, AFAICT. So a Swashbuckler / Ravager combo could use any Finesseable weapon and always gain +2 crit range from Crit Rage.

However, Crit Rage is now a competence bonus, which means in order to gain full advantage from it on a SWF bard / barb, you need to use a weapon which doesn't gain any crit range bonuses from Swashbuckling. Otherwise they won't stack; e.g., if you used handaxes, the +2 crit range from Swashbuckling is the same bonus type as Crit Rage, so there would be no improvement to your crit range. Which means this combo uses just rapiers or kukris.

EDIT: note that I'm talking about my proposed build (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/467381-Swashbuckling-Bardbarian?p=5717791&viewfull=1#post5717791), not the OP's build, which uses handaxes and goes T5 Berserker, not Ravager.

So, how do you think the self-healing from Ravager stacks up against the self-healing from Berserker? I have 3x Power over Life and Death and 3 pally past lives.