The battlerager

[spindeldorf]

Hello,
i want to share my current build of a battlerager, I mean a Barbarian Dwarf (according to FR lore, an "axe idiot").

My battlerager is a first life, 28 point build, first time approaching epic levels - so I'll limit build to my current level (20th level, 1st level Fury of the Wild).

Target objective is to build a resilient character without sacrificing dps. I'm doing this by:
- splashing 2 levels of fighter (for heavy armor proficiency, bonus feats, access to stalwart defender tier I-II, tower shield proficiency - for emergency)
- adopt TWF (for dps), build/equip for heavy armor, d.axes (not mandatory)

I'm curious how it will perform before and after armor mitigation changes in U23.

I'll focus just on feats and enhancements to achieve target objective.

feats (not in order of acquisition):
PA, TWF, ITWF, GTWF, OTWF, TWD, IC:slash, CL, GCL

enhancements:
DW: Dwarven Toughness , Iron Stomach III, Dwarven Armor Mastery III
SD: Toughness, Stalwart Defensive Mastery, Armor Expertise
FB: Die Hard, Extra Rage III, Power Rage III
OS: Weapon Bond, Resistance, Elemental Defense, Blank Thoughts, Extend Rage III, Parrying Bond III, Guarding Bond III, Lessons of Travel III, Kinetic Bond III
RA: Furious Rage, Pain Touch, Demoralizing Success, Pain Touch, Ritual Scarring III, Barbarian Power Attack III, Hardy Rage II, Action Boost II,
Constitution II, Cruel Cut III, Festering Wound III, Dismember III, Critical Rage II

Fury of the Wild:
(omissis)

I posted this in a hurry, I'll refine it in a subsequent post.

[Psiandron]

Hard to say how the changes to armor will affect this, as we don't know what they will be yet.

If you plan on running this any time soon, you might consider going barb/ranger, staying with light or no armor and building up your dodge.

I'm doing that now on a twf character so that I can make his normal weapons useful and not have to collect a bunch of thf weapons for one life. Anyway, I just ran him up to 9th in ranger which gets you twf, itwf, evasion and cure light. Now I'm working up the rest of the way on barb levels. Ofc, I picked up cleave and great cleave and have the supreme cleave enhancement, while they're never as effective on a twf as a thf, I do find that they generally add something to dps and ofc give you aoe.

[spindeldorf]

If you plan on running this any time soon, you might consider going barb/ranger, staying with light or no armor and building up your dodge.

Thank You for your advice; I'm actually running this build (current level 20) focusing on heavy armor for damage mitigation, so my considerations are with this assumption.

[spindeldorf]

DEFENSE (at level 20th)

74 AC (rage)
10 base
8 dex bonus
max dex bonus 9 (1 armor, 2 item, 3 DW enh, 3 SD enh)
29 armor bonus (26 purple dragon armor, 3 SD enh)
6 natural armor (item)
6 deflection (item)
8 misc bonus (6 parrying bond, 4 guild bonus, -2 rage)
7 feat bonus (1 TWD, 3 DW enh, 3 SD enh)
8% dodge (5 uncanny dodge, 3 item)
max dodge 9%

52 PRR
3 RA enh
5 TWD
12 Guarding Bond
26 armor
6 sheltering (item)

46 resistances (30 resist elements, 6 OS enh, 10 guild)

113% fortification (100 armor, 3 SD enh, 10 guild)

DR 9/- (6 class, 3 OS enh)



notes: guild level 130

[spindeldorf]

ATTACK

(reserved)

[mezzorco]

feats (not in order of acquisition):
PA, TWF, ITWF, GTWF, OTWF, TWD, IC:slash, CL, GCL

I'm not sold about feat selection.

OTWF it's not that great IMO, it's only a +2 to hit.
You could take Improved Sunder instead, it hits with both weapons for two saves, plus -6 fort with no save. You have access both to dwarf and kensei tactics, and a TWF can easily slot a sundering weapon.

TWD is a weak feat, too. Only +5 PRR, and you'll have tons anyway. I would pick Precision, 25% fort bypass is huge against undead content and bosses.

[spindeldorf]

I'm not sold about feat selection.

Your suggestions are welcomed!

OTWF it's not that great IMO, it's only a +2 to hit.
You could take Improved Sunder instead, it hits with both weapons for two saves, plus -6 fort with no save. You have access both to dwarf and kensei tactics, and a TWF can easily slot a sundering weapon.

TWD is a weak feat, too. Only +5 PRR, and you'll have tons anyway. I would pick Precision, 25% fort bypass is huge against undead content and bosses.

I agree with you about limited usefulness of OTWF and TWD.

Interesting your suggestion for taking IS and Precision.

Please note that Precision toggles off PA and cannot be used while raged (http://ddowiki.com/page/Precision)