Raging Swashbuckler [Evasion TWF] (A build by request)

[sigtrent]

From Sigtrent's Build Request Thread

Build Name:Raging Swashbuckler
Author:Sigfried
Requester:Flinsten
Last Updated:04/22/10

Key Words [Tech,Barbarian,Rogue,Evasion,Drow,TWF]

Objectives
The original request was for a Barbarian with evasion. Since I was including rogue I wanted to work in UMD ability. I imagine them dragging monsters through traps to kill them off as well as beating them down so I want good reflex saves. This rogue likes traps and doesn't disarm them. I don't think sneak attack will get a lot of mileage on a barbarian so I'm not focusing on it. Since intimidate becomes a class skill I'll also go with it to pull those critters into the traps, and I'll take lock picking as well for a bit of extra utility. Because you may stop a rage to do actions, I'll go more for extra rage than extended rage (although both get attention).

Design
I went with drow partly for the stats, but partly for the challenge of a slightly more squishy barbarian. Rally the HP isn't all that different from tougher race, about 40 or so pts. Strength here is a bit lower to accommodate the extra int and charisma. Drow are an easy sell for TWF so that's the combat style used. You can argue its not top tier DPS due to the short STR and no exotic weapon but I think its right up there. I chose IC piercing which means either rapiers or picks.

Intimidate may not be enough to snag raid bosses but its more there to play with and to drag trash through traps or thow out the shaken debuf.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.34
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 True Neutral Drow Male
(18 Barbarian \ 2 Rogue) 
Hit Points: 400
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 19\19\24\29\29
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 13
Will: 6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    21
Dexterity            16                    19
Constitution         14                    18
Intelligence         14                    16
Wisdom                8                    10
Charisma             12                    14

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    11
Bluff                 1                     2
Concentration         2                     4
Diplomacy             1                     2
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                5                     6
Heal                 -1                     0
Hide                  3                     4
Intimidate            5                    25
Jump                  6                    28
Listen                3                     6
Move Silently         3                     4
Open Lock             7                    27
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                2                     3
Search                6                     9
Spot                  3                    15
Swim                  2                     6
Tumble                7                     8
Use Magic Device      5                    25

Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Haggle (+4)
Skill: Intimidate (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Listen (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)
Skill: Search (+4)
Skill: Spot (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 3 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 4 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+3)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+3)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 5 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 6 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave


Level 7 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 8 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 9 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons


Level 10 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 11 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 12 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 13 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 14 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 15 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 16 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 17 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 18 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 19 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Spot (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 20 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost II
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost III
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost IV
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Sprint Boost II
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage III
Enhancement: Barbarian Hardy Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Hardy Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Intimidation
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack II
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack III
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage III
Enhancement: Barbarian Frenzied Berserker I
Enhancement: Barbarian Frenzied Berserker II
Enhancement: Barbarian Frenzied Berserker III
Enhancement: Drow Melee Attack I
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage II
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution I
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution II
Enhancement: Barbarian Toughness I
Enhancement: Barbarian Toughness II
Enhancement: Barbarian Toughness III
Enhancement: Barbarian Improved Trap Sense I
Enhancement: Barbarian Improved Trap Sense II
Enhancement: Barbarian Improved Trap Sense III

Play
With all barbarians, especially ones with 12 con, try to be considerate of your healers. Don't pull more agro than you can handle. You could go with enfeebling rapiers to help offset return hits and work to auto crit. Unlike some barbarians you should probably wear a dex item to keep your reflex save high enough to make evasion worth while.

Variations
You can shift enhancements around to get more speed or damage reduction or hit points.

[Stonebread]

Why such high Cha? (I don't think the +2 boost to UMD is worth 4 stat points.)

[sigtrent]

Why such high Cha? (I don't think the +2 boost to UMD is worth 4 stat points.)

Well, UMD was a feature I wanted in the build just to get something out of rogue and since not many barbarians have it.

I couldn't get more out of con (the +1 tome puts me at 14, 15 wouldn't help me, and 16 is too expensive.) Wis and Int are pretty useless for me, although another skill might be nice. Dex would be ok, but not really needed, I think he's got "enough". and again str isn't going to be efficient to buy another 2 pts. So.. Cha. Not the only choice but when I have UMD it can take a while to get it to a usefull level. I found Cha 14 lets you start equiping RR items around level 6.

Anyhow, thats my thinking, I'm not sure there is a right choice. If I didn't put it there I think Con would be the place to put the points and try to eek out another point with tomes/items.

[Shade]

uhhh its a barbarian build.

Barbiarans can always even out there con score at the cost/savings of 2-4 AP thanks to the many many con related enhancements available.

As such started an odd/even number will never have you wind up at a odd number at high lvl, just always get the max you can afford.

Same goes for str, if you can get 17, get 17. If you think you won't get anything out of 18, your wrong.

Tho cha, you get no related enhancemetns, as such your limited to what item and tome you aquire.

90% of barbarians can aquire a +1 cha tome and a +5 cha item to wear, that puts yout at 20, decent number. But you run the risk of getting a +2 tome or +6 cha item and making it uneven. Should one have a +6 cha item ready for that character, starting 11 or 13 would make more sense.

[sigtrent]

90% of barbarians can aquire a +1 cha tome and a +5 cha item to wear, that puts yout at 20, decent number. But you run the risk of getting a +2 tome or +6 cha item and making it uneven. Should one have a +6 cha item ready for that character, starting 11 or 13 would make more sense.

I agree.

[Sydril]

considering the tomes planning on being used 18, 16, 12, 10, 8 , 10 would be a much better spread for abilities on a drow. 17, 17, 12, 10, 9 , 10 if no dex tome was available.

[RemoJr]

12 barbarian doesn't give too much that 11 already gives, i'd drop that for 1 fighter to grab ITWF earlier and GTWF at 12.

[Beherit_Baphomar]

Nice build, I guess, just seems to me that multiclassing a barbarian until the level cap is raised is just...well....a waste. Crit Rage II is at 14, multiclassing even one level shuts that out. Just seems too much to give up, Crit Rage II...drops crit ranges by two points...just too much imo to give up.

Although I gotta say, multiclassed characters are a HELL OF ALOTTA fun to play.

[sigtrent]

I had the constraint of Barbarian 12 Rogue 2 as the class split, and assumed it was to get evasion in a barbarian.

I agree it's not a split I probably would have chosen myself, but if you want an evasion barbarian.. you need to take your crit rage lumps :> It just depends on what sacrifices you want to make for a given feature.

Personaly I think the best version of the TWF barbarian is definately full barbarian. But with these requests the challenge is to do your best with whatever constraints the requester gives me to work with.

Seems like the consensus is that the extra CHA isn't needed for UMD proficiency, or at least that the UMD component isn't as important as getting out another bonus point in one of the primary combat stats.