Anger Mismanagement

[Olaff]

I'm open to suggestions and comments on this build. Right now she's at Level 9.3 and is extremely fun to play. I know all about the slow swingrate inherent in Falchions - but - that hasn't seemed to slow her down at all. She tears through just about everything in her path.

A few notes about what I was thinking:
* Dex of 16 means I get full Mithral FP dex bonus. Put on a +4 Dex item for a Mithral Breastplate or +6 item for Mith Chain Shirt.
* Drow SR enhancements to help shake off things like Fear, Hold Person, and other pesky effects that prevent her from doing anything.
* Iron Will for much the same reason - Will save needed shoring up.
* Heavy on the Rage enhancements because this is a Rage build. As the level cap increases, I'll fill in the blank spots with Intimidate bonuses.
* Toughness will be taken at L15. With 226 HP straight up, no False Life item or Con bonus item or Draconic Vitality, I don't see this being a major issue, especially once I throw a Heavy Fort item on her. Toughness enhancements to follow the feat.
* Spot raises to help see stuff. Balance to stay upright. Jump because Jump is hands-down one of the most useful and underrated skills in the game. Intimidate for aggro management.
* Two levels of Fighter for the feats.
* Female because the female rage-scream effect is way cooler than the male. It's always good for a laugh in my guild.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 2.70
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Amaenda Stormbringer
Level 14 Chaotic Good Drow Female
(2 Fighter \ 12 Barbarian) 
Hit Points: 226
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 14\14\19\24
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 7
Will: 7

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

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 9

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills        Base Skills        Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 14)          (Level 14)
Balance               4                 11                   11
Intimidate            4                 17                   17
Jump                  7                 20                   20
Spot                  3                  9                   11

Level 1 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting
Enhancement: Barbarian Willpower I

Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I

Level 3 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Iron Will
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage I
Enhancement: Improved Drow Spell Resistence I
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution I

Level 4 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Dodge
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I

Level 5 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Barbarian Hardy Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage I

Level 6 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Handed Fighting
Enhancement: Barbarian Willpower II

Level 7 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage II

Level 8 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Hardy Rage II
Enhancement: Improved Drow Spell Resistence II
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution II

Level 9 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Willpower III

Level 10 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Improved Drow Spell Resistence III

Level 11 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage III

Level 12 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Handed Fighting
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage III
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage III

Level 13 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Barbarian Critical Rage I

Level 14 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Barbarian Intimidation
Enhancement: Improved Drow Spell Resistence IV

[Orrick_The_Undying]

it's nice to see the female take on the build. 6 months or so ago I had a build on here awhile ago that was a Diplo/UMB barb called " Anger Management "

[Shade]

Don't multiclass with fighter. It gains you absolutely nothing. Your just losing DPS by doing it, critical rage II being the biggest loss.

Then you also lose 4 will save from no indomintable will. 1 DR/-.. And all you gain is 1 will save from iron will, and 1 AC.. So net -3 will save, and +1 ac.. 1 AC will not make a spec of difference on a barbarian who focuses on DPS.

And 10 charisma makes no sense, you have no real charisma based skills or abilities, drop it to 8. Your initimdate is too low to matter unless you take all the related enhancements, which aren't worth the cost.

14 dex is unnessary. 12 will be enough to max your AC bonus. 18 str.

[Casta]

Don't like it, the things that really stand out are

16 str, barbs can be made into great tanks but most people make them for dps and want 18 str.

Fighter lvls will cost you crit rage 2, one of the best enhancments in the game. Dodge isn't worth a feat for +1 ac weapon focus isn't bad to have but not worth giving up crit rage for.

Theres a few other miner things I don't like but there not things that would gimp a toon, more just don't go with the way I play.

[Casta]

And 10 charisma makes no sense, you have no real charisma based skills or abilities, drop it to 8. Your initimdate is too low to matter unless you take all the related enhancements, which aren't worth the cost.

Its drow they get +2 cha dex and int.

[Olaff]

I should have mentioned this straight off in the original post. I never build a character based on the current level cap. Doing so requires too much tinkering after the cap is raised and new feats and enhancements become available. I prefer, instead, to build based on a concept, and fit feats and enhancements into that concept as I go.

Don't multiclass with fighter. It gains you absolutely nothing. Your just losing DPS by doing it, critical rage II being the biggest loss.

Then you also lose 4 will save from no indomintable will. 1 DR/-.. And all you gain is 1 will save from iron will, and 1 AC.. So net -3 will save, and +1 ac.. 1 AC will not make a spec of difference on a barbarian who focuses on DPS.

And 10 charisma makes no sense, you have no real charisma based skills or abilities, drop it to 8. Your initimdate is too low to matter unless you take all the related enhancements, which aren't worth the cost.

14 dex is unnessary. 12 will be enough to max your AC bonus. 18 str.

* It's sort of too late, this character is now level 10 and already has the two Fighter classes splashed in. The reason I took Iron Will is because there's no way I'll be Raging 100% of the time. It's not possible. For those times when I'm not Raging, Iron Will provides a nice boost to an otherwise-bad Will save.

* I may switch Dodge out with something else - it was nice to have at lower levels. I'm not sure what, though. I'll tinker with it a bit. Maybe Toughness at L1 and THF at Fighter 2 (CL4).

* Just as 1 AC doesn't really make much difference... neither does 1 DR. I'll re-evaluate that once I find a Heavy Fort item and throw it on her.

* 10 Charisma isn't something I can change. It's a Drow. It's innate. As for Intimidate - so far I've been doing well with it. We'll see if that continues.

* 14 Dex + Drow Dex II = full Dex bonus in Mithral Fullplate. This means I don't have to find an item (and try to fit that item in), and it means I don't have to worry about being debuffed. If I happen to find the Dex item and the armor to suit, then I can rework the entire gear template. As it stands, I don't have to.

Don't like it, the things that really stand out are

16 str, barbs can be made into great tanks but most people make them for dps and want 18 str.

Fighter lvls will cost you crit rage 2, one of the best enhancments in the game. Dodge isn't worth a feat for +1 ac weapon focus isn't bad to have but not worth giving up crit rage for.

Theres a few other miner things I don't like but there not things that would gimp a toon, more just don't go with the way I play.

* I never max out a stat. It's a waste of stat points that can be used elsewhere. +1 STR isn't going to have enough of an effect on either hitting or damage that it'll be noticeable.

* Again, not worried about having CRII by level 14. I'll get it eventually. WF is required for Power Critical, planned for level 18 feat choice.

Thanks for all the comments! I'm always looking for alternatives to the way I do things.

[Taerdra]

Did you pick up Power Attack? Sorry didn't see it... If you haven't, I would definitely switch out WF for PA. You're just not a real DPS or Barb build unless you have PA in my opinion.

[Olaff]

Did you pick up Power Attack? Sorry didn't see it... If you haven't, I would definitely switch out WF for PA. You're just not a real DPS or Barb build unless you have PA in my opinion.

I'm not a fan of PA, actually. -X to hit just isn't worth it for the added damage. The mobs one needs the added damage for are harder to hit, so reducing ones chances to hit seems rather counterproductive.

[Taerdra]

My barb doesn't have any problem hitting with PA on. In fact, it's on all the time and I rarely ever miss. Based on my experience, the -X is well-worth the +X*1.5 (or is it, x2 -- having a brain fart atm) damage you get for it. I have PA2 enhancement as well so I'm at -7 constantly.

Even if you use PA only on non-boss mobs, the damage added will be a huge improvement versus a +1 bonus to-hit. It's a toggle -- you don't have to have it on all the time.

[Olaff]

My barb doesn't have any problem hitting with PA on. In fact, it's on all the time and I rarely ever miss. Based on my experience, the -X is well-worth the +X*1.5 (or is it, x2 -- having a brain fart atm) damage you get for it. I have PA2 enhancement as well so I'm at -7 constantly.

Even if you use PA only on non-boss mobs, the damage added will be a huge improvement versus a +1 bonus to-hit. It's a toggle -- you don't have to have it on all the time.

Well, I do have some tinkering to do. So I might swap Dodge for PA and see how it works out. I dunno yet. I'm blowing through just about everything as it is, without PA up, so I'll have to think long and hard on this one.

I took WF less for the +1 to hit and more because it's a requirement for Power Crit, so I'm definitely not swapping that feat out for anything.

[KiwiPhil889]

.. i want to make. Intimidate is great,and lowish char won't make serious diff ...for now at least. Problem being that if you do use Intim at the higher lvls and it lands??, you will be getting swung at reasonable amount. Are you built to take the aggro too???. No point having all the aggro if all you do is run around and have them chase you,may as well be a sorc lol. Just something i wanted to ask.

[Olaff]

.. i want to make. Intimidate is great,and lowish char won't make serious diff ...for now at least. Problem being that if you do use Intim at the higher lvls and it lands??, you will be getting swung at reasonable amount. Are you built to take the aggro too???. No point having all the aggro if all you do is run around and have them chase you,may as well be a sorc lol. Just something i wanted to ask.

For the most part, yeah. I've run into trouble a couple of times when Intim landed on more mobs than I expected and I ended up surrounded by alpha-striking Trolls and Ogres, but Uncanny Dodge helped minimize their flank and rear attacks. Once I put on Heavy Fort and add HP items (currently only wearing Con +2 w/ False Life), I'll be much better off. I don't do any running around - I stand and fight. I go through a lot of potions, though.

[Taerdra]

Well, I do have some tinkering to do. So I might swap Dodge for PA and see how it works out. I dunno yet. I'm blowing through just about everything as it is, without PA up, so I'll have to think long and hard on this one.

I took WF less for the +1 to hit and more because it's a requirement for Power Crit, so I'm definitely not swapping that feat out for anything.

Dodge for PA would be a good switch. Personally, I would say that "blowing through" stuff is not a good barometer for a barb. As long as you're in a balanced party, you should blow through stuff. People that you play with regularly will know when you have PA on or not... It makes that much of a difference...

I think you may want to tweak your enhancements as well, depending on what you're focusing on. I would definitely work toward getting Power Rage IV and Extend Rage IV. Things I would look at: Drow SR (better off with an item for SR imo versus 10 enhancement points), Fighter STR (after you get a +6 STR item) and DEX enhancements.

Personally, I also don't see you getting much benefit out of being in a Mithril Chain Shirt and a +4 item gets you to fill out your FP's DEX bonus especially at the cost of 6 action points. Those action points are better served elsewhere. Saving a DEX item slot is all well and good, but I'm not a big fan of spending action points when an item will take care of the concern just fine.

Anyway, good luck with your build.

[Bugsie]

Not enough HP.

Take the toughness feat in there somewhere to open the barb toughness enhancement line. This will give you 50+ HP easy.

[brshelton]

12 dex definitely. Working in a +4 dex item isn't hard when your a barb. Madstone boots give you +4dex and don't tell me you wotn be wearing them. PA over dodge definitely. Opens up cleave for later maybe. Also hp is way low you'll wana crank up the con. I wouldn't go drow on a barb just doesn't make sense imo.

[Taerdra]

Not enough HP.

Take the toughness feat in there somewhere to open the barb toughness enhancement line. This will give you 50+ HP easy.

You don't need toughness on a Barb at this point in time and that uses up already precious action points.

If you focus on building STR & CON you will have plenty of HPs, especially with the new helm. If you're Human or mixing Fighter in, I guess it's an option... but there are many better feats to pick imo.

[Casta]

The reason I took Iron Will is because there's no way I'll be Raging 100% of the time. It's not possible.

Thats what you think my barb has about 26 min of rage more if madstone or pot are on before raging, that gets you from 1 shrine to the next.

[Hvymetal]

Thats what you think my barb has about 26 min of rage more if madstone or pot are on before raging, that gets you from 1 shrine to the next.

A oft overlooked take on this... it also forces others to rebuff you from shrine to shrine...... just something to think about for the barbs out there.....

[Jakz]

A oft overlooked take on this... it also forces others to rebuff you from shrine to shrine...... just something to think about for the barbs out there.....

That is fine, rebuff me. That is your job. My job is to rage and do DPS. Your job is to buff me.

Fakz

[Hvymetal]

That is fine, rebuff me. That is your job. My job is to rage and do DPS. Your job is to buff me.

Fakz

LOL how bout I just carry your stone and you enjoy the ride LOL