Intimitank Build

[rawfocat]

Most of the time this is true... But, again, it's possible to build a multi-class barbarian that hits JUST AS HARD as a pure barbarian, but can ALSO tank up when the situation calls for it...

DPS is purely STR, 14 levels of barbarian, enhancements, and GEAR....

A 14/2 barbarian/fighter can still have the max 18 STR and enough feats to get Combat Expertise...

10 base
13 +5 MFP
9 +5 MTS
4 Dex
5 Protection
3 Barkskin
5 Combat Expertise
4 Shroud Insight Weapon
2 Alchemical bonus on armor and shield

55 AC

Throw on some party buffs and you can easily hit mid 60s...

Plus Barbarian Intimidate (level 11 enhancement) is awesome... All intimidated foes are shaken (-2 to hit, damage, saves?, AC?).. That's a pretty sweet AOE debuff...

You guys need to think outside the box...

A 14/2 Barbarian/fighter is a lot more interesting than a plain old 16 barbarian who can only do DPS....

I see where you are going on this and I agree that barb levels after 14 really only give a few HPs. A couple things to remember.

Barb rage stop CE
With the madstone boots, you can not drink the barkskin pot.
+4 insight shoud item does impact your DPS.

I like the idea of a barb with intim and you will learn when to use it or die I do not think the DPS loss above hardly rates a 46 AC raged (55 - 5 CE loss - 4 rage)

[Thrudh]

So if you are constantly raged as most barbs,how exactly does CE kick in?Unless you dismiss rage,hit CE (assuming you're not on rage cooldown) and then chug a lesser restore pot?Just seems like a lot of work.Plus CE gives you -5 to hit which you can't compensate rageing as both are not simultaneous...no power attack either.Dps dropping quite a bit.

My apologies for not making it clear... It's situational...

You can EITHER be DPS or tank... You can't be both at the same time... But when you're DPS, you are JUST as good as any 16 Barbarian... But when the party needs a tank... you can fill that role as well...

Case in point... I ran VoD last night... I intimitanked the orthans... Turtled up behind my shield and CE, and spammed intimidate... Everyone else killed them... no one got hurt... Very useful... As soon as they were dead, I put away the shield, turned on power attack, pulled out the Great Axe and went full DPS mode...

When the orthans came back, I dismissed rage, drank a restore potion, switched on CE, pulled out a shield and went back to work as a tank...

All I'm saying is don't pigeon-hole classes... Barbarians CAN achieve good AC... Usually, pure DPS is the way to go, but don't assume that barbarian = crappy AC/DPS only.

[Thrudh]

I see where you are going on this and I agree that barb levels after 14 really only give a few HPs. A couple things to remember.

Barb rage stop CE
With the madstone boots, you can not drink the barkskin pot.
+4 insight shoud item does impact your DPS.

I like the idea of a barb with intim and you will learn when to use it or die I do not think the DPS loss above hardly rates a 46 AC raged (55 - 5 CE loss - 4 rage)

Oh yeah, huge DPS loss if I dismiss rage, pull out a shield and turn on CE... I don't do it very often...

But I like being able to do it if needed... (And it's good for soloing junk like the DQ pre-quests)

[Thrudh]

Oh yeah, huge DPS loss if I dismiss rage, pull out a shield and turn on CE... I don't do it very often...

But I like being able to do it if needed... (And it's good for soloing junk like the DQ pre-quests)

Oh I should point out another good place for turtling up... Anyplace that you're using a vorpal and DPS doesn't matter, like the Shroud...

And don't forget barbarian's Uncanny Dodge... +6 AC is pretty big, and if you're already sitting in the mid 50s, jumping to 62 AC is pretty nice...

I use it a lot in Part 2 and Part 4 in the Shroud... I go into tank mode, hit uncanny dodge, intimidate (so everything is swinging at me, but missing), and swing my vorpal. DPS doesn't matter at that point... 30 second boost is usually long enough for those fights... and less damage is done to the group....

Just another example where it's useful.

[Thrudh]

Heh, I can't stop posting... It's ALSO useful in Part 2 when you've got your lieutenant down to 5% and everyone else is still working on THEIR guy...

Nice to be able to pull out the shield and Insight weapon, and turtle up, initmidating, while waiting for the other groups to catch up (I usually just leave PA on, and don't switch to CE here, because at any moment, I'll need to switch back to DPS mode when everyone is ready to start killing - but I do use any uncanny dodges I still have left)

[rawfocat]

Additionally dont kid yourself about the dps, dwarves get enhancements as well, and a greensteel dwarven axe is a much nastier weapon than a greensteel rapier. True, peircing effects and radiance rapier is great on trash mobs, but when it comes down to the big red names, especially those in current content, DPS is going to be dependent on your weapons that bypass DR. Mineral dwarven axes will beat mineral rapiers because not only the base damage, but the acid burst/blast will be minimal effect. Now if you had a holy burst silver rapier of pure good or righteousness or bane then it would be a different story.

If you are pure DPS, this is true a fully speced dwarf with GS DAxes will out DPS a rapier user. However, If you are stat damaging with your barb, then it is a bit of a feat investment to take both improved crit: pierce and improved crit: slash. A drow will have a minor advantage on all wounding hits with DR, can still DPS and use the extra feat for toughness.

I put GS DAs and GS rapiers into the Weapon Compare TWF main hand and the difference is 2-3 damage per swing at mid level AC.

If you a dwarf using rapiers and not stat damaging, then the drow will have better DPS due to racial modifiers.

[Eternity25]

I used a character planner and I chose drow especially for the cha bonus. I do have 1750 pt builds unlocked. I did take into account almost everything but I might have overlooked the Skill Focus Feat. On the Character planner, taking into account shroud gear, greater false life item, con enhancements, toughness helm, the AoA Favor that gives +10 hp, without any rage, my drow barb would have 491 hp. Then with the 4 basic base rages (base barb rage, the rage spell, madstone clickie, and madstone), my drow barb would get over 551, taking into account that barbarians can increase the con bonus they get while rages.

I personally think that 491 hp unraged for a drow barbarian is excellent for a drow barb.

[Thrudh]

I personally think that 491 hp unraged for a drow barbarian is excellent for a drow barb.

Heh, that's more hps than my dwarf barbarian has

[Roman]

My apologies for not making it clear... It's situational...

You can EITHER be DPS or tank... You can't be both at the same time... But when you're DPS, you are JUST as good as any 16 Barbarian... But when the party needs a tank... you can fill that role as well...

Yes, Barbs can definitely be good at both roles. 60-ish AC is achievable. And the passive DR 7/- stacks with shield block so its like getting the two shield DR feats for free. With Lorricks shield from hound your looking at a 33DR, or 39DR if you invest in the feats. Plus the AoE debuff (-2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks) is a nice bonus.

Personally I like the versatility and by going human with 2 lvls of fighter you can squeeze in those extra feats for shield DR or more intimidate skill if you want.