D&D 5E Spiked Chain Barbarian... where do I go next?

[ascendance]

Thanks for all the suggestions. After giving it some thought, I think I want to truck out an old character concept and try for Bbn/Ftr/Rog, with the eventual goal of becoming a Gladiator. I also plan on taking Expert Tactician and abusing the hell out of the Improved Feint power.

I don't think powers like Stand Still or Combat Reflexes are going to be that useful in the long run, because we have a very large party, and I'm going to be hiding in the second rank behind a very tough dwarf cleric and a fighter

As far as Rogue skills go, I want to max out Bluff and Tumble. Bluff for the Feint. Of course, I might change my mind in a few short levels.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Thanks for all the suggestions. After giving it some thought, I think I want to truck out an old character concept and try for Bbn/Ftr/Rog, with the eventual goal of becoming a Gladiator. I also plan on taking Expert Tactician and abusing the hell out of the Improved Feint power.

I don't think powers like Stand Still or Combat Reflexes are going to be that useful in the long run, because we have a very large party, and I'm going to be hiding in the second rank behind a very tough dwarf cleric and a fighter

As far as Rogue skills go, I want to max out Bluff and Tumble. Bluff for the Feint. Of course, I might change my mind in a few short levels.

I'd rethink your plan of hiding behind the dwarves if you're going to use a spiked chain. If you were going to hide behind other characters you could've saved yourself a feat and used a guisarm, ranseur, or glaive (which deals more damage than a spiked chain and has a better crit multiplier). The advantage of a spiked chain is that you can attack enemies who are right next to you as well as at 10 feet. If you're usually planning on being at ten feet, you're not getting very good use out of the chain. . . .

 

[Roland Delacroix]

Two levels of Barbarian and take the Extra Rage feat. For two levels and a feat you get Rage 3x a day, skills, hit points, Uncanny Dodge. Then go straight Psy Warrior. They get feats (almost) just like the fighter but can do so much more. Instead of getting the Wiz to Poly you (if he even wants to) do it yourself! Change to a Troll, Deep Impact that dragon, hitting AC 9 for a full Power Attack! At 10' reach so he don't get no AOO.

Stand Still, noone will EVER touch you, then add Expertise (for when you are out of rages, a good feat in general, even for Barbs) and Improved trip. You charged me, I tripped you and get a free additional attack? (Str increase from Rage) Specialized (+2 dmg) and PA'ed for another 10 points at AC12? So sorry! Whoops! With my Imp Critical thats +24 points of damage!

Not sure if you said you can use splatbook stuff, but Extra Rage is a great feat for people not playing a straight class Barb. Even without it Barbs rock. Psy Warrior is an AWESOME class, as long as you watch the stat dependency and do NOT get into psy combat. In someone looks at you funny and bells chime, charge him right away. Actually, there is a feat on the WotC site that basically makes you impervious to psy combat. With Uncanny Dodge and Combat Reflexes you are NEVER flatfooted. Imagine an NPC getting the 30+ inititive score, charging you, you Combat Reflexes Stand Still Improved Trip on them! You still have your round coming up with a Prone, wounded foe before you!

Yeah, thats alot of feats and that means higher levels, but the whole way along it will be a VERY fun and VERY powerfull build.

 

[silvertable81]

Don't discount the idea of straight Psion, with the focus on STR. You'll get so many PPs from that STR score, you'd be able to power all your feats. Definitely take that 2nd level BBN first, but then go Psion until you get Graft Weapon and Up The Walls.

 

[ascendance]

Psion's an interesting idea, but I don't think I want to take the BAB hit, or the HP hit.

Any comments on the Expert Tactician idea? With 18 Dex and Improved Initiative, I can be pretty mean with that, especially with some Rogue levels.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

You won't get as much milage out of Expert Tactician as you think unless you have a method for regularly denying your foes their dex bonus (Improved Invisibility, Blink, Quicker than the Eye, or a prestige class's (like Gladiator) bluff as MEA ability).

With just a high dex and improved initiative, you'll only get one extra attack out of it per round. Nifty but not especially powerful. Assuming that you hit on every attack, deal an average of 16 points of damage per hit (That would be a 22 (raging) strength, +2 from weapon or somewhere, and 5 from the dice of the chain) and would ordinarily get 8 attacks off in a normal combat, you only increase your average damage/combat by 2 points per hit. (It'll probably be significantly less than that since you may not always have +2 to damage from magic/bardsong and you will probably not be raging in your average combat (unless you take Extra Rage)). Sneak attack would make it somewhat better but you're still not making the most efficient use of the feat.

Psion's an interesting idea, but I don't think I want to take the BAB hit, or the HP hit.

Any comments on the Expert Tactician idea? With 18 Dex and Improved Initiative, I can be pretty mean with that, especially with some Rogue levels.

 

[Roland Delacroix]

Psy Warrior gets the Medium BAB. With 2 levels of Barb this puts you at 15/10/5. Hook that up with Deep Impact (ignore all Armor bonus's, costs 5 power points) and you won't need the extra BAB. Power Attack with that and you do more damage than a straight Barb. Get a sword with a few 5 point Crystal Capacitors in the hilt and you can do this all day.

 

[ascendance]

You won't get as much milage out of Expert Tactician as you think unless you have a method for regularly denying your foes their dex bonus (Improved Invisibility, Blink, Quicker than the Eye, or a prestige class's (like Gladiator) bluff as MEA ability).

With just a high dex and improved initiative, you'll only get one extra attack out of it per round. Nifty but not especially powerful. Assuming that you hit on every attack, deal an average of 16 points of damage per hit (That would be a 22 (raging) strength, +2 from weapon or somewhere, and 5 from the dice of the chain) and would ordinarily get 8 attacks off in a normal combat, you only increase your average damage/combat by 2 points per hit. (It'll probably be significantly less than that since you may not always have +2 to damage from magic/bardsong and you will probably not be raging in your average combat (unless you take Extra Rage)). Sneak attack would make it somewhat better but you're still not making the most efficient use of the feat.

Actually, my future character development plan does revolve around getting some rogue (sneak attack) and Gladiator (bluff as MEA) levels in order to maximize my effective usage of Expert Tactician. However, at my current levels, I think I'd be better off with some Cleaving action.

 

[Roland Delacroix]

Actually, my future character development plan does revolve around getting some rogue (sneak attack) and Gladiator (bluff as MEA) levels in order to maximize my effective usage of Expert Tactician. However, at my current levels, I think I'd be better off with some Cleaving action.

There is a feat in the Rokugan book for Scorpion clan that lets you feint as a MEA. Ah, here it is; "Pincers and Tail". Prereq: BAB 4+, Way of the Scorpion, Bluff skill. "Way of the Scorpion" feat lets you add your Intelligence modifier to Initative checks, no prereqs other than be a member of Scorpion clan.

 

[bret]

If all you are looking for in the Gladiator PrC is bluff as a MEA, you might want to look in Song & Silence. It has a feat (Quicker than the Eye?) that allows the same effect.

Trying to balance three classes is a bit tricky. You might want to think about what the balance of your classes will be at higher level before adding a third class. If you aren't careful, your Will save could really suffer.