Barbarian/Ranger multiclass

[BlightCrawler]

I wanted to multiclass Barbarian/Ranger because I want the utility of the raging and charging abilities mostly. Multiclassing into Ranger looked like a good idea at first. But then comes the two weapon problem.

First, I don't get Two Weapon Fighting. Not a huge deal at first, I could just use offhand weapons and still have my pick of Ranger Powers to swap. But when it comes to Paragon Paths it's a prerequisite (at least in the PHB, I don't have any other books with Ranger Paragon Paths. But I have looked in Martial Power and like the companion - not sure if it has the same problem with paragons.)

The other part of the problem is all but one of the Barbarian at-wills requires a two handed weapon (and the one that doesn't I do not really want). So, even trying to use two weapons has me pretty boned, unless I go versatile and sheath/unsheath an offhander.

The flip side is pretty sweet. None of the barbarian powers past at-wills require two handed weapons, so I'd be perfectly okay with using two weapons the entire time. WTF that's frustrating. Also the Paths are all open.

So it looks like Ranger/Barbarian is the better option, and Barbarian/Ranger is rife with problems. Am I missing something here? Are there Ranger options in other books that avoids this problem?

 

[Rothe_]

I'm not absolutely sure about this, but I think double weapons count as two handers. That would enable you to use both classes' abilities pretty well.

 

[Erywin]

I would have to play around with some stuff, but maybe a Beastmaster ranger/barbarian hybrid? Let me boot up the character builder and see.

Cheers,
E

 

[BlightCrawler]

Ah yes, I forgot to ask about that, as there are a few in the Eberron PG, but no mention of what exactly double weapons let you do (only because I was familiar with their introduction in 3E did I gather that they equipped as a two-hander but allowed you to do off hand strikes). As two-handers, they seem pretty gimped, 1d6 for the double scimitar, unless... does it become 2d6 if you use it as a two handed weapon? Because that would be pretty awesome, and be worth the weapon feat to train it.

 

[Erywin]

Not optimized a whole lot but could be a fun build to use your beast companion as a flanking toy.

Cheers,
E

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 1
Half-Orc, Barbarian|Ranger
Hybrid Ranger: Hybrid Ranger Fortitude
Hybrid Talent: Ranger Fighting Style
Ranger Fighting Style: Beast Mastery (Hybrid)
Beast Companion Type: Boar

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 11, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 11, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8.


AC: 16 Fort: 17 Reflex: 13 Will: 10
HP: 24 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +7, Stealth +7, Nature +5, Athletics +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Dungeoneering, Endurance +1, Heal, History, Insight, Intimidate +1, Perception, Religion, Streetwise -1, Thievery +2

FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent

POWERS
Hybrid Barbarian at-will 1: Howling Strike
Hybrid Ranger at-will 1: Circling Strike
Hybrid encounter 1: Synchronized Strike
Hybrid daily 1: Rage Drake's Frenzy

ITEMS
Hide Armor, Greataxe
RITUALS
Raise Beast Companion
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

 

[Mort_Q]

unless... does it become 2d6 if you use it as a two handed weapon? Because that would be pretty awesome, and be worth the weapon feat to train it.

No, it does not.

What Ranger stuff in particular did you want? You can do a Ranger that doesn't need Two-Weapons if you pick carefully (Hit and Run works nicely for a Barbarian...

... although I've not made one all the way to 30... it depends on how much Multi-Classing you want.

There is the Hybrid option (as noted above) if your DM approves.

 

[BlightCrawler]

Thanks for the build Erywin, that's some good crunch to chew on.

Mort: Yeah. I went to the game store and flipped through the AV and saw my hope was not to be. But, the double weapons in the AV do have better damage output than the ones in Eberron. So that is one possibility.

As for the powers, I was mainly looking at the level 1s, and the encounter powers that didn't require two weapons were wisdom based (which isn't terrible even for an Elf barbarian, but not ideal). But, you helped remind me that I won't even be able to select any ranger powers until level four at the earliest, so its not so bad as there are a couple of options at level 3. But for example, if you look at the level 5 dailies (in the PHB) they are all either two weapon or ranged, and level 9 only gives you one choice. Perhaps the better option is to consider more utilities? I haven't looked closely at those yet. It was just some frustrating limitations when looking at the lower level attack powers.

Mainly, however, I wanted to test the water to make sure that I wasn't missing something that got around the limitations as I was seeing them in regards to weapon choice. I can at least better decide if this is a path I was to pursue for my character or not. I may stick with a pure barbarian or investigate another class that fits the concept (perhaps Warden or Druid).

There is the Hybrid option (as noted above) if your DM approves.

We are doing round robin DMing, so it's all group consensus. But, setting aside that I shy away from playtest rules, I'm also keen on giving multiclass a shake and this combo fits my character concept. Though, hybrid is definitely appealing, if it doesn't work out, I'll just try a pure barbarian as I haven't played one.

 

[DracoSuave]

The thing is, Two Weapon Fighting (fighting using multiple attacks with smaller weapons) doesn't synergize with the Barbarian style (Hit hard with one single attack from one -big- weapon)

 

[Turtlejay]

Do you have Martial Power or the Compendium? There are enough powers in Martial Power to keep a *multiclassed* ranger that only wants one weapon caught up. I don't know how you'd do Paragon multiclassing or taking a Ranger path. Hybrid gets even more sketchy. If multiclassing Ranger is so problematic maybe you should consider a different multiclass. Barbarians go well with *a lot*, like Warlords and Fighters and Paladins. . .maybe that is something to consider?

Jay

 

[BlightCrawler]

Do you have Martial Power or the Compendium? There are enough powers in Martial Power to keep a *multiclassed* ranger that only wants one weapon caught up. I don't know how you'd do Paragon multiclassing or taking a Ranger path. Hybrid gets even more sketchy. If multiclassing Ranger is so problematic maybe you should consider a different multiclass. Barbarians go well with *a lot*, like Warlords and Fighters and Paladins. . .maybe that is something to consider?

I do have access to DDI now, but I was chewing on Mort's question of what I wanted out of it, and mainly, if I was to be a Barbarian/Ranger, I realized what I wanted most was two weapon style. Until Primal Power*, that's just a poor idea, but because of the ranger powers, but because of the Barbarian at-wills. Going Ranger/Barbarian isn't appealing because I'm interested in the Barbarian class abilities mostly.

I did consider other combinations. Namely, Barbarian/Warden and Barbarian Druid, and I was ambivalent on both, or they had other problems. Paladin and Warlord don't fit the character (plus spreading into Charisma, Int, or Wis is a problem), and we have a pure Fighter, so multiclassing into it isn't something I want to do.

I think ultimately, I'm going to just try out a pure Barbarian, so see how that plays and revisit multiclassing at some other point or in another game.

*Depending on what new at-wills they introduce, of course.