# Minotaur Barbarian build help



## draconisorion (May 25, 2010)

Ok, I just turned level 3, but I have this planned build going out to at least level 13, if it is appropriate here, can I get some advice?
Now the setting is I play LFR/RPGA Campaign rules.  Please do not suggest another race, I am set on a Mino only. 

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder  ======
Asteron, level 13
Minotaur, Barbarian, Bear Warrior
Build:  Rageblood Barbarian
Feral Might: Rageblood Vigor
Background:  Narfell, Isolated (Narfell Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str  21, Con 15, Dex 18, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY  SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 15, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 11.


AC:  28 Fort: 25 Reflex: 24 Will: 20
HP: 112 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 28

TRAINED  SKILLS
Nature +15, Endurance +15, Athletics +15

UNTRAINED  SKILLS
Acrobatics +9, Arcana +5, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7,  Dungeoneering +8, Heal +8, History +5, Insight +8, Intimidate +7,  Perception +10, Religion +5, Stealth +9, Streetwise +7, Thievery +9

FEATS
Level  1: Weapon Proficiency (Execution axe)
Level 2: Weapon Expertise  (Axe)
Level 4: Powerful Charge
Level 6: Weapon Focus (Axe)
Level  8: Springing Charge
Level 10: Toughness
Level 11: Charging  Rampage
Level 12: Reckless Charge

POWERS
Barbarian at-will  1: Howling Strike
Barbarian at-will 1: Howl of Fury
Barbarian  encounter 1: Avalanche Strike
Barbarian daily 1: Swift Panther Rage
Barbarian  utility 2: Shrug It Off
Barbarian encounter 3: Brutal Slam
Barbarian  daily 5: Thunder Hawk Rage
Barbarian utility 6: Mighty Sprint
Barbarian  encounter 7: Curtain of Steel
Barbarian daily 9: Oak Hammer Rage
Barbarian  utility 10: Barbaric Instinct
Barbarian encounter 13: Storm of  Blades (replaces Brutal Slam)  ***I just couldnt give up Avalanche  Strike***

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Climber's Kit, Oil (1 pint)  (3), Trail Rations (10), Vanguard Execution axe +3, Deathcut Hide Armor  +3, Horned Helm (heroic tier), Skewering Javelin +2, Iron Armbands of  Power (heroic tier), Boots of the Mighty Charge (heroic tier), Badge of  the Berserker +2, Strikebacks (heroic tier), Bag of Holding (heroic  tier), Potion of Healing (heroic tier) (3)
====== Copy to Clipboard  and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======


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## jbear (May 25, 2010)

It looks like a pretty tight build. Straight out of a Character Op forum one might say. The onl thing I can see that stands out like a bit of a 'funny' choice is the 1 point you have place in CHA. Why not put it in CON. That's an extra Healing Surge and a HP right there. Easy trade for a +1 bonus to your Intimidate checks...

Ok, and if we are going to start going down that path, why 13 in WIS? For a bonus to perception and nature? For +1 Will? Will isn't targeted very often. And when it does your +1 is not going to make a difference very often. However you do have a lot of features that key off a high CON, and you'll be using them a lot more. You can shore up WIS with a feat later on if necessary. Plus the Extra HP will be valued. I would go 18 STR 16 CON 14 DEX 8 INT 10 WIS 10 CAR. Lvl 1 AC 16 isn't too terrible for a striker. Yeah, 10 Will is crap ... but so is 11 Will, aye? You'll be the first person vampires will be dominating... so you'll have to kill them fast! Anway, just a thought.

What about considering improved rageblood vigor? CON+5 THP everytime you kill something. Does your DM use many minions? Springing Charge will be awesome when you Crit, especially if your DM actually lets you have all the 'Pimped' Charger Gear... but how often will that be? I'm personally not keen on feats that key off crits. Brutal Ferocity is similar (nowhere near as brutal) but will probably happen nearly every fight.


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## Herschel (May 25, 2010)

Get rid of Avalanche Strike until Level 7 and Curtain of Steel. Unless your LFR group is static, you never know who you'll be playing with or if you'll have a defender. The 18 Dex helps your AC and Reflex a lot, but your Con means you're missing out on a lot of Rageblood kickers and Avalanche Strike is a great opening for baddies to take you down like a sack of potatoes. A competent DM and multiple baddies will take advantage of this repeatedly.


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## Prestidigitalis (May 25, 2010)

Personally, I love close burst attacks.  They dilute the damage by spreading it between multiple enemies, but the added chance of a crit giving you a free MBA from Rampage, or knocking off a stray minion and grabbing the Rageblood Vigor benefits is a big plus.  Macetail's Rage, Rage of the Crimson Hurricane, Great Cleave, Vault the Fallen.  I'm a sucker for all of them.


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## Herschel (May 25, 2010)

Clawfoot Berserker is a great Level 5 Daily also.


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## draconisorion (May 25, 2010)

jbear said:


> It looks like a pretty tight build. Straight out of a Character Op forum one might say. The onl thing I can see that stands out like a bit of a 'funny' choice is the 1 point you have place in CHA. Why not put it in CON. That's an extra Healing Surge and a HP right there. Easy trade for a +1 bonus to your Intimidate checks...
> 
> Ok, and if we are going to start going down that path, why 13 in WIS? For a bonus to perception and nature? For +1 Will? Will isn't targeted very often. And when it does your +1 is not going to make a difference very often. However you do have a lot of features that key off a high CON, and you'll be using them a lot more. You can shore up WIS with a feat later on if necessary. Plus the Extra HP will be valued. I would go 18 STR 16 CON 14 DEX 8 INT 10 WIS 10 CAR. Lvl 1 AC 16 isn't too terrible for a striker. Yeah, 10 Will is crap ... but so is 11 Will, aye? You'll be the first person vampires will be dominating... so you'll have to kill them fast! Anway, just a thought.
> 
> What about considering improved rageblood vigor? CON+5 THP everytime you kill something. Does your DM use many minions? Springing Charge will be awesome when you Crit, especially if your DM actually lets you have all the 'Pimped' Charger Gear... but how often will that be? I'm personally not keen on feats that key off crits. Brutal Ferocity is similar (nowhere near as brutal) but will probably happen nearly every fight.



Yeah I copied it out of my thread over there, I wasnt getting alot of advice at the time and I wanted to get some more helpful suggestions or an alternative from those that were strictly looking at doing CharOP. 

I think I moved the 1 pt to CHA there for some skill or feat that I get dmg +1 based off of CHA, I have to look again at why I did it.  The Ability scores you have laid out are pretty much what I had originally, but kept getting told to get out of Chainmail, and use Hide and a higher Dex less Con..blah blah.

@Herschel I always have at least 1 Defender, and 1 Leader, and at least one other striker, its the other 2 that are usually hit or miss.  Other than not getting beat up on, is there a reason I should get out of Avalanche Strike?  Reason I say this is last session as a level 2, I did 84 dmg in a round (charge, Howling Strike (crit), follow up MBA (crit), action Point, Avalanche (unbelievably critted again) on a Gelatinous Cube.)  DM's mouth just dropped as her great creature when from barely hit to bloodied and barely alive.  Sorcerer and Ranger finished it off the following round on their turn allowing me to charge something else (Dire Rat I believe).

Oh as long as the gear is LFR and RPGA legal we can use it.   Minions are based on the modules, but yes lately have been alot...but we have a Sorcerer for those.


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## Thatwackyned (May 25, 2010)

I'ld drop Toughness and take Durable.


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## jbear (May 25, 2010)

draconisorion said:


> Yeah I copied it out of my thread over there, I wasnt getting alot of advice at the time and I wanted to get some more helpful suggestions or an alternative from those that were strictly looking at doing CharOP.
> 
> I think I moved the 1 pt to CHA there for some skill or feat that I get dmg +1 based off of CHA, I have to look again at why I did it.  The Ability scores you have laid out are pretty much what I had originally, but kept getting told to get out of Chainmail, and use Hide and a higher Dex less Con..blah blah.
> 
> ...



You kind of want to keep your minions there as a free THP source as they instantly trigger your rageblood feature. I know you want your sorceror to do his/her job but just let them know that they can leave a few so you can use them as Barbarian food when needed!!!


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## draconisorion (May 26, 2010)

jbear said:


> 18 STR 16 CON 14 DEX 8 INT 10 WIS 10 CHA.   Lvl 1 AC 16 isn't too terrible for a striker.



 Can I ask how you got the above?   I get 17, 14, 14, 8, 10, 10 before the +2STR and +2 Con


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## Herschel (May 26, 2010)

draconisorion said:


> @Herschel I always have at least 1 Defender, and 1 Leader, and at least one other striker, its the other 2 that are usually hit or miss. Other than not getting beat up on, is there a reason I should get out of Avalanche Strike?




Because you can't hit if you're dead. If you can be sure to have a good defender and leader around it's fine, but LFR in many places games and lineups can be.....interesting. I've been a defender with three Wizards and had a very interesting time, for example. And placing a big target on yourself if you don't have defender defenses can be tough. A Firesoul Genasi has a deterent encounter power for it and Curtain of Steel makes a lot of DMs think twice about taking advantage of the AC nerf, for example, and it becomes much "safer" to use with that kind of backing if the rest of your party can't stop/nerf their attacks.


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## draconisorion (May 26, 2010)

Thatwackyned said:


> I'ld drop Toughness and take Durable.




Thanks, but Durable wont work for me as well as Toughness does...Im thinking about dropping the Toughness to get more of the "Blood Rage" feats.


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## jbear (May 29, 2010)

draconisorion said:


> Can I ask how you got the above?   I get 17, 14, 14, 8, 10, 10 before the +2STR and +2 Con



Yeah, totally right. 3 points left to distribute, sorry my bad. Either Str 17 or even Wis 13: opens up Avenger Multiclass. 2 rounds of double d20 attacks every encounter. A good time to blow an action point. Double the possibility to hit and to crit! Something to keep in mind at least


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