D&D 4E [4E] Barbarian build advice?

[CaspianM]

So just played some Darksun and managed to whomp through a 2 in 1 encounter vs 13 guys (sorta, got taken down to -1 but it got sorted) Now I'm getting the feeling like I overbuilt this character for just doing damage, but is that ok? Is there a better way to build say more defenses into this character?

Only reason why I asked is it felt like I was getting out DPSed by the rogue (who was using the counter attack stance daily) It was fun but I assume the whole thing is high risk, high reward. I was told that going polearm would be a better idea? Also I may just switch out hide armor expertise and wear chainmail.


====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Fionn Spéir-Brifadair, level 3
Goliath, Barbarian
Build: Rageblood Barbarian
Feral Might: Rageblood Vigor

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 19, Con 18, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 11.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 11.


AC: 17 Fort: 17 Reflex: 12 Will: 12
HP: 45 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 11

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +11, Intimidate +6, Nature +7

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana +1, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Dungeoneering, Endurance +4, Heal, History +1, Insight, Perception, Religion +1, Stealth, Streetwise +1, Thievery

FEATS
Level 1: Goliath Greatweapon Prowess
Level 2: Hide Armor Expertise

POWERS
Barbarian at-will 1: Howling Strike
Barbarian at-will 1: Recuperating Strike
Barbarian encounter 1: Desperate Fury
Barbarian daily 1: Bloodhunt Rage
Barbarian utility 2: Savage Comeback
Barbarian encounter 3: Blood Strike

ITEMS
Hide Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Greataxe

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, the classic place you go from here is into charge optimization. A vanguard weapon, horned helm, badge of the berserker, and whatever charge boosting feats and powers you can come up with.

Yes, your defenses bite. Going to heavier armor is probably not going to help much as it won't do anything for your REF/WILL. Basically as a rageblood barb you're all offense. You can pick up one of the new Essentials heroic tier defense boost feats, which might not be a bad idea and probably will need to happen eventually, but the basic theme with the barbarian is run in, kill your target before it can hurt you, and get back out of there so you can do it again.

 

[lonebrendan]

Chainmail won't get you any farther. But at 17 you are about on par or on less than normal.

AbdulAlhazred is right and so is your original char concept.

With howling strike you are made to charge so I would suggest Maurauder's Armor. It gives a +1 ac after a charge and starts at +2, which improves at paragon.

Since there isn't much you can do about your armor look at ways to soften enemy blows like optimizing your rageblood vigor class feature. Take improved rageblood vigor then pick up the cheap item belt of feral might. All these things along with your con/strength mod will net you 13 temp on a kill. At level 4 when you bump your strength you'll be getting 14. That will help enormously to keep you killing.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Yeah, I forgot about the whole temp HP thing, lol. That is going to be a big help. Even a few extra THPs here or there will add up over a day of adventuring, basically giving you the equivalent of several extra surges. Toughness is of course another pretty obvious option that is generally worth picking up, though you might wait till paragon if there are other feats.

You may want to eventually pick up an Execution Axe as well. It costs a feat, but barbs have enough high W powers that it is actually pretty worthwhile, again more when you get up in levels a bit where you have rages to burn on Rage Strike and more higher W powers.

 

[Herschel]

Yeah, your build is all-offense/no defense. The defender is your friend but also has to be the rogue's. It's why I dislike the Rageblood and like the Thaneborn (and Thaneborn also opens up a lot more roleplaying opportunities)

 

[Mummolus]

If you're concerned about your defenses, you might consider retraining Goliath Greatweapon Expertise into Urgrosh proficiency. It'll improve your AC a tad without seriously impacting your damage. Grab Axe Expertise at a later level and it's effectively brutal 1, not to mention the +1 to attack rolls.

 

[CaspianM]

I'll post later from a terminal that doesn't eat my formatting.

 

[Saeviomagy]

For a charging build, the gouge (from the DSCS: a +2/2d6, brutal 1, axe/spear) is a pretty nice weapon, since spear expertise gives you +1/2/3 to damage on charges.

As for the rogue beating you on DPS - expect it. If he's a melee rogue with plenty of melee allies, he's getting CA all the time and is going to bring the pain.

However you'll find occasionally there's a fight where he ends up being relatively ineffective. There's just some situations where it's really hard to bring sneak attack to bear, and when it happens, his damage will plummet. That's the price he pays.

While you, on the other hand, should be able to walk into just about any situation at full power.

 

[Mad Hamish]

I'm not sure that you get a huge benefit out of having your con so high.
You might be better off dropping it a couple of points and putting dex up, boosting AC and reflex.

 

[CaspianM]

Yeah, ah well can't be helped. All I can say is that counterattack daily from Dragon 381 seems ridiculous. Here's another rebuild that focuses on STR/DEX as it should have been. The more I think about it, the more a spear build makes a lot of sense.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Fionn Spéir-Brifadair, level 3
Goliath, Barbarian
Build: Rageblood Barbarian
Feral Might: Rageblood Vigor

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 14, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.


AC: 18 Fort: 17 Reflex: 15 Will: 13
HP: 41 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 10

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +11, Intimidate +5, Nature +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Arcana +1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +2, Endurance +2, Heal +2, History +1, Insight +2, Perception +2, Religion +1, Stealth +3, Streetwise, Thievery +3

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Fullblade)
Level 2: Markings of the Victor

POWERS
Barbarian at-will 1: Howling Strike
Barbarian at-will 1: Recuperating Strike
Barbarian encounter 1: Avalanche Strike
Barbarian daily 1: Swift Panther Rage
Barbarian utility 2: Savage Comeback
Barbarian encounter 3: Brutal Slam

ITEMS
Hide Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Fullblade
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