Barbarian

Skills
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

The class skills available for a Barbarian are:
 * Intimidate(Cha)
 * Jump(Str)
 * Listen(Wis)
 * Swim(Str)


 * Starting Proficiencies
 * Simple Weapons
 * Martial Weapons
 * Light Armor
 * Medium Armor
 * Shields (Except tower shields)

Level 1

 * Fast Movement (passive): Allows barbarians to move 10% faster than other characters. This bonus applies even when wearing heavy armor (at this time).
 * Rage (active): When used, the barbarian gains +4 to strength, +4 constitution, +2 to will saving throws but the barbarian incurs a reduction of its Armor Class by 2. After Rage runs out the barbarian will suffer fatigue, which is a -2 to strength, -2 to dexterity, and a slight runspeed debuff.

Level 2

 * Uncanny Dodge (active): At 2nd level, a barbarian retains his Dexterity modifier to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his dexterity modifier to AC if immobilized. If a barbarian already has Uncanny Dodge from a different class, he automatically gains Improved Uncanny Dodge instead.
 * Damage Reduction (passive): Grants damage reduction/1 to all unarmed, weapon or natural attacks. The bonus is increased by +1 at level 10.

Level 3

 * Trap Sense (passive): This feat grants the following bonuses. +1 on reflex saving throws vs. traps and +1 Armor Class vs. trap attacks. The bonuses increase at levels 6 and 9.

Level 5

 * Improved Uncanny Dodge (passive and active): This feat provides two benefits to the character. The first is that the feat prevents monsters from receiving the flanking bonus when the character is attacked from behind. This portion of the feat is actually passive. The second is that it can be activated by the character to receive a bonus to their armor class and their reflex saving throws for a short time.

Additional Information
Building a barbarian (instead of a fighter): Fighter and barbarian are the two most similar classes in D&D. Both focus on dealing and surviving front-line melee damage (although one has more armor, and the other has more hp and damage resistance). To win fights, both have strength as their most important attribute, with dexerity and consitution secondary. A player with a fighter or barbarian will probably want to use the bonus ability points at both 4th and 8th level to increase strength. However, it is important to be aware that fighters will recieve bonus strength enhancements as "action points" when they level up, while barbarians get constitution instead (which is much less valuable). Therefore, to create an effective barbarian character, you probably want to start with a high strength (16-19) and a medium consitution (13-16), expecting to increase the constituion with action points as you level up.

Also remember that dexterity is more important for a barbarian (since they have lighter armor), and that their 2 more hp/level makes constitution even less important for them than for a fighter. It seems strange, but it may even sensible for a barbarian to start with a constituion of 10-12, and put a few points into wisdom, to help with healing, spotting, and the all-important Will saves (failing a Will save is often far worse than failing a Fortitude or Reflex save, as they're more likely to take you out of the fight completely, rather than just damage hp or ability scores)

One last note on Constitution: The Con bonus is also applied to the barbarian's rage, increasing its duration by a minor amount. (or decreasing from default if Con is below 10)


 * Barbarian Enhancements

Balanced 2 Handed Barbarian Build
New to DnD and will be playing a barbarian when the game is released. This is the balanced build im going for. This build will also work fine with one-handed + shield, as Feats like Weapon Focus Slashing will still apply. That is important to keep in mind, because it seems that DDO's high-level loot is biased towards one-handed warriors, as discussed in Melee weapon options.


 * Race = Human (Extra feet and I like the human enhancements options, +2 to a stat and + to all skills)


 * Stats

Str 16 (2 handed weapons damage bonus is 4.5, will raise first whenever possible)

Dex 16 (Allows for max ac with breast plate which has 5 ac and maximum dexterity bonus of 3,  with some of the mithral stuff the dex bonus is higher and will worry about raising that when I get to it with either human enhancements or stat gear.  Good reflex saves)

Con 10 (barbarian enhancements will raise this by 3.  Figure that 12 con will only give me 12 extra hp at level 10 so I went with wisdom instead for the will saves)

Int 10 (No neg for skill points, will use 4 points in Intimidate, Jump, Tumble, and split the last 4 between Swim and Heal Once I have Jump to a level Im comfortable with and have a under water breathing item I can drop those to concentrate on the others)

Wis 12 (For some help with will saves)

Cha 8 (Hate the neg but besides Intimidate which I will keep maxed with skill points doesnt really effect me)


 * Feats

Not realy sure what im going with. I know the level 1 choices though.

Lvl 1

Dodge (+1 ac and prereq. to other stuff down the road if I go that way.

Weapon Focus: Slashing - Human Bonus Feat (Gonna use either great sword or great ax, maybee dwarven war ax down the road if I have the feat to burn)

Lvl 3

?? Reserved for future use (possibly sheild mastery)

Lvl 6

?? Reserved for future use

lvl 9

?? Reserved for future use


 * Skills

Intimidate - Jump - Tumble - Swim - Heal


 * Enhancements

Combination of the following depending on situation and gear

+ rage line - barbarian enhancements

+ con line - barbarian enhancements

+ all skill checks - human enhancements

+ dex - Human (if I find gear to allow for more than 3 maximum dexterity bonus)

+ str - Human

+ heal - Human? (not sure if the added % to heal is a human feat or fighter, got it on my level 1 barb/1 fighter in beta but not my lvl 1 fighter so its either a lvl 2 human enhancements or a lvl 2 fighter enhancements

+ Intimidate and listen

Shaken while Intimidated (Both are very good at low levels for taunting, will probably get replaced at higher levels when my intimidate skill rises and I get better choices in enhancements)

Big Gino 06:23, February 7, 2006 (PST)