Bear-brother

[Duke Arioch]

So, my wonderful Shadow phoenix idea went down in flames (pun intended). DM decided to mash it up a bit (read a lot lol). He devised a table of classes with scores ranging from 1-100 with certain numbers assigned to a certain class. So, we rolled percentile dice and I got stuck with barbarian D:
My wife got favored soul, and other two players rogue and sorcerer.
Now, I NEVER played barbarian or fighter, but I know the works.
DM also set new rules and boundaries, allowing core, complete and races books, plus Sand/Frost/Storm..., banning other systems (psionic, maneuvers, incarnum, etc.). He is allowing one base class, and any number of prestige classes. We are to start @ lvl 3, keep our rolled abilities (mine are 18, 18, 15, 13, 12, 9). I rolled 2d12 dice for HP and got 7 and 11, plus the maximized 1st lvl, putting me at 30hp w/out CON mod.
I went through every book I own, read pages and pages of handbooks and guides (Dandu, yours was the most hilarious guide I read in years XD) and pretty much decided my way to go.
However, I am a little bit stuck on feat choices, and would appreciate some thought. This is what I got so far:

Gari Stonefist, Dwarf (don't know whether to pick some variant dwarf or go with SRD one)

STR 18 (22-23 from levels)
DEX 12
CON 20 (2 from racial)
INT 15 (maybe add one here later)
WIS 13
CHA 7 (-2 from racial)

01 BAR flaw: meager fortitude, flaw: shaky, gr. fortitude, extra rage, imp. UAS; rage 1/d, pounce (spirit lion)
02 BAR imp. trip (wolf)
03 BAR power attack
04 BAR rage 2/d
05 FotF (CC) AC bonus (CON), fast movement, feral trance 1/d, primal living, 1d8 UAS
06 FotF endurance; uncanny dodge, untamed strike
07 FotF feral trance 2/d, scent, UAS 1d10
08 BW (CW) black bear form
09 DW (RoS) knockdown; track, trap sense 1
10 DW deep warden
11 BW -
12 BW multiattack; scent
13 BW -
14 BW brown bear form (has imp. grab)
15 WS (CW) morph. immunities, morph. weapons; feat?
16 WS morph. body
17 WS morph. reach
18 WS morph. healing; feat?

I have two feats and two levels I don't know what to do with. Is Leap attack worth it for unarmed strikes/nat. weapons? Should I get Snap kick, steadfast determination, reckless rage?
If I am to pick up Frostrager (Frostburn), I have to burn one of two feats left for a lame feat (frozen berserker). Is Frostrager worth it, in your opinion? (I would get One-two punch @lvl 20)

So, how I see it, by lvl 8 he would have bear form 4/d w/ 28 STR, 14DEX and 24CON w/out any magic items doing 17/12 UAS plus 12/12 claw, 12 bite in 1 full attack.
By lvl 18 he would have 42STR, 14DEX and 32CON doing 33/28/23/18 UAS, 31/31 claw, 31 bite (with 1 more possible bite attack from feral trance), and all that without any magic item.

Thx in advance for any insight regarding this build

 

[Dandu]

Snap Kick, Superior Unarmed Strike, and Mad Foam Rager are all good choices. I'd pick up Steadfast Determination though to cover your will saves.

 

[Duke Arioch]

I just realized that if I change scores for DEX and WIS (13 and 12 respectively), I can also take combat reflexes+robilar's gambit. Not sure it is worth it, though.
Mad foam rager seems good choice, while superior UAS would only change 1d10 to 2d6 in this particular build. Snap kick looks good too, but I still have to see if Bo9S is completely out, or DM allows stuff not directly connected with maneuvers/stances.
Also, what about frostrager? Is it worth it? And leap attack?

Thx Dandu. As always, you are quick to reply and give good advice

 

[xigbar]

I just realized that if I change scores for DEX and WIS (13 and 12 respectively), I can also take combat reflexes+robilar's gambit. Not sure it is worth it, though.
Mad foam rager seems good choice, while superior UAS would only change 1d10 to 2d6 in this particular build. Snap kick looks good too, but I still have to see if Bo9S is completely out, or DM allows stuff not directly connected with maneuvers/stances.
Also, what about frostrager? Is it worth it? And leap attack?

Thx Dandu. As always, you are quick to reply and give good advice

With your levels in Bear Warrior, you'll be able to take a little off your AC via Robilar. Superior UAS scales with level.

 

[Andras]

With FB enabled, take a hard look at Primeval.
Neanderthal Bar8/Prim10/Warshaper2


I like Dire Ape as my Primeval Form, since it retains a humanoid shape and gives you rend if both claws hit (+50/+50 for d8+31 + rend 2d8+62; Bite +48 d8+15)

Endurance, Self Sufficient, Improved Toughness, Steadfast Determination, Animal Devotion, Extend Rage, Mad Foam Rager.

@20 Natural Str 28, +4 rage, +8 sacred AniDev, +5i, +6e=51
+22 in Dire Ape form=73
220 Con =38

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

How about Leadership? Always a good feat for anybody.

 

[Wyvernhand]

With your incredibly high Con (and thus really high Will save from Steadfast Determination), you might consider Quick Recovery from Lords of Madness. It allows you to recover from things that inhibit you from acting like stunning, daze, etc with only the cost of a single move action. The best part about it is that it works against things that don't even allow a save, like Blasphemy or Stun Ray. Its a great feat at mid-high levels, especially if you think you'll be fighting a lot of high level evil outsiders and/or clerics who'll probably just love to Blasphemy you to death. It'd say its even better than Mad Foam Rager in many cases.

 

[Duke Arioch]

First of all, sorry I took so long to answer. My PC was under attack, and I had to battle a host of viruses and track down one hacker. All that done, I am back now.

How about Leadership? Always a good feat for anybody.

Forgot to mention, leadership, undead leadership, draconic cohort and the like are not allowed. And even if they were, I never take them.

Also, primeval is not the way I want to go. I am aware of the power of the PrC, but I don't find evolutional regression all that tempting.

Now, both Quick Recovery (thx wyvern) and Steadfast Determination are under consideration. I decided that leap attack isn't as shiny as it would be were I using a 2h weapon, and cut it out. So, I am thinking steadfast determination will take it's place, leaving 1 open feat @ lvl 18. I will see where this is going and will have plenty of time to decide what to pick by then. If I decide to go frostrager, it can be used to get frozen berserker. If I manage to get into trouble with many blasphemers, I will probably go with quick recovery. And, maybe I will just go with mad foam rager or snap kick.

Again, ty all for yuor contributions.