Planning character progression

[BraveSirRobin]

I am trying to plan my character’s progression so that I don’t end up in the future wishing I had taken a different set of feats or class combinations. I was wondering if people wouldn’t mind critiquing my current character plan.

Starting Abilities:
STR 18
DEX 17
CON 16
INT 8
WIS 10
CHR 17

Level:1 barb 1
Class: Barb
Feat: Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Improved Initiative

Level:2 barb 1, sorc 1
Class: Sorc
Spells: 0-mage hand, light, flare, detect mag 1- true strike, shield
Level:3 barb 2, sorc 1
Class:Barb
Feat: Power Attack

Level:4 barb 3, sorc 1
Class: Barb
Ability Increase: DEX

Level: 5 barb 3, sorc 2
Class: Sorc
Spell: 0-detect poison

Level: 6 barb 4. sorc 2
Class: Barb
Feat: Cleave

Level: 7 barb 5, sorc 2
Class: Barb

Level: 8 barb 5, sorc 3
Class: Sorc
Ability Increase: STR
Spells: 1-Endure Elements

Level: 9 barb 5, sorc 4
Class: Sorc
Feat: Extra Rage
Spells: 0- prestidigitation 2- Bull’s Strength

Level: 10 barb 6, sorc 4
Class: Barb

Level: 11 barb 7, sorc 4
Class: Barb

Level: 12 barb 7, sorc 5
Class: Sorc
Feat: Improved Critical
Ability Increase: STR
Spells: 1-spider climb 2- Blur

Level:13 barb 7, sorc 6
Class: Sorc
Spells: 3-Haste

Level: 14 barb 8, sorc 6
Class: Barb

Level: 15 barb 9, sorc 6
Class: Barb
Feat: Extra Spell
Spells: 2- alter self

Level: 16 barb 9, sorc 7
Class: Sorc
Ability increase: STR
Spells: 1-exped retreat 2- Ivis 3- keen

Level: 17 barb 10, sorc 7
Class: Barb

Level: 18 barb 11, sorc 7
Class: Barb
Feat: Open???

Level: 19 barb 11, sorc 8
Class: Sorc
Spells: 4-stone skin

Level: 20 barb 12, sorc 8
Class: Barb
Ability increase: STR

 

[Striderman]

Well, so far, it doesn't look too bad, but one error I noticed is that you won't be able to take Improved Critical at level 9. Your BAB will only be +7 (+5 from barb and +2 from Sorc), and hence, one short of the necessary +8 for Improved Critical.

 

[Crothian]

What's your goal here? It seems to be a Barbarian Sorcerer but there must be more to it. Have you seen the Rage Mage PRestige Class? Seems right up your alley. For ease sake you might want to but Barbarian X/Sorcer Y so that it's easier to tell what levels you have in the classes.

 

[Dwarmaj]

If you're going to be a Barbarian/Sorcerer, why not a Dragon Disciple?

You'll end up with a few more spells, breath weapon, wings, large size. If you have Tome & Blood, take a look at the class.

Dwarmaj

 

[BraveSirRobin]

O.k. made the changes for the improved critical and I added the class summaries.

I am trying to build a Barbarian/Sorc. I was thinking that I would pick spells that most benefited his melee abilities. I was considering the Dragon Disciple but dismissed the idea because of RP reasons. It just didn't fit the image. I am not sure about the Rage Mage. I have heard about it but have not seen the details of the class. I will have to look it up and see if it fits.

Thanks

 

[Crothian]

The Rage Mage is a pretty good mix of Barbarian/Arcane caster. You can enter a type of range that helps with spell casting. It's in one of the Dragon Magazines, but I can never rememeber which one.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

A couple suggestions.

Mage armor is not the best choice at first sorc level, IMO. It will not stack with your chain shirt, but shield will. I would take shield if you wanted a defensive spell. I would also choose as 0-level spells resistance and light first, then detect magic and either disrupt undead or mage hand, probably mage hand. They will be more useful to you, I think, than the ones you picked.

Drop great cleave at 9th level. Take extra rage, extended rage or instantaneous rage from MotW. Take another of these at 18th level, or giant's toughness, or power critical. MotW has some good feats for barbarians.

Everything else is flavor, I guess. Looks good.


BTW, did you roll those stats? Perhaps you have the Luck of the Heroes feat. That's a 54 point character. How do your abilities compare with those of your group? Just curious. Most of the players in my group rolled high, too.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

One other thing I missed. The Extra Spell feat restricts the choice to a spell of one spell level lower than you have access to. This means you must choose a spell of 2nd level or lower. Hence, GMW is disqualified.

 

[BraveSirRobin]

Good suggestions Zoom. I don't have MotW so those were a big help.

BTW, how did you know I had a chain shirt?

As for the abilities, my DM was very generous and let us do an 85 point allocation plus gave us one extra point in a random ability. Hence the two odd numbers.

Ouch, that hurts not having GMW. I am glad I am finding the mistakes now rather then later though. I then may take Invisibility here or switch to one of the other barbarian feats. Will have to think on it.

Thanks

 

[Dr. Zoom]

I don't have MotW

I don't want to be presumptious, but I highly recommend this book. It is the best of the splatbooks, IMO, except for Tome and Blood. If I were a barbarian, I would not leave home without it.

BTW, how did you know I had a chain shirt?

Doesn't everybody?

Seriously, I chose it because it gives the same bonus as mage armor. It is also a very popular choice of armor for low level fighter types with a high dex score, especially barbarians as it does not cancel their faster movement. All the fighter types started with chain shirts in my group.