Hybrid Barbarian / Wizard Suggestions

[KarinsDad]

I will be playing in a game next year where I wanted to play a Hybrid Barbarian / Wizard, leaning in the direction of a Wizard (with some melee capability, i.e. Int will be higher than Str).

Pros: better AC, Fort, and hit points; the ability to melee ok

Cons: nearly everything else with respect to a Wizard, he loses spellbooks, ritual casting, half of his Wizard attack powers, arcane implement master, considerable Will Defense, etc.

So, I was looking for suggestions with which to balance and optimize the PC a bit, possibly for ways to add back in some flexibility. I'm not looking for a mega-optimized PC, HBW doesn't lend itself well to that. I'm looking more for suggestions on powers and feats that might synergize well. Thanks.

 

[Nifft]

Suggestion: try a Barbarian | Sorcerer instead.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Klaus]

What do you hope to get from each class?

If you want to wield giant weapons and throw spells about, why not go Swordmage/Wizard? Or, as Nifft pointed out, a Thaneborn Barbarian/Dragon Sorcerer works particularly well.

 

[KarinsDad]

Ok, before we go down the path:

"Try a different class"

Could we focus instead on the class I chose?

Suggestions to try a different class are not helpful at all guys and actually just clog up the thread. I want to try THIS class.

 

[renau1g]

Well... you'll likely be in melee often so probably want to focus on blasts? Not super familiar with the wizard powers, but IIRC a lot of them need WIS right? So you need Str and Int (nearly equally) as well as WIS and Con. Not sure if you've chosen race, but I think Genasi works well as they get both bonuses. Is there a feat to make your weapon from barbarian an implement? If not, there's a staff called Staff of the Serpent, so you can use it as an implement as well as any melee attack with it does +1d6 poison damage, helping add some damage on your melee attaks.

 

[DragonXNIK]

I don't know the Hybrid rules really, but you can't go wrong with consolidating your main weapon. Go with Arcane Implement Proficiency: Heavy Blades, so you can use a greatsword or longsword as your main weapon and implement.

Unless you have a generous DM and you're rolling stats, you're not going to be able to make use of kicker abilities for Wizard powers (like the Push wis squares for thunderwave). Scorching burst is always a good choice if you have 3 or more targets, otherwise charge something and barbarian it up! Playing as a taclord/Wizard, I emphasize area attacks in my power selection, as it's something the rest of my party can do.
Since Barbarians are so charge crazy, it's probably not a bad idea to spend the first couple turns slogging fire from the back row, and then charging in to melee once the front line is crowded with allies. This would actually be cool for swift charge, soften em up with fireballs, then charge in for the kill and bounce to someone else. So probably a rageblood barb with howling strike, and wizard with scorching burst.

If you wanted to be a barbarian tank, with less emphasis on melee damage, just use a staff, and choose Staff of Defense implement mastery (if hybrid allows you to select that)

As someone else said, Genasi is a great choice for this, maybe a 16/12/10/16/12/8, with the 16s in Int and Str. You could easily pay more attention to your will defense and secondary stats with 14/13/8/16/14/10

If I were to do this, I'd emphasize defense because it would be so easy. Assuming a hybrid gets an implement mastery and barbarian agility.

 

[interwyrm]

What do you hope to get from each class?

Seconded.

You really need to give us some context for why you'd even want to try such a combo. Most "flavor" reasons could be achieved with a "better" class combo.

 

[Phaezen]

Something along the lines of this should work, here is a snapshot at level 5. I haven't worked at "optimising" every choice, just taken what looks interesting. A loose concept is a genasi channeling the spirits of fire and thunder through his rage.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Garel-kai, level 5
Genasi, Barbarian|Wizard
Hybrid Talent: Barbarian Armored Agility
Elemental Manifestation: Firesoul
Firepulse: Firepulse Strength

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 14, Dex 8, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 15, Con 14, Dex 8, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 10.


AC: 22 Fort: 18 Reflex: 19 Will: 15
HP: 46 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 11

TRAINED SKILLS
History +11, Athletics +10, Arcana +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Bluff +2, Diplomacy +2, Dungeoneering +3, Endurance +5, Heal +3, Insight +3, Intimidate +2, Nature +5, Perception +3, Religion +6, Stealth, Streetwise +2, Thievery

FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent
Level 2: Elemental Empowerment
Level 4: Firepulse Master

POWERS
Hybrid Barbarian at-will 1: Howling Strike
Hybrid Wizard at-will 1: Thunderwave
Hybrid encounter 1: Burning Hands
Hybrid daily 1: Bloodseeker's Rage
Hybrid utility 2: Shield
Hybrid encounter 3: Blood Strike
Hybrid daily 5: Thunderstaff

ITEMS
Battle Staff +1, Magic Hide Armor +2, Cape of the Mountebank +1, Adventurer's Kit, Flame Bracers (heroic tier)
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Concentrating on taking closeblast wizard powers this should work nicely as a "rage mage" type of concept.

 

[KarinsDad]

I don't know the Hybrid rules really, but you can't go wrong with consolidating your main weapon. Go with Arcane Implement Proficiency: Heavy Blades, so you can use a greatsword or longsword as your main weapon and implement.

Thanks. I knew that this feat existed, I just didn't remember the name. I definitely did not want to go the Wizard of the Spiral Path just to merge weapon with implement.

Unless you have a generous DM and you're rolling stats, you're not going to be able to make use of kicker abilities for Wizard powers (like the Push wis squares for thunderwave). Scorching burst is always a good choice if you have 3 or more targets, otherwise charge something and barbarian it up! Playing as a taclord/Wizard, I emphasize area attacks in my power selection, as it's something the rest of my party can do.
Since Barbarians are so charge crazy, it's probably not a bad idea to spend the first couple turns slogging fire from the back row, and then charging in to melee once the front line is crowded with allies. This would actually be cool for swift charge, soften em up with fireballs, then charge in for the kill and bounce to someone else. So probably a rageblood barb with howling strike, and wizard with scorching burst.

If you wanted to be a barbarian tank, with less emphasis on melee damage, just use a staff, and choose Staff of Defense implement mastery (if hybrid allows you to select that)

There is no way (TMK) to get Implement Mastery without giving up Barbarian Agility. For example, Implement Master does not do it.

 

[Klaus]

I will be playing in a game next year where I wanted to play a Hybrid Barbarian / Wizard, leaning in the direction of a Wizard (with some melee capability, i.e. Int will be higher than Str).

Pros: better AC, Fort, and hit points; the ability to melee ok

Cons: nearly everything else with respect to a Wizard, he loses spellbooks, ritual casting, half of his Wizard attack powers, arcane implement master, considerable Will Defense, etc.

So, I was looking for suggestions with which to balance and optimize the PC a bit, possibly for ways to add back in some flexibility. I'm not looking for a mega-optimized PC, HBW doesn't lend itself well to that. I'm looking more for suggestions on powers and feats that might synergize well. Thanks.

Without knowing more, I suggest:

Skip on Barbarian Agility and instead take Implement Mastery: Staff of Defense.

Get a Defensive Staff (already adds +1 F/R/W, and also AC due to Staff of Defense).

Take Staff Fighting (staff is now d8/d8 offhand defensive weapon).

Take powers from the Whirling Barbarian build (add the 1d8 from the offhand end to the d8 damage of the main end).

Benefits: +1 AC from defensive (Staff Fighting), +1 AC/F/R/W from Defensive Staff, 2d8 + Str damage for Barbarian powers, + Con to AC as immediate interrupt 1/encounter.

Con: You need Wis 13 to take Staff Fighting and some Con to make Staff of Defense work.