Advice on building a Battlerager

[Mistwell]

We got our butts kicked hard by Irontooth. Three characters captured (Wizard, Fighter, Paladin), two fled and survived (Archer Ranger, and a Warlord).

We are going back in, and the three players with captured characters can create a second level replacement character for a one-shot, one-battle rescue mission against Irontooth and his horde of kobolds.

I'd like to try out a Fighter Battleranger for this mission (though I am open to contrary advice, including the issue of "little defense against ranged attackers"). All WOTC, include Dragon Mag, are open.

I am inclined to go with a Dwarven battlerager with an 18 Con and 16 Str and 14 Wis, but none of that is set in stone.

I am torn as to the best view on armor: 1) Plate and Shield (with plate feat); Chain and Shield; Plate and two-handed Weapon (with plate feat); Chain and two-handed weapon; something else (scale?).

I am also torn on weapon: axe, or hammer? One handed or two? Dwarven Weapon feat?

And then there is the question of magic items (assume standard for 2nd level character) and of course powers (I assume some invigorating powers).

What are your thoughts?

 

[Mengu]

If you want to be really tough, go with, Warforged, 18 Str, 18 Con, 12 Dex, 12 Wis, Plate, Toughness, Longsword and Shield.

 

[Mistwell]

If you want to be really tough, go with, Warforged, 18 Str, 18 Con, 12 Dex, 12 Wis, Plate, Toughness, Longsword and Shield.

I hadn't gotten around to reading warforged. I'll definitely have to check it out if they get a bonus to Con and Str! And I always liked the concept of the warforged.

[Edit - And their Warforged Resolve temporary hit points meshes well with their ability to stack temporary hit points from invigorating powers]

 

[mlund]

Chain Mail Armor
Heavy Shield
Warhammer

Feats: Devoted Challenge (MP), Dwarven Stoneblood (MP)

At-Will Attacks:
- Brash Strike (MP)
- Cleave
Encounter Attack:
- Shield Bash (MP)
Daily Attack:
- Comeback Strike
Utility Power:
- Unstoppable

(MP = Martial Power)

Your basic melee attack is only a +6, but your Opportunity Attacks, Brash Strike, and Challenge Attacks are all at +8 to hit.

Moreover, your Challenge Attacks have +2 damage and your Brash Strike deals 1d10+7 damage, or +9 when you have any Temp HP.

You gain 6 temp HP every time you are hit with a melee attack.
Your daily attack is reliable and gives your back HP.
As a Dwarf you can use Second Wind as a Minor Action.

You'll be very sticky, but very hard to drop or maneuver around. The Warlord is going to be your super-special-awesome best-friend getting your every bonus he can.

- Marty Lund

 

[Matey]

My party did Irontooth in our last session and for the last several rounds 3 out of 5 of us (including me) were down and failing death saving throws. The 2 who finished the battle were our dwarf battlerager, who gained 4 thp every time a minion hit him for 4 damage, and our infernal pact warlock, who was rockin' the thp from his curses.

Because every minion hit on the dwarf was a wash, he basically stopped attacking and concentrated on providing heal checks to his dying comrades.

I'm all for being revived, but that battle convinced me that battlerager vigor is severely broken.

 

[Mistwell]

The Warlord is going to be your super-special-awesome best-friend getting your every bonus he can.

Assume I get no bonuses from the Warlord.

 

[Mistwell]

My party did Irontooth in our last session and for the last several rounds 3 out of 5 of us (including me) were down and failing death saving throws. The 2 who finished the battle were our dwarf battlerager, who gained 4 thp every time a minion hit him for 4 damage, and our infernal pact warlock, who was rockin' the thp from his curses.

Because every minion hit on the dwarf was a wash, he basically stopped attacking and concentrated on providing heal checks to his dying comrades.

I'm all for being revived, but that battle convinced me that battlerager vigor is severely broken.

You prevented a TPK against a battle that is appropriate to your party level, and you think that is proof it is severely broken? So...you thought it was a must-TPK encounter that was somehow broken by battlerager making it not a TPK?

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I think it was probably having the ability to effectively not take damage.

 

[Mistwell]

I think it was probably having the ability to effectively not take damage.

Having just been beaten by the encounter, I don't think that is accurate. Irontooth and the Wyrmpriest all do plenty of damage. So do dragonshields, and even the slingers. Only the minions would be so weak as to not do enough damage, and then only if they close for melee. Since they all have javelins I believe, they could easily attack the battlerager with those and he would not get the temporary hit points. All in all, the battlerager definitely will take damage from the encounter.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

The battlerager is broken because all he gives up for tons and tons of THP is +1 to hit. A +1 to hit is big, but not as big as the insane amount of THP you end up with from battlerager. Also, the enemy has no way to tell without the DM metagaming that ranged attacks work much better against the battlerager. There is no PC knowledge check and THP has no visible effect unless the PC wants thje flavor text of his THP to be visible.