Barbarian Feats (Previously - Power Critical!!)

[Azazu]

I'm about to start playing a Dwarven Barbarian. 10th level.

The feats i have chosen are Power Attack, Cleave, Track and Iron Will.

I am thinking about trading Iron Will in for Improved Crit on my Greataxe and then pick up Power Critical at 12th level.

Any thoughts as to this route. Is power Critical a good feat??

 

[Hammerhead]

From a strictly powergame point of view, I'd drop Track instead of Iron Will. As a class with a low Will save, every little +2 bonus helps against the Dominations and Mind Blasts that everyone will aim your way. However, in a group environment with a wizard, why bother Tracking someone when you could just Scry them?

Anyway, yeah, Power Critical rules for axe-users. It can potentially end the major battle of the game very easily. For example, compare it to a Feat like Weapon Specialization; while Power Critical is more limited than WS, since it doesn't work on Undead or Constructs, I'll make the comparison anyway.

Assuming that while Raging you have a 26 Str and are attacking with a +2 Greataxe, your average damage will be 1d12+14, or 20.5. Using Power Critical, for one attack your damage increases by 41. With Weapon Specialization, it would take 21 successful hits per day to match this damage factor.

 

[Tzarevitch]

I'm about to start playing a Dwarven Barbarian. 10th level.

The feats i have chosen are Power Attack, Cleave, Track and Iron Will.

I am thinking about trading Iron Will in for Improved Crit on my Greataxe and then pick up Power Critical at 12th level.

Any thoughts as to this route. Is power Critical a good feat??

It is a good feat if you are using a high-crit weapon like a heavy pick or an axe and you have a lot of bonuses or special abilities that multiply. Don't take it if you are using a x2 crit weapon.

From a strictly metageme point of view, the feat is decent for PCs (only 1x/day but if you can produce a very telling single blow that doesn't matter much) but it is spectacular for NPCs (again if they have a lot of bonuses that multiply) since most are only around for a single fight anyway.

Tzarevitch

 

[elbandit]

Power Critical?

It is a good feat if you are using a high-crit weapon like a heavy pick or an axe and you have a lot of bonuses or special abilities that multiply. Don't take it if you are using a x2 crit weapon.

Tzarevitch

Where is this Feat from?

 

[hong]

Where is this Feat from?

Masters of the Wild, rumoured to also be in the upcoming Complete Warrior.

 

[Pax]

ElBandit: Power Critical is in Masters of the Wild. Basically, once per day, you can attack with an effective threat range of 2-20 (IOW, if you hit, you threat). ^_^

 

[Azazu]

Well since Power Crit is a good feat in and of itself what feats do you all think are best for barbarians - Power Attack and Cleave are givens.

All sources.

thanks

 

[Nail]

Surprisingly enough, our barbarian has had excellent use out of the "Toughness" feats. You'd think he already had enough hp......but you'd be wrong.

 

[andrew]

I've also been very happy with the Toughness feats. Greater Resiliency isn't bad either. The last barbarian I played opted for lots of hp and dr, but little armor. He tended to fare pretty well in the front line.

 

[Endur]

If you like role-playing, Track and Iron Will are nice feats. If you like smashing the enemies, I'd drop Track and Iron Will and pick up Weapon Focus, Improved Critical, and Great Cleave.

Great Cleave is great when you are facing a horde of flunkies. Weapon Focus and Improved Critical work well against the big bad evil guy, but restrict you to a single weapon.

I'm about to start playing a Dwarven Barbarian. 10th level.

The feats i have chosen are Power Attack, Cleave, Track and Iron Will.

I am thinking about trading Iron Will in for Improved Crit on my Greataxe and then pick up Power Critical at 12th level.

Any thoughts as to this route. Is power Critical a good feat??