Barbarian is up!!!

[Dragonblade]

Optimised Barbarian:
Str (26) +8
Magic Weapon +5
Weapon Focus +3
Power Attack +9 (admittedly, this would reduce the chances of hitting with 6 attacks considerably)
That's +25 damage, without too much effort. When you factor in power, rage and other bonuses I'm sure you could easily top +30 to damage. When you multiply this by 6, thats 180 points without factoring in dice damage or criticals. And I'm not even much of an optimiser...

Ah, I read the power and assumed that each attack had to be against a different target. That makes a difference.

Hmm, let's get some clarification on this from WotC. If you can attack the same target multiple times, I would limit the power to 3 or 4 attacks, not 6. If all attacks have to be made against different targets then I think the power is fine as is.

 

[Gloombunny]

I think the best replacement for Rage Strike would be to add a general rule about rage powers that, if you're already raging, you can forego the lasting-buff part of the power to increase the damage of the attack. You'd still use the damage and effects of the attack as listed in the power, but throw in, say, an extra [W] per tier. (That's the tier that level of the power is in, not the tier the character is in.)

Though I wouldn't really mind if they just kept it as is and threw in a little sidebar explaining what it's actually for.

 

[Dragonblade]

Man that smiley looks mean! You'll be glad to hear that in my own clumsy attempts to keep it brief I appear to have mislead you. I am, like you, concerned that armour feats are necessary to bring the Barbarian up to speed in a fashion that could detract from its flavour if taken to extremes. However that's just based on what I've read here, I could well be wrong.

*EDIT* Some other fair comments on my vote. AC appears to be a more complex issue than I'd credited it for. I stand by the need for a little explaination for Rage Strike, though I believe it functions perfectly well as is..

Take it easy

Ethalias

Sorry! I was just raging.

I think the Barbarian flavor lends itself to lighter armor, but the Barbarian really needs those armor feats. It was driving me nuts when people kept saying the barbarian needed some sort of armor restriction. That's not what the class needs. It needs some kind of innate armor bonus.

For example, perhaps a class feature that grants an AC bonus when wearing light or no armor that increases in potency based on tier. I would say maybe +2 at Heroic, +4 at Paragon, and +6 at Epic.

 

[Klaus]

Because the majority of people on here aren't professional Art Directors. Also, some of the criticisms are even overly picky for an Art Director.

Then I've been plagued with tons of overly nitpicky Art Directors, because the abs in the leaping barbarian and the faulty foreshortening in the tiefling vs. dragon one wouldn't fly with any of them.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Then I've been plagued with tons of overly nitpicky Art Directors, because the abs in the leaping barbarian and the faulty foreshortening in the tiefling vs. dragon one wouldn't fly with any of them.

They wouldn't fly with me either...

 

[Hawke]

For example, perhaps a class feature that grants an AC bonus when wearing light or no armor that increases in potency based on tier. I would say maybe +2 at Heroic, +4 at Paragon, and +6 at Epic.

That could work provided that the requirement was they were only wearing the base armor. Pick feats to jump above that and you lose the bonus... but potentially pick up some various magic items.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

me likey! Muhaha!!

"Minsc leads! SWORDS FOR EVERYONE!"

God bless Minsc, the best character ever created for D&D.

Ever.

EVOR.

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

Well here are my (rapidly diminishing in value) 2 (low denomination coins):

1) AC is definitely an issue. Allowing the use of Con or Cha may help this, since secondary stats will be 14-16, making it still worthwhile for some builds to go for heavy armour.

2) I don't like any of the rage mechanics. You can still ONLY RAGE ONCE A DAY until level 5, and then at most you'll get three times a day AND you have a power that encourages you to burn them off for random extra damage. I would much prefer raging to be a trade-off situation you can always use, with their big daily powers only usable in a rage - tie it to being bloodied or similar.

3) There will be multiclass problems as just two feats get you a super-rage power, which lasts all encounter, and for other strikers it will look just too tempting.

4) Aside from that, the basics seem to capture the messy combat associated with the barbarian, but when you're not raging, you're a bit dull. Wizards kill minions, strikers can always do extra damage with a bit of effort, defenders get to mark, leaders help everyone out, barbarians.. get the odd extra attack?

 

[Spatula]

Also, out of curiosity, what would break if rages just stacked?

That would depend on the design of all current and potential future rages. If they did stack, you'd be limiting what a prospective new rage could do - you'd have to see how well it synergizes with every other rage out there, and ditch concepts that produce unusually effective combos.

2) I don't like any of the rage mechanics. You can still ONLY RAGE ONCE A DAY until level 5, and then at most you'll get three times a day AND you have a power that encourages you to burn them off for random extra damage.

This is a good point.

 

[occam]

It is technically well-done but the proportions of the lead barbarian are all over the place, specially the ginormous head.

And how about the fact that the dragonborn's axe appears to be floating behind his right fist? It's an exciting piece, but that detail bugs me. I've noticed the same problem with closed fists in other recent Dragon and Dungeon artwork.

Also, have I forgotten or never noticed something? Are dragonborns supposed to be covered in fur? It doesn't look like part of any clothing.