Barbarian With More Than One Dimension?

[Herschel]

I'll jump on the bandwagon as wondering why you would buy a 18 (20) strength when you want some tertiary skills.

I built a Causticsoul ("originally" Windsoul) Genasi Thaneborn Barbarian in a campaign I play in using stats and skills for the flavor I wanted. It's Scales of War so there is a lot of reality/plane shifting. He's at 8th level now.

1. He was victim of a cataclysmic event in his original dimension, hence the "corrupted" manifestation. His goal is to regain the purity of his soul (Elemental Tempest Paragon Path, Deva Heritage feat replaced by different extra manifestations triggered when facing a strong combatant (announced switch during rest but for fluff switch happens as he enters battle))

2. He was leader of his group of rebels and tends to survey the battlefield before charging in (Thaneborn build, Warlord multiclass (w/ Diplomacy training), 16 post-racial starting INT, Dex dump for initiative control)

He's a very good character combat-wise yet has a lot of flavor.

 

[Solvarn]

I get what you mean, Boy Genius, but as an RPG, one is supposed to role play the character.
If you create a guy with no training in Diplomacy or Bluff, you shouldn't have him bluffing or being all diplomat. It doesn't matter the player's skill at those.
Player != Character

I totally thought you were being snarky but then I saw his name was actually Boy Genius.

 

[DracoSuave]

Actually, barbarians have Nature and Perception which have tons of out-of-combat use. Nature covers a LOT of useful things, and well, perception is perception!

 

[Zaran]

Actually I feel any low level character with higher than an 18 in any attribute is going to be one dimensional.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

Actually I feel any low level character with higher than an 18 in any attribute is going to be one dimensional.

I think the char is at least two dimensional even on paper...

That can't be said as a general rule take an AD rogue and a DEX/CHA race.
DEX 20, CHA 16, rest=low. You can use thievery, stealth and acrobatics perfectly and you are good at bluff, intimidate and streetwise. You can be nimble and charismatic at the same time. And you are good in dealing damage.

I think wizards can be run with a starting 20 as well w/o being less dimensional.

 

[DracoSuave]

Actually I feel any low level character with higher than an 18 in any attribute is going to be one dimensional.

I think any character that's based on the concept 'LULZ I HAS 20 STRENGTH AND CHARGE A LOT' is going to be one dimensional.


A character who is a brash warrior who has made the difficult choice to allow spirits of the storm and of blood to inhabit his body, causing him to black out and wake up surrounded by the corpses of his enemies, in pools of his own blood... feeling uncertain regret, but a grim embrace of the necessity of his sacrifice.... is a multi-dimensional character.

Of course, the latter could have 20 strength too. But hey, barbarians do a lot more than charge. It's only those who don't see barbarians as anything other than rageblood vigor that make one-dimensional characters.

 

[The Human Target]

Yeah, it can be hard when playing by the RAW with any of the skill deficient classes.

It got so annoying for players in my game that we instituted a house rule.

All classes get to choose any six skills they want (but don't get any inherent ones- so a wizard doesn't automatically get arcana and a rogue doesn't auto get stealth and thievery.)

And if you have a good idea, I give a +2 to your skill check regardless of training.

Its helped a lot.

 

[Boy Genius]

I totally thought you were being snarky but then I saw his name was actually Boy Genius.

LOL. Yeah it's an old character name of mine from the Marvel RPG. He was a gadget hero.

He even had a media blitz through one adventure arc. Slogan was, "Like You...Only Smarter."

 

[Infiniti2000]

What y'all are failing to realize is that out of combat a barbarian should be spending all his time trying to get back into combat.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

What y'all are failing to realize is that out of combat a barbarian should be spending all his time trying to get back into combat.

I've heard failing at skill challenges is an option to start combat.
Then being bad at skill challenges is not a bug but a feature - nice!