Char Op & Barbarians

[fireinthedust]

So the WOTC boards are a mess, and there's a general overview of barbarians on there (lordduskblade, good job, I guess).

However, I'm looking for more in the way of various Charge-based builds, with an eye towards a He-Man style tiger-rider. I've added Mount to the Dire tiger statblock. I'm thinking of "Eternal Defender" when I get up to Epic. However, the rest is loosely He-Man.

Questions:

1) Are there other places to go for CharOp threads? We don't have one on ENworld, I haven't found.

2) Help with barbarian Human builds, working in the Mark of Handling feat sometime in heroic; he'll have a Tiger mount probably by 5 or so, maybe sooner, maybe by 8.

At level 3 I've got a great sword, High STR and good Con/Dex, 10 or 11 (cha) in everything else.


Feats:
Weapon Expertise (heavy Blades)
Powerful Charge
Action Surge

Skills:
Atheletics
Nature
Endurance (I think)


I'm thinking Fullblade feat, mark of Handling (for Mount checks), and other specializations with Fullblade as he develops. I want to get Skill Training: Perception, as I've discovered that it comes in real handy for not getting trap-hit; however, 10 Wis, and we're getting a Rogue soon.

I don't know if I should have Int as a dump stat for RP purposes, if going from 10 to 8 would make a difference for my other stats. The DM is giving us an all-around challenge, and having an 18 in everything would already come in handy; 2e style gaming, which is fun. Is a dump stat Int 8 a big hinderance for a Barbarian?

Party:
Human Barbarian (me)
Tiefling Paladin
Eladrin Wizard
Shifter Druid
and we may get a Rogue, if we play on weekends enough.

Yes, two controllers and no leader.

My worry is because we got our asses handed to us by a troop of Goblins, and half of the players think tactical is something you use to catch fish. No, seriously. The DM is really earning his name, and I'm looking into every single aide to the party I can get: feats, skills, Equipment, Mounts, Magical items... the whole thing. I get the feeling a Winter Blanket could be more useful than a +3 sword at some points.

 

[DracoSuave]

Last thing you need is another striker.

Hybrid Warlord/Barbarian maybe?

 

[fireinthedust]

Yeah, definitely. thing is, the player is famous for her rogues back in the day, and she was the Cleric last game (for the campaign I'm running, not this one).
I kinda wish the Druid had opted for a Warlord or something else, but he liked munching them in 3e, so we went for that. The Wizard was going to be the Cleric, but last minute, bam. Thing is, Mage Hand is soooooo useful, I think I'd prefer a wizard to a druid. Still, and I like the player, the way he plays is "I'll hide across the room and MM the goblins" rather than "Flaming Sphere from across the room, then MM the goblins". Inefficient, and leaves me to get nailed by the Hexer and dropped. I've never seen a 4e party get dropped, anyone, and I dropped. I'm annoyed.

Oh well. we're a fun group, just a soon-to-be-dead group, that's all.

 

[mneme]

Of course you need a striker -- strikers are the Best Class (TM).

Well, they kinda are, anyway; the optimal 6 person party is either 2xleader, controller, defender, 2xstriker, or leader, controller, defender, 3xstriker (depending on what you're fighting)--as the other classes are to an extent a multiplier on your takedown capability, but strikers -are- your takedown capability.

That said, leaders are the best multiplier and keep you from losing people, so not having a leader -really- hurts. No useful advice, though the boots that let you shift whenever you charge are clearly a must.

 

[Grydan]

My barbarian far prefers Acrobat boots: getting up from prone as a minor action is quite useful.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Get that av2 badge that lets you ignore opportunity attacks that you provoke while charging instead then.