Does multiclassing make Rage too powerful?

[Quartz]

The Barbarian's Rage is pretty much the class's defining feature, but whereas other classes have starting abilities that give flat bonuses (e.g. Paladin's Divine Grace in 3.0, the Ranger's Favoured Enemy) and other classes have abilities that grow as the character grows (e.g. the Rogue's Sneak Attack), the Barbarian's Rage ability in large part grows as the character grows in other classes. This is because part of the ability is modelled as an increase in CON, from which hitpoints depend.

Should this be fixed? How would you do it? How about explicitly breaking it out? As in the Barbarian gets +2 HP per Barbarian level (more later); and a +2 Rage Bonus (ditto) to his Fort saving throw, attacks, damage, and Strength checks? You could use this breakdown to spread out the gaining of those bonuses. This has the advantage of avoiding issues with funky feats which swap saving throw bonuses from stats around - or worse, add them.

Something like

L1: Basic Rage - +2 HP / Level,
L2: Rage Bonus +2 to all saving throws (q.v. Divine Grace), Uncanny Dodge.(thematically similar)
L3: +2 Rage bonus to attack and damage, Trap Sense +1 (learning to focus)
L4 onwards: as normal.

Maybe swap L2 and L3 around.

What do you think?

 

[Plane Sailing]

This looks like a house rules discussion to me (the basic premise is making a change to Rage class feature), so I'll slide it over.

Cheers

 

[Liquidsabre]

That's not a bad idea there. It's true that most Barbarians start as ones but then quickly move to something else since the rage ability isn't so tied to the class (especially with exrta rage, ack). Since greater rage certainly doesn't come along until much, much later (11th lvl).

I agree the +2 HP/barbarian level is a great way to break it out of the rage ability and tie it more closely to the class. Quite nice that. Might also think about tieing in how long rage lasts with how many barbarian levels the character has.

Barbarians already get uncanny dodge at 2nd level (no change there) but +2 to all saves may be a bit much. I like this idea, I've never seen too much allure to take alot of levels of Barbarian myself. The extra rage, trap sense, and DR just don't seem really worth the taking of all those levels to achieve those benefits.

 

[Stalker0]

I think there are enough incentives to stay a barbarian, uncanny dodge, more rages and improved rage, indomitable will, dr, etc...so I don't think going pure barb is weak.

That said, I agree 1 level of barb is an very nice multiclass option. But then again, so is one level of ranger.

6 skill points (x4 at 1st level), +1 BAB, +2 to two saves, a favored enemy, track...that's a lot of goodies for one level.

I personally don't think rage needs to be changed.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I think you're overlooking the AC penalty. Many people scoff at that minus 2, but that increases the number of hits taken by an average of 10%. "But you get extra HP!" In my experience all of those extra hp, and a good deal more, are wiped out by those five hits that landed when they would have missed your non-raging Barbarian.

Rage is probably the Barbarian's weakest class feature, with the possible exception of Trap Sense. It doesn't need further nerfing. The fast movement, DR, (improved) uncanny dodge, and 1d12 HD are the best reasons to take levels in Barbarian.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Have you seen the alternate barbarian rage ability in PHBII? That is a very nice alternative and IIRC is slightly more closely tied to barbarian level (i.e. the point at which it kicks in is dependent upon a hp threshold which is related to your Bbn level - and if it isn't, it could be under your model)

Cheers

 

[airwalkrr]

I don't have the PHII yet. Please enlighten us. What is this variant rage?

I like that this thread is here. I am so sick and tired of every fighter snatching up one level of barbarian and extra rage just because it's such a front-loaded ability.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I don't have the PHII yet. Please enlighten us. What is this variant rage?

It's called berserker strength.

It is activated automatically when your hp total drops below 5 x your barbarian level. There is no limit to the number of times per day it can go off. You cannot voluntarilly end it, but healing that brings your hp total above the threshold does end it. The same limitations on actions that apply to rage apply to this.

When activated you gain +4 Str, +2 to all saves, DR 2/— and you get a –2 AC.

At 11th level (or if you would have had greater rage as a class feature) bonuses are instead +6 Str, +3 to all saves, DR 3/— and you still get a –2 AC.

At 20th level (or if you would have had mighty rage as a class feature) bonuses are instead +8 Str, +4 to all saves, DR 4/—, and still –2 to AC.

The DR stacks with all similar DR #/—.

 

[airwalkrr]

Oooo, I like that. I don't think any fighter would ever bother with a barbarian level just for that. Plus I can imagine scenarios where the barbarian charges into the middle of his enemies and says "Hit me with the fireball too wizard! Then I will totally bring the pain!"

 

[Sravoff]

Thats a great alternate rage, I really liek that.