High Level Fighter Vs. High Level Barbarian

[James McMurray]

Weapon Focus, Improved Critical are practically a necessity for both Fighters and Barbarians.

I disagree with both of these. A +1 to hit just isn't worth it to me to spend an entire feat on. Improved Critical is nice, but it can be easily mimiced by an item (Scabbard of Keen Edges), and weapon enhanement (Kenn),or a friendly caster with the Keen Edge spell. Spending a feat on it just isn't worth it to me.

Cleave, Great Cleave are also very nice melee feats.

While I like Cleave, Great Cleave isn't orth it to me. The situations when you'll be able to fell a foe with asingle hit are few and far between at higher levels.

For a Fighter, Weapon Specialization, Greater WF/WS are a necessity for your #1 weapon.

Again, I'd pass on the WF / GWF.There are much better options out there in my eyes.

 

[reiella]

The most obvious problem for Mr. Fighter that occurs to me is that if the barbarian crits him, especially on a 10 point or so power attack, the fight is basically over -- Mr. Fighter is NOT going to recover from taking 3d12+138 (!) on a single hit, especially since the best he can do is 2d10+74 on a return crit. Mr. Fighter SHOULD be able to crit more often, though.

Mr. Fighter's best option would be to put some distance between them, leave himself open for a power-attack from the barbarian, and hope that the the barbarian sacrifices enough attack bonus that an Improved Disarm attempt will actually work -- or if Mr. Fighter is feeling particularly brave, he can try to Sunder the barbarian's axe, since I'm not sure if he could keep the barbarian from reclaiming it on a disarm. Otherwise, if Mr. Fighter has a 20 CON and maximum HP, Mr. Barbarian can probably splatter him in under 2 rounds.

Well, crap. I sure showed me

Spoiler

Endur's mounted archer that seems specifically geared towards fighting barbarians certainly has much better odds than a melee fighter does.

Edit: Oops.

At the 20th level, it's my experience that most Meat Shield types go for fortification of some sort (with Heavy being the most common ) which will reduce the Splat factor of Crit Fear. It's also common in the 'General Adventurers' rather than duelists.

In any event, they both r0x0r my Melee Mage, so be happy .

[ Sidenote of evil, OA Shaman are evil, 3.0 Tenser's Strength on a cleric BAB ]

 

[Endur]

Depends what books you are using, my statement were based on just PHB and CW and were assuming that the fighter/barbarian was going to focus on a single style (so that you can use all of your feats in a single combat).

If you aren't following those assumptions, then your mileage will vary.

Again, I'd pass on the WF / GWF.There are much better options out there in my eyes.

 

[gtJormungand]

28 point buy, level 20, both are armed with great swords and wearing full plate armor.

That would suck for the barbarian because the he does not get heavy armor proficiency.

 

[Darklone]

Can't say that weapon focus or specialisation is not one of each fighters choice feats around here... there may be better options, but they work always, against everything and everywhere.

 

[Stalker0]

I think people are comparing fighter and barb abilities when they really should be comparing fighter and barb equipment. For a 20th level character, its still mainly about the equipment and how its used.

You put a wounding weapon in there things are going to get nasty. You put heavy fort in there it will change the game a lot. Dancing weapons at this level get 4 attacks as well. The fighter can get adamantine full plate and still get some dr. Boots of teleportation, force shield rings, a ring of spell storing with calm emotions Invisibility, etheralness, etc etc.

 

[Crothian]

I think people are comparing fighter and barb abilities when they really should be comparing fighter and barb equipment. For a 20th level character, its still mainly about the equipment and how its used.

So, you think at this level the equipment is more defining of the character then the class abilities? It seems to be a sad day in my eyes when ones equipment is more important then the character.

 

[James McMurray]

Not necessarily more defining. A fighter and a barbarian with the exact same gear will be two entirely different characters. But two fighters with vastly different gear and similar feat chain / weaponry choices will also have greaty different capabilities when throw into the same situations.

A High level character (especially a melee character) has a huge portion of his usefulness invested into his gear, because he needs to be able to fly, see invisible, and do many other things that he can't do with class abilities alone.

 

[Crothian]

A High level character (especially a melee character) has a huge portion of his usefulness invested into his gear, because he needs to be able to fly, see invisible, and do many other things that he can't do with class abilities alone.

Then it becomes more important what equipment you have and not what class you are. I comparison of classes should use no magical equipment because of that.

 

[Endur]

My high-level Barbarian(level 20) can't fly or see invisible. But he has excellent hearing to find invisible spellcasters and he can jump pretty far.

A High level character (especially a melee character) has a huge portion of his usefulness invested into his gear, because he needs to be able to fly, see invisible, and do many other things that he can't do with class abilities alone.