Hybrid Barbarian / Wizard Suggestions

[MrMyth]

If you were to invest those feats, I'd almost instead recommend aiming towards some of the Thunder feats instead - not quite as much raw attack/damage, but Arcane Admixture/Resounding Thunder/Mark of Storm can make Scorching Burst very useful, and Echoes of Thunder can provide a decent damage boost as well. And if you do end up Genasi, this all works well with Stormsoul.

 

[Destil]

I actually worked up the genasi double scimitar version through heroic. I choose to start with 12 Dex and Wis. Like all hybrids, this guy has LOTS of good feat options and needs them to make up for the lack of awesome class features, so holding off on the two-weapon feats until paragon is reasonable.

Genasi is huge for this build because of the feat Elemental Empowerment. In fact I consider this the most broken feat in Arcane Power (it all but makes the wizard a sorcerer).

Jerra, level 10
Genasi, Barbarian|Wizard
Hybrid Talent: Barbarian Armored Agility
Arcane Implement Proficiency: Arcane Implement Proficiency (heavy blade group)
Elemental Manifestation: Firesoul
Firepulse: Firepulse Strength

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 10, Dex 12, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 10, Dex 12, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8.


AC: 27 Fort: 23 Reflex: 24 Will: 19
HP: 67 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 16

TRAINED SKILLS
History +15, Athletics +14, Nature +13, Arcana +15

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +6, Endurance +6, Heal +6, Insight +6, Intimidate +4, Perception +6, Religion +10, Stealth +5, Streetwise +4, Thievery +5

FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent
Level 2: Weapon Proficiency (Double Scimitar)
Level 4: Arcane Implement Proficiency
Level 6: Blade Initiate
Level 8: Elemental Empowerment
Level 10: Focused Expertise (Double Scimitar)

POWERS
Hybrid Barbarian at-will 1: Pressing Strike
Hybrid Wizard at-will 1: Scorching Burst
Hybrid encounter 1: Burning Hands
Hybrid daily 1: Tyrant's Rage
Hybrid utility 2: Guardian Blades
Hybrid encounter 3: Whirling Step
Hybrid daily 5: Fireball
Hybrid utility 6: Run Rampant
Hybrid encounter 7: Concussive Echo
Hybrid daily 9: Ice Storm
Hybrid utility 10: Blur

ITEMS
Double Scimitar, Hide Armor

(I used inhearant bonuses rather than picking magic stuff)

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The suggested build sounds reasonable.

You also might be able to play a different race. 16 strength and a blade weapon sounds well enough. Focus on wisdom and int instead of dex and charisma is probably the best choice. But charisma and using some illusions doesn´t look that wrong:

so my suggestion:


====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Warryn, level 5
Gnome, Barbarian|Wizard
Hybrid Talent: Barbarian Armored Agility
Background: Gnome - Fomorian Captivity (+2 to Endurance)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 12, Dex 8, Int 19, Wis 10, Cha 14.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 8, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12.

AC: 21 Fort: 17 Reflex: 18 Will: 16
HP: 44 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 11
TRAINED SKILLS
Perception +7, Endurance +9, Arcana +13
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +2, Heal +2, History +6, Insight +2, Intimidate +4, Nature +2, Religion +6, Stealth +2, Streetwise +4, Thievery, Athletics +4
FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent
Level 2: Gnome Phantasmist
Level 4: Phantom Echoes
POWERS
Hybrid Barbarian at-will 1: Howling Strike
Hybrid Wizard at-will 1: Illusory Ambush
Hybrid encounter 1: Grasping Shadows
Hybrid daily 1: Horrid Whispers
Hybrid utility 2: Shield
Hybrid encounter 3: Blood Strike
Hybrid daily 5: Ancient Berserkers' Rage
ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Implement, Wand, Magic Longsword +2, Barkskin Hide Armor +1, Cloak of the Lion's Mane +1
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======


definitely not optimized... but could be fun...

 

[Turtlejay]

I'm at work, so I can't build one up, but I have in reserve a Genasi Fighter\Wizard (eventual paragon MC). Stats-wise I ended up with two 18's, STR and INT, and an Wis tertiary. Wis for the tiny Will defense benefit, and because my at will is thunderwave.

For a weapon I went with just a Staff. I like it because you are still open to all of the great staff enchantments that wizards get, and can use it as a two hander for barbarian attacks. You don't need a feat, but if you decide to take the Staff fighter feat, you can probably use it with a Whirling barbarian. I haven't checked how the errata impacts this. If you don't go staff, Heavy Blade is also likely a good choice, as I'm sure there are a lot of Swordmage-focused enchantments that will work well. This will require a feat or two, though.

A lot of good advice in this thread, but I would at least *consider* using the staff.

Jay

PS - I know you didn't want class change suggestions, but Fighter|Wiz is nice, too. Just depends on what you want your melee half to do.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I still believe the quarterstaff should have the small property...

But actually i believe the staff, although a good mechanical choice, a good old sword or axe would fit the concept better...

 

[Klaus]

I still believe the quarterstaff should have the small property...

But actually i believe the staff, although a good mechanical choice, a good old sword or axe would fit the concept better...

I think a staff-wielding Barbarian|Wizard could work nicely as a Runecaster of sorts, with a rune-covered staff and maybe an eye missing.