Optimization help

[Todd Roybark]

The Shield Master feat can also be an alternative to Evasion, if shaving off taking levels in rogue appeals.

 

[FrogReaver]

Yea - I don't really get the fascination with evasion for this PC - you will be a raging bear barbarian with advantage on most dex saves and a moderate dex. Worst case - you take half damage and you have a good chance of taking 1/4 damage.

 

[FrogReaver]

Personally, I like going Barb up to 5. I don't know your stats, but I'd definitely be tempted by grabbing Sentinel at Barb 4 to leverage those 2 reactions into more sneak attacks.

Since it sounds like he has an ally he partners with in melee to get sneak attack then sentinel would make a great choice. If the enemy attacks him he gets to halve damage, if they attack the ally then they face an extra attack. That's a nice lose-lose situation.

I went with resilient wisdom on my barbarian rogue. Maxed Con and had Con proficiency. Had +2 dex and advantage on many dex saves. Had bear totem for the ones that hit me. Had resilient wisdom so I wouldn't totally suck against control effects. Gave me a good chance at living through the 3 most important saves IMO.

 

[FrogReaver]

The Shield Master feat can also be an alternative to Evasion, if shaving off taking levels in rogue appeals.

It also can make a good alternative to reckless attack. Though it does start interfering with all his potential bonus actions.

 

[FrogReaver]

You'll want Evasion and a 20 STR sooner rather than later. So that means getting to Rogue 8 quickly. And along the way at Rogue 6, you'll also pick up two more Expertise options for Athletics and Stealth, plus another Sneak Attack dice at Rogue 7.

You'll also want Barbarian 2 sooner rather than later, for Reckless Attack (to generate your own Advantage for Sneak Attack when you have no other options), and Danger Sense for advantage on DEX saves, which pairs very nicely with Evasion.

From there, getting to Rogue 10 gets you Advantage on some Stealth checks, plus another ASI, for 18 CON or something else that strikes your fancy. And getting to Barbarian 3 gets you Bear Totem for damage resistance, plus an extra Rage. I think the latter is better than the former, so aim for that first.

Therefore, I'd go Barb1/Rogue5 > Barb2/Rogue5 > Barb2/Rogue8. Then if the campaign continues past Level 10, go Barb3/Rogue8, then up to Barb3/Rogue10 if you make it to 13th.

IMO Barbarian 3 and Rogue 5 are the most important levels. After that there's some additional choice between more rouge and more barb. I would never stop at barb 2.

 

[sigfile]

With an extra reaction? Get the Sentinel feat and Barbarian (Ancestral Guardian) 6 as fast as possible.

 

[Esker]

IMO Barbarian 3 and Rogue 5 are the most important levels. After that there's some additional choice between more rouge and more barb. I would never stop at barb 2.

Careful with the rouge that comes from cinnabar though. I guess as a dwarf you're resistant to mercury poisoning, but still.

 

[Esker]

Yea - I don't really get the fascination with evasion for this PC - you will be a raging bear barbarian with advantage on most dex saves and a moderate dex. Worst case - you take half damage and you have a good chance of taking 1/4 damage.

You could turn that around though and say "I don't get the fascination with bear totem for this PC. Most non-poison, non piercing/slashing/bludgeoning damage comes on attack rolls or DEX saves. With a successful DEX save resistance does nothing if you have evasion; best case it's preventing 1/4 of the damage, and that's only during one of your three rages."

 

[FrogReaver]

You could turn that around though and say "I don't get the fascination with bear totem for this PC. Most non-poison, non piercing/slashing/bludgeoning damage comes on attack rolls or DEX saves. With a successful DEX save resistance does nothing if you have evasion; best case it's preventing 1/4 of the damage, and that's only during one of your three rages."

evasion does nothing about the damage from attacks.

there’s plenty of non poison non weapon damage that’s not occurring on a dex save.

 

[Esker]

evasion does nothing about the damage from attacks.

No, but uncanny dodge does. And especially with two uses per round, it's likely that you're taking half damage on those, making resistance worth only half what it would be (and my impressions are that most attacks that do elemental damage are adding that damage to a base of bludgeoning/piercing/slashing, so it's only part of the attack that bear totem is affecting)