Please Critique - Fighter/Barbarian Build

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

Okay so this is how it looks right now trying to optimize and still utilize the step up & strike along with the critical line and pump out the most consistent damage I can think of, but now I'm not sure what to do with a few feat slots. I don't read the Step Up to allow AoO, it's a 5 ft step which in itself is not giving an AoO and the FS makes it a free 10ft step, but my DM may think differently so I'll definitely check with him on what he thinks can be done, which may change my build considerably.

Funny you bring up Dreadful Carnage, I was JUST looking at it again and decided to put it back into the build since - as you said - I already have Furious Focus and it's a nice little bonus.

My only concern about this feat is:
*If I am in a rage and knock an enemy down to 0 hp
**I must roll a WILL save to keep uncontrolled rage confusion at bay...
***I fail my WILL save and got into an Uncontrolled Rage
*At the same time that I roll the WILL save, I make an Immediate Intimidate check against all enemies within 30 feet of me when I knock the enemy down to 0 hp...
**If I'm confused, does this Intimidate Check potentially affect my ALLIES?

So this is how I have it built right now after the discussion, not sure what would help at the other levels with the "????" in them.

2/2: Power Attack
2/2: Furious Focus
2/2: Iron Will
2/2: Step Up
2/2: Weapon Focus
3/2: Following Step
4/2: Step Up & Strike
5/2: Combat Reflexes (to take advantage of SU&S AoOs)
6/2: Weapon Specialization
7/2: Improved Critical to Lunge
8/2: Critical Focus - (Swap IC to Lunge above if I get Keen)
9/2: Greater Weapon Focus
10/2: Dreadful Carnage /Lunge if No Keen (keeping my intimidate skill maxed)
11/2: Staggering Critical
12/2: Greater Weapon Specialization (because not everything has DR or specific DR)
13/2: Penetrating Strike
14/2: ???? - Dreadful Carnage here if no keen & unable to swap lunge earlier.
15/2: Stunning Critical
16/2: Greater Penetrating Strike
17/2: ????
18/2: ????

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Since it's a free action, I'd assume you could make the intimidate check before rolling for Uncontrolled Rage. if you were in confusion, you'd probably have to roll against allies as well, though it's up to DM. Also, you're not REQUIRED to use it, so just don't use it if in uncontrolled rage and the potential negatives outweigh the positives.

Furious Focus IMO kinda sucks, I'd put that behind other feats in preference order. Maybe...

2/2: Power Attack
2/2: Iron Will
2/2: Step Up
2/2: Weapon Focus
2/2: [something] - this can be anything useful at low levels, perhaps even Furious Focus
3/2: Following Step
4/2: Step Up & Strike
*4/2: Swap [something] --> Lunge*
5/2: Combat Reflexes
6/2: Weapon Specialization
7/2: Improved Critical (swap to Furious Focus later)
8/2: Greater Weapon Focus (or FF if no Keen)
*8/2 Swap IC --> Furious Focus (if I have Keen)*
9/2: Critical Focus
10/2: Dreadful Carnage
11/2: Staggering Critical
12/2: Greater Weapon Specialization (or G. Weapon Focus)
13/2: Penetrating Strike (or G. Weapon Specialization)
14/2: ???? - Penetrating Strike here if no keen & unable to get earlier.
15/2: Stunning Critical
16/2: Greater Penetrating Strike
17/2: ????
18/2: ????

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I thought FF was a good idea to have at low levels for the added +hit lost from when I use PA? Then I still need it for later feats anyhow, not sure why you say it kind of sucks and then put it back in later on. Could you explain why I wouldn't want it right now at 2/2 and going forward? Is it because Lunge is that much better to have that the potential loss to +atk can be moved back to before I get dreadful carnage?

Looks like I'm pretty close to what you would do, with a couple of exceptions for the retraining.

I'm really not sure what to do after level 16/2 as you can tell. I was thinking I could either throw in like critical mastery and bleeding critical, dip back into barbarian for the last two levels or perhaps a different class all together. Any thoughts there?

It might be all moot anyhow if we only play to level 18, but I like to be prepared in case the DM wants to continue on with the campaign up to 20.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Well, at low levels, it's a +1 to hit on one attack per round, basically. Which makes it worse than Weapon Focus, which is a pretty average feat itself. *shrug* I just don't think it's that great. I do think Lunge is worth having in the arsenal. Being able to reach +5 ft is nice to have as an option. Should you end up going Mobile Fighter + Whirlwind Attack route, also note Lunge helps you hit more foes, though I think it's worthwhile on its own merits regardless.

I wouldn't worry too much about higher levels, you may very well never even reach them, and if you do the nuances of the campaign and what your DM likes to use for encounters/foes might cause you to change plans a bit anyway. But you could also look at the Dazing Assault and Stunning Assault feats for high levels. Only last for 1 round, but would be a good option for rounds you can't full attack. A -5 on your first attack only (and any AoOs, which are also at full BAB) isn't that painful.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

That's a good point about FF, it is only +1 atk bonus, which is good for now where the +1 makes more of a difference than later on. I'm going ahead and placing it in for now, but will replace it as you suggested for lunge at level 4/2 then put it back in a bit later so that I can use it for Dreadful Carnage. I may end up going the mobile fighter route, but I'm undecided at this time. I'll have to do a test build of it in hero labs and see what I think of all the differences between it and the normal fighter.

My INT is only 12 so any WW build is not currently possible due to no combat expertise and I don't have enough feat slots open for it and the prereqs anyhow.

Very true - this character is made because our other party nearly got TPK'd and this is a replacement character. I also should know that I can't plan for everything and my choices will definitely be influenced on what my DM does in his campaign. Even though we are going through the Serpent Skulls AP, he is tweaking it to suit his style and putting in different encounters when he feels it necessary as part of his story.

Again, thanks for all the help. It's nice to be able to bounce ideas off someone with as much knowledge as you and get good feedback.