Straight Half-Orc Barbarian, or Multiclass?

[Nail]

I thought once you stop taking levels in barbarian you can't pick it back up again... am I wrong about that?

Yup, yer wrong. ....and that's a Good Thing(tm).

Oh, and prestige class.... I've never actually used one before. I could, I guess. But I wouldn't even know where to start.

He of the most gaming supplements wins this part of the game. (PrCs are the drug of choice for experienced gamers!) If you're interested in PrCs (and you should be, with a Ftr/Bbn!), you should pick up the Complete Warrior, and look and the Frenzied Berserker PrC.

...if yer into that sort of thing.

 

[JesterPoet]

You should tell us how you like to play that character, do you want to do much damage, go for trip or disarm, as many attacks as possible...just tell us and we will be helping you even better.

Okay, I've decided to go human instead of Half-orc. I thought it might be fun to build him able to trip with the chain, but my strength is probably only going to be 16 or so. (We have 28 Build Points)

He'll primarily be swinging the chain, trying to kill any baddies that move, but I'd also like him somewhat effective in close combat.

 

[jgsugden]

My advice: Ignore power gaming issues. They're a waste of time in a good game. Pick out the mix that sounds like the most fun and then play it.

Why is power gaming a waste? Because DMs tend to compensate for power levels. If your character min/maxes the rules and becomes an uber melee warrior, the DM will just make the melee foes tougher to compensate.

Make a character that is fun to play. You can min/max character builds for fun, but you're always better off building a PC that is more fun and less gun.

 

[Nail]

Or would it be better to go human?

Nope. You want that +2 Str and Darkvision, and the Ftr levels will cover your feats (so no need for the extra human feat).

Besides, do you really need the human hassle of having to buy 1 1/2 pairs of shoes to cover that extra feat?

 

[JesterPoet]

My advice: Ignore power gaming issues. They're a waste of time in a good game. Pick out the mix that sounds like the most fun and then play it.

Why is power gaming a waste? Because DMs tend to compensate for power levels. If your character min/maxes the rules and becomes an uber melee warrior, the DM will just make the melee foes tougher to compensate.

Make a character that is fun to play. You can min/max character builds for fun, but you're always better off building a PC that is more fun and less gun.

Normally I would agree with you. I usually build my characters simply for fun and to see how they work.

However, I can have fun roleplaying ANYTHING, but the Banewarrens is HELL. It'd sure be nice to build out a character that can deal out some serious damage and stand up in a fight. If I want the character to last more than one session, and want him to be the type of character that goes rushing blindly into combat (for roleplay reasons) he's gonna need to be effective, or he won't last an hour of play time.

 

[JesterPoet]

Nope. You want that +2 Str and Darkvision, and the Ftr levels will cover your feats (so no need for the extra human feat).

Besides, do you really need the human hassle of having to buy 1 1/2 pairs of shoes to cover that extra feat?

I also just read that I don't need the improved trip feat if I'm using the chain to trip.... so I don't really need the INT 13 unless I want other combat expertise feats.


Okay, back to half-orc. He'll be more fun anyway.

 

[Nail]

I also just read that I don't need the improved trip feat if I'm using the chain to trip.... so I don't really need the INT 13 unless I want other combat expertise feats.

Err.....

IMPROVED TRIP [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise.

Benefit: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when you attempt to trip an opponent while you are unarmed. You also gain a +4 bonus on your Strength check to trip your opponent.

If you trip an opponent in melee combat, you immediately get a melee attack against that opponent as if you hadn’t used your attack for the trip attempt.....

You don't want this feat when making a Trip Monkey? Are you insane?

 

[Nail]

Give us the starting PC package, an' we'll help out.

IOW: Point Buy, Starting level, and wealth (default DMG wealth, custom build Magic items?)

 

[JesterPoet]

Err.....


You don't want this feat when making a Trip Monkey? Are you insane?

Gotcha

 

[Stalker0]

I'm a fan of the ftr4/Barb x myself, can't go wrong with weapon spec and barb rage.