I'm paying Saltmarsh (no spoilers, please), and we're level three. DM let us re-roll 1's as a buff, because we're playing with 3. My stats (after racial bonuses are:
Race: Shifter Wildhunt (uses bonus action to shift, once per short rest)
We are level 3. At level 4 I'm contemplating either the Slasher Feat, or Great Weapon Master. As I'm sure you know, GWM is a great feat and certainly the better of the two, but Slasher will round out my STR to 20. I'm also open to other ideas, if you have an alternative.
Build: Either Greatsword or Greatax, primarily using claws when I rage.
Neither Slasher nor GWM seem optimal to me: Slasher only works with Claws, not Tail or Bite, and the main part of GWM doesn't work with any of them. +4 STR is already high for a low level character.
It's not as interesting, but I think I'd be tempted to just get a straight up ASI +2 Con: 4 extra HP & +1 AC will always be useful.
Neither Slasher nor GWM seem optimal to me: Slasher only works with Claws, not Tail or Bite, and the main part of GWM doesn't work with any of them. +4 STR is already high for a low level character.
It's not as interesting, but I think I'd be tempted to just get a straight up ASI +2 Con: 4 extra HP & +1 AC will always be useful.
That's a viable option. I plan on using the claws almost exclusively. If I ever use the tail, it would only be for the defense reaction, and I would stick to my Greatsword for attacks. i doubt the fangs will ever come out. Maybe if I'm ever really battered going into the next encounter, I have no healing, and I just want to experiment with it.
Between those two feats I would pick slasher as it can work for your claws, a Greataxe or a Greatsword. Plus it will give you that 20 in Str which would increase damage, hit chance, etc. Depending on how you play your Barbarian, you might also want to try and pick up Skill Expert and get expertise in Athletics for that grapple buff if that's your thing. If you'd like some other options, you might also pick Fighter Initiate to get a fighting style or Sentinel if you plan on being the front line tank.
I wouldn't bother picking up Fighter Initiate with a Path of the Beast barbarian. There aren't any fighting styles that really synergize well with the path's abilities.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I wouldn't bother picking up Fighter Initiate with a Path of the Beast barbarian. There aren't any fighting styles that really synergize well with the path's abilities.
Yeah, I agree on that one. I think I'm going GWM and Slasher, I just don't know in what order. As of now with reckless attack at a +4 bonus from strength, I'm not missing very often anyway. There's just something satisfying about rounding out that annoying odd stat to 20, but I think objective numbers say I'll get more out of GWM.
Me and the Paladin player joked about both picking Sentinel, and just always going into combat side-by-side. It'll be like wackamole, every time an enemy hits one of us, the other takes an opportunity attack. Like a Three Stooges routine. lol
I agree, there aren't any fighting styles that mesh well except for Blind Sight. Of course that can be useful for any melee combatant though it is situational. Personally like the Sentinel feat for front line fighters just because it means you can protect the squishies better. Going between GWM and Slasher though, might as well get slasher first so that you can round that number off and slow down all your opponents. At this level, that increase to damage will be more over kill than anything, and it allows you to wait just a bit longer so you can get higher prof and have that +5 so that -5 isn't as much of a hit.
I agree, there aren't any fighting styles that mesh well except for Blind Sight. Of course that can be useful for any melee combatant though it is situational. Personally like the Sentinel feat for front line fighters just because it means you can protect the squishies better. Going between GWM and Slasher though, might as well get slasher first so that you can round that number off and slow down all your opponents. At this level, that increase to damage will be more over kill than anything, and it allows you to wait just a bit longer so you can get higher prof and have that +5 so that -5 isn't as much of a hit.
Yeah, blind sight fighting style is WAY too situational, to the point that I would say it is bad. You brought up some good points.
I would pick up slasher. I value boosting claws and sword, as well as boosting accuracy. Slasher boosts claw + shield as well, which is a good option to keep open to yourself. You're also only at 3, so when you rage you'll have to go claw + claw and forgo the sword. Sentinel is awesome on builds like this, but it probably has less value on a three person team including a paladin. A lot of enemies will just stay engaged for a lack of more appealing options.
I think Skill Expert could be a good alternate to slasher to pick up expertise in athletics. I like the idea of solidifying that as a side role in combat.
Honestly, as great as GWM is, I don't think it's really worth it on the build. You're only ever making one attack with your sword a round once you get extra attack, compared to your average GWM + polearm master with a glaive. It's not nearly as flashy, but I really like picking up resilient (wisdom) at level 8 to safeguard against a barbarian's main weakness, its mind. If you do consider that, then a simple ASI at level four that boosts wisdom to 15 would pay off well.
I would pick up slasher. I value boosting claws and sword, as well as boosting accuracy. Slasher boosts claw + shield as well, which is a good option to keep open to yourself. You're also only at 3, so when you rage you'll have to go claw + claw and forgo the sword. Sentinel is awesome on builds like this, but it probably has less value on a three person team including a paladin. A lot of enemies will just stay engaged for a lack of more appealing options.
I think Skill Expert could be a good alternate to slasher to pick up expertise in athletics. I like the idea of solidifying that as a side role in combat.
Honestly, as great as GWM is, I don't think it's really worth it on the build. You're only ever making one attack with your sword a round once you get extra attack, compared to your average GWM + polearm master with a glaive. It's not nearly as flashy, but I really like picking up resilient (wisdom) at level 8 to safeguard against a barbarian's main weakness, its mind. If you do consider that, then a simple ASI at level four that boosts wisdom to 15 would pay off well.
Thank you, these are well reasoned suggestions! I never really considered grappling, but many on here talk about doing it as a Barbarian. My impression was that you forgo your attacks to restrain someone, which forgoes damage. Granted, there may be game mechanics I'm unaware of, but the RAW don't seem to clear about ways you can be creative. I can definitely see it being useful to grapple a spellcaster to inhibit their ability to cast spells.
Doubling down on Athletics could certainly open up some fun options. Not just grappling, but dropping crates on people, trying to break platforms people are standing on, etc. Skill Expert is definitely something I'm considering now! What are some fun ways to take advantage of your advantage + expertise in Athletics?
Yeah grappling is nothing crazy. Certainly not something to focus a build on. If it wasn't for your 19 strength, I wouldn't be suggesting it. But, grappling can be quite nice. Having the tactical versatility is a nice addition if it is attached to getting you to 20 strength. There are certainly times where grabbing a key enemy and containing its movement will be huge. Sometimes you can snag a mount of its steed. You can hold someone inside a deadly AOE set up by a teammate or drag someone to a hole/cliff/etc. Remember, shove is an athletics check too. Sometimes you don't want to kill someone, at which point it is really nice to be so good at grabbing and pinning them.
You've got the right idea with crates and smashing terrain. Look for ways to manipulate or traverse the environment using your prowess. Again, this is level 3. You're 3 levels away from your exploration rage abilities, and even when you get them you won't always want to start a rage just to climb a wall. Look for ways to abuse the environment's verticality by climbing and jumping to get into advantageous positions. Tip over pillars, drop heavy objects from high places, undermine the structure of a watchtower, etc.
You don't focus on athletics because it's a consistent, measured addition to your combat prowess. You focus on it because it opens up how you can interact with the world. When it comes up in combat it can be fun and exciting, and sometimes very good.
I'd carry a maul instead of a greatsword on an athletics build. Just terrible sense trying to break environments with a blade, even if there's no detriment mechanically.
I say slasher. I think the maxed strength will be better than GWM, especially since you're using claws. (I have no Idea what most noncore subclasses are by the way, so I'm just picking things up as I go). Skill expert could work to, because slasher only really synergizes with champions and PAMs (or both)- but it is probaly second only to sentinal in the control compartment (in my opinion anyway). The athletics is nice and cool as well- at Lv 20 (a.k.a a long time) you'll be walking around with a +19 to athletics and rolling a minimum of 24 (That is insane by the way).
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When you thought you knew about spellcasting - you played a warlock
Why are most bard colleges a pain to type? I mean bard college of valor, compare to champion or evoker. Same goes for sacred oaths: paladin oath of devotion. That's even worse.
I don't think WoCE were very creative with the rogue and ranger subclass titles. I mean ranger archeotype? Roguish archeotype? Bro! Fighters are better but still is somewhat unsatisfying compare to a monastatic tradition or sacred oath.
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I'm paying Saltmarsh (no spoilers, please), and we're level three. DM let us re-roll 1's as a buff, because we're playing with 3. My stats (after racial bonuses are:
STR: 19, DEX: 16, CON: 16: INT: 10, WIS: 14, CHA: 14
Class: Barbarian Path of the Beast.
Race: Shifter Wildhunt (uses bonus action to shift, once per short rest)
We are level 3. At level 4 I'm contemplating either the Slasher Feat, or Great Weapon Master. As I'm sure you know, GWM is a great feat and certainly the better of the two, but Slasher will round out my STR to 20. I'm also open to other ideas, if you have an alternative.
Build: Either Greatsword or Greatax, primarily using claws when I rage.
Those are some good stats!
Neither Slasher nor GWM seem optimal to me: Slasher only works with Claws, not Tail or Bite, and the main part of GWM doesn't work with any of them. +4 STR is already high for a low level character.
It's not as interesting, but I think I'd be tempted to just get a straight up ASI +2 Con: 4 extra HP & +1 AC will always be useful.
That's a viable option. I plan on using the claws almost exclusively. If I ever use the tail, it would only be for the defense reaction, and I would stick to my Greatsword for attacks. i doubt the fangs will ever come out. Maybe if I'm ever really battered going into the next encounter, I have no healing, and I just want to experiment with it.
Between those two feats I would pick slasher as it can work for your claws, a Greataxe or a Greatsword. Plus it will give you that 20 in Str which would increase damage, hit chance, etc. Depending on how you play your Barbarian, you might also want to try and pick up Skill Expert and get expertise in Athletics for that grapple buff if that's your thing. If you'd like some other options, you might also pick Fighter Initiate to get a fighting style or Sentinel if you plan on being the front line tank.
I wouldn't bother picking up Fighter Initiate with a Path of the Beast barbarian. There aren't any fighting styles that really synergize well with the path's abilities.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Yeah, I agree on that one. I think I'm going GWM and Slasher, I just don't know in what order. As of now with reckless attack at a +4 bonus from strength, I'm not missing very often anyway. There's just something satisfying about rounding out that annoying odd stat to 20, but I think objective numbers say I'll get more out of GWM.
Me and the Paladin player joked about both picking Sentinel, and just always going into combat side-by-side. It'll be like wackamole, every time an enemy hits one of us, the other takes an opportunity attack. Like a Three Stooges routine. lol
I agree, there aren't any fighting styles that mesh well except for Blind Sight. Of course that can be useful for any melee combatant though it is situational. Personally like the Sentinel feat for front line fighters just because it means you can protect the squishies better. Going between GWM and Slasher though, might as well get slasher first so that you can round that number off and slow down all your opponents. At this level, that increase to damage will be more over kill than anything, and it allows you to wait just a bit longer so you can get higher prof and have that +5 so that -5 isn't as much of a hit.
Yeah, blind sight fighting style is WAY too situational, to the point that I would say it is bad. You brought up some good points.
I would pick up slasher. I value boosting claws and sword, as well as boosting accuracy. Slasher boosts claw + shield as well, which is a good option to keep open to yourself. You're also only at 3, so when you rage you'll have to go claw + claw and forgo the sword. Sentinel is awesome on builds like this, but it probably has less value on a three person team including a paladin. A lot of enemies will just stay engaged for a lack of more appealing options.
I think Skill Expert could be a good alternate to slasher to pick up expertise in athletics. I like the idea of solidifying that as a side role in combat.
Honestly, as great as GWM is, I don't think it's really worth it on the build. You're only ever making one attack with your sword a round once you get extra attack, compared to your average GWM + polearm master with a glaive. It's not nearly as flashy, but I really like picking up resilient (wisdom) at level 8 to safeguard against a barbarian's main weakness, its mind. If you do consider that, then a simple ASI at level four that boosts wisdom to 15 would pay off well.
Thank you, these are well reasoned suggestions! I never really considered grappling, but many on here talk about doing it as a Barbarian. My impression was that you forgo your attacks to restrain someone, which forgoes damage. Granted, there may be game mechanics I'm unaware of, but the RAW don't seem to clear about ways you can be creative. I can definitely see it being useful to grapple a spellcaster to inhibit their ability to cast spells.
Doubling down on Athletics could certainly open up some fun options. Not just grappling, but dropping crates on people, trying to break platforms people are standing on, etc. Skill Expert is definitely something I'm considering now! What are some fun ways to take advantage of your advantage + expertise in Athletics?
Yeah grappling is nothing crazy. Certainly not something to focus a build on. If it wasn't for your 19 strength, I wouldn't be suggesting it. But, grappling can be quite nice. Having the tactical versatility is a nice addition if it is attached to getting you to 20 strength. There are certainly times where grabbing a key enemy and containing its movement will be huge. Sometimes you can snag a mount of its steed. You can hold someone inside a deadly AOE set up by a teammate or drag someone to a hole/cliff/etc. Remember, shove is an athletics check too. Sometimes you don't want to kill someone, at which point it is really nice to be so good at grabbing and pinning them.
You've got the right idea with crates and smashing terrain. Look for ways to manipulate or traverse the environment using your prowess. Again, this is level 3. You're 3 levels away from your exploration rage abilities, and even when you get them you won't always want to start a rage just to climb a wall. Look for ways to abuse the environment's verticality by climbing and jumping to get into advantageous positions. Tip over pillars, drop heavy objects from high places, undermine the structure of a watchtower, etc.
You don't focus on athletics because it's a consistent, measured addition to your combat prowess. You focus on it because it opens up how you can interact with the world. When it comes up in combat it can be fun and exciting, and sometimes very good.
I'd carry a maul instead of a greatsword on an athletics build. Just terrible sense trying to break environments with a blade, even if there's no detriment mechanically.
I say slasher. I think the maxed strength will be better than GWM, especially since you're using claws. (I have no Idea what most noncore subclasses are by the way, so I'm just picking things up as I go). Skill expert could work to, because slasher only really synergizes with champions and PAMs (or both)- but it is probaly second only to sentinal in the control compartment (in my opinion anyway). The athletics is nice and cool as well- at Lv 20 (a.k.a a long time) you'll be walking around with a +19 to athletics and rolling a minimum of 24 (That is insane by the way).
When you thought you knew about spellcasting - you played a warlock
Why are most bard colleges a pain to type? I mean bard college of valor, compare to champion or evoker. Same goes for sacred oaths: paladin oath of devotion. That's even worse.
I don't think WoCE were very creative with the rogue and ranger subclass titles. I mean ranger archeotype? Roguish archeotype? Bro! Fighters are better but still is somewhat unsatisfying compare to a monastatic tradition or sacred oath.