We are playing SKT and I'm running a Battle Master LVL 6 focused on crossbows (Archery + Crossbow Expert + Sharpshooter) but with some versatility. Its fun to play it but I'm thinking on adding something to it.
A few times our plans went wrong i got a little frustrated and made the pc get angry for fun and rp. So I thought a dip in barbarian might be a fun option when plans go south and he goes "**** it, I rage" and go full melee (doble wield or 2hd) I know it might not be the most optimal build, but my doubt is if it would be too weak and achive nothing so it wouldn't be fun either.
I'm thinking in two lvl dip, but any idea is welcome. We are aming to lvl 13 +/-
It gets a bit MAD, needing str and dex, plus con, of course. Since barb abilities specifically need str, you’ll need it if you want to be as effective as you are at range, though you could always go reckless to make up some of the difference. And if you are going to 13ish, and take a 2-level dip, you either miss out on your third attack at fighter 11, or only get it at the very end, and you’ll miss the level 12 asi. And the extra die, and size bump at level 10, is a pretty big deal. And if you’ve got all those feats in ranged attacks, you won’t be great with melee. You could be serviceable, but you won’t have things like dual wielder or GWM or PAM that really make melee combatants into beasts. And you’re probably wearing some kind of armor that’s better than your unarmored defense will be, so you won’t get use from that.
If you’re already a battle master, you can probably use all your maneuvers in melee, so pulling out a sword should still work and let you do your thing.
I can see some appeal to just dropping your bow, pulling out a greatsword and running it raging, it’s a cool image and could definitely be fun. But mechanics-wise, I’d rather have that 3rd fighter attack than some barb abilities that I won’t get much use out of.
Maybe your DM will let you create a home brew feat - Barbarian Initiate? You could get one rage per day, with standard Barbarian resistances, but must attack recklessly or the rage ends. That might be better than wasting a level or two on a dip.
We are playing SKT and I'm running a Battle Master LVL 6 focused on crossbows (Archery + Crossbow Expert + Sharpshooter) but with some versatility. Its fun to play it but I'm thinking on adding something to it.
Battlemaster lvl 6 - Half Elf (STR 14 / DEX 16 / CON 14)
A few times our plans went wrong i got a little frustrated and made the pc get angry for fun and rp. So I thought a dip in barbarian might be a fun option when plans go south and he goes "**** it, I rage" and go full melee (doble wield or 2hd)
I know it might not be the most optimal build, but my doubt is if it would be too weak and achive nothing so it wouldn't be fun either.
I'm thinking in two lvl dip, but any idea is welcome. We are aming to lvl 13 +/-
Thanks!!
It gets a bit MAD, needing str and dex, plus con, of course. Since barb abilities specifically need str, you’ll need it if you want to be as effective as you are at range, though you could always go reckless to make up some of the difference. And if you are going to 13ish, and take a 2-level dip, you either miss out on your third attack at fighter 11, or only get it at the very end, and you’ll miss the level 12 asi. And the extra die, and size bump at level 10, is a pretty big deal. And if you’ve got all those feats in ranged attacks, you won’t be great with melee. You could be serviceable, but you won’t have things like dual wielder or GWM or PAM that really make melee combatants into beasts. And you’re probably wearing some kind of armor that’s better than your unarmored defense will be, so you won’t get use from that.
If you’re already a battle master, you can probably use all your maneuvers in melee, so pulling out a sword should still work and let you do your thing.
I can see some appeal to just dropping your bow, pulling out a greatsword and running it raging, it’s a cool image and could definitely be fun. But mechanics-wise, I’d rather have that 3rd fighter attack than some barb abilities that I won’t get much use out of.
Maybe your DM will let you create a home brew feat - Barbarian Initiate? You could get one rage per day, with standard Barbarian resistances, but must attack recklessly or the rage ends. That might be better than wasting a level or two on a dip.
Yeah you're right, the flavor might not be there if there are too many mechanics downsides :/
Thanks!
We're trying to play with no homebrews (DM is learning, so we try to make it "simple") but could talk and see if we can make something easy enough.
Thanks!