Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Preview #10

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Preview #10

This week's preview is on the Barbarian with Amiri, 17th level female human barbarian.

Amiri
Female human barbarian 17
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +21
DEFENSE
AC 26, touch 14, flat-footed 24 (+9 armor, +4 deflection, +2 Dex, +3 natural, –2 rage)
hp 252 (17d12+136)
Fort +19, Ref +10, Will +14; +4 vs. enchantment
Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, indomitable will, trap sense +5; DR 4/—
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +4 frost keen adamantine greatsword +31/+26/+21/+16 (2d6+19/17–20 plus 1d6 cold)
Ranged +2 frost composite longbow +21/+16/+11/+6 (1d8+9/x3 plus 1d6 cold)
Special Attacks greater rage (41 rounds/day), rage powers (fearless rage, increased damage reduction, intimidating glare, knockback, powerful blow +5, renewed vigor [4d8+6], superstition +6, terrifying howl [DC 27])
BASE STATISTICS
AC 28, touch 16, flat-footed 26 (+9 armor, +4 deflection, +2 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 201 (17d12+85)
Fort +16, Will +11
Melee +4 frost keen adamantine greatsword +28/+23/+18/+13 (2d6+14/17–20 plus 1d6 cold)
CMB +24; CMD 40
Skills Climb +27
STATISTICS
Str 24 (30), Dex 14, Con 16 (22), Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +17; CMB +27; CMD 41
Feats Bleeding Critical, Blind-Fight, Critical Focus, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Iron Will, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness, Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +22, Climb +30, Intimidate +19, Perception +21, Survival +21
SQ tireless rage
Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds (6), potion of haste (2); Other Gear ring of protection +4, amulet of natural armor +3, cloak of resistance +3, +4 frost keen adamantine greatsword, +2 frost composite longbow (Str +7), +5 moderate fortification hide armor, bag of holding (type II), belt of giant strength +6, cube of force, ring of freedom of movement, scarab of protection, winged boots

The barbarian is one of the classes which had gone through some considerable changes since the beta. Here are some of them highlighted.

• Barbarians no longer have a number of rages per day but instead have a number of rounds of rage per day which can be spend throughout that day. They start with 4+Con mod and gain an extra 2 rounds for every 2 levels beyond the first.


• Barbarians no longer have rage points from the beta and rage powers are limited to once per rage or day which they start gaining from level 2 onwards.


• Fearless Rage which can be gained at level 12 makes the barbarian immune to shaken and frightened conditions while raging.


• Increased Damage Reduction increases the barbarian's DR to DR 5/- while raging.


• Intimidating Glare is a move action that causes an adjacent foe to be shaken for 1d4 and one additional round per 5 points exceeding the DC.


• Knockback allows the barbarian to make a bull rush attempt in place of a standard attack which deals damage equal to her strength mod and push the target back without having to follow it if successful, once per round while raging.


• Powerful Blow allows her to add +5 damage to one melee roll (the bonus damage increases at higher levels) as a swift action, once per rage.


• Barbarian can use Renewed Vigor to heal 1d8+con mod hitpoints starting at level 4, once per day. The amount she heals scales at higher levels.


• Supersition gives the barbarian a morale bonus to save against spells, supernatural and spell-like abilities while raging. However, she can no longer be a willing target so that means she has to resist spells cast even by allies.


• Terrifying Howl can only be taken at 8th level and the barbarian must have Intimidating Glare. As a standard action, she causes all shaken enemies within 30 feet to become panicked for 1d4+1 rounds if they fail their saving throw. After that, those that made a save are immune to this power for 24 hours.


• The barbarian still gains higher damage reduction, greater and mighty rage, uncanny dodge and trap sense at higher levels.


• Acrobatics and Knowledge (nature) are now class skills for the barbarian.


• Critical Focus gives a +4 bonus to confirm a critical hit.


• Critical Bleeding causes 2d6 points of bleed in addition to the critical.


• Improved Iron Will allows the character to reroll one will save per day before the result is revealed.


• Toughness grants 1 hitpoint per level but has a minimum of 3 hitpoints which means that level 1-3 PCs get 3 hitpoint and 4 when they hit 4th level.


• Power Attack grants a +2 bonus on damage rolls for each -1 to attack rolls. If using a double-handed weapon, the damage bonus increases by 50% while off-hand weapons only get half of the benefit. Starting at base attack +4 and for every 4 base attack thereafter, the bonus damage increases by 2 while the attack penalty increase by 1.

I like the idea of rage powers but I cringed when I read about Rage Points in the beta so I'm glad that they have simplified it for the final print. I also liked that they've added Acrobatics and Knowledge (nature) to the class skill which I thought were missing in 3.x.

Changes done to Toughness, Improved Iron Will and Power Attack is overall really nice which makes them much more worthwhile to take than before.

Any thoughts on the pathfinder barbarian?