Barbarians

Wigmonster

What do you think of Barbarians and that class as a Fighter? Or which fighter class do you think is the best

Wigmonster

Silence

1. Barbarians are good but not overpowering.

2. If we're talking the best at dealing damage, the Kensai is the best kit. If we're talking tanking, it's the Berserker and/or Dwarven Defender.

3. Wizard slayers are a somewhat mediocre kit. I'm always pushing for them to get more attention. http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/22212/improve-the-wizard-slayer#latest

nano

Raagh! Personally I prefer Berserkers because you can attain grand mastery and dual class them by default. Berserker is probably my favorite fighter kit all around. But the Barbarian's advantages can be useful; defensively they're very tough as far as fighters go.

Corvino

Previously Barbarians had one of the few ways to obtain damage resistance outside of HLAs or cleric spells. They can still combine their innate DR with things like the defender of Easthaven and the Hardiness HLA to survive better against tough physical opponents. Also, at higher levels AC matters less, and chainmail armor can actually be very good.

As has been said they're not the best tanks or damage dealers, but they're fairly good at both. They're not overpowered or very powergame-y, just an interesting fighter variant that is pretty viable throughout.

LordRumfish

I like barbarians, but I have trouble justifying one as my main character when there are choices like berserker or dwarven defender (or the ranger kit archer or the paladin kit cavalier). They all do things a little differently of course: barbarians are better archers than berserkers, they're more mobile than dwarven defenders, they're much better tanks than archers, they have a number of pluses and minuses vs. cavalier not the least of which is the option for ranged weapons.

To be honest, barbarians are still quite playable and can win the series with a competent party at their back (solo might be hard in BG2). I really do enjoy the flavor of barbarians and most takes on the fighter class are "good enough" at the end of the day (maybe not wizard slayer).

I would like to see barbarians improved just a tiny bit, but more than that, I want to see barbarian kits.

Schneidend

Barbarians are awesome. They basically get a high-level Draw Upon Holy Might from level 1 that not only improves stats but provides immunities to everything but petrification and imprisonment.

LordRumfish

Schneidend said:

Barbarians are awesome. They basically get a high-level Draw Upon Holy Might from level 1 that not only improves stats but provides immunities to everything but petrification and imprisonment.

To be fair, I probably use berserkers and barbarians the wrong way. I tend to reserve their special ability as a "panic button" for when I have trouble with an encounter. If I was more proactive with the use of rage/berserk, I'd probably get more mileage from them.

ryuken87

Previously I would have said Barbarians are simply better than any single class fighter due to their damage resistance and very good damage output. In BG2EE the fighters are gonna catch up due to the GM buff.

Schneidend

LordRumfish said:

To be fair, I probably use berserkers and barbarians the wrong way. I tend to reserve their special ability as a "panic button" for when I have trouble with an encounter. If I was more proactive with the use of rage/berserk, I'd probably get more mileage from them.

Once you're getting 3 or more uses per day, you can pretty much pop them with impunity. Most fights in BG1 won't even require the immunities, so you can pop it any time you want to chunk the hell out of something.

Silence

Yeah. The Rage is quite fantastic, and last time I checked it stacks with Draw Upon Holy Might. There are some big implications of this: if you're a half-orc, and you rage and use Draw Upon Holy Might, you basically top out your STR/CON scores to 25. Which is a lot of fun! And great for killing monsters...and bashing open locked chests, lol.

If you're a Dwarf, you would receive a huge save bonus from raging (saves are based on CON).

FinneousPJ

Save bonuses cap at 18 CON

Corvino

Also, shorty saves are usually recalculated at level-up rather than dynamically.

Silence

You are absolutely right! I had no idea that the bonus didn't apply. Thanks for pointing that out!
The point about busting the chests still stands though.

FinneousPJ

It'd be great if the save bonuses continued past 18, but you do still get more HP and regeneration.

ZanathKariashi

It does apply over 18, but it has to be raw stats, not from equipment or spells, since those are ignored during level ups. (All shorties can get the 21 bonus, (though only dwarves can do so without taking evil paths). +1 manual, +1 Lum, +2 Trials (evil).

FinneousPJ

@ZanathKariashi No, in this game they cap out at +5 at CON 18.

Aristillius

Barbarians are awesome-o ^^ Interesting fighter-type class.

Among fighter-type classes I like the ranger class the most due to their wildlife/hunter/protector role and use of both stealth and spells. I also like paladins and have been thinking about playing a un-zealous Paladin for some time, just need to think about it some more

(I interpret your question of "best" to be what you like best subjectively because I find hypothetical max/min super build discussions tedious to discuss - hope that's okay).

tupp3n

Barbarians are one of the few classes in the game that can actually solo in every situation due to their rage ability. Ok, petrification aside. I managed to cleare the whole arena with just one barbarian. I had to drink a ton of health potions though.

Frosty

Barbarians with slings and axes are a very powerful ranged character since thay get there STR bonus to damage with slings, and throwing axes

tupp3n

Awsome! Have to try that.

Leon

I created Monster using this kit. half orc barbarian, with 25 strength no potions eartly on. Crazy hit points. PLUS few regeneration items.. he is unbeatable.. you cant backstab him. Easiest solo. He may not deal pure damage as Kensai, but his HIGH points(with regeneration items) and Mastery in "two handed weapons" and"two swords", plus his rage ability WITH A Good roll- made him unbeatable. His rage doesnt protect from imprisonment which is the only con, beacause doing SOLO with barbarain and fighting improved Kangaxx that throws 3 imprisonments each time. Damn.. aside from that he is much more fun then fighter. You are faster then most fighter, you are adjusted to the game with natural damage immunity, strongers,have more hit points,(cant be backstabbed).. Def. one of the best classes ingame.