Fighter or Barbarian
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Member Posts: 437
Which is better: Fighter (any kit but Kensai) or Barbarian?
I've found the Fighter is favoured by online communities. In the long run, I think Barbarians are better.
My thoughts:
I love Barbarians because their high HPs make them tanks against anything - melee damage or spells. They also have physical resistances which effectively magnify their HP totals. With a high Con stat, Barbarian rage + any Con buff spell (like Draw Upon Holy Might), they can actually regenerate in battle. Barbarian Rage is also better for damage than Berserker Rage. If your starting Str is 19, Barbarian Rage grants a dmg bonus (+11) that far exceeds that of the additional weapon specialiciazation + berserker rage (a total of +3). The movement is useful for kiting and soloing, and the resistance to backstab also helps.
Low armour is only really a penalty at low levels when AC is most important. Later I've found anything hits you, so I'd rather have the HP.
I've found the Fighter is favoured by online communities. In the long run, I think Barbarians are better.
My thoughts:
I love Barbarians because their high HPs make them tanks against anything - melee damage or spells. They also have physical resistances which effectively magnify their HP totals. With a high Con stat, Barbarian rage + any Con buff spell (like Draw Upon Holy Might), they can actually regenerate in battle. Barbarian Rage is also better for damage than Berserker Rage. If your starting Str is 19, Barbarian Rage grants a dmg bonus (+11) that far exceeds that of the additional weapon specialiciazation + berserker rage (a total of +3). The movement is useful for kiting and soloing, and the resistance to backstab also helps.
Low armour is only really a penalty at low levels when AC is most important. Later I've found anything hits you, so I'd rather have the HP.
- Fighter or Barbarian171 votes
- Fighter60.82%
- Barbarian39.18%
0
Comments
As far as armor goes, Barbarians can handle it with the extra HP. Extra HP makes them more resistant to magic, whereas the extra AC from some heavier armors would not.
Sentimental-wise I would pick Fighter, due to discipline in honing his skills.
''And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers''
I used to be really love fighter since they can get full plate.Losing a few AC is Ok with amount of the extra HP and immune stuff you get from the rage.The HP really adds up once you get to higher levels.
I do like all the fighter kits , I kinda wish Barbarian had some kits , even tho Barbarian is really just a kit of fighter.
RP wise I personally prefer Barbarian too.
Fighter - the well rounded warrior.
Paladin - Better at defense than offense.
Ranger - Better at offense than defense.
Barbarian - Better at offense than the Fighter, but not the Ranger, better at defense than the Ranger, but not the Fighter.
It all depends on what exactly you want your character to do, and how you want to roleplay. If I had to pick whether I get a fighter or a barbarian for my party, I would most likely prefer the fighter.
How do you figure the Ranger beats Barbarian in offensive might?
Hell, how do you figure the Ranger beats the Fighter at offense?
At the low levels, when AC is vital to survival, the berserker easily trumps the barbarian (better armor, AC bonus while enraged). By the beginning of ToB however, the barbarian comes into its own: the net gain of 18hp, the significant reduction in physical damage, and the lack of post-rage drawbacks all make him a better warrior than the berserker.
Granted, the difference is insignificant (as the berserker still gets +1 to hit and +2 damage from Grand Mastery), but the barbarian is ultimately the more powerful choice.
@Doom972: Interesting way of looking at it. I find rangers are more versatile fighters because they get to dual wield for free, allowing them to branch out. But both paladins and fighters can get this too. A fighter does more damage than paladins and rangers when he achieves the (albeit mediocre) grand-mastery, so I'd argue he's better at offense than all of them, at least when it comes to weapons that are not bows or Holy Avengers...that are not backstabbing something...lol.
Thus, for BG2/TOB I'd not choose any barbarians/paladins/rangers but fighter. Fighter is great dual base in that case.
For BG1 barbarian will do as an alternative to paladin or ranger.
If you fiddle with the game a bit you can actually dual class a barbarian. From a purely technical standpoint, the barbarian IS a fighter kit in the game engine, but is treated as a separate class in the class selection screen with dual classing disabled. But I've been able to dual class it into a mage and a thief with little trouble. You just need to know the ins and outs of the infinity engine.
My theory on the classes was always this
Fighter - Well Rounded. His sole focus (outside his personalty) is improvement of himself and how he and his weapon interact with each other, trying to become one.
Paladin - A slightly more defense option (usually) than a fighter, but his offensive power when fighting creatures of evil (ignoring the standard paladin in BG since they weren't given smite evil) is greatly increased. Does a much better job versus evil and undead than a fighter (usually).
Ranger - A consummate scout, tracker and woodsman. I feel he has a more tactical approach to general combat than a fighter due to this. Also tends more to focus more offensively in either ranged or tactical stealth based combat (see archer or stalker). He is definitely at his best though when faced with hordes (or high difficulty versions) of his favored enemy. Beware if you're a dragon, vampire, mindflayer, etc and this guys favored enemy.
Barbarian - Hulk. Smash! But in general I view barbarians as the most brute forced approach to combat. Find something, rage and hope enough of them are dead by the time rage is over that you're still alive. There is no asking your god for powers (but you might yell out to tempus), there's no stealthing around summing up your opposition, there's no (this is my longsword, there are many like it but this longsword is mine). There is pure unbridled fury, throwing yourself into combat just for the sheer joy of being in combat.
Blackguard - This is the paladins mirror. Gone is hope, replaced is fear in your enemies eyes as you walk close. You don't just want to kill someone, you want to kill them and make anyone behind them piss themselves. Then you want to kill those behind him too. It wouldn't be surprising if you left one person alive at the end of a battle, not out of mercy, but purely to make sure that the next group you face is already in fear of your reputation before you get there.
Honorable Mentions:
Monk - You don't wear armor but that's fine. You wear the famous yellow parachute pants of MC Hammer (+20). Unlike the Barbarian you don't necessarily throw yourself into combat. But when you do engage in combat you run around like a 90s beat box going "Neh neh neh neh, neh neh, neh neh, CANT TOUCH THIS" and proceed to counter them with your fists and feet. You do think about combat, thinking about dodge, parry, block. But more than anything you get a little giggle inside everytime you go "nah nah you missed me"
Blade - Nothing yet
Swashbuckler - Nothing Yet
*I* don't care about discipline, militaristic training or traditions when battle calls. All I need is my bloody axe, some dear ol' enemies and my devastating fury! True to the motto of an nameless and legendary warrior: "Me will crush you! Crush you to GOO!"