Feb 29, 2012 -- 8:11AM, windgate wrote:

Yeah (large) gouge has same stats as the mordencrad, and you can get a little more out of it such as surprising charge with a multiclass in heroic but the rp is so much more ehhh... ridiculous as a barbarian:

Hammer: RAWRRRRR! SMASH!!!
Gouge: RAWRRRR! DIG HOLES IN BAD GUY'S SKULL!!!!!!

Fixed it for you. 

So I currently have a bugbear berserker at level 2. At the moment this is what my build up plan is going to be (we seem to be leveling every 2-3 sessions) Im sticking with the mordencrad instead of a gouge route because Im worried both about feat starvation and not certain on the best ability stats distrbition for another weapon type. Some advice here would also be appreciated. The group Im in currently comprises a valorious bard and a highly-unoptimized cleric. The frustration im running into is that as things stand im both the highest damager and the most durable.   The build below assuming Im going to continue pushing the defender focus as I have spent much of the last few sessions in fury mode. But would it be better to retool and run as dps right off the bat?

My other concern entails my level 6 utility and combat advantage. Being the only consistant melee (the cleric jumps in every once in a while but he appear to have a preference for implement attacks) When the cleric is not nearby I dont have a means of flanking. Am I too invested in CA tricks right now? Can you get by with only one "dps gateway" (avalanche strike)? 

In a low magic campaign which items should I be prioritizing if I am focusing on defense first?   

Things I looked at for the level 6 utility: Go with the flow, Run rampant, bloodborn menace

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Thrug - Copy, level 11
Bugbear, Barbarian (Berserker), Gladiator Champion
Heartland Option: Arid Desert
Inherent Bonuses
Auspicious Birth (Auspicious Birth Benefit)
Theme: Gladiator

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 23, CON 11, DEX 19, INT 9, WIS 12, CHA 11

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 18, CON 10, DEX 14, INT 8, WIS 11, CHA 10


AC: 26 Fort: 25 Ref: 23 Will: 18
HP: 98 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 24

TRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +14, Athletics +16, Intimidate +12, Stealth +16

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +4, Bluff +5, Diplomacy +5, Dungeoneering +6, Endurance +5, Heal +6, History +4, Insight +6, Nature +6, Perception +6, Religion +4, Streetwise +5, Thievery +9

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Gladiator Feature: Disrupting Advance
Bugbear Racial Power: Predatory Eye
Multiple Class Utility: Defender Aura
Barbarian Attack: Vengeful Guardian
Barbarian Attack 1: Run Down
Barbarian Attack 1: Jarring Smash
Barbarian Attack 1: Avalanche Strike
Barbarian Attack 1: Life-Ending Strike
Barbarian Utility 2: Shrug It Off
Gladiator Utility 2: Go with the Flow
Gladiator Attack 3: Savage Sweep
Barbarian Attack 5: Dangerous Presence
Gladiator Attack 5: Infuriating Challenge
Barbarian Attack 7: Curtain of Steel
Rogue Utility 10: Daring Gamble
Gladiator Champion Attack 11: Opening Ploy

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Mordenkrad)
Level 2: Unarmored Agility
Level 4: Two-Handed Weapon Expertise
Level 6: Improved Initiative
Level 8: Twilight Adept
Level 10: Acolyte Power
Level 11: Hammer Shock

ITEMS
Mordenkrad (Large) x1
Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing)
====== End ======

Edit: typos 

Mar 11, 2012 -- 12:20PM, windgate wrote:

One small nitpick about brutal slam (level 3 encounter) I am not entriely certain that it really deserves a gold rating. You are ultimately pushing the target outside of your defender aura. They may be proned , but they can stand up on their turn and either charge or range attack an ally....

Seeing as Brutal Slam is a Primal Power, you're not going to be using it while in defender mode anyway.

I want to draw attention to a particular build that I'm currently favoring. This is rather specific, but I've found that I like going Human and multiclassing fighter (student of the sword), in order to pick up Heavy Blade Oppritunity, Polearm Gamble, and Polearm Momentum using Weapon Proficiency: Talenta Sharrash (+3 to hit).

It stretches your stats a little thin, but since you can sub in At-Wills with Heavy Blade Oppritunity, you can choose between knocking them over and repositioning (Aggressive Lunge) or slowing (Run Down) each time you get an AO. After Recuperating Strike becomes less useful (Level 16 in this build, since you get the Deadly Beserker TMP HPs on any kill), retrain for Jarring Smash and grant your friends CA.. (Unless you're frost cheesing it up anyways).

Vengeful Guardian seems to read that you would continue to get the +1d8/+2d8/+3d8 to damage on your At-Wills that you are subbing in for your MBAs. Also hilarious is that the Guardian theme encounter power gives you an MBA. Free slows/prone/CA. Whee!

This is the level 30 build (after retrains). Although I made an effort to optimize, I'm not as good at it as some of you guys. It may be confusing, since the campaign that I am in is using inherent bonuses - which is why my items are wierd. I advise you to ignore them. Here you go:

(Another thing that doesn't translate well into this format - I took Beserk Vitality at level 1, retrained it at 12 - when I got the Deadly Beserker utility, but needed feats desprately to complete the build, and retrained it at 14 again.)

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
SPEARYOUSE, level 30
Human, Barbarian (Berserker), Deadly Berserker, Ceaseless Guardian
Heartland Option: Arid Desert
Guardian Mindfulness Option: Guardian Mindfulness Strength
Student of the Sword Option: Student of Two-Handed Weapons
Human Power Selection Option: Bonus At-Will Power
Inherent Bonuses
Auspicious Birth (Auspicious Birth Benefit)
Theme: Guardian
 
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 28, CON 18, DEX 19, INT 10, WIS 16, CHA 12
 
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 16, CON 14, DEX 14, INT 8, WIS 13, CHA 10
 
 
AC: 45 Fort: 46 Ref: 45 Will: 42
HP: 217 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 54
 
TRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +24, Athletics +29, Endurance +24, Heal +23, Intimidate +21
 
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +15, Bluff +16, Diplomacy +16, Dungeoneering +18, History +15, Insight +20, Nature +18, Perception +20, Religion +15, Stealth +19, Streetwise +16, Thievery +19
 
POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Guardian Attack: Guardian's Counter
Multiple Class Utility: Defender Aura
Barbarian Attack: Vengeful Guardian
Ceaseless Guardian Feature: Never Again
Barbarian Attack 1: Aggressive Lunge
Barbarian Attack 1: Run Down
Barbarian Attack 1: Jarring Smash
Barbarian Utility 2: Shrug It Off
Barbarian Utility 6: Run Rampant
Endurance Utility 10: Reactive Surge
Deadly Berserker Attack 11: A Thousand Ways to Die
Deadly Berserker Utility 12: Surge of Strength
Barbarian Attack 13: Storm of Blades
Barbarian Utility 16: Battle Lust
Barbarian Attack 17: Stone-Splitting Roar
Barbarian Attack 19: Desert Wind Rage
Deadly Berserker Attack 20: Slake the Rage
Barbarian Utility 22: Primal Vigor
Barbarian Attack 25: Circle of Blood Rage
Ceaseless Guardian Utility 26: Always Ready
Barbarian Attack 27: Hurricane of Blades
Barbarian Attack 29: World Serpent Rage
 
FEATS
Level 1: Beserk Vitality (Retrained at LVL12)
Level 1: Unarmored Agility
Level 2: Polearm Expertise
Level 4: Student of the Sword
Level 6: Improved Defenses
Level 8: Weapon Proficiency (Talenta sharrash)
Level 10: Weapon Focus: Polearm (Retrained at LVL11)
Level 11: Heavy Blade Opportunity
Level 11: Polearm Gamble
Level 12: Spear Push
Level 12: Polearm Momentum
Level 14: Berserk Vitality
Level 16: Striking Resurgence
Level 18: Improved Initiative (Retrained LVL21)
Level 20: Weapon Focus (Spear)
Level 21: Heavy Blade Mastery
Level 21: Superior Initiative
Level 22: Martial Mastery
Level 24: Martial Resolve
Level 26: Resilient Focus
Level 28: Epic Reflexes
Level 30: Epic Will
 
ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit
Talenta sharrash x1
Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing)
Feymind Wyrmsilk Armor +6 x1
Feyslaughter Talenta sharrash +6
Elven Chain Shirt (epic tier)
====== End ======

I am a huge fan of Mark of Storm, Flail Expertise, and a Lightning Flail. My level 5 Warforged Berserker is using that combination currently, and he is fantastic at locking down enemy movement and denying attacks.