Ultimate Barbarian Build (Single-Class Munchkin)
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:18 am
Many players think that ultimate munchkin power can only be achieved with a dualclassed human [url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Dual_and_Multiclassing#Fighter.2FMage']kensai/mage[/url] or [url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Dual_and_Multiclassing#Fighter.2FThief']kensai/thief[/url]. Perhaps they're right, but you can get pretty close with a single-classed character, especially with a barbarian. The following guide shows you how. It is intended for people who want to build a single-classed barbarian to play throughout the entire saga. This is important to keep in mind, because many of the choices I suggest are only viable if you intend to start in BG1 and stick it out through TotSC, BG2 and finally ToB.
Without further ado, let's dive in.
Three mayor premises to keep in mind:
This character is all about absorbing damage, rather than avoiding it.
While a berserker or pure kensai may put out more damage, this character will have an easier time completing Insane difficulty solo or beating tough combat mods like [url='http://www.gibberlings3.net/scs/']SSC[/url]/ [url='http://weidu.org/tactics.html']Tactics[/url].
This build doesn't make any claims about beating the Kensai/Mage dualclass, which, in all probability, cannot be topped.
Race
The character is an Lawful Evil [url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Races_and_Stats#Half-Orc']Half-Orc[/url] [url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Classes_and_Kits#Barbarian']Barbarian[/url].
[url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Races_and_Stats#Dwarf']Dwarf[/url]may be marginally better because of the +3 saving throw bonus, if you don't mind being short and bearded. You end up with slightly less Dex and Str, but cap out at 25 Str under the effects of Barbarian Rage anyway.
Specializations
are picked up in this order:
Long-Swords (Easy to obtain, strong choice throughout BG1)
Two-weapon Fighting (essential to dualwield FoA and DoEH)
Flails ([url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/flailofagesplus3.jpg']Flail of Ages[/url] and [url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/defenderofeasthavenplus2.jpg']Defender of Easthaven[/url])
Maces (Mace of Disruption)
Axes (K'logarath +4).
The rest doesn't matter. Warhammers aren't really essential because your Strength will reach 25 even without Crom Faeyr. If you skip BG1 you can skip Longswords; you can get [url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/flailofagesplus3.jpg']Flail of Ages[/url] and [url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/defenderofeasthavenplus2.jpg']Defender of Easthaven[/url] at the start of BG2.
Armor
Barbarian start out weaker than Fighters in BG1 because of their inability to wear
Plate armors. In BG2, however, this disadvantage fades away as more and more incredible
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgateii/equipment/scalearmor.php']Scale armors[/url] become available.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/mailofthedeadplus2.jpg']Mail of the Dead +2[/url] (AC3) is a good Chain Mail +2 handed to you for free at the start of BG2.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/shadowdragonscale.jpg']Shadow Dragon Scale[/url] (AC1) is as powerful as a Plate Mail +1 and can be obtained in the Shadow Temple.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/whitedragonscale.jpg']White Dragon Scale[/url] (AC -2), obtained in Watcher's Keep, is basically a Full Plate +3, but counts as
leather armor.
Stat Stacking
[url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Races_and_Stats#Half-Orc']Half Orc[/url]: +1 Str, +1 Con
This enables you to get Str and Con to 19 at character creation.
After tomes, Str and Con will both be at 20.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgateii/walkthrough/hell.php']Hell trails[/url]:
Pride, good: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric resistance
Selfishness, good: +10% MR, -1 DEX (AC hardly matters with the kind of physical res we are stacking)
Greed, good: +2 to saves
Fear, evil: +2 Con (debatable, but the Good bonus won't help against most enemies)
Wrath, evil: +2 Str
This will put Str and Con at 22.
The Machine of Lum the Mad ([url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgateii/walkthrough/watchers4.php']Watcher's Keep level 4[/url]) adds +1 to all stats.
After Lum, Str and Con will both be at 23.
Barbarian Rage: +4 Str, +4 Con.
With this, Str and Con will cap at 25.
Note that unlike Berserker Frenzy, Barbarian rage does not leave you winded. The downside (as Galrean mentioned) is that it does not protect against Imprisonment. Use a green scroll of Protection from Magic for this.
Pocket Plane Challenges
For these you need to have the 'Restored Bhaalspawn Abilities' part of the [url='http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/index.php?option=content&task=blogcategory&id=101&Itemid=80']Unfinished Business[/url] mod installed. These abilities were meant to be in the game but didn't get implemented in time before release. The author of this mod is BioWare's Senior Designer David Gaider. Therefore, you
shouldn't feel bad about using them. It makes perfect sense that you would receive something for completing the Pocket Plane challenges, just as you did for completing the Hell trails.
You gain these by completing the challenges in the Pocket Plane in ToB.
Challenge 1, evil: Regeneration (like the cleric spell)
Challenge 2, evil: Dark Taint (a poison-type ability)
Challenge 3, evil: Hand of Murder (an OP +12 dmg boost that also leaches 12 HP per hit)
Challenge 4, evil: 25% physical dmg resistance
To download this mod, check [url='http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/index.php?option=content&task=blogcategory&id=101&Itemid=80']this page[/url].
For the full details about the Restored Bhaalspawn Abilities, [url='http://www.planetbaldursgate.com/bg2/media/files/bhaalpowers_read_me.txt']read this[/url].
Physical Resistance
Barbarian Class: +20% physical (Innate)
Defender of Easthaven: +20% physical (Joluv)
Hardiness HLA: +40% physical (20 rounds)
Pocket plane challenge 4, evil: +25% physical
Total: 65% flat, 105% with Hardiness.
Without Restored Bhaalspawn Abilities: 40% flat, 80% with Hardiness.
Magic Resistance
Ring of Gaxx: 10% MR
Amulet of Seldarine: 10% MR
Hell selfishness, good: 10% MR
Lum: +10% MR
Flail of Ages +5: 5% MR
This puts you at 45% MR. Not great, but if you have to choose between becoming fully resistant to physical or fully resistant to magic, physical immunity is by far the better option:
~90% of all ingame enemies deal physical dmg.
10-20% of all enemies use spells.
Most disabling spells can be resisted with Rage.
The remaining disabling spells can be bypassed with scrolls.
Damaging spells can easily be soaked.
Additional Soaking/Resistances
Belt of Inertial Barrier: 50% Magic dmg
Helmet of Defense: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric
Boots of Grounding: 50% Electric
Ring of Fire Control: 50% Fire
Hell Pride trail, Good: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric
As you can see, soaking spell dmg will no longer be a problem near the end of SoA. You reach 40% resistance to elemental dmg types and 50% resistance to magic dmg from equipment alone. Add a few green scrolls and you are easily at ~90-100%.
Final Equipment Breakdown
Helmet of Defense: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric resistance, +1 saves
Amulet of Seldarine: 10% MR, +1 saves
White Dragon Scale: -2 AC, 50% Cold
Gauntlets of Extraordinary Specialization: +1/2 Attack per Round, +1 THACO, +2 Damage
Belt of Inertial Barrier: 50% Magic dmg. resistance
Boots of Grounding: 50% Electric resistance
Cloak of Mirroring: Reflects spells.
Ring of Gaxx: +2 AC, +2 Saves, +20% MR, regeneration.
Ring of Fire Control: 50% Fire resistance
Weapons:
Mainhand: Flail of Ages +5 (1d6 +6 blunt dmg, +2 Acid/Cold/Fire/Poison/Electric damage)
Off-hand: Defender of Easthaven +2 (1d6+2 blunt dmg, +1 AC, +20% physical resistance)
Mods
[url='http://www.gibberlings3.net/bg2tweaks/']BG2 Tweaks[/url]
Adds many enhancements and improvements to the game. Includes the Bonus Merchants from the limited edition. One of these merchants, Joluv, located in the Copper Coronet, sells the Defender of Easthaven +2.
[url='http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/index.php?option=content&task=blogcategory&id=101&Itemid=80']BG2 Unfinished Business[/url]
Restores a lot of content that was meant to be in the game but did not get properly implemented before release. Restores Bhaalspawn abilities gained in the Abyssal Fortress Pocket Plane.
[url='http://www.shsforums.net/files/file/888-pnp-free-action-v2/']PnP Free Action[/url]
Allows you to be Hasted while under the effects of Free Action, as per Pen & Paper AD&D 2nd ed. rules. This removes the problem with Flail of Ages +5 cancelling out your improved haste spells / greater whirlwinds.
Without further ado, let's dive in.
Three mayor premises to keep in mind:
This character is all about absorbing damage, rather than avoiding it.
While a berserker or pure kensai may put out more damage, this character will have an easier time completing Insane difficulty solo or beating tough combat mods like [url='http://www.gibberlings3.net/scs/']SSC[/url]/ [url='http://weidu.org/tactics.html']Tactics[/url].
This build doesn't make any claims about beating the Kensai/Mage dualclass, which, in all probability, cannot be topped.
Race
The character is an Lawful Evil [url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Races_and_Stats#Half-Orc']Half-Orc[/url] [url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Classes_and_Kits#Barbarian']Barbarian[/url].
[url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Races_and_Stats#Dwarf']Dwarf[/url]may be marginally better because of the +3 saving throw bonus, if you don't mind being short and bearded. You end up with slightly less Dex and Str, but cap out at 25 Str under the effects of Barbarian Rage anyway.
Specializations
are picked up in this order:
Long-Swords (Easy to obtain, strong choice throughout BG1)
Two-weapon Fighting (essential to dualwield FoA and DoEH)
Flails ([url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/flailofagesplus3.jpg']Flail of Ages[/url] and [url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/defenderofeasthavenplus2.jpg']Defender of Easthaven[/url])
Maces (Mace of Disruption)
Axes (K'logarath +4).
The rest doesn't matter. Warhammers aren't really essential because your Strength will reach 25 even without Crom Faeyr. If you skip BG1 you can skip Longswords; you can get [url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/flailofagesplus3.jpg']Flail of Ages[/url] and [url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/defenderofeasthavenplus2.jpg']Defender of Easthaven[/url] at the start of BG2.
Armor
Barbarian start out weaker than Fighters in BG1 because of their inability to wear
Plate armors. In BG2, however, this disadvantage fades away as more and more incredible
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgateii/equipment/scalearmor.php']Scale armors[/url] become available.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/mailofthedeadplus2.jpg']Mail of the Dead +2[/url] (AC3) is a good Chain Mail +2 handed to you for free at the start of BG2.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/shadowdragonscale.jpg']Shadow Dragon Scale[/url] (AC1) is as powerful as a Plate Mail +1 and can be obtained in the Shadow Temple.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/whitedragonscale.jpg']White Dragon Scale[/url] (AC -2), obtained in Watcher's Keep, is basically a Full Plate +3, but counts as
leather armor.
Stat Stacking
[url='http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Races_and_Stats#Half-Orc']Half Orc[/url]: +1 Str, +1 Con
This enables you to get Str and Con to 19 at character creation.
After tomes, Str and Con will both be at 20.
[url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgateii/walkthrough/hell.php']Hell trails[/url]:
Pride, good: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric resistance
Selfishness, good: +10% MR, -1 DEX (AC hardly matters with the kind of physical res we are stacking)
Greed, good: +2 to saves
Fear, evil: +2 Con (debatable, but the Good bonus won't help against most enemies)
Wrath, evil: +2 Str
This will put Str and Con at 22.
The Machine of Lum the Mad ([url='http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgateii/walkthrough/watchers4.php']Watcher's Keep level 4[/url]) adds +1 to all stats.
After Lum, Str and Con will both be at 23.
Barbarian Rage: +4 Str, +4 Con.
With this, Str and Con will cap at 25.
Note that unlike Berserker Frenzy, Barbarian rage does not leave you winded. The downside (as Galrean mentioned) is that it does not protect against Imprisonment. Use a green scroll of Protection from Magic for this.
Pocket Plane Challenges
For these you need to have the 'Restored Bhaalspawn Abilities' part of the [url='http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/index.php?option=content&task=blogcategory&id=101&Itemid=80']Unfinished Business[/url] mod installed. These abilities were meant to be in the game but didn't get implemented in time before release. The author of this mod is BioWare's Senior Designer David Gaider. Therefore, you
shouldn't feel bad about using them. It makes perfect sense that you would receive something for completing the Pocket Plane challenges, just as you did for completing the Hell trails.
You gain these by completing the challenges in the Pocket Plane in ToB.
Challenge 1, evil: Regeneration (like the cleric spell)
Challenge 2, evil: Dark Taint (a poison-type ability)
Challenge 3, evil: Hand of Murder (an OP +12 dmg boost that also leaches 12 HP per hit)
Challenge 4, evil: 25% physical dmg resistance
To download this mod, check [url='http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/index.php?option=content&task=blogcategory&id=101&Itemid=80']this page[/url].
For the full details about the Restored Bhaalspawn Abilities, [url='http://www.planetbaldursgate.com/bg2/media/files/bhaalpowers_read_me.txt']read this[/url].
Physical Resistance
Barbarian Class: +20% physical (Innate)
Defender of Easthaven: +20% physical (Joluv)
Hardiness HLA: +40% physical (20 rounds)
Pocket plane challenge 4, evil: +25% physical
Total: 65% flat, 105% with Hardiness.
Without Restored Bhaalspawn Abilities: 40% flat, 80% with Hardiness.
Magic Resistance
Ring of Gaxx: 10% MR
Amulet of Seldarine: 10% MR
Hell selfishness, good: 10% MR
Lum: +10% MR
Flail of Ages +5: 5% MR
This puts you at 45% MR. Not great, but if you have to choose between becoming fully resistant to physical or fully resistant to magic, physical immunity is by far the better option:
~90% of all ingame enemies deal physical dmg.
10-20% of all enemies use spells.
Most disabling spells can be resisted with Rage.
The remaining disabling spells can be bypassed with scrolls.
Damaging spells can easily be soaked.
Additional Soaking/Resistances
Belt of Inertial Barrier: 50% Magic dmg
Helmet of Defense: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric
Boots of Grounding: 50% Electric
Ring of Fire Control: 50% Fire
Hell Pride trail, Good: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric
As you can see, soaking spell dmg will no longer be a problem near the end of SoA. You reach 40% resistance to elemental dmg types and 50% resistance to magic dmg from equipment alone. Add a few green scrolls and you are easily at ~90-100%.
Final Equipment Breakdown
Helmet of Defense: 20% Fire/Cold/Electric resistance, +1 saves
Amulet of Seldarine: 10% MR, +1 saves
White Dragon Scale: -2 AC, 50% Cold
Gauntlets of Extraordinary Specialization: +1/2 Attack per Round, +1 THACO, +2 Damage
Belt of Inertial Barrier: 50% Magic dmg. resistance
Boots of Grounding: 50% Electric resistance
Cloak of Mirroring: Reflects spells.
Ring of Gaxx: +2 AC, +2 Saves, +20% MR, regeneration.
Ring of Fire Control: 50% Fire resistance
Weapons:
Mainhand: Flail of Ages +5 (1d6 +6 blunt dmg, +2 Acid/Cold/Fire/Poison/Electric damage)
Off-hand: Defender of Easthaven +2 (1d6+2 blunt dmg, +1 AC, +20% physical resistance)
Mods
[url='http://www.gibberlings3.net/bg2tweaks/']BG2 Tweaks[/url]
Adds many enhancements and improvements to the game. Includes the Bonus Merchants from the limited edition. One of these merchants, Joluv, located in the Copper Coronet, sells the Defender of Easthaven +2.
[url='http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/index.php?option=content&task=blogcategory&id=101&Itemid=80']BG2 Unfinished Business[/url]
Restores a lot of content that was meant to be in the game but did not get properly implemented before release. Restores Bhaalspawn abilities gained in the Abyssal Fortress Pocket Plane.
[url='http://www.shsforums.net/files/file/888-pnp-free-action-v2/']PnP Free Action[/url]
Allows you to be Hasted while under the effects of Free Action, as per Pen & Paper AD&D 2nd ed. rules. This removes the problem with Flail of Ages +5 cancelling out your improved haste spells / greater whirlwinds.