Post by MightyKhan on Apr 17, 2009 15:15:55 GMT
Dragon's Rage
32 Barbarian / 1 Bard / 7 White Dragon Disciple
A trick in building...
Most subraces have both strengths and weaknesses, as having only strengths would be rather unbalancing. Some classes however can reduce, remove or even completely reverse weaknesses, making the subrace suddenly a lot more powerful. Tricks like that are used very often when creating new character builds. This character is a good example of such a case.
Fury!
Barbarians are good damage dealers and sturdy tanks. Not only do they get to use a shield while swinging around with a large weapon, they also get physical damage resistance equal to half their strength modifier (12% for this build), feature immunity to critical hits (if they have at least 40 base strength) and a lot of hitpoints to soak whatever damage still comes through. Some barbarians take Devastating (and Overwhelming) Critical to enhance their critical hits, others make use of double weapons, but some, like this one, feature both.
Using Shapestrong rage to become large, equip a double weapon and shield, and then become medium again means you receive all the normal benefits and penalties for using a doubleweapon (ie the offhand attacks and -2 AB), while retaining a good defense through the use of a shield.
Barbarians benefit mostly from high strength, dexterity and constitution scores and therefore, Fire Genasi is a very good subrace to use:
Not only do Fire Genasi get bonuses to strength and dexterity, they also receive 10% more experience points, if they have any levels in the barbarian class. Leveling just became a lot easier!
The penalties in wisdom and charisma are not important: barbarians do not need either (most of them are real savages...). 25% cold vulnerability is something else though...
Damage immunities are a very important aspect of the game and with 25% vulnerability to cold damage, some areas or quests will be a lot harder to face.
So, is this going to be a weak character then?
This is where White Dragon Disciple kicks in. On Higher Ground, a Dragon Disciple isn't necessarily a Red Dragon Disciple and a WDD (White Dragon Disciple), for example, gains cold resistance instead of fire. You will have to find and use an altar in a secret place in order to change paths before you hit level 20 (level 19 is your last chance!), because at 4 levels of Dragon Disciple, the color of your path is determined: being red by default. While I can not tell you the location of this altar here on the forums (it wouldn't be a secret if I did...) you can ask anyone in game at any given time and I'm sure most of them will gladly tell you (if they know, of course).
The cold resistance you gain from WDD levels is absolute and therefore completely overrides your innate vulnerability (instead of reducing it)! At level 20, you will have 10% irreducible cold immunity, eventually increasing to 40% at character level 40. A great thing for any new player to have, as it's 40% less cold resistance (and 25% fire resistance from your base race) to worry about!
Why this particular class breakdown and combination?
At least 4 levels of WDD are needed to counter the cold vulnerability. WDD requires at least 1 level of either bard or sorcerer and 8 ranks in lore. This build has bard, because it raises your reflex and will saves a bit, and allows for a small armor class (AC) boost early on (because bards can take maximum ranks in tumble - explanation will come as you read on).
Every 4 barbarian levels above 20, you receive an epic barbarian bonus feat. 32 levels of barbarian provides a much needed 3rd bonus feat.
For 7 levels of WDD, you also gain +4 strength and +2 constitution. Just the right bonuses for this type of character.
More information on classes and the chances that are made on Higher Ground can be found here.
Character creation:
Race: Human
Fire Genasi must be human. Humans are a nice base race, as they get an additional skillpoint each level and a second first level feat.
Subrace: PT - Fire Genasi
This is case sensitive and must be EXACTLY "PT - Fire Genasi" (without quotation marks) or it won't work. If you do not receive the appropriate bonuses upon entering the docks, you will have to create a new character.
Class: Barbarian
Alignment: anything non-lawful
Both barbarian and bard require you to be non-lawful. Choose whatever you like, because, as long as it is non-lawful, alignment has no effect on this character.
Ability scores:
STR 16
DEX 14
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 8
CHA 8
Again, wisdom and charisma are ignored, as they add nothing special to this build. 16 base dexterity is needed to qualify for the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, which you will get after subrace edits.
Skills:
Discipline 4 - discipline is a must-have skill for all characters, as numerous discipline checks will have to be made in order to avoid the most horrible of fates. Having a high strength score helps with this.
Craft Armor 4 - every 40 points (including bonuses you gain from items, intelligence and spells) in craft armor increase your AC by 1, to a maximum of 3 at craft armor 120. Being a tank, AC is very important and every point is welcome.
Craft Weapon 4 - every 40 points in craft weapon increase your AB by 1, in the same way craft armor increases AC. A good skill for any weapon user that wants to increase his AB a bit.
Feats:
Blooded, Strong Soul
These feats are so-called "enabler" feats: they allow you to take Legendary Skill Affinity Tumble and Legendary Hardened Soul in legendary levels. They also have their own minor bonuses.
After leaving the voyage and entering the docks, the subrace edits will be applied: STR +2, DEX +2, WIS -2, CHA -2, +25% fire resistance, -25% cold resistance and you will be able to speak Ignan.
Your ability scores will then look like:
STR 18
DEX 16
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 6
CHA 6
Pre-epic levels:
Level 2: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
(if theres is no number given next to a skill, simply put in as many points as possible)
Level 3: Barbarian
Feat: Exotic weapon proficiency - double weapons are of the exotic type. To be able to use and focus in one, exotic weapon proficiency is needed.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 4: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 5: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 6: Barbarian
Feat: Ambidexterity - this feat reduces the off-hand penalty when using a double weapon with two hands. It is also needed for Improved Two-weapon Fighting.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 7: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 8: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 9: Barbarian
Feat: Two-weapon fighting - this feat reduces the penalty you receive to your attack bonus when wielding a double weapon with two hands. Also required for Improved Two-weapon Fighting.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 10: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 11: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 12: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Weapon focus - a must have feat for any weapon user: it unlocks the Epic and Legendary versions and together these feats increase your AB by 5 when wielding the weapon you are focused in. Any double weapon should do fine.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 13: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 14: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 15: Barbarian
Feat: Improved Critical - a great feat to take for any weapon user as it DOUBLES the base threat range of the chosen weapon, making you score a lot more critical hits. Also required for Overwhelming Critical.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 16: Bard
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon. Also raise Lore to 8, maximize Use Magic Device and raise Tumble to 15. - Use Magic Device allows you to use items you could not use otherwise, like scrolls and wands. Being able to use certain scrolls can be the difference between win and wipe. Since every 5 base ranks in Tumble raises your armor class by 1 point, this skill is vital.
Level 17: WDD
This is the first level you can change your path to White.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 18: WDD
Feat: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting - this feat will allow you to fully benefit from double weapons. It grants you a second offhand attack while you are using a doubleweapon and are medium sized.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 19: WDD
This is the last level you can change your path to White!
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 20: WDD
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Epic Levels:
Level 21: WDD
Feat: Epic Prowess - for a character like this, maximizing the attack bonus is very important. Epic Prowess provides +1 attack bonus and improves the bonus you will receive from Legendary Weapon Focus by 1 (so effectively, Epic Prowess provides a +2 bonus).
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 22: WDD
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 23: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 24: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Power Attack - as a combat mode, Power Attack is only mildly useful. Only against creatures with a low armor class, it provides nice bonus damage, but against high defenses, being able to hit at all is more important than a damage boost. It is, however, a pre-requisite for Cleave, ultimately leading to Devastating Critical.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 25: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 26: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 27: Barbarian
Feat: Cleave - due to the way the developers of NWN have coded cleave, sometimes, this feat does not provide the additional attack you would get after delivering a killing blow. Sometimes it DOES provide an additional attack, and those are almost always welcome. Cleave will trigger only once each round. (In higher level areas, the Nine Hells for example, you will not want to hit certain monsters. Be careful when those are close to you in the melee.) Cleave unlocks Great Cleave.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 28: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 29: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 30: Barbarian
Feat: Great Cleave - with Great Cleave, there is no limit to cleave: if theres a band of goblins, each with 10 hitpoints, in your way, it will only take you a single round to deal with them... Great cleave is required for Overwhelming Critical.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 31: Barbarian
Feat: Armor Skin - an important feat for any character that wants to boost it's defenses, Armor Skin provides +2 armor class.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 32: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate - Intimidate allows you to pick up the Terrifying Rage feat, which you will next level.
Level 33: Barbarian
Feat: Terrifying Rage - while raging, you will now have a fear aura that imposes penalties and panic on your enemies, unless they succeed in a will save against (Intimidate skill / 2).
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 34: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 35: Barbarian
Feat: Epic Weapon Focus - Epic Weapon Focus provides a +2 bonus to your attack rolls with the chosen weapon. It unlocks Legendary Weapon Focus (and is required for Overwhelming Critical).
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 36: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Lightning Reflexes - this feat gives a +2 bonus to all your reflex saves and unlocks Legendary Reflexes.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 37: Barbarian - yes, finally! 30 levels of barbarian! You should now actively seek out the place where you may acquire the Shape Strong rage ability token. Using it will allow you to switch between medium size (default at login) and large size. Once large, you can equip both a double weapon and a shield at the same time. Using the token a second time to once again become medium sized, will allow you to make use of the offhand attacks as if you were not wearing any shield at all!
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 38: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 39: Barbarian
Feat: Overwhelming Critical, Epic Will - the Overwhelming Critical feat improves the critical threat range of the chosen weapon by 1. While this may not seem a lot, it really does help your damage output against creatures that are not immune to critical hits quite a bit, as it also unlocks Devastating Critical. Epic Will improves your will save by 4 points.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 40: WDD
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate, raise Concentration to 38.
Legendary levels: - requires immortality.
Leveling in legendary levels is done through a conversation with the altar of legends. You can no longer choose between classes, but instead you gain levels in the class you have most levels in at level 40: Barbarian in this case.
Level 41:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate - a high listen score lets you hit concealed monsters more easily, as it effectively reduces the concealment. More information on how the listen skill works can be found here.
Level 42:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Legendary Skill Affinity Tumble - this feat allows you to take ranks in the tumble skill as if it were a class skill. Tumble provides +1 to your armor class for every 5 BASE ranks. More information can be found here.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 43:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, maximize Tumble, Intimidate
Level 44:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Tumble, Intimidate
Level 45:
Feat: Legendary Hardened Soul - this feat raises both your fortitude and your will save by 5, resulting in a total bonus of +6 together with Strong Soul.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Tumble, Intimidate
Level 46:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Tumble, Intimidate
Level 47:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate, Tumble - this is the last level you will be taking ranks in tumble. Because you have 7 levels of dragon disciple, the maximum armor class bonus you can get from tumble is 10. 50 ranks in tumble provides just that.
Level 48:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Legendary Weapon Focus - this feat provides +3 attack bonus (+2 base, +1 from epic prowess). All together, weapon focus, epic weapon focus, epic prowess and legendary weapon focus provide a +7 bonus that is not included in the attack bonus cap.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 49:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 50:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 51:
Feat: Devastating Critical - this feat improves the critical hit multiplier of the chosen weapon by 1, greatly increasing damage you deal with critical hits.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 52:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 53:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 54:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Thundering Rage - instead of the normal properties, Thundering Rage adds a lot of sonic damage to all of your attacks. A great way to boost your overall damage output.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 55:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 56:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 57:
Feat: Legendary Reflexes - together with Lightning Reflexes, these two feats improve your reflex save by 9, raising it to a decent level.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 58:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 59:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 60:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Mighty Rage - instead of the normal bonuses, it provides a +8 bonus to your attacks and adds physical bonus damage equal to your constitution modifier. Note that the attack bonus is included within the attack bonus cap.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Some end statistics (completely buffed of course)...
Ability scores:
STR 58 +24
DEX 28 +9
CON 34 +12
INT 24 +7
WIS 18 +4
CHA 18 +4
Offense:
Attack Bonus: 94+ (can hit 96 with a maximized craft weapon skill)
Number of attacks per round: 7 (9 without shield)
Critical hits: 14-20x4 with a double weapon that is not double scimitar
11-20x3 with double scimitar
Defense:
Fortitude save: 66
Reflex save: 61
Will save: 60
Armor class: 123+ (can probably hit 132 with girdling, strongheart and enough craft armor boosts)
12% (excluding gear) physical damage resistance
8/- physical damage reduction
25% fire damage resistance
40% (irreducible!) cold damage resistance
While raging:
+12 physical damage each hit
+5 dice of sonic damage (minimum 5d4)
Critical hit immunity (once you hit 40 base strength)
Any advice on gear?
This build lacks the heavy armor proficiency feat. However, because you have 16 base dexterity, wearing medium armor provides the best AC possible for you. Choose whatever shield gives highest AC (large shield probably), unless you need specific immunities that can only be found on "lesser" shields.
Remember to return to medium size once you equiped both your double weapon and your shield, otherwise you will not get the offhand attacks.
Before you hit level 37, the best weapon for you is a medium sized exotic weapon, like bastard sword, if you need the protection of a shield. Otherwise, pick a double weapon. In general, make sure you can hit your targets. This may mean you have to pick a weapon with a large enhancement or attack bonus on it, if there are no casters with Greater Magic Weapon (GMW) in your party. If there are such casters, pick a weapon with the best bonus damages and beg for GMW.
Try and cover as many immunities (death magic, mind, knockdown, etc) as possible. You can see what immunities you have by typing !list imm in game.
Try to get the Toyshop boots and equip (and use) them for an additional attack, if you can get a high enough dodge bonus from other sources than boots and haste. Some items have the Epic Mage Armor Spell on them for example. High level bards (song), clerics (Undeaths Eternal Foe, or UEF) and druids (Aura of Vitality) will help also.
How should I play this character?
There is a guide on tanking and I really recommend reading it if this is your first tank. It can be found here. There is also a general guide for for new players, which I can really recommend taking a look at: The Newbie Guide.
32 Barbarian / 1 Bard / 7 White Dragon Disciple
A trick in building...
Most subraces have both strengths and weaknesses, as having only strengths would be rather unbalancing. Some classes however can reduce, remove or even completely reverse weaknesses, making the subrace suddenly a lot more powerful. Tricks like that are used very often when creating new character builds. This character is a good example of such a case.
Fury!
Barbarians are good damage dealers and sturdy tanks. Not only do they get to use a shield while swinging around with a large weapon, they also get physical damage resistance equal to half their strength modifier (12% for this build), feature immunity to critical hits (if they have at least 40 base strength) and a lot of hitpoints to soak whatever damage still comes through. Some barbarians take Devastating (and Overwhelming) Critical to enhance their critical hits, others make use of double weapons, but some, like this one, feature both.
Devastating Critical
- Now adds +1 to critical hit multiplier for the weapon chosen instead of the normal effect.
Overwhelming Critical
- Now adds +1 to critical hit threat range for the weapon chosen in addition to the normal effect.
- If you have the Weapon Master Ki Critical feat, the threat range expansion will not work for any weapon.
- Now adds +1 to critical hit multiplier for the weapon chosen instead of the normal effect.
Overwhelming Critical
- Now adds +1 to critical hit threat range for the weapon chosen in addition to the normal effect.
- If you have the Weapon Master Ki Critical feat, the threat range expansion will not work for any weapon.
Shapestrong Rage
- At Barbarian 30 and total character level 35, characters can acquire the ability to enter Shapestrong Rage, which will allow them to change size at will.
- Medium characters will become Large when using their Shapestrong ability. All other characters will become Medium when using it.
- Using the Shapestrong ability again will return a character to their normal size, as will logging out and back in.
- At Barbarian 30 and total character level 35, characters can acquire the ability to enter Shapestrong Rage, which will allow them to change size at will.
- Medium characters will become Large when using their Shapestrong ability. All other characters will become Medium when using it.
- Using the Shapestrong ability again will return a character to their normal size, as will logging out and back in.
Using Shapestrong rage to become large, equip a double weapon and shield, and then become medium again means you receive all the normal benefits and penalties for using a doubleweapon (ie the offhand attacks and -2 AB), while retaining a good defense through the use of a shield.
Barbarians benefit mostly from high strength, dexterity and constitution scores and therefore, Fire Genasi is a very good subrace to use:
"PT - Fire Genasi"
- FC: Highest Class / BC: Barbarian
- STR +2, DEX +2, WIS -2, CHA -2, 25% immune fire, 25% vulnerable cold, speaks Ignan
- FC: Highest Class / BC: Barbarian
- STR +2, DEX +2, WIS -2, CHA -2, 25% immune fire, 25% vulnerable cold, speaks Ignan
Not only do Fire Genasi get bonuses to strength and dexterity, they also receive 10% more experience points, if they have any levels in the barbarian class. Leveling just became a lot easier!
The penalties in wisdom and charisma are not important: barbarians do not need either (most of them are real savages...). 25% cold vulnerability is something else though...
Damage immunities are a very important aspect of the game and with 25% vulnerability to cold damage, some areas or quests will be a lot harder to face.
So, is this going to be a weak character then?
This is where White Dragon Disciple kicks in. On Higher Ground, a Dragon Disciple isn't necessarily a Red Dragon Disciple and a WDD (White Dragon Disciple), for example, gains cold resistance instead of fire. You will have to find and use an altar in a secret place in order to change paths before you hit level 20 (level 19 is your last chance!), because at 4 levels of Dragon Disciple, the color of your path is determined: being red by default. While I can not tell you the location of this altar here on the forums (it wouldn't be a secret if I did...) you can ask anyone in game at any given time and I'm sure most of them will gladly tell you (if they know, of course).
The cold resistance you gain from WDD levels is absolute and therefore completely overrides your innate vulnerability (instead of reducing it)! At level 20, you will have 10% irreducible cold immunity, eventually increasing to 40% at character level 40. A great thing for any new player to have, as it's 40% less cold resistance (and 25% fire resistance from your base race) to worry about!
Why this particular class breakdown and combination?
At least 4 levels of WDD are needed to counter the cold vulnerability. WDD requires at least 1 level of either bard or sorcerer and 8 ranks in lore. This build has bard, because it raises your reflex and will saves a bit, and allows for a small armor class (AC) boost early on (because bards can take maximum ranks in tumble - explanation will come as you read on).
Every 4 barbarian levels above 20, you receive an epic barbarian bonus feat. 32 levels of barbarian provides a much needed 3rd bonus feat.
For 7 levels of WDD, you also gain +4 strength and +2 constitution. Just the right bonuses for this type of character.
More information on classes and the chances that are made on Higher Ground can be found here.
Character creation:
Race: Human
Fire Genasi must be human. Humans are a nice base race, as they get an additional skillpoint each level and a second first level feat.
Subrace: PT - Fire Genasi
This is case sensitive and must be EXACTLY "PT - Fire Genasi" (without quotation marks) or it won't work. If you do not receive the appropriate bonuses upon entering the docks, you will have to create a new character.
Class: Barbarian
Alignment: anything non-lawful
Both barbarian and bard require you to be non-lawful. Choose whatever you like, because, as long as it is non-lawful, alignment has no effect on this character.
Ability scores:
STR 16
DEX 14
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 8
CHA 8
Again, wisdom and charisma are ignored, as they add nothing special to this build. 16 base dexterity is needed to qualify for the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, which you will get after subrace edits.
Skills:
Discipline 4 - discipline is a must-have skill for all characters, as numerous discipline checks will have to be made in order to avoid the most horrible of fates. Having a high strength score helps with this.
Craft Armor 4 - every 40 points (including bonuses you gain from items, intelligence and spells) in craft armor increase your AC by 1, to a maximum of 3 at craft armor 120. Being a tank, AC is very important and every point is welcome.
Craft Weapon 4 - every 40 points in craft weapon increase your AB by 1, in the same way craft armor increases AC. A good skill for any weapon user that wants to increase his AB a bit.
Feats:
Blooded, Strong Soul
These feats are so-called "enabler" feats: they allow you to take Legendary Skill Affinity Tumble and Legendary Hardened Soul in legendary levels. They also have their own minor bonuses.
After leaving the voyage and entering the docks, the subrace edits will be applied: STR +2, DEX +2, WIS -2, CHA -2, +25% fire resistance, -25% cold resistance and you will be able to speak Ignan.
Your ability scores will then look like:
STR 18
DEX 16
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 6
CHA 6
Pre-epic levels:
Level 2: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
(if theres is no number given next to a skill, simply put in as many points as possible)
Level 3: Barbarian
Feat: Exotic weapon proficiency - double weapons are of the exotic type. To be able to use and focus in one, exotic weapon proficiency is needed.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 4: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 5: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 6: Barbarian
Feat: Ambidexterity - this feat reduces the off-hand penalty when using a double weapon with two hands. It is also needed for Improved Two-weapon Fighting.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 7: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 8: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 9: Barbarian
Feat: Two-weapon fighting - this feat reduces the penalty you receive to your attack bonus when wielding a double weapon with two hands. Also required for Improved Two-weapon Fighting.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 10: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 11: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 12: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Weapon focus - a must have feat for any weapon user: it unlocks the Epic and Legendary versions and together these feats increase your AB by 5 when wielding the weapon you are focused in. Any double weapon should do fine.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 13: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 14: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 15: Barbarian
Feat: Improved Critical - a great feat to take for any weapon user as it DOUBLES the base threat range of the chosen weapon, making you score a lot more critical hits. Also required for Overwhelming Critical.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 16: Bard
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon. Also raise Lore to 8, maximize Use Magic Device and raise Tumble to 15. - Use Magic Device allows you to use items you could not use otherwise, like scrolls and wands. Being able to use certain scrolls can be the difference between win and wipe. Since every 5 base ranks in Tumble raises your armor class by 1 point, this skill is vital.
Level 17: WDD
This is the first level you can change your path to White.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 18: WDD
Feat: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting - this feat will allow you to fully benefit from double weapons. It grants you a second offhand attack while you are using a doubleweapon and are medium sized.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 19: WDD
This is the last level you can change your path to White!
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 20: WDD
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Epic Levels:
Level 21: WDD
Feat: Epic Prowess - for a character like this, maximizing the attack bonus is very important. Epic Prowess provides +1 attack bonus and improves the bonus you will receive from Legendary Weapon Focus by 1 (so effectively, Epic Prowess provides a +2 bonus).
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 22: WDD
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 23: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 24: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Power Attack - as a combat mode, Power Attack is only mildly useful. Only against creatures with a low armor class, it provides nice bonus damage, but against high defenses, being able to hit at all is more important than a damage boost. It is, however, a pre-requisite for Cleave, ultimately leading to Devastating Critical.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 25: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 26: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 27: Barbarian
Feat: Cleave - due to the way the developers of NWN have coded cleave, sometimes, this feat does not provide the additional attack you would get after delivering a killing blow. Sometimes it DOES provide an additional attack, and those are almost always welcome. Cleave will trigger only once each round. (In higher level areas, the Nine Hells for example, you will not want to hit certain monsters. Be careful when those are close to you in the melee.) Cleave unlocks Great Cleave.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 28: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 29: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 30: Barbarian
Feat: Great Cleave - with Great Cleave, there is no limit to cleave: if theres a band of goblins, each with 10 hitpoints, in your way, it will only take you a single round to deal with them... Great cleave is required for Overwhelming Critical.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 31: Barbarian
Feat: Armor Skin - an important feat for any character that wants to boost it's defenses, Armor Skin provides +2 armor class.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon
Level 32: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate - Intimidate allows you to pick up the Terrifying Rage feat, which you will next level.
Level 33: Barbarian
Feat: Terrifying Rage - while raging, you will now have a fear aura that imposes penalties and panic on your enemies, unless they succeed in a will save against (Intimidate skill / 2).
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 34: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 35: Barbarian
Feat: Epic Weapon Focus - Epic Weapon Focus provides a +2 bonus to your attack rolls with the chosen weapon. It unlocks Legendary Weapon Focus (and is required for Overwhelming Critical).
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 36: Barbarian
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Lightning Reflexes - this feat gives a +2 bonus to all your reflex saves and unlocks Legendary Reflexes.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 37: Barbarian - yes, finally! 30 levels of barbarian! You should now actively seek out the place where you may acquire the Shape Strong rage ability token. Using it will allow you to switch between medium size (default at login) and large size. Once large, you can equip both a double weapon and a shield at the same time. Using the token a second time to once again become medium sized, will allow you to make use of the offhand attacks as if you were not wearing any shield at all!
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 38: Barbarian
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 39: Barbarian
Feat: Overwhelming Critical, Epic Will - the Overwhelming Critical feat improves the critical threat range of the chosen weapon by 1. While this may not seem a lot, it really does help your damage output against creatures that are not immune to critical hits quite a bit, as it also unlocks Devastating Critical. Epic Will improves your will save by 4 points.
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 40: WDD
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate, raise Concentration to 38.
Legendary levels: - requires immortality.
Leveling in legendary levels is done through a conversation with the altar of legends. You can no longer choose between classes, but instead you gain levels in the class you have most levels in at level 40: Barbarian in this case.
Level 41:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate - a high listen score lets you hit concealed monsters more easily, as it effectively reduces the concealment. More information on how the listen skill works can be found here.
Level 42:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Legendary Skill Affinity Tumble - this feat allows you to take ranks in the tumble skill as if it were a class skill. Tumble provides +1 to your armor class for every 5 BASE ranks. More information can be found here.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 43:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, maximize Tumble, Intimidate
Level 44:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Tumble, Intimidate
Level 45:
Feat: Legendary Hardened Soul - this feat raises both your fortitude and your will save by 5, resulting in a total bonus of +6 together with Strong Soul.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Tumble, Intimidate
Level 46:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Tumble, Intimidate
Level 47:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate, Tumble - this is the last level you will be taking ranks in tumble. Because you have 7 levels of dragon disciple, the maximum armor class bonus you can get from tumble is 10. 50 ranks in tumble provides just that.
Level 48:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Legendary Weapon Focus - this feat provides +3 attack bonus (+2 base, +1 from epic prowess). All together, weapon focus, epic weapon focus, epic prowess and legendary weapon focus provide a +7 bonus that is not included in the attack bonus cap.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 49:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 50:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 51:
Feat: Devastating Critical - this feat improves the critical hit multiplier of the chosen weapon by 1, greatly increasing damage you deal with critical hits.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 52:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 53:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 54:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Thundering Rage - instead of the normal properties, Thundering Rage adds a lot of sonic damage to all of your attacks. A great way to boost your overall damage output.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 55:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 56:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 57:
Feat: Legendary Reflexes - together with Lightning Reflexes, these two feats improve your reflex save by 9, raising it to a decent level.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 58:
Ability increase: STR
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 59:
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Level 60:
Ability increase: STR
Feat: Mighty Rage - instead of the normal bonuses, it provides a +8 bonus to your attacks and adds physical bonus damage equal to your constitution modifier. Note that the attack bonus is included within the attack bonus cap.
Skills: Discipline, Listen, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate
Some end statistics (completely buffed of course)...
Ability scores:
STR 58 +24
DEX 28 +9
CON 34 +12
INT 24 +7
WIS 18 +4
CHA 18 +4
Offense:
Attack Bonus: 94+ (can hit 96 with a maximized craft weapon skill)
Number of attacks per round: 7 (9 without shield)
Critical hits: 14-20x4 with a double weapon that is not double scimitar
11-20x3 with double scimitar
Defense:
Fortitude save: 66
Reflex save: 61
Will save: 60
Armor class: 123+ (can probably hit 132 with girdling, strongheart and enough craft armor boosts)
12% (excluding gear) physical damage resistance
8/- physical damage reduction
25% fire damage resistance
40% (irreducible!) cold damage resistance
While raging:
+12 physical damage each hit
+5 dice of sonic damage (minimum 5d4)
Critical hit immunity (once you hit 40 base strength)
Any advice on gear?
This build lacks the heavy armor proficiency feat. However, because you have 16 base dexterity, wearing medium armor provides the best AC possible for you. Choose whatever shield gives highest AC (large shield probably), unless you need specific immunities that can only be found on "lesser" shields.
Remember to return to medium size once you equiped both your double weapon and your shield, otherwise you will not get the offhand attacks.
Before you hit level 37, the best weapon for you is a medium sized exotic weapon, like bastard sword, if you need the protection of a shield. Otherwise, pick a double weapon. In general, make sure you can hit your targets. This may mean you have to pick a weapon with a large enhancement or attack bonus on it, if there are no casters with Greater Magic Weapon (GMW) in your party. If there are such casters, pick a weapon with the best bonus damages and beg for GMW.
Try and cover as many immunities (death magic, mind, knockdown, etc) as possible. You can see what immunities you have by typing !list imm in game.
Try to get the Toyshop boots and equip (and use) them for an additional attack, if you can get a high enough dodge bonus from other sources than boots and haste. Some items have the Epic Mage Armor Spell on them for example. High level bards (song), clerics (Undeaths Eternal Foe, or UEF) and druids (Aura of Vitality) will help also.
How should I play this character?
There is a guide on tanking and I really recommend reading it if this is your first tank. It can be found here. There is also a general guide for for new players, which I can really recommend taking a look at: The Newbie Guide.