Savage Arm (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction

In the savage lands of the world, many frightening and awe-inspiring fighters roam, instilling fear in travelers. Not all of these vicious barbarians use weapons, which makes them more frightening. After all, if he doesn't have a sword to drop, you can't catch him without his mightiest weapon - his fists

References

Player's Handbook: Barbarian and Fighter; Complete Warrior: Swashbuckler, Reaping Mauler, Frenzied Berserker, and Clever Wrestling, Destructive Rage, and Intimidating Rage feats

Game Rule Components

Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc.

none

Items

Enchanted gauntlets will increase your damage, and shouldn't be neglected. A Monk's Belt and Bracers of Armor are indispensable. Items that increase one of the four stats listed below are also helpful.

Progression

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): Strength is the most important attribute, because it's your main source of damage until you can afford magic items. High dexterity is important, as you'll be wearing at most light armor to qualify for many of your class features, and you get Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. Constitution is important because it affects how long you can rage and frenzy. Wisdom is important because it affects the DCs for the Reaping Mauler's sleeper lock and devastating grapple class features.

Race (Templates): The progression given here is for a human character. For other races, see the side notes. Keep in mind, though, that you need to be small or medium size to qualify for the clever wrestling feat. Starting Racial Traits: one extra feat, four extra skill points, and any favored class.

ECL	Class/HD/LA	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Feats	Class Features	Special
			Fort	Ref	Will
1st	Barbarian 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Improved Unarmed Strike, Clever Wrestling	Fast Movement, illiteracy, rage 1/day	none
2nd	Barbarian 1, Swashbuckler 1	+2	+4	+0	+0	none	Weapon Finesse(bonus feat)	put 2 ranks each in escape artist and tumble
3rd	Barbarian 1, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1	+3	+6	+0	+0	power attack	fighter bonus feat(get cleave)	put 1 more rank each in escape artist and tumble
4th	Barbarian 2, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1	+4	+7	+0	+0	none	Uncanny Dodge	put 2 more ranks each in escape artist and tumble
5th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1	+5	+7	+1	+1	none	Trap sense +1	none
6th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 1	+6/+1	+9	+3	+1	Destructive Rage	Improved Grapple, Mobility	none
7th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 2	+7/+2	+10	+4	+1	none	Adept Wrestling +1	none
8th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 3	+8/+3	+10	+4	+2	none	counter grapple, sleeper lock	none
9th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 4	+9/+4	+11	+5	+2	Intimidating Rage	Adept Wrestling +2	none
10th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 4, Frenzied Berserker 1	+10/+5	+13	+5	+2	none	Frenzy 1/day, Diehard (Bonus Feat)	none
11th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 1	+11/+6/+1	+13	+5	+2	none	Devastating Grapple	none
12th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 2	+12/+7/+2	+14	+5	+2	your choice	Supreme Cleave	none
13th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 3	+13/+8/+3	+14	+6	+3	none	Frenzy 2/day	none
14th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 4	+14/+9/+4	+15	+6	+3	none	Deathless Frenzy	none
15th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 5	+15/+10/+5	+15	+6	+3	go nuts	Frenzy 3/day, improved power attack	none
16th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 6	+16/+11/+6/+1	+16	+7	+4	none	Inspire Frenzy 1/day	none
17th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 7	+17/+12/+7/+2	+16	+7	+4	none	Frenzy 4/day	none
18th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 8	+18/+13/+8/+3	+17	+7	+4	if you'd like	Greater Frenzy, inspire frenzy 2/day	none
19th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 9	+19/+14/+9/+4	+17	+8	+5	none	Frenzy 5/day	none
20th	Barbarian 3, Swashbuckler 1, Fighter 1, Reaping Mauler 5, Frenzied Berserker 10	+20/+15/+10/+5	+18	+8	+5	none	Inspire frenzy 3/day, tireless frenzy, supreme power attack	none

Other Components

This is a fairly straightforward build. There aren't any special components.

Highlights

This build exploits class abilities to be able to gain maximum levels in both Reaping Mauler and Frenzied Berserker before epic levels. To do this, you need to take a level in one class at 6th level. You can't take a Frenzied Berserker level until 7th level, and to take a Reaping Mauler level by 6th level, you need to get a level in a class that has escape artist and tumble as class skills and has a good base attack bonus. Swashbuckler is the only class I've found like that.

Munchkin-Size Me

Use the class levels above. Make sure you have the feats and skill points you need, and to take a Reaping Mauler level by 6th level, and a Frenzied Berserker level by 11th level.

Side Notes

This build is great for unarmed fighters who also like barbarians. You also get a godly fortitude save.

Limitations

Your - will - saves - SUCK!! That's a major downside to this build, so you need to work on compensating for this. Also, your reflex saves aren't too good either.

DM Counters

Anything that requires a will save. :(

Miscellaneous

The above advancement assumes that you are a human, or another race that gains a bonus feat at first level. If you're a creature of another race, (like orc, which makes more sense than a human Savage Arm) you need to substitute one of your barbarian levels for another level in fighter, which will give you another bonus feat.

You could take some flaws and/or some of the generic classes from the Unearthed Arcana. This would allow you to use any race you would like.

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