Barbarian / Ranger multiclass viable?

[Fluffykeith]

Yeah....am already planning what I'm going to play as on my NEXT runthrough (so I can do the stories of the other companions that I've not done this time round)

and I'm wondering if a Wildheart Barbarian / Beastmaster Ranger would make a good multiclass?

[FunkyMonkey]

Originally posted by Fluffykeith:

Yeah....am already planning what I'm going to play as on my NEXT runthrough (so I can do the stories of the other companions that I've not done this time round)

and I'm wondering if a Wildheart Barbarian / Beastmaster Ranger would make a good multiclass?

I have theorized with a Dex-based dual wielder myself, Hunter 4 / Wildheart 8.

Weapons would be some mix of finesse weapons and there are at least two longswords that are early to get (one in Underdark and one in the Gith creche). start with 16 dex and 16 con, go naked, as nature intended.

Edit. Not literally naked, use clothes or robes. Or don't. I'm not your mom.

[victorvnv]

Everyone is viable with the right gear

[Burdpal]

Beastmaster Ranger gains more value the deeper you invest into it, making it a poor choice for multiclassing with Wildheart. Bestial Fury and upgraded health pools for summons occurs at level 11 Ranger.

A better multiclass option would be Barbarian-Rogue. Another bonus action makes nearly every subclass of Barbarian better.

[guard65]

If you build a strength ranger. Otherwise Rage in this game forces strength your attack attribute. So if you have an 18 dexterity (+4) and a 12 strength while raging you will get +1 from strength and +2 from rage for a +3.

Note however using dual short sword with 18 strength while raging will get you the +6 even though it is a finesse weapon. So if you build strength it does work, while raging only.

[FunkyMonkey]

Originally posted by guard65:

If you build a strength ranger. Otherwise Rage in this game forces strength your attack attribute. So if you have an 18 dexterity (+4) and a 12 strength while raging you will get +1 from strength and +2 from rage for a +3.

Note however using dual short sword with 18 strength while raging will get you the +6 even though it is a finesse weapon. So if you build strength it does work, while raging only.

I was pretty sure that you can use dexterity to attack as a barbarian just fine in BG3? I'm not able to go and test it myself but I'm pretty sure that you can use dexterity with finesse weapons as a barbarian and get your rage bonuses.

[guard65]

I just tested it and confirmed they have not changed it. I started a barbarian with 16 dex and 10 str. In the first fight using the two hand axes. Before I enrage the hand axes are 1d6 + 2 for dex. When I rage and you look at the damage it is 1d6 +2 for rage, no dex bonus.

[guard65]

Looks like they might have fixed it in the rage build. I tested another with 8 str and 18 Dec, with dual wielder and two weapon fighting and I did get my Dec bonus pluss my rage bonus.

[chefcook90]

Honesly, pretty much any multiclass combination is viable as long as you give them a specific role and spec their skills, attributes, subclasses, and gear to fit that role properly.

The clincher more about how many levels you invest in each class and in what order in order to get the abilities you want at the stages of the game that you actually need them.

Barbarian and Ranger can work well in a lot of different ways - ranger has good utility rituals like Longstrider and Speak with Animals, and Berserker's passive Con into AC conversion and damage reduction from enraging is nice on any build that doesn't involve wearing armor or using concentration casting.

Plus since you get Speak with Animals from Wildheart Barbarian for free, that frees up another support spell slot from your Ranger list.

Oh yeah, and pure STR Rangers actually work great with the Dual Wielding feat (lets you dual wield any weapon as long as it isn't specifically 2-handed) - just keep in mind that you need to have one CLASS at level 4 to get the feat, not character level.

[Fluffykeith]

Thanks all! That’s been helpful. Appreciate it.

[hannibal_pjv]

Yeah... Dex based barbarian and ranger.... Why not. Just remember that spell casting becomes more complicated.... Or STR ranger, so it is possible

[Zaris]

Doesn't really matter imho. Barb with subclass for advantage on attacks and lvl5 (extra attack) has more or less hit its max performance already. After that you can literally multiclass in anything like:
- lvl3 fighter subclass champion for more crits (because of advantage you crit for ~20% instead ~10%)
- lvl3 rogue (subclass for bonus action -> great weapon master on kill extra attack can be used 2 times a round intead one and getting expertise in sleight of hand is great if build on dex)
- sorc / mage / bard to buff more haste on your group at lvl10/11 as support (bard would even add expertise like rogue for stealing)

There's at least one 2h finesse weapon ingame (gith monastery vendor?) if you want to go pure dex and want to have great weapon master for max dmg.