Don't Go Barbarian

[Vambran]

That STR bonus you get , gets lower and lower as you go through the games. Picking Half-Orc and finding all the books you can actually cap STR at 25.

If you want the 20% Def bonus and high HP go with Dwarven Defender instead.
If you want the Statues Immues , go beserker.

[Elrion]

If you start as a Half-Orc Barbarian with Strength 19, you can eventually get to a permanent Strength of:

19 (base)
+ 1 (Strength tome from the catacombs in Baldurs Gate 1)
+ 1 (machine of Lume the Mad in Baldur's Gate 2)
+ 1 (STAR card from the deck of many things, which gives a permanent +1 bonus to the character's primary attribute)
+ 2 (evil route in the test of wrath during the ascention trials)
= 24

As the maximum buffed Strength score is 25, it is technically correct that some of the +4 Strength bonus you get from Barbarian Rage is "wasted". However, this does not mean that the Barbarian class is useless (or even any weaker than other classes) in any way:

- First, it is highly debatable whether Half-Orc is the best racial choice for a Barbarian: Dwarves get shortie saves, which provide a HUGE buff to saving throws vs. death, wands, and spells. Their Strength is one lower than for Half-Orcs, but that is irrelevant because (if you play through the entire trilogy and pick up the permanent buffs) they also reach the maximum Strength score of 25 while raging. It could even be argued that Halflings are also a better racial choice for Barbarians, as they also get shortie saves and can reach Strength 25 while raging. Thus, Dwarves and Halflings utilize the rage bonus to get maximum Strength, but also benefit from other bonusses that the Half-Orc doesn't get. In sum, the fact that a part of the +4 Strength bonus is wasted because of the Rage bonus is not an argument against the Barbarian class, but is instead an argument against choosing Half-Orc for Barbarian characters.

- Second, you may want to play the good path. In a good playthrough, you don't get the +2 Strength from the ascention trials.

- Third, the main reason for using Rage in the lategame is the immunities; the bonusses to Strength and Constitution are just a little extra at this point. It is true that Barbarian Rage gives you less immunities than Berserker Rage, but Barbarians get faster movement, immunity to backstab, 20% physical damage reduction, and more hit points than Berserkers. Note also that Berserker Rage has a downtime: Berserkers become winded when their rage expires, and cannot reactivate their Rage for a while. Barbarians, in contrast, can immediately reactivate their Rage when it expires, and (given that they have plenty of Rage uses in the lategame), can keep Rage activated all the time, even in prolonged fights.

- Finally, as for your comparison between Barbarian and Dwarven Defender, it is true that Dwarven Defender can reach slightly higher physical damage reduction (due to the fact that Defensive Stance gives 50% damage reduction, while hardiness gives only 40%), but keep in mind that Dwarven Defenders get a very considerable movement speed reduction while Defensive Stance is active, while Barbarians remain fully mobile (and are in fact faster than other characters), are immune to backstab, and get lots of status immunities from Rage.

[rydz]

Don't boots of the cheetah fix the Dwarven movement reduction?

[Hamish]

In all honesty, I just use thor's hammer for 25 str

[Elrion]

Originally posted by rydz:

Don't boots of the cheetah fix the Dwarven movement reduction?

The Dwarven Defender's defensive stance comes with an extreme penalty to movement speed. Even with Boots of the Cheetah (or any other buff to movement speed), you only move extremely slowly.

This is actually a key advantage the Barbarian has over the Dwarven Defender: The Barbarian can also get very high physical damage reduction (by combining class-based damage reduction, Defender of Easthaven, Hardiness, and Helm of Dumathoin) but unlike the Dwarven Defender, Barbarians remain extremely mobile (note that the natural movement speed bonus that Barbarians get actually stacks with Boots of the Cheetah).

Originally posted by Hamish:

In all honesty, I just use thor's hammer for 25 str

It's true that Crom Faer sets your strength to 25. However, Crom Faer occupies either your mainhand or your offhand weapon slot then. If your character can reach 25 Strength without Crom Faer, this frees up your offhand or mainhand weapon slot for a better weapon. This usually comes with a substantial power boost for your character: In your mainhand, you ideally want a weapon with special effects, such as Axe of the Unyielding +5, Blackrazor, Foebane, or Flail of the Ages. For your offhand slot, you ideally want stuff which gives you either physical damage reduction (Defender of Easthaven) or an additional bonus attack for your main hand (Belm or Kundane).

All this doesn't mean that Crom Faer is bad: There are of course classes who cannot get to 25 Strength without Crom Faer. However, classes which can get to maximum Strength without the hammer (the typical examples are Fighter/Cleric and Barbarian) should definitely go for a better weapon.

[Centurion]

“I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That’s what’s important! Valor pleases you, Crom so grants me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to hell with you!” – Conan

[wendigo211]

For BG specifically, one consideration is armor availability. Barbarians can only wear up to splint mail, which puts them amongst the classes who get the best AC with the shield amulet and ring of protection+2 (splint mail and the ring of protection +2 gives them the same AC). Since Barb Rage also gives a 2 point penalty to AC, it can be problematic for a front liner, as AC is an effective form of protection in BG (unlike in ToB).

They aren't unplayable, but they do have a bit of a harder time than the other martials (Monk not included) in BG, most of whom can either get Ankheg Platemail early or rely on range (like the Archer).

[Hamish]

Originally posted by Elrion:

Originally posted by Hamish:

In all honesty, I just use thor's hammer for 25 str

It's true that Crom Faer sets your strength to 25. However, Crom Faer occupies either your mainhand or your offhand weapon slot then. If your character can reach 25 Strength without Crom Faer, this frees up your offhand or mainhand weapon slot for a better weapon. This usually comes with a substantial power boost for your character: In your mainhand, you ideally want a weapon with special effects, such as Axe of the Unyielding +5, Blackrazor, Foebane, or Flail of the Ages. For your offhand slot, you ideally want stuff which gives you either physical damage reduction (Defender of Easthaven) or an additional bonus attack for your main hand (Belm or Kundane).

All this doesn't mean that Crom Faer is bad: There are of course classes who cannot get to 25 Strength without Crom Faer. However, classes which can get to maximum Strength without the hammer (the typical examples are Fighter/Cleric and Barbarian) should definitely go for a better weapon.

In all honesty, this was meant as light banter. I normally let Anoymen use it, with Grand Master in War hammers - I don't go the flail road as the Flail of Ages +5 free action is just stupid. I believe there is a mod to repair it, but I never bothered to find it. Also, Anoymen with GM in war hammers and 2 points in two weapon style, using Crom Faer in one hand and the rune hammer in the other is a great combo.

[Kusarigama]

Originally posted by Vambran:

That STR bonus you get , gets lower and lower as you go through the games. Picking Half-Orc and finding all the books you can actually cap STR at 25.

If you want the 20% Def bonus and high HP go with Dwarven Defender instead.
If you want the Statues Immues , go beserker.

This matters a lot more in SCS double damage but;

1) Being immune to backstab is HUGE

2) 20% Physical Damage reduction is also huge. Add in Defender of Easthaven and Hardiness. You are at 90% physical damage reduction. If you play with Ascension and do the Hell trials you are now Immune to physical damage with immunities.

3) Berserker is THE class to Dual Class with but AC does not matter later on in Amn and in ToB. All the best armors are leather or some form of Splint. Silver Dragon Armor and the Man Coat are two such examples Barbarian can wear.

4) Strength matters less and less because there are a billion belts that raise strength in BG2 and Crom Feyer should only be used for Bards. Difference between 24 strength and 25 is negligible. You chain rage for immunity.