Broken RPG

As I haven’t been posting for a bit, here is the first of the Character Spree ahead of schedule.  The build is just for a general Charging Barbarian but the loophole of the Brutal weapon ability and weapon size makes it much more interesting.

System: DnD 4.0
Class: Barbarian
Level of Build: 7
Books Required: Players Handbook 2 , Monster Manual, Adventurer’s Vault
Build Requirements:  Racial – Oversized, Item – Executioner’s Axe
Example Character Sheet: Smemblard the Charger

The basics of the character are to charge enemies and just go at it with a big axe.  Usually starting with a charge in along with the encounter power to get temporary hit points right off the bat.  From there you can either go after a single target and get more temp hit points or charge after another target.  Simple, damaging and effective.  The weapon enchantment along with Power Attack will hurt your health and attack power but when you hit, it will hurt.

The main Broken part of this character is the weapon.  Executioner’s Axe is a +2 Proficiency, 1d12 weapon with High Crit and Brutal 2.  When enlarged for the Oversized Racial, the damage die changes to 2d6.  But it doesn’t say anywhere that you have to change the Brutal 2.  So now you will always be rolling for at least 6 damage per 1[w] damage you do.

DM Tips – There are two balances for this if you don’t want to let your player have this feature.  The first is to banthe races or give RP’d penalties for being a Monstrous Race.  Your a monster, so townsfolk aren’t going to react well even if your in a ‘Perfect’ world game.  The second balance is to reduce the Brutal amount to 1 instead of keeping it at 2.  It still is highly effective but not as broken.

~ by Steven Eyerman on January 22, 2010.