Tiger Barbarian limited consumables

I recently completed a Solo Honor Mode run with some self-imposed rules to limit consumable use. After a death to Orin (Bhaal's Edict) I restarted and went with a Tiger Barbarian because I liked the idea of using the Tiger's Bloodlust cleave attack to hit Orin's allies in sanctuary.

Build

Start STR 17 DEX 14 CON 16 INT 8 WIS 8 CHA 10
Final STR 22 DEX 14 CON 23 INT 8 WIS 8 CHA 11
Race Half-Orc
Class 9 Tiger Barbarian / 3 Champion
Background Acolyte Religion/Insight

Level	Class	Gain
3	Barbarian 3	Wildheart Tiger Heart
4	Barbarian 4	ASI: Strength +2
5	Barbarian 5	extra Attack
6	Fighter 1	+1 AC
7	Fighter 2	Action Surge
8	Champion 3
9	Barbarian 6	Tiger Aspect
10	Barbarian 7	+3 Initiative
11	Barbarian 8	Savage Attacker
12	Barbarian 9	Brutal Critical, +1 dmg

Key Buffs: BOOOAL's Benediction, Awakened (Zaith'isk)

The build felt strong at all points of the run, it's not one that only comes online in endgame.

Act2 Gear

I swapped around gear as needed, but this was the 'default' gearset in Act2.

• Loviatar's Scourge
• Adamantine Shield
• Titanstring Bow
• Holy Lance Helm
• Cloak of Protection
• Adamantine Scale Mail
• Lesser Helldusk Gauntlets
• Boots of Stormy Clamour
• Periapt of Wound Closure
• Caustic Band
• Ring of Protection

Act3 Gear

• Nyrula
• Viconia's Walking Fortress
• Darkfire Shortbow
• Helm of Balduran
• Cloak of Displacement
• Bhaalist Armour
• Legacy of the Masters
• Boots of Persistence
• Amulet of Health
• Caustic Band
• Ring of Protection

HOWTO play

Use Rage and then Tiger's Bloodlust which applies Bleed and can hit up to 3 targets. If the enemy is bleeding you have advantage from BOOOAL's benediction. You can hit two targets pretty far away from each other if you stand in between them and back slightly. If you're only hitting a single target and Bleed is already applied, use normal attacks instead of Tiger's Bloodlust.

Typical fight around Level 8:

• Weapon Dip
• Stealth - move up - Dash - enter Turn-Based mode.
• Walk up to an enemy avoiding the red zones and (A)ttack (Surprise!). If you can't melee surprise fire an arrow.
• Turn1: Rage(B) - Tiger's Bloodlust(e) to apply Bleed (hit up to 3 targets if possible) - Action Surge - Tiger's Bloodlust(A) - Tiger's Bloodlust(e)
• Turn2: Tiger's Bloodlust(A) - Tiger's Bloodlust(e) - Health Potion or Illithid Power (B)

Key: A=Action, B=Bonus Action, e=extraAttack

Tiger's Bloodlust Targeting Examples:

• https://imgur.com/mOx3Yt1
• Clip1
• Clip2

Alternative Builds

I had a several failed attempts with these rules, and also did another solo Tiger Barbarian with less restrictions. In some of the other runs I took 'feat: Great Weapon Master' whereas in the successful run I used a 1 Hander/shield for most of the run. I could feel the increased AC and did more shooting with the Titanstring bow especially in Act1 and 2. 1 Hander/shield felt safer, but not as much fun as getting up close and cracking enemies with a big 2-Hander. I multi-classed on this run and 9 Barbarian / 3 Champion definitely felt superior to 12 Barbarian. 6 Tiger Barbarian is doing the heavy lifting in the build, and 2 fighter for Action Surge was great value. Other great multiclass options are 3-4 levels in Battlemaster, Thief, or Assassin.

Rules for this run

• Solo - no Companions for checks and combat
• Still Using: Temporary companions Us, Halsin Act1, Hope, Orpheus
• No Scrolls, Elixirs, Bombs, or Special Arrows
• Still Using: Potions, Oils
• No Respecs
• No Barrelmancy

Roleplaying

To get the full power of the build you have to be at least a bit evil. Sacrifice someone to BOOOAL and become an unholy assassin. You can still save Tieflings, Aylin, and the rest of Faerun to make up for it. Shar's Spear of Evening is also good for this build but I like Nyrula slightly more.

Previous Runs

This was Attempt #4 with these rules. Previous runs included:

Build	Run ended with	Death link
5 Gloomstalker / 4 Assassin / 1 Cleric / 2 Fighter	Orin Bhaal's Edict	https://youtu.be/daODYU1HV5Y?t=8485
Ranger 10 Great Weapon Master	Saverok, selected wrong dialogue option	https://youtu.be/GZC1SwTQ7c8?t=7184
Ranger 11 Great Weapon Master	Cazador adds Paralyzed me	https://youtu.be/P4uNXR7mxHw?t=2750

Youtube Playlist

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLddpYkniSIn7uHgEtnPtCpokPug5yubq1 Playlist includes the whole 28hr run unedited, no talking just game sounds. If you had any specific questions on how I did certain parts I can answer and link to that part of the run.