Barbarian Guide, Part 2The barbarian's level 1-5 features are great, and 6-8 can be decent, but levels 9-18 are too little, too late, or both. The level 20 capstone is powerful, but it isn't worth staying single class to get there. Players going to upper levels in the official rules should use the mutli-class options in part 3.Class Features:
Hit Dice: What is best in life? D12 is literally the best life in the game.
Armor & Weapon Proficiencies: Everything except heavy armor (which you don't want anyways).
Other Proficiencies: You get two skills, like most classes.
Rage: The defining Barbarian feature that other melee classes can't match. The damage bonus is okay, but the real benefit is resistance to physical damage types (including non-weapon damage). Laugh while trading hits with bad guys. Last, advantage on Strength checks & saves can be helpful, particularly with shoving or grappling. However, Rage has drawbacks:
Unarmored Defense can beat that AC, but it's stat intensive in Con and Dex. Maximally optimized stats in point buy are triple 16 Str/Dex/Con (with triple 8 Int/Wis/Cha). A single-class Barbarian can't reach triple 20 with Ability Score Increases. Maybe if you roll stats and get lucky. That said, you don't actually need to max it out. Reaching a combined Con+Dex of +7 makes your skin equal to Half Plate, and anything higher is a bonus.
Reckless Attack: Have advantage, give advantage. One on one, damage resistance gives you the edge in this trade, but if you're surrounded, giving advantage to multiple enemies could be dangerous. In any case, it gives enemies incentive to focus on you rather than your teammates.
Danger Sense: Lots of traps & spells are Dex saves, so this is a solid feature. BTW, advantage is much better than proficiency in the lower levels, but becomes less effective as the DC increases.
Ability Score Improvement: Given how stat intensive the Barbarian is, you won't have much room for feats, especially if you go unarmored. Fighter gets more of these than you.
Extra Attack: The other big thing that Fighter gets more of.
Fast Movement: Extra speed is a good freebie. Some Primal Path options can make you even faster.
Feral Instinct: Higher initiative is always useful, and acting when surprised is a plus. But it's only half as good as Alert feat, which means it's only half of what a level-up ought to be.
Brutal Critical: Once you have 2 dice of Brutal (including Half Orc Savage Attacks), d12 Greataxe average damage exceeds 2d6 weapons. (Thanks to @smbakeresq and @mellored for pointing this out.) However, this added damage is much too small to be a primary class feature. A brutal critical die might be bigger than a sneak attack die, but the rogue gets a lot more dice, a lot more reliably, and class features every level alongside those dice. (WotC designed this feature poorly, and it needs to be redone.)
Relentless Rage: Very helpful if your DM plays rough and you drop to 0 HP frequently, superfluous if not.
Persistent Rage: Remove the drawback about rage ending early. Very useful, considering how many spells and other effects can take you out of the fight for a turn, but 15th level is much too late. Note: Rage is still 1 minute per use.
Indomitable Might: Eliminating bad rolls on Str checks is really weak for an 18th level ability. You already have advantage on those when Raging.
Primal Champion: In 5E, each level-up is supposed to be worth about as much as an ASI or Feat. This is 4 ASIs at the same time, plus cap increases, plus UNLIMITED RAGE. I must emphasize this: you now have physical damage resistance, Str advantage, and the rage boosts from your Path, ALL THE TIME. Just stay angry the whole day, every minute. One of the best capstones in the game (if you don't count the weak levels it takes to get there).
Barbarian's class features in the early levels fit together and build on each other the way a class should. However, the middle tier features are mediocre, and the primal paths don't scale enough.
Primal Paths (Archetypes):Barbarian subclasses offer ways to specialize in the usual brute role options: striker, meat-shield, or defender. Some of them also provide out-of-combat utility.
Path of the Berserker (PHB)
Frenzy: Rage turned up another notch with a bonus action attack (best for two-handed weapons, useless for two-weapon fighting). The damage output sounds amazing... until rage ends and you get a level of exhaustion. Level 1 is disadvantage on ability checks; further levels get worse, but worst is the difficulty to remove it. If a vampire gnaws you down to 1 HP, either a long rest or Greater Restoration will fix you up, but those only cure a single level of exhaustion. Using Frenzy more than once per day will wreck your effectiveness. (IMO, exhaustion should be easier to cure, but also inflicted more commonly. Or redo it entirely.)
Mindless Rage: Rage-induced immunity to charm & fear. A lot of enchantments with fear/charm effects can take barbarians out of combat for a round & shut off rage, but not you!
Intimidating Presence: Flavorful ability, hamstrung by its Cha-based save DC and action use. (This should probably be upgraded.)
Retaliation: Many characters don't use reactions enough. Hitting back is a really good use, and it doesn't require Rage. Meshes perfectly with Sentinel feat, if you have room for that.
Path of the Totem Warrior (PHB)
Totem warrior has many things to offer. It's much more versatile and reliable than Berserker. Bear, Eagle, & Wolf are in PHB; Elk & Tiger are in SCAG.
Spirit Seeker: Casting rituals and hanging out with wildlife might be handy once in a while, but it isn't why we're here. Luckily it's just an add-on; your real level 3 feature comes next.Totem Spirit: Your first animal choice adds a rage effect.
Bear: Straightforward value. Resistance to nearly all damage types effectively doubles your HP vs spells.
Eagle: Bonus action movement and protection from OAs. Switch-hitting between tank and skirmisher can be useful if your party lacks that role.
Wolf: Depends entirely on teamwork. Great in a melee-focused party; useless if you're the only front liner.
Elk: Simple speed increase. I prefer Eagle.
Tiger: Increased jump distance? Very limited compared to the other options.
Aspect of the Beast: Animal choice #2 gives you a minor always-on boost. IMO none of them are as good as an ASI. Note: you don't have to pick the same animal as before.Bear: This is only worthwhile if your DM uses harsh encumbrance rules. You can already get Str check advantage with Rage.
Eagle: Increased sight distance is situational, but the low-light part is valuable if you don't have Darkvision.
Wolf: Tracking is also situational. Does your party need a substitute Ranger?
Elk: Double your party's travel pace. Still situational, but refreshingly different.
Tiger: Two skill proficiencies (from a limited list). Better if your game allows retraining (e.g. Adventurer's League at level 5).
Spirit Walker: Commune with Nature ought to be a ribbon, but it's all you get at level 10. (This absolutely should be upgraded.)Totemic Attunement: Your last animal choice is another rage effect.
Bear: In 4E this was called Defender Aura. Excellent option for "sticky" tanking.
Eagle: Short hop flying has some situational uses, but it's really weak considering how many classes get permanent flight around this level. (IMO, it should be "flying speed while raging".)
Wolf: Bonus action prone after hitting. A little weak for 14th level, and heavily dependent on initiative order.
Elk: Bonus action trample attempt while moving, with prone & damage. It's fun and full of flavor.
Tiger: It's Pounce! With a 40' move spee0d, you can do this every turn (at the cost of drawing OAs), your damage output equal to Berserker Frenzy. Works even better with a reach weapon.
Path of the Ancestral Guardian (XGE)
Dig out your 4E "Marked" tokens; the Defender role is back with a spirit-based flavor (great for RP). It lets you coerce enemy behavior, but the starting feature isn't quite as good as it should be.
Ancestral Protector: while raging, single target mark that keeps the opponent focused on you. Battlefield control is good, but note that it only works when you hit. (IMO, it should be "first creature you attack in melee" or "each creature you hit".)Spirit Shield: while raging, reduce damage to an ally as a reaction. The amount is sufficient (2d6 to 4d6). On the bright side, it reduces damage from any source (spells, traps, etc), and most classes don't get to use their reaction this frequently.
Consult the Spirits: Augury or Clairvoyance 1/rest is better than some other Paths at this level, but still mediocre.
Vengeful Ancestors: now your Spirit Shield also deals punishment damage to the attacker, making your reaction more efficient with both carrot and stick.
Path of the Battlerager (SCAG)
Battlerager is a Dwarf archetype beloved since 2E. The 5E version has the right flavor, but it doesn't scale. Okay at low levels, progressively worse at higher levels.
Battlerager Armor: Spiked scale mail that adds a so-so bonus action attack while raging. Also, 3 automatic damage when you succeed on a grapple. (Why 3?) Ask your DM if magic armor bonus adds to spikes.Reckless Abandon: It wouldn't be Battlerager without Temporary Hit Points, but Con mod THP when you use Reckless Attack is weak sauce. (Note: in 5E, THP never stack.)
Battlerager Charge: Bonus action Dash while raging. Useful if you aren't in range to spike someone.
Spiked Retribution: Whenever an adjacent enemy hits you while you're raging, you automatically spike them back ... for 3 damage? I guess it could work if you're swarmed by a hundred stirges, but I don't see it mattering against most high level foes.
Path of the Beast (TCE)
Your inner beast becomes your outer beast, and you get to say "were-barian".
Form of the Beast: When you rage, pick between vampiric bite, swift claws, or long tail. Pretty good.Bestial Soul: You can switch between amphibious, spider climb, or super jump after any rest. Very useful & versatile. Also, your beast form weapon counts as magical.
Infectious Fury: Make a creature struck by your beast form weapon save vs either extra damage or a forced team-attack.
Call the Hunt: Give your teammates a d6 damage bonus per turn, and get THP in the process. Extra damage with no action cost isn't bad, but I'd like a little more from a level 14 feature.
Path of the Storm Herald (XGE)
This path does one thing: a primal elemental aura based on a chosen environment (Desert, Sea, or Tundra). The good news is that the effects have Con-based save DCs. The bad news is that they aren't very powerful.
Storm Aura: while raging, 10' aura effect as a bonus action, but not much of it. Flat damage fire aura, single target Dex save lightning, or THP aura for Tundra. Scales slightly, but some other paths do more. IMO, it should have higher damage or bigger aura.Storm Soul: permanent resistance to your elemental damage type. Also, Sea becomes amphibious, Desert can set fires, Tundra can freeze water.
Shielding Storm: allies in your rage aura gain that resistance too. Okay.
Raging Storm: additional rage aura effects. Desert & Sea each get a minor effect usable as a reaction, Tundra gets a free "save or stop" effect. 14th level should do more than this.
Path of the Zealot (XGE)
Zealot is a wild-eyed religious nutjob. Solid damage output, and I love the flavorful RP. (I'm imagining a medieval "buddy crusader" action comedy with a Zealot & a Paladin. Braveheart & Galahad?).
Divine Fury: while raging, bonus weapon damage (including ranged if needed). Scales well.Warrior of the Gods: no gem cost when raising you; a ribbon to encourage an even more recklessness than other barbarians.
Fanatical Focus: Reroll a failed save (like the Fighter feature Indomitable) once per Rage. At 20th level it recharges unlimited times with a bonus action.
Zealous Presence: Coordinate that nova round; the whole party gets advantage for 1 turn per day. Doesn't require rage.
Rage Beyond Death: "You don't die until your rage ends." For 1 minute you're utterly unstoppable by any amount of damage, but you still have to watch out for pesky non-damage effects like charm, banishment, transmutation, etc. Good thing you have Fanatical Focus. Oddly enough, lowly Sleep spell is your nightmare with no saving throw. If your DMs allows consecutive rages to sustain you for multiple minutes, then 20th level Zealot is effectively immortal.
Path of Wild Magic (TCE)
Wild Magic Barbarians are less dangerous than Wild Magic Sorcerers, to both friend and foe, and even less so at higher levels due to lack of scaling.
Magic Awareness: A magic-detecting ability. It's usable during rage, but why? Regular Detect Magic spell would be better.Wild Surge: Random effects can spice up the game. Unfortunately, these effects are weak, targeted (no friendly fire), and non-scaling. Most of them become irrelevant in the higher levels.
Bolstering Magic: Either provide a Bless-like effect or refill a d3 spell slot, with limitations.
Unstable Backlash: Reroll your surge as a reaction to being harmed. This would be great, if the options were wilder & scaling.
Controlled Surge: You gain advantage on your surge rolls. See the previous feature.
Path of the Giant (UA)
This is a strong damage-dealing subclass. All 4 levels have rage boosts. None of the other Paths do that; they all have at least one non-rage level, usually non-combat entirely. (If this is the new normal, all the other Paths deserve boosts.)
Giant Power: a bonus language and a utility cantrip is a very good ribbon.Giant's Havoc: while raging, you're Large, get 5' reach, and add your rage damage to thrown attacks. Great for Small races in both mechanics & flavor.
Elemental Cleaver: your raging weapon adds 1d6, becomes elemental energy (changeable as a bonus action), and gains throwing & auto-return.
Mighty Impel: move a Medium creature 30' as a bonus action, providing battlefield control with possible 3d6 fall damage (or a lot more if you're near a hazard.)
Demiurgic Colossus: as a path capstone, you get Huge & can impel Large creatures; your attacks get 10' reach & another +1d6.
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