Barbarian
Wild berserkers, the cursed, and people with serious anger issues. Barbarians fight recklessly, throwing themselves into a mighty rage which allows them to shrug off grievous wounds.
The following is a revision of the 5e barbarian class, meant to add quality of life features and revitalize or replace abilities that weren't useful. The class now also has some choice when it comes to mid and high level abilities. Existing 5e subclasses will all work mechanically with this form of the barbarian class. Click here for a summary of changes.
Level 1 Barbarians
When you create a level 1 Barbarian, follow these steps to add the following to your character:
Ability Scores
You can take one of these recommended ability score arrays, or you can roll or assign them yourself. You can switch any two ability scores, but you do not add any further bonuses (they're already included).
Strength: 16 Dexterity:14 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 12
Strength: 16 Dexterity:14 Constitution: 16 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 10 Charisma: 10
Feat
You gain a level 1 feat of your choice. You can choose from the feats available to all classes or choose a level 1 class-specific feat, if there is one available.
Hit Points
At First Level: 12 + Constitution Modifier
At Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution Modifier
Hit Dice: 1d12 per barbarian level
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: All Weapons
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skill Proficiencies: two of: Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival
Items
a greataxe -OR- any Martial Melee Weapon
two handaxes -OR- any Simple Melee Weapon
five javelins
explorer's pack
Multiclass Characters
Instead of leveling up in your original class, you can take a barbarian level when you level up. When you do, you gain only a portion of what first level barbarians gain.
Class Features
Class features here are sorted by level. When you reach a level as indicated by the icons on the left, you gain all feature or feature improvements listed between the red lines. For example, at first level barbarians gain the Rage ability.
Barbarian's Defense
While you are not wearing any armor, you can choose to calculate your armor class as 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
While wearing light or medium armor, you can choose to add your constitution modifier to your armor class instead of your dexterity modifier, with the normal maximum armor class applied to medium armor.
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Click here for more information on our changes.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged and thrown weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
Protection
Reaction - 1 Ally (5 ft.)
When a creature hits one of your allies with an attack and that ally is within 5 ft. of you, you can force the attacker to reroll the attack, targeting you instead. You must be holding a shield or melee weapon to use this ability.
Single Weapon Fighting
When you are wielding a single one or two-handed melee weapon and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you make an attack with an off-hand weapon, you do not suffer disadvantage on the attack roll. As normal, your off-hand weapon must be Light.
Rage
You enter a state of primal ferocity or intense focus.
Bonus Action - Self - 1 Minute
You have a bonus called the Rage Bonus that increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, listed in the Rage Bonus column of the Barbarian Progression Chart. At level 1, your Rage Bonus is +2.
While raging, you gain the following benefits:
Your rage bonus is added to weapon damage with melee weapons (including thrown melee weapons).
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
You have advantage on strength checks (including skill checks) and strength saving throws.
If you are able to cast spells, you can't cast them or concentrate on them while raging.
Your rage ends early if you fall unconscious. You can also end your rage at any time of your choice. Once you have raged the number of times shown for your barbarian level in the Rages column of the Barbarian table, you must finish a long rest before you can rage again.
Other abilities will give you additional benefits while raging.
You can use this ability once per long rest at level 1, and gain additional uses of this ability as you level up, listed in the Barbarian Progression Chart and below under the corresponding levels.
Reckless Attack
You can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation.
No Action Cost - Self
Trigger: You make your first attack on your turn.
You gain advantage on melee weapon attack rolls during this turn.
Attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.
Rumination
You think for a while about everything happening around you, either stoking your rage or clearing your mind to focus in battles ahead.
During a Short Rest - Self - 1/Long Rest
You regain a number of uses of your Rage feature equal to half your rage bonus (rounded down).
Additional Rage
You can now Rage 2 times between long rests.
Primal Path
Choose a Primal Path. This represents where your rage comes from and how it manifests. Some barbarians have primals paths that represent a deliberate mastery of rage, where some subclasses instead have been influenced by magical powers.
Your Primal Path gives you extra features at this level and at levels 6, 10, and 14, also listed below.
Primal Paths published elsewhere are compatible with this version of the barbarian class.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Extra Attack
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. If you are dual-wielding, your off-hand attack brings you to a total of three attacks.
Fast Movement
Your walking speed increases by 10 feet. Any speed you have that is equal to your walking speed also increases by 10 ft.
Rage Improvement
Your Rage Bonus increases to +3.
Path Feature
Your chosen Primal Path grants you a new feature.
Additional Rage
You can now Rage a total of 3 times between long rests.
Feral Instinct
Your mind becomes honed to danger and you are ready to enter rage at any moment.
You add your Rage Bonus to your initiative, even if you are not raging.
No Action Cost - Self
When you roll initiative, you can enter Rage immediately.
When you enter Rage at any time, you can immediately move up to half of your movement.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Rage Improvement
Your Rage Bonus increases to +4.
Stubborn Will
You gain proficiency in wisdom saving throws.
Path Feature
Your chosen Primal Path grants you a new feature.
Additional Rage
You can now Rage a total of 4 times between long rests.
Brutal Strike
Once Per Turn
Trigger: You use Reckless Attack and hit with a weapon attack in the same turn.
Use one of the following abilities:
Forceful Blow - 1 Creature
The target is pushed up to 15 ft. away, and then you can choose whether or not you want to follow them, moving in a straight line up to 15 ft. towards them.
Hamstring Blow - 1 Creature - 1 Round
The target's speed is halved.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Rage Improvement
Your Rage Bonus increases to +5.
Mindless Rage
You can't be charmed or frightened while raging. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is suspended for the duration of the rage. You still roll saves to end the condition at the end of your turns if applicable, and if you are still charmed or frightened when your rage ends, you become affected by the condition again.
Path Feature
Your chosen Primal Path grants you a new feature.
Additional Rage
You can now Rage a total of 5 times between long rests.
Relentless Rage
No Action Cost - Self
Trigger: When you are raging and drop to 0 hit points without dying outright.
You can make a DC 10 constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead.
Each time you use this feature to avoid dropping to 0, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a long rest, the DC resets to 10.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Rage Improvement
Your Rage Bonus increases to +6.
Focused Slaughter
When you use your Reckless Attack ability and, instead of rolling twice on your attack roll with advantage, roll three times and take the highest attack roll of the three. As normal, if you have both advantage and disadvantage, you roll only once.
Improved Feral Instinct
When you enter Rage, you can immediately move up to your movement speed instead of half your movement.
Superior Ability
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2, to a maximum of 22.
Additional Rage
You can now Rage a total of 6 times between long rests.
Rage Improvement
Your Rage Bonus increases to +6.
Focused Slaughter
When you use your Reckless Attack ability and, instead of rolling twice on your attack roll with advantage, roll three times and take the highest attack roll of the three. As normal, if you have both advantage and disadvantage, you roll only once.
