D&D 5E How good are Barbarians?

Derren · Sep 30, 2014

Syntallah said:
I understand where you're coming from, but in the abstract combat system of D&D where armor and hit points are not realistic, logical elements, it makes perfect sense. The Unarmored Defense of the barbarian is based off of Dex (dodging) and Con (shrugging off hits).

Both traits also used by armored fighters + the advantages of discipline and armor. By all logic barbarians should be glass cannons and their rage should be more of a I kill you now before you kill me mode than a super thoughness mode.

Why play a barbarian at all when he in play is more like a heavily armored knight than a barbarian?

Authweight · Sep 30, 2014

Derren said:
Both traits also used by armored fighters + the advantages of discipline and armor. By all logic barbarians should be glass cannons and their rage should be more of a I kill you now before you kill me mode than a super thoughness mode.

Why play a barbarian at all when he in play is more like a heavily armored knight than a barbarian?

The barbarian is meant to match the literary tropes of the unreasonably tough raging warrior. There's a little magic there, and a lot of grit. The fighter is a disciplined warrior, sure, but the barbarian is toughened by a lifetime in the cold north. He just doesn't care as much about being slammed around with a sword.

It's not realistic per se, but it is very well represented in a lot of the literature d&d draws from.

Sacrosanct · Sep 30, 2014

Derren said:
Why play a barbarian at all when he in play is more like a heavily armored knight than a barbarian?

How do you figure this? Barbarians don't wear heavy armor for one, which is a pretty common item heavily armored knights used. It's in the name even.

Barbarians were always known to be able to take a brutal amount of abuse in combat, whether that be from direct damage, exhaustion, whatever. In D&D, that's represented by AC and hit points--two pretty abstract concepts.

Now, I'm not a huge fan of why barbarians suddenly went all ragey in 3e and beyond. To me, barbarians are Conan, Fafhrd, and Kull. Neither seemed to go into rages any more than anyone else. Barbarians represent the uncivilized tribal clans, and of the dozens of real life examples we have, only one was known for berserking. One of the reasons why I think 1e UA captured the feel of the barbarian the best, IMO.

Falcon10275 · Sep 30, 2014

Conan was an awesome barbarian. No Armor, huge sword, slow moving, afraid of ghosts

ZombieRoboNinja · Sep 30, 2014

Sacrosanct said:
on top of that, you're imposing disadvantage on an ability check. So cast hex on the barbarian, giving him disadvantage on CON checks. Then proceed to stun lock the hell out of him with stunning strike or worse, death touch..er...quivering palm

Remember, disadvantage on checks does NOT mean disadvantage on saves.

Derren · Sep 30, 2014

Falcon10275 said:
Conan was an awesome barbarian. No Armor, huge sword, slow moving, afraid of ghosts

Read the Conan books. Conan wore the heaviest armor he could afford, including plate when he was king.

rollcrit · Sep 30, 2014

Derren said:
Read the Conan books. Conan wore the heaviest armor he could afford, including plate when he was king.

I have not read the books either, but did the Jason Mamoa and Arnold Swartzennegger movies wear any armor?

aramis erak · Sep 30, 2014

rollcrit said:
I have not read the books either, but did the Jason Mamoa and Arnold Swartzennegger movies wear any armor?

The arnie movies? No. But they also don't get the character true to the guy in the novels, either.
Haven't seen the Mamoa one. But the stills show about the same level of armor as the Arnie ones... bracers, and a ashield arm 1" chain-on-leather spaulder.

The Conan of the novels doesn't always wear armor – often, he's fighting in shirt and breeches. He'll happily wear armor if he's expecting a fight, but he's not going to take time to don armor when the ball drops suddenly...

Essenti · Oct 1, 2014

aramis erak said:
The arnie movies? No. *snip*

Actually, Conan dons armor in the very first Conan movie. The last fight, the battle of the mounds, when few stood against many... blah blah blah.

Arnie's Conan did indeed wear armor...

WarHawke · Oct 1, 2014

Yeah, Arnold wore Leather armor, Hide armor, and I believe a breastplate? I would have to rewatch the movie.

But only in the first movie... the rest of the time in the Destroyer he was nearly nekkid while everyone was chilly, he was not. He was Conan!

D&D 5E How good are Barbarians?

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