D&D 5E Graceful Destruction: A Guide to Dex Based Barbarism

einhander · Mar 15, 2017

How about a wolf-totem kobold barb? You already have a ton of defense, you will have near perma advantage, and be able to provide advantage to the entire team in two separate ways. Knockdown later on is just gravy. You can also mc fighter3 for champion and use that sweet kobold advantage to farm some crits to help increase damage (along w\deulist and action point).

My main concern with this build is why should a dm focus on you? You don't have a scary punishing mechanic and you don't pose a serious threat. If you end up never getting attacked, all that effort to become the perfect brick means nothing.

UngeheuerLich · Mar 17, 2017

SubDude said:
I'm gonna give this a try. I've got a wood elf: 13/17/14/8/13/8.

I'm going to start as a fighter and take dueling, so the +2 damage will be there. I'll "rage", but of course it won't have any effect until I switch to barbarian at level 2. Only the DM knows that I'm not an actual barbarian (to start, though they may figure it out).

I think I'll end up going Eagle Totem, though the Tiger totem in SCAG could be another option. There's a possibility that I'll also take a few levels of Druid. Raging as a brown bear would work with strength attacks, or I can stay an elf with a short short and shield for DEX-based attacks.

Regardless, it looks like a fun character concept and I'm looking forward to discovering and playing his personality.

Make it str 14, dex 16. 17 dex has no effect over 16 and with 14 str you can effectively use str as attack stat when raging and you need more damage. (-1 to hit/+1 damage) with reckless attack the -1 to hit is easily compensated. And even when you have increased dex to 18, you are still fine raging and attacking recklessly. Advantage is often better than +2 to hit.

SubDude · Mar 17, 2017

UngeheuerLich said:
Make it str 14, dex 16. 17 dex has no effect over 16 and with 14 str you can effectively use str as attack stat when raging and you need more damage. (-1 to hit/+1 damage) with reckless attack the -1 to hit is easily compensated. And even when you have increased dex to 18, you are still fine raging and attacking recklessly. Advantage is often better than +2 to hit.

Makes sense. I'm not sure why I didn't see that. Thanks.

krunchyfrogg · Jul 21, 2017

SubDude said:
I'm gonna give this a try. I've got a wood elf: 13/17/14/8/13/8.

I'm going to start as a fighter and take dueling, so the +2 damage will be there. I'll "rage", but of course it won't have any effect until I switch to barbarian at level 2. Only the DM knows that I'm not an actual barbarian (to start, though they may figure it out).

I think I'll end up going Eagle Totem, though the Tiger totem in SCAG could be another option. There's a possibility that I'll also take a few levels of Druid. Raging as a brown bear would work with strength attacks, or I can stay an elf with a short short and shield for DEX-based attacks.

Regardless, it looks like a fun character concept and I'm looking forward to discovering and playing his personality.

How did this work out for you?

SubDude · Jul 21, 2017

Life slowed me down, but just played 2nd AL game and leveled up to F1/B1. Now the fun begins!

BurgerKingMan · Sep 6, 2017

A new player class was leaked and it looks to be the perfect thing for a dex barbarian. Go here http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/news/tomb-annihilation and download the tier one surrogates and take a look at the rogue. It looks like grungs are a playable race. Here is their breakdown:

ABILITY SCORES.
You gain +2 DEX +1 CON

SPEED.
You have a climb/run speed of 25 ft.

AMPHIBIOUS.
You can breathe air and water.

POISON IMMUNITY.
You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

POISONOUS SKIN.
Any creature that grapples you or otherwise comes into direct contact with your skin must succeed on a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with you can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
You can also apply this poison to any piercing weapon as part of an attack with that weapon, though when you hit
the poison reacts differently. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 2d4 poison
damage. No additional effects apply.

STANDING LEAP.
Your long jump is up to 25 feet and your high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.

WATER DEPENDENCY.
If you fail to immerse yourself in water for at least 1 hour during a day, you suffer one level of exhaustion at the end of that day. You can only recover from this exhaustion through magic or by immersing yourself in water for at least 1 hour.

Its poisonous skin gives us some much desired bonus damage to our attacks and raging allows it to grapple medium creatures effectively if the need arises.

Yunru · Sep 6, 2017

BurgerKingMan said:
A new player class was leaked and it looks to be the perfect thing for a dex barbarian. Go here http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/news/tomb-annihilation and download the tier one surrogates and take a look at the rogue. It looks like grungs are a playable race. Here is their breakdown:

Its poisonous skin gives us some much desired bonus damage to our attacks and raging allows it to grapple medium creatures effectively if the need arises.

Holy shii, that's beautiful!

BurgerKingMan · Sep 7, 2017

I am wondering if it is a flat dc12 or is it 8 + prof + Con, hoping for the latter.

saintstardust · Dec 12, 2017

Do any of the new barbarian primal paths from Xanathar's boost this type of barbarian?

Yunru · Aug 11, 2018

saintstardust said:
Do any of the new barbarian primal paths from Xanathar's boost this type of barbarian?

Ancestral Guardians works great, you're hard to hit and you make everyone else harder to hit.
Storm is kinda "eh". It's not bad, but it's no better for dexbarians than strenbarians.
Likewise with Zealot, only less "eh."