Barbarian Playtest Experiences

[ricardo440]

Our groups Barbarian (level 5) had his second outing on monday evening.

We only did one small fight (a level 3 encounter, one against some goblins and a bugbear from thunderspire labyrinth C1 I think)

It is good to have a striker in the group now, as a GM it makes things a little easier as we can actually get fights resolved quicker now.
I have to say I have not been shocked by the damage that the Barbarian can do. He is doing about 19 a turn when he hit (this is as a GM hearing what he says, not thinking about actual powers he was using over the fight). Nothing excessive, I'm sure my ranger was doing something similar if slightly less at his level.

But he does pay for it, he is squishy. He is taking a beating every round, they had poorly positioned themselves so the barbarian was getting far more attacks than the paladin (whose AC is much greater). But during the fight he received 2 healing words, and used his second wind (as a dwarf). Nobody else really got hurt.

For an encounter -2 of their level, that concerns me as a GM.

 

[Celtavian]

re

My experience so far:

1. At Wills: The barbarian has some of the best at wills I've seen for a class.

a. Recuperating Strike: Very nice hit point boost to keep you going when you're low.

b. Pressing Strikes: Being able to move around the battlefield is a nifty ability. I use Pressing Strikes to get flanks and fly around the battlefield.

c. Howling Strike: I love charging and being able to do an attack other than a basic attack.

2. Swift Charge: Situational useful. Would be more useful if you didn't provoke AooS wen charging. I have to be careful not to provoke Aoos. It has been useful at times in open battles, but definitely not an every encounter ability.

3. Rampage: This may be more useful at higher level. At low level when I get a crit, I usually kill what I'm hitting. But I think this will get better as I level.

4. Rage: I like the rage mechanic. It is fairly useful for the entire encounter. It would be nice if there were not additional requirements like "target must be bloodied" and the like for some of the rages. But overall the rage mechanic is very nice and adds quite a bit of power to the Barbarian.

5. Lack of Armor: The lack of armor makes them too easily hit. I would enhance their defenses somehow so that their armor class will be more in line with other strikers. Most strikers are based around two stats, no reason to force the Barbarian to work on three. So far only the Paladin is pushed to boost three stats for maximum effectiveness, and they can get away with two.

6. Defenses: The Barbaran mobility seems like they should have +1 defense to Fort and Reflex rather than +2 Fortitude.

7. Encounter and Daily Powers: Their encounter and daily powers are quite nice. Great Cleave is situational, but you are in that situation pretty often. Blade Sweep is pretty nice too. The added damage from the AoE of each attack adds up to quite a bit aggregate damage.

8. They could use a base skill like Nature on top of their other skills. The Barbarian is savage, but most tribal cultures are trained to live outdoors. The Barbarian has the lowest number of skills of all the strikers.

9. Hit points and healing surges: It is pretty fun to play a Striker that is harder to kill. I think they were spot on with this.

10. Simple Ranged: All classes should have at least Simple Ranged Weapons. I hope this was an oversight by the game designers. You can't tell me that barbarians don't know how to throw spears or axes. Make sure to include Simple Ranged Weapons since just about everyone will house rule barbarians to have proficiency with Simple Ranged Weapons.

The barbarian is a fun class. I hope to see a few tweaks to improve the class such as those for AC and a modification of defenses. But overall I like the barbarian mechanics. The class is a very unique striker much different from the other striker classes. He does quite a bit of damage and is very mobile. I'm very much enjoying the class. I can't wait to see the barbarian in final form.

 

[Mengu]

Good observations. Agree with the free Nature skill.

10. Simple Ranged: All classes should have at least Simple Ranged Weapons. I hope this was an oversight by the game designers. You can't tell me that barbarians don't know how to throw spears or axes. Make sure to include Simple Ranged Weapons since just about everyone will house rule barbarians to have proficiency with Simple Ranged Weapons.

Barbarians already have proficiency with simple and martial melee weapons, and as such can throw spears and axes. I think it's fine that barbarians don't have proficiency with simple ranged weapons, which are crossbows and slings.

 

[ThirdWizard]

My experience so far:
2. Swift Charge: Situational useful. Would be more useful if you didn't provoke AooS wen charging. I have to be careful not to provoke Aoos. It has been useful at times in open battles, but definitely not an every encounter ability.

Use Howling Strike -> no OA! (Provided you're raging of course).

I got use out of this ability about 75% of encounters.

3. Rampage: This may be more useful at higher level. At low level when I get a crit, I usually kill what I'm hitting. But I think this will get better as I level.

You specifically do not have to attack what you crit. As long as you're by 2 enemies (not uncommon IMX), you're golden. I've done this 2 out of 3 crits.

4. Rage: I like the rage mechanic. It is fairly useful for the entire encounter. It would be nice if there were not additional requirements like "target must be bloodied" and the like for some of the rages. But overall the rage mechanic is very nice and adds quite a bit of power to the Barbarian.

That's one reason I like Swift Panther much more than Bloodhunt. Even if you always got the extra damage, though, I'd still prefer Swift Panther. I think Bloodhunt would be fine without the requirement.

10. Simple Ranged: All classes should have at least Simple Ranged Weapons. I hope this was an oversight by the game designers. You can't tell me that barbarians don't know how to throw spears or axes.

Spears and axes are melee proficiency, not ranged! You can use them just fine.

 

[Orcus Porkus]

There is a lot of confusing discussion of the "direct" movement requirement while charging. Does it mean a straight line, or the shortest? What if there are obstacles or enemies in the way? Does anybody know an official answer on this? I have read extremely contradicting arguments.

 

[Gort]

There is a lot of confusing discussion of the "direct" movement requirement while charging. Does it mean a straight line, or the shortest? What if there are obstacles or enemies in the way? Does anybody know an official answer on this? I have read extremely contradicting arguments.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-4th-edition-rules/241858-move-action-before-charge-attack.html

That thread has the answers you seek.

 

[James McMurray]

5. Lack of Armor: The lack of armor makes them too easily hit. I would enhance their defenses somehow so that their armor class will be more in line with other strikers. Most strikers are based around two stats, no reason to force the Barbarian to work on three. So far only the Paladin is pushed to boost three stats for maximum effectiveness, and they can get away with two.

Do the increased hit points and At Will power that grants temporary hit points not make up for this any? It seems like simply increasing their AC would put them too far ahead of the curve in other ways.

 

[Mengu]

Do the increased hit points and At Will power that grants temporary hit points not make up for this any? It seems like simply increasing their AC would put them too far ahead of the curve in other ways.

No, unfortunately hit points are not a good substitute for AC. Constantly being knocked down, grabbed, dazed, slowed, immobilized, blinded, stunned, etc. because monsters have an easy time hitting you, is not fun at all.

 

[James McMurray]

So you'd rather they take away the hit point boosts and increase AC?

 

[Mengu]

So you'd rather they take away the hit point boosts and increase AC?

I'd rather not see an AC 14 barbarian in the front line at first level, if he is supposed to be part defender. At higher levels the difference gets more ridiculous unless the barbarian upgrades his armor, and he should not be forced to spend his feats on armor.

I like the temporary hit point mechanics, and would rather not get rid of them.

Given the hybrid class role, I want to see the Barbarian somewhere between the rogue and the fighter for defensive and offensive abilities.

If the barbarian got his secondary stat as an AC bonus (constitution or charisma), his AC would start out at a 15-16 or so. This is typically the same as the rogue, except the barbarian has more HP's (temp or permanent) and surges for self preservation. Seems like a good compromise on defense.

A greatweapon fighter with Reaping Strike averages pretty decent damage. The Rogue obviously is better. The barbarian currently is between the two, right where he belongs.

Currently the barbarian can already start with a 16 AC by spending 1 feat (a no brainer feat). The improvement to AC I'm suggesting is that he not be required to spend that feat to start with 16 AC.