D&D (2024) Barbarian (Playtest 7)

[Horwath]

I don't think Barbarian needs even fewer decision points and even more reliance on being in Rage for their class to do anything..

barbarian needs to be the "simple" fighter that wotc wants champion to be.

fighter needs to have battlemaster features as core class features.

 

[bedir than]

fighter needs to have battlemaster features as core class features.

This essentially eliminates the two most popular fighter subclasses

 

[Ruin Explorer]

This essentially eliminates the two most popular fighter subclasses

LOL nope. Battlemaster would still be better at Battlemaster stuff.

Champion they "fixed" by making hilariously OP.

 

[bedir than]

LOL nope. Battlemaster would still be better at Battlemaster stuff.

Champion they "fixed" by making hilariously OP.

Yes, turning the Champion into a high-complexity dice pool concept eliminates it.
Yes, taking the signature ability and giving it to everyone eliminates the concept.

 

[MuhVerisimilitude]

Yes, turning the Champion into a high-complexity dice pool concept eliminates it.
Yes, taking the signature ability and giving it to everyone eliminates the concept.

The champion is an empty subclass. It has little reason to exist. You could separate it out from the Fighter class and name it something like Henchman or Muscle or something to make sure it does not contaminate the Fighter design, and I'm having difficulty thinking of a class name for it that carries the amount of contempt I hold for the concept itself. Meathead might work well.

 

[Kobold Stew]

(Can we maybe move the fighter-bashing to a different thread?)

 

[MuhVerisimilitude]

(Can we maybe move the fighter-bashing to a different thread?)

Noted. Though I'm not bashing the Fighter, I'm bashing the champion.

 

[Mistwell]

Initial thoughts on the Playtest 7 Barbarian.

• Danger sense (now level 2) is decoupled from Feral Instinct (level 7), giving advantage on Dex saving throws. This will stack with Evasion in multiclass builds effectively.
• Primal Knowledge is now bumped to level 3, with the subclass. This was a fantastic addition to PT5, and I'm glad it is still with us. It gives a good range of skills for strength-based character. While I still query why Perception is there, I'm happy to have it, and the move to level 3 will mean it is slightly harder to have a dip into the class to get this: it will still be desirable, but not as much as it was after PT5. (It's a nerf, but an understandable one).
• Brutal critical is dropped from level 11 to level 9, and adds variable damage, using a d12, instead of a flat bonus. It's always fun to roll d12s, and while it's a nerf, it's fine.
• Subclasses: Berserker. Flexing your pecs to make people scream is now a bonus action (level 14).
• Subclasses: Wild Heart. As predicted, the name changed from Totem (following BG3). Abilities at 3, 6, and 14 now have different animal associations, which weakens the story slightly ("I'm a bear-elephant-lion barbarian" is a mouthful.).
  • At level 6 ("Aspect of the Wilds"), you have an option to get a skill proficiency or expertise. Some of the skills (Investigation!) aren't even on the Barbarian list. So while I suspect most will choose stealth or athletics, the option exists to take a background giving investigation and get expertise on it here. That's AWESOME. Meet Sherlock Grog.
  • The level 14 abilities are all tweaked. You can rage yourself into continued flight, without always falling. Knocking someone prone isn't automatic, but now has a saving throw.
• Subclasses: World Tree. So the capstone ability of this subclass is something I have wanted in the game for some time, which is a way for an individual to Plane Shift if they are not a primary spellcaster. It's something the Horizon Walker Ranger should have, but doesn't. And here it comes to a level 14 Barbarian, only one level behind when spellcasters get the ability. You might not always get where you want to go, but if a teleportation Circle exists on the plane anywhere, you can get there. That allows for some good story opportunities and character ambitions, even though most games don't get that high. Completely unexpected, but also Awesome.

I'm not someone who regularly plays barbarians, but there are good things here that I like, and I think I can imagine using them more now. A Barbarian 3/Rogue X multiclass is very appealing for a Strength-rogue build.

The incentive to dip Barbarian and treat it as a secondary or tertiary class is diminished, and finally I can see playing a barbarian all the way through or with only a brief dip into something else.

 

[Kurotowa]

• Subclasses: Wild Heart. As predicted, the name changed from Totem (following BG3). Abilities at 3, 6, and 14 now have different animal associations, which weakens the story slightly ("I'm a bear-elephant-lion barbarian" is a mouthful.).

The story change was intentional, per the Crawford interview video. He said that some people were mistaking that if you picked Bear the first time you had to pick Bear every time, and they wanted to make it very clear that each choice was independent. Also it's not like there's a shortage of precedent for "I call upon the powers of various animal spirits" characters.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Yeah. I never watched Bravestarr, though I see others referring to it. I get the trope, and understand the potential for confusion.