How do you make a Barbarian interesting? :)

[guachi]

How about reskinning the barbarian as an animal?

You might use the ability scores/abilities for a human variant totem barbarian, but you are a giant wolf, panther, etc... Perhaps one that was awakened?

I did this. In the module B10 one of the random encounters is an old guy giving the PCs a 2HD war dog. I had already had an inkling the dwarf paladin was going to quit the party so adding another frontline PC was helpful.

Since it was a dog it was, of course, a wolf barbarian (3rd level to begin with). It isn't much offensively as its bite is only 1d6+STR but I did allow it to be trained and get the ability to knock down opponents as a bonus action. The advantage to allies is nice and makes up for weak offense. Since it's a dog NPC it's really easy to roleplay. Also, none (or almost none) of a barbarian's abilities are things a dog can't do. The dog only gets 1/2 XP so it's more of a companion. And when anyone drops to zero hp in combat, which happens with regularity, that player runs the dog.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Too much talking in the library...

 

[jgsugden]

Every time I see this thread in the forum list I have the same thought:

"How would you make a barbarian that isn't interesting?"

Even if you're playing the cliché barbarian to a T, it is still a lot of fun to play.

 

[BookBarbarian]

5e kept the 3e & 4e takes on the barbarian, though it could more easily & consistently have gone ahead and made it a Background and just given the fighter enough build flexibility to handle the concept in combination with that.

I think the Outlander background was the best thing that could have happened for the Barbarian concept in 5e. And even though I love playing 5e Barbarians, the class and it's subclasses could have been rolled into the Fighter.

Even with how it is now an Outlander Battlermaster can be just as valid a Barbarian as a Totem Warrior. Just one that focuses on battle tactics and maneuvers.

Heck the Fighter Scout from Unearthed Arcana makes a better Conan analogue that any of the Barbarian subclasses IMHO.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Every time I see this thread in the forum list I have the same thought:

"How would you make a barbarian that isn't interesting?"

Even if you're playing the cliché barbarian to a T, it is still a lot of fun to play.

There is something very satisfying to me in just Raging and Recklessly attacking. In a way it's elegant in it's simplicity.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Every time I see this thread in the forum list I have the same thought:

"How would you make a barbarian that isn't interesting?"

Player spamming “I hit ________ with my sword.”

For everything.

(OTOH, he will eventually shoot the food, which will be funny as hell. To some.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I did this. In the module B10 one of the random encounters is an old guy giving the PCs a 2HD war dog. I had already had an inkling the dwarf paladin was going to quit the party so adding another frontline PC was helpful.

Since it was a dog it was, of course, a wolf barbarian (3rd level to begin with). It isn't much offensively as its bite is only 1d6+STR but I did allow it to be trained and get the ability to knock down opponents as a bonus action. The advantage to allies is nice and makes up for weak offense. Since it's a dog NPC it's really easy to roleplay. Also, none (or almost none) of a barbarian's abilities are things a dog can't do. The dog only gets 1/2 XP so it's more of a companion. And when anyone drops to zero hp in combat, which happens with regularity, that player runs the dog.

Russian Caucasus Shepherd digs get pretty beefy...

 

[ExploderWizard]

Player spamming “I hit ________ with my sword.”

For everything.

(OTOH, he will eventually shoot the food, which will be funny as hell. To some.)

If the barbarian does that at a time that the green elf needs food badly then he may discover that shots DO hurt other players!

 

[Tony Vargas]

Player spamming “I hit ________ with my sword.”

For everything.

"Hey, that barbarian isn't using an ax!
....interesting."

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

"Hey, that barbarian isn't using an ax!
....interesting."

Ehhhh...sword/axe/club are all much the same to them, equally likely, equally unsurprising.