D&D General Has D&D abandoned the "martial barbarian"?

[Neonchameleon]

My only issue wit this that berserker is terribly designed subclass. And whilst I don't personally really need a martial barbarian, it would be nice to have an non-terrible option for those who want it.

There is. The Totem Warrior isn't necessarily supernatural unless you count just knowing rituals as supernatural.

And the berserker isn't as terrible as is claimed - it's just got a trap in play. The frenzy option is impressively effective but only if you do it once per day.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

There is. The Totem Warrior isn't necessarily supernatural unless you count just knowing rituals as supernatural.

It is my favourite barbarian, but it definitely is mystical in a way that it doesn't fulfil the martial barbarian trope that people want.

And the berserker isn't as terrible as is claimed - it's just got a trap in play. The frenzy option is impressively effective but only if you do it once per day.

Being useless outside of combat in exchange of being great in one combat per day is terrible design.

 

[Northern Phoenix]

The book! Burroughs wrote 24 Tarzan books! (I'm pretty sure I've read them all, many of them several times. It's been ages since I last read any of them though.)

Would you be shocked to hear that most people these days know Tarzan from his movies?

 

[le Redoutable]

in another of my systems ( Called Personnal/Universal/Dimensional as per the FASERIP spell book )
Brutes were Personnal Level 10, while Cowards were Dimensional Level 1, the two using Presence attacks
so was introduced the Berserker;

here is the 10 Dimensional Classes :

10 Healer
9 Priest
8 Cleric
7 Paladin
6 Warlord
5 Cavalier
4 English Lord
3 Drunkard
2 Peasan
1 Coward

 

[Neonchameleon]

That's why I stated the martial side of the barbarian was "abandoned". It was pushed first, put on a pedestal, then that whole side of the spectrum was left alone. Doesn't help that the archetypal martial heavy path displayed first was poorly designed.

I get going to the more primal side. It's not the most promoted. However I am shocked that there wasn't any jumps back to the martial side nor more calls for it.

And I'm saying that it's about as "abandoned" as someone is after they've been let into a restaurant through the VIP line, sat at the table first, and served first is because the waiters are now serving other people who've been made to wait their turn.

In other news the notion of a warlock who's sold their soul to a devil has been abandoned because the Fiend Pact was in the PHB, the imp familiar was in the PHB - and now we get non-demonic stuff like celestials, weapons, and Poor Unfortunate Souls with tentacles in later books.

 

[le Redoutable]

Would you be shocked to hear that most people these days know Tarzan from his movies?

there are 12 Tarzan movies ( Johnny Weismuller )

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Would you be shocked to hear that most people these days know Tarzan from his movies?

No. It's a bit unfortunate though, as movie Tarzan tends to be very different to the book Tarzan.

 

[Weiley31]

I mean I'll be honest, I think the Primal Spirit/Mystical/Shaman-Lite identity that the Barbarian gained in 4E/5E is probably one of the best updates to the Barbarian class. It's probably the sole reason that I've actually made my second DND character ever a Barbarian. and have gone on to making three more characters in three separate dnd groups Barbarians.

Still, there are options for the Martial only Barbarian as mentioned before. The sucky part of Cubicle 7 no longer having the license for Adventures in Middle-Earth 5E is that its Barbarian(The Slayer) is not magical at all and both of its Subclasses are reflective of this as well. Otherwise, I'd suggest those. unless you really think a Barbarian wearing Heavy Armor *AND still being able to Rage is OP and not worth the time.*

 

[Neonchameleon]

It is my favourite barbarian, but it definitely is mystical in a way that it doesn't fulfil the martial barbarian trope that people want.

The berserker is 100% martial. That's covered. The Totem Warrior has mystical flavour but there's no need at all for the animal spirit(s) to be anything other than a metaphor.

Being useless outside of combat in exchange of being great in one combat per day is terrible design.

The only time the berserker should be "useless" outside combat is after they've given their all in the climactic battle of the day. Other than that they're little different to other barbarians or fighters.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

The only time the berserker should be "useless" outside combat is after they've given their all in the climactic battle of the day. Other than that they're little different to other barbarians or fighters.

And that's terrible design. Sorry, it just is. It leads to gameplay where the berserker player has to choose between doing their only cool thing or contributing anything meaningful to the rest of the session.