It is a problem for the whole class. Because of the bar of the Berserker, the best a Beast Barbarian can muster is a 1d6 claw attack.
The thing here is an extra attack is about a 50% damage increase which is
absurdly powerful. Especially for a raging barbarian.
Arguments on my side would be:
- It's inefficient if it isn't a big priority. [snip]
- It doesn't align with the core themes of D&D. That being, Magic is everywhere and it's vital for adventurers. The game isn't Pathfinder or Dungeon World. [snip]
I haven't seen an earnest argument saying they don't like other people's fun. Please, go into this discussion assuming good faith. Even if you challenge the argument, assume it's being made with honesty.
I'd disagree strongly with the first point here. I don't know if you've seen the Echo Knight which I keep praising in this thread. But it takes literally a single side of a page in a book, including an illustration. It is however excellent. It's a fighter who is able to summon echos from different timelines - and because of this it gives a whole range of things including combat flexibility, scouting (you can see through your echo's eyes), and even short range teleportation (you summon the echo then swap places with them). And it's added far
far more to my games than a monster or two ever would have - and probably more than an entire setting like Planescape would have. It's a fighter, it's exceptional, and it emphatically isn't a caster.
As for the second, I'd say there are two important points as to the themes of D&D
5e as a part of the wider D&D ecosystem.
- Almost everyone can wield magic. Only four classes (fighter, barbarian, rogue, monk) aren't explicit spellcasters. That's either a third of classes or less than a third of classes if you count the artificer. And of those four classes in the PHB either two or three had caster subclasses (arcane trickster, eldritch knight, arguably four elements monk, possibly way of shadow monk). And of the remainder the Path of the Totem Warrior is not exactly non-magical.
- I would further add that the rogue is able to go above and beyond with Cunning Action, and the monk is with Chi even as the vanilla classes.
- Magic is a part of you rather than loot. This isn't a theme of "classic" D&D with its "Magic Item Christmas Tree". But D&D 5e has deliberately reduced how much external magic you can have thanks to attunement.
Indeed the game isn't Pathfinder. Magic is less important; you don't have a magic item Christmas tree and you don't play with stacked buffs and save or suck spells dominating. Winning without magic is intentionally more possible.
What I actually want for the fighter (and the rogue) that's relevant to this thread is:
- More subclasses like the Echo Knight, the Rune Knight, the Phantom, and the Soulknife.
- A second subclass for the fighter picked at mid level (no higher than 12) explaining how these people can actually go toe to toe with dragons. ("Just that good" is an acceptable answer, as is "ridiculously strong" and even "Almost magic immune")
What I also want for the fighter includes:
- The Champion dropped and replaced with the Samurai as the "simple fighter". The Champion sucks.
- Better Warlord options in the Battlemaster including one for a target to spend a hit dice and recover that plus your superiority dice hit points. And a "Duck!" ability. Also Direct the Strike as a fighting style.
- Possibly folding the Battlemaster into the core fighter.
