WotBS Lykkenthrope's War of the Burning Sky
- Thread starter lykkenthrope
- Start date
lykkenthrope
Explorer
Haha Grom refuses to go unarmored so he doesn’t get any of those features
I mentioned in the post above that I’m aware it’s incredibly broken but it plays well at my table. The extra damage is equivalent to sneak attack and probably the only thing I would change and make it usable x amount times per short rest instead of dependent on advantage.Oh I did write something out incorrectly, we did end up taking away the extra attack at level 5. Even my player realized the trade off with getting three attacks and needing the exhaustion point as balance. We added the option for a 3rd attack at level 6 in exchange for exhaustion for that reason. I’ll edit that.
By the time they reach Seaquen all of my players have something majorly broken/strong, but they’re basically a whole group of “chosen ones” and they find that enjoyable. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea though. But, honestly haven’t even had to beef up my bad guys too too much. The dice remain the great equalizer.
Well, if everyone else at your table is happy, more power to you.
It might be easier to focus on a subclass that only adds features at levels 3, 6, 10, and 14. Those features should feel balanced against features from other barbarian subclasses.
Looking at the berserker, each feature is a single benefit.
Berserker
Level 3. Frenzy allows you to use your bonus action to make one additional attack each turn for 1 minute at the cost of 1 level of exhaustion.
Level 6. Mindless Rage keeps you from being charmed or frightened while raging.
Level 10. Intimidating Presence lets you use your action to frighten a creature. Doesn't require rage, but using an action means it isn't really useful in combat.
Level 14. Retaliation lets you use your reaction to make 1 melee attack against a creature that is within 5 feet of you and damaged you.
While Totem gives more options at each of levels 3, 6, 10, and 14, each option is similarly singular.
A trillith subclass that was scaled back to match other 2014 barbarian subclasses might look something like this.
Level 3. While raging, you add your proficiency bonus to your unarmored defense.
Level 6. When you begin your rage, you can use your Action to innately cast the Enlarge component of Enlarge/Reduce without needing material components. While you are enlarged, you can use your Bonus Action to continue your rage even if you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then.
Level 10. You have advantage on Intimidation checks. You can use your Bonus Action to taunt a creature within 30 feet of you. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have Disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you. The DC is 8 + your Charisma modifier + your Proficiency Bonus. If you are raging, you can use your Strength modifier instead of your Charisma modifier for the DC calculation and your Intimidation checks.
Level 14. While raging, you have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.
It might be easier to focus on a subclass that only adds features at levels 3, 6, 10, and 14. Those features should feel balanced against features from other barbarian subclasses.
Looking at the berserker, each feature is a single benefit.
Berserker
Level 3. Frenzy allows you to use your bonus action to make one additional attack each turn for 1 minute at the cost of 1 level of exhaustion.
Level 6. Mindless Rage keeps you from being charmed or frightened while raging.
Level 10. Intimidating Presence lets you use your action to frighten a creature. Doesn't require rage, but using an action means it isn't really useful in combat.
Level 14. Retaliation lets you use your reaction to make 1 melee attack against a creature that is within 5 feet of you and damaged you.
While Totem gives more options at each of levels 3, 6, 10, and 14, each option is similarly singular.
A trillith subclass that was scaled back to match other 2014 barbarian subclasses might look something like this.
Level 3. While raging, you add your proficiency bonus to your unarmored defense.
Level 6. When you begin your rage, you can use your Action to innately cast the Enlarge component of Enlarge/Reduce without needing material components. While you are enlarged, you can use your Bonus Action to continue your rage even if you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then.
Level 10. You have advantage on Intimidation checks. You can use your Bonus Action to taunt a creature within 30 feet of you. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have Disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you. The DC is 8 + your Charisma modifier + your Proficiency Bonus. If you are raging, you can use your Strength modifier instead of your Charisma modifier for the DC calculation and your Intimidation checks.
Level 14. While raging, you have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.
lykkenthrope
Explorer
I pushed for that one (and probably if we were to restart he would) but this was his first nonmagical character so he just stuck with Berserker. He prefers noncombat solutions and noncombat encounters (rolling dice is his least favorite part of the game
) so building his own class (especially adding in ASI buffs built in so at those levels he could take noncombat feats) really improved his enjoyment of DnD. Though what’s funny, is he’s the type that will collect every single health potion in a video game and never use them in case he needs them. He hardly ever rages
it’s always a big deal at the table when he does.
