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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WalterKovacs" data-source="post: 4496908" data-attributes="member: 63763">First of all, they have a bit of a disconnect in terms of class role. The defender/striker mix [with apparently some leader bits] fits the Barbarian. The Fighter can already do some serious damage ... and strikers already make themselves targets by being so powerful/annoying. The barbarian has the HP of a defender, but the AC of a striker. Very Two Weapon Ranger in terms of AC [and the Two Weapon Ranger has the HP boost as a free feat], basically needing to spend feat slots to up his AC. Of course, willingly keeping the AC relatively low makes him a better defender. He'd still look at Dex as a fourth [or maybe third] stat because (a) Chain/Scale Spec uses Dex, (b) If he goes Blade, Spear or Flail he'd want Dex for feats, (c) Reflex is more important than Will. On the subject of multi-classing ... with the way that Rogues and Rangers have their restrictions on powers based on weapon types ... perhaps the Barbarian HAS to use two handed weapons [or versatile weapons in two hands]. Rogues already have the issue of being Dex based [although they can go with Str as a secondary build, and there is at least one race to support maxing both out] and with light blades, it becomes nearly impossible to get versatile or two handed, making sneak attack auto-fail. Ranger still gets Quarry though, but it involves juggling around the weapons. Outside of a Dwarven Warlock with a Pact Hammer, there wouldn't be much problem for Warlock's multiclassing into Barb. In general though, the main "concept" appears to be taking the Paladin: Daily = Smite idea and applying it to Rage. This means that the daily attack has to last all encounter long [since a Rage should be lasting]. Because of that, they need Rage Strike as a "fix" to the problem of people wanting to do daily damage without having to replace their ongoing effect (another option is just having the ongoing effect be "you may choose not to start this effect, and instead continue the effect of your previous rage". Still a bit clunky, and might not do as much damage, but eliminates the class feature. The big thing is, replacing the "xd6" bonus damage dice with just doing more damage overall, which is where the whole Multiclassing "problem" comes in. They do have the "stuff happens while raging" effect as well. Stuff I did like though: Temp hit points for killing people, the free charge when killing someone and the free attack on a critical. All those things are nice powers that help support the Striker/Defender hybrid. One possible decision ... flat out make it a "hybrid" and, therefore, accept it will do less damage than other striker classes. Now, there are still some things it has over the rest. The ability to wield a two handed weapon, and thus have extremely high damage output based on the weapon die. I do like the encounter power that has VERY high damage, but an effect of giving the opponent's a better chance of hitting you. That kind of "defence for damage" trade off is very nice. They could perhaps change the way that rages work. With having the rages as the daily power gives them a way of limiting the rages per day [ala 3rd edition] if the barb is required to be in a rage to be effective it does create some problems. One way would be to have a class feature to "enter" a rage, but still has a limit on it. The Paladin has lay on hands which lets him use his surges a different way a number of times per day ... perhaps a way to "enter a rage" a certain number of times per day without having to expend a daily power. Here is an alternative means for raging, treated a bit like: EnrageDaily Power/Special [Usable a number of times per day equal to CON mod]Personal, RageMinor ActionEffect: You may spend one healing surge. You do not regain hit points, instead you gain temporary hitpoints equal to your CON mod + 1/2 level. For the rest of the encounter, you are considered to be in a rage. Then you have rage be a way to basically represent the bonus damage of the striker class. For the Charisma based Barbarian, perhaps a similar power called "Fury" that also causes you to rage, but in a different way, based on your charisma. Having a basic means to get rages per day, and then the daily powers have various effects that also result in you entering a rage. [you can also have utility stances that represent the various sprits, etc]. The ideas are there, but they need some work. I think the Rage as Smite idea just doesn't work though. Ultimately, a barbarian should probably be able to rage just about every encounter ... it's one of the thing most closely associated with the barbarian. Sure, smiting is something associated with Paladin's, but something that lasts all encounter probably shouldn't be a daily power. The rogue requires combat advantage, warlock and ranger need to "target" the closest enemy in site ... there should be some condition for a barbarian to get his "rage bonus" for damage. Perhaps he rages as an immediate reaction when hit, so he has to basically take damage before he can start raging [although he may have other powers that let him rage, especially useful if you go to 0 HP and get healed back up, because you'd need to restart your rage]. The needing to take damage encourages the minor in defender as you'd need to make yourself a bit of a target at least to trigger the rage. That idea is already in some of the other powers that encounrage people to attack you.</blockquote>

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