D&D (2024) Barbarian (Playtest 7)

[overgeeked]

Oh, cool. They brought back the Warden.

 

[Stalker0]

Barbarian damage resistance potential is in the gutter now. All the higher level enemies are tossing around elemental damage and even bear Barbarians can't resist most of it anymore.

Honesty this was needed, same as Wizards no longer getting infinite shields at higher levels. Everyone and their mother was going bear for barb, it was just too good to pass up.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Barbarian damage resistance potential is in the gutter now. All the higher level enemies are tossing around elemental damage and even bear Barbarians can't resist most of it anymore.

As long as Bear totem existed, it suffocated the others as options. It's just, yeah, now you have NO options against all the elemental stuff thrown your way.

...except being a Tiefling Barbarian with Infernal Constitution, which then makes things more about your race than your class...

 

[Kinematics]

As long as Bear totem existed, it suffocated the others as options. It's just, yeah, now you have NO options against all the elemental stuff thrown your way.

Well, no. You get to pick two damage type resistances every time you activate Rage (aside from force and psychic), which is still tons of elemental options. So you can pick what's most useful for a given opponent (assuming you know what you're fighting), and be pretty solid in almost all circumstances.

 

[mamba]

Fair. I would prefer to just, ya know, rein in casters, but since that seems to be a pipe dream, I suppose giving martials really strong abilities is a good backup plan.

it would be, if the casters wouldn’t get buffed at the same time…

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

You get to pick two damage type resistances every time you activate Rage

I forgot you can switch it on every Rage activation... okay, Bear is still just as oppressively the only reasonable totem option for later levels.

I really wish they'd just copied BG3's totemic options. I'm actually excited about some of those, while this UA7 Wild Heart just leaves me cold.

 

[Horwath]

As long as Bear totem existed, it suffocated the others as options. It's just, yeah, now you have NO options against all the elemental stuff thrown your way.

...except being a Tiefling Barbarian with Infernal Constitution, which then makes things more about your race than your class...

yeah, I was hoping that in would become core barbarian feature.
Also reckless attack should be default rage mechanics.

I.E:

Rage:

resistance to ALL damage.
advantage on all STR and CON attacks, saves and checks.
all attacks have advantage on attack rolls vs you while you are in rage.
cannot cast spells or concetrate on spells
re-balance bonus damage if needed.

 

[Stalker0]

I forgot you can switch it on every Rage activation... okay, Bear is still just as oppressively the only reasonable totem option for later levels.

yeah me too. So its going to be the same in 95% of fights, only when you have spellcasters like sorcs using the new energy swap abilities would it really make a difference.

Actually....in some ways its a lot stronger now, as you can maintain rage for 10 minutes and really get some use out of that energy resistance.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Also reckless attack should be default rage mechanics.

I don't think Barbarian needs even fewer decision points and even more reliance on being in Rage for their class to do anything..

 

[Ruin Explorer]

it would be, if the casters wouldn’t get buffed at the same time…

Yeah the classic Pathfinder move. "We nerfed the worst spells and buffed non-casters!" "Good!" "But we also buffed casters!" "Bad!" and so on.