D&D 5E Barbarian 'Unarmored Defense'

[Anthony Taylor]

I was merely stating that not everything has to be optimal to enjoy role-playing a fun idea.

 

[Morgan Robertson]

Unarmored Defense if a great feature but not a great feature for your concept.

 

[CapnZapp]

Okay then

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[Xeviat]

Unarmored Defense seems like a "Free" feature. But, the best AC a medium armor wearer can get is 17 without a shield, and that requires a +2 Dex and penalizes stealth, and the barbarian has every incentive to pump Con after Str, so a +5 Con is not impossible. So it has a small benefit at a certain point.


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[ruy343]

On Barbarians and their hatred for protective clothing...

I haven't seen anyone make the following point yet:

Constitution -> more HP -> more mileage out of Rage's damage resistance

If you're starting out with a standard array for stats (which I quite prefer), you've basically got two attribute build options: a +3 stat in Str, Dex, or Con, with 14s in the other two, or a 12 or 13 into dexterity while having 16s in Strength and Constitution. I highly recommend the second path. Overall, it grants the barbarian the same starting armor class (14 without a shield), but it grants the barbarian more hit points with which they can tank damage while raging, and resist effects that they don't get advantage against (more on this in a moment).

In addition to the rage feature, the level 2 abilities really synergize with this recommendation. Reckless attack makes it much easier for enemies to hit you (though you get to swing at them first), so having an armor class 2-3 points higher really isn't all that important (and at higher levels, monsters get +11 or more to hit, so an ultra-high AC still doesn't really help that much). I know that someone's going to come by with lots of math to say that it helps by x amount per y attacks, blah blah blah, but the extra endurance that constitution grants in addition to boosting hit point maximums (i.e. more hp per hit dice during a rest, resistance to poison, etc.) can pay off out of combat too.

The other level 2 ability, Danger Sense, lets barbarians overcome the hurdle of a lesser dexterity score by granting advantage on dexterity saving throws that they can see coming, which happens to be most of them (per the description, it applies to traps, spells when they can see the caster, and others). The combination of these two features enable a barbarian to survive without a high dexterity, and they synergize with the idea that a barbarian can increase his strength and constitution at every possible opportunity. In fact, it reduces the MADness of the barbarian, by allowing him to focus on his strengths (get it? )

Yes, the high-dex build is feasible, and works well if coupled with a rogue multiclass, but Barbarians are renowned for being strong warriors, and their Rage feature does boost their physical strength to allow them to accomplish incredible athletic feats in combat.

Besides, with all those muscles, they probably can't scratch that spot on their backs (which is what goblin corpses are for - back scratchers!)

 

[jgsugden]

HOLLLLLLLLY NECRO! This thread was from 2014. It questioned something from our earliest days of experience with the game. Everyone's understanding of this stuff has changed a lot.

 

[Coroc]

Hi,

I'm having difficulty seeing the value of this class feature.

Obviously, it is of some assistance if you're caught nekkid, and have to fight with no armor.

But surely it is meant to be more than that? As I see it the feature should allow you to build a barbarian that walks around unarmoured, just like a monk (who has her own version of the same class feature)

But the problem I am having, which you could help explain or rationalize, is:

What is the value of the Barbarian Unarmored Defense class feature for a class that easily puts on armor? Or, perhaps more to the point: how do you build a Barbarian that gains significant benefit from Unarmored Defense?

You gain AC 16 from having Dex 14 and wearing a Breastplate.

In order to even match that you would need Dex and Con bonuses to add up to +6. While it isn't unreasonable to require two +3 modifiers in itself, neither Dex nor Con is the Barbarian's primary attribute. While a Monk can and will put his best scores in Dex and Wis, a Barbarian is - in 5E - hardwired to a high Strength, because rages only key off Strength, not Dex.

A human barbarian can start with Str 16, Con 16, Dex 16 at the cost of becoming stereotypically dull elsewhere (Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8).

I simply find this cost too high... sure, that Dex gives you good Initiative and such, but AC-wise it simply saves you the 400 gp of a Breastplate, which in turn would have enabled you to to become a smart, wise or dazzling barbarian instead.

What I mean is Dex 16 is a high price to pay when all you're after is the coolness factor of fighting in no armor. Dex 16 is great when you're thieving around, but it's a very steep cost for a Barbarian.

So how do you make Unarmored Defense work for you?

Or is it a "trap feature" in that you really can't expect it to work in more than corner cases (night ambushes, high level play etc).

I am having difficulties in you not seeing the absolute power of this feature!

Really you asking what this is good for?

in 5E AC rules! Especially when you got crowds of mobs vs. you.

Dex and Con are two of the important saving throws. Con is good for hitpoints (x2 for some barbarian builds)

Dex Barb (seems a bit ridiculous for me personally because barb is about strength in my view) but there are ppl out there doing such builds. And if not, then Dex is a useful off Stat to raise when you got Con and Str maxed.

Dex increases your hit and damage with ranged weapons too.

You get immunity against you are being captured and stripped of your armor!

Rage further increases your Con at capstone like some pointed out before me.

Walking unarmoured rps the barbarians fearlessness.

Ok you want an example:

Start out human variant Str 16 Dex 14 Con 16 rest is umimportant Use bonus feat for GWM

You need 4 Stat increases to get you to 20 14 20 that's AC 17 unarmoured already.

You do not need much more since you are a bag of hitpoints also at that point. 252 if you use average 7 at level 20,
which is an effective 504 HP if you go bear totem except vs psychic damage.

So you can just opt for another feat or 2 more in Dex.

Now let us assume you would not have that unarmoured defense: You would have to run around in halfplate, lose stealth, (yuck Arnold in halfplate inconceivable! ), or get a hide armor +3 (=artefact the only correct style here or equivalent magic medium armor ) to get the same AC and lose out on HP and 2 important saves.

This feat of the barb is as valuable as a clerics channel divinity or a fighters action surge imho!

 

[BookBarbarian]

In my humble opinion, the reason for an unarmored barbarian is quite simple. When I think of a barbarian, immediately my mind pictures Conan the Barbarian. I want my Barbarian to be like him and he rarely wore any armor at all. Just a thought, but some of us like "flavor" more than #'s and we want to be the "bad-ass" barbarian from the story....

Welcome to the forums. Please note that this thread has not been posted in for just shy of three years. So you may not get a fresh response to the post you quoted.

Now on to Conan. In almost every Conan story by Robert E. Howard Conan wears armor. Typically leather and chain. So the OG Conan is not a great model for the unarmored barbarian. Of course that all changed with Zapetta artwork, the Dark Horse comics and of course Arnold.

I like Unarmored Defense in 5e. It's viable if you build for it, but doesn't outstrip other styles. Some Barbs are going to want it. Some Barbs would rather wear medium Armour.

 

[Yunru]

The Barbarian is actually a V-dual attribute class.
You can play it either Strength or Dexterity focused.

A Dex-Based Barbarian is tanky, even without rages but especially with, and perfectly capable of operating at range with any weapon.
That's why Unarmored Defense is what it is.