shadowoflameth
Adventurer
Going to be doing a human barbarian soon. How have people found them in play? I'm leaning to the berserker specialty at 3rd, but some of the totem abilities look fun and you don't have to have just one animal. Thoughts?
D&D 5E Barbarian
- Thread starter shadowoflameth
- Start date
The campaign unfortunately died off after a handful of sessions, but I had an absolute blast playing a human barbarian with Shield Master as his bonus feat. Advantage on my bonus action shove when raging, then (hopefully) advantage on my attack roll to hit them while they're prone. I was the party tank despite wearing no armor and was looking at taking bear totem for extra tankiness at 3rd level.
L
lowkey13
Guest
*Deleted by user*
Sacrosanct
Legend
In our main campaign, one of the players is playing a dragonborn barbarian berserker and she loves it. The most tanky of the group, and the go to person whenever you need a vampire flung off a tower roof.
The Grassy Gnoll
Explorer
Great so far (dragonbarian), but really the totem path thing hasn't come up in play as yet.
CapnZapp
Legend
The Barbarian class offers two amazing abilities:
1) Damage Resistance from raging
2) Reckless Attack
Reckless Attack might sound like risky business, but it's half as risky when you have effectively DOUBLE the hit points of anybody else. Not to mention to how any healing you get is DOUBLE the healing of anyone else...
Besides, in combination with Greatweapon Master (so you're oneshotting most common lowlevel humanoids) you can sometimes slay all your foes (up to three, counting the Cleave) before they get to attack back (which means there is no downside)...
Utterly amazing.
Per the rules as written, Berserker is a trap option however. You never want Exhaustion, full stop.
Go bear totem all the way!
1) Damage Resistance from raging
2) Reckless Attack
Reckless Attack might sound like risky business, but it's half as risky when you have effectively DOUBLE the hit points of anybody else. Not to mention to how any healing you get is DOUBLE the healing of anyone else...
Besides, in combination with Greatweapon Master (so you're oneshotting most common lowlevel humanoids) you can sometimes slay all your foes (up to three, counting the Cleave) before they get to attack back (which means there is no downside)...
Utterly amazing.
Per the rules as written, Berserker is a trap option however. You never want Exhaustion, full stop.
Go bear totem all the way!
I'm playing a Dwarven Barbarian in one of my games. 4th level now...went berserker.
As CapnZapp mentioned...DR from rage + Reckless Attack = all kinds of win. Add on top of the Great Weapon Master, and it gets even better (kill or crit? Why thank you...I get a free attack now!). Add in the -5/+10 for the attack/damage with reckless attack, and you are dealing all kinds of nasty damage.
Frenzy is a problem, but it isn't as bad as you think if you manage it carefully. I *never* frenzy more than 3 times in an adventuring day. But if you need that extra hit against a big bad, it is extremely useful.
[SBLOCK] As a point of reference...we are playing HotDQ. Near the beginning, in the cave with the dragon eggs, you have a chance to meet a roper. I pulled my character in, so I went full ragey and started doing reckless attacks. I single handedly took out the roper in 3 rounds, frenzying each time...I was exhausted, but it was the last encounter in the caves, so it was worth it. [/SBLOCK]
As CapnZapp mentioned...DR from rage + Reckless Attack = all kinds of win. Add on top of the Great Weapon Master, and it gets even better (kill or crit? Why thank you...I get a free attack now!). Add in the -5/+10 for the attack/damage with reckless attack, and you are dealing all kinds of nasty damage.
Frenzy is a problem, but it isn't as bad as you think if you manage it carefully. I *never* frenzy more than 3 times in an adventuring day. But if you need that extra hit against a big bad, it is extremely useful.
[SBLOCK] As a point of reference...we are playing HotDQ. Near the beginning, in the cave with the dragon eggs, you have a chance to meet a roper. I pulled my character in, so I went full ragey and started doing reckless attacks. I single handedly took out the roper in 3 rounds, frenzying each time...I was exhausted, but it was the last encounter in the caves, so it was worth it. [/SBLOCK]
GlassJaw
Hero
Love the barbarian class in 5E. I'm playing a halfling barbarian that fights with no armor and a spear & shield. Started with a 16 Dex and 14 Con so AC was 17 at 1st level. Shield Master feat + rage is awesome, and with Bear path, you can soak a ton of damage.
Don't discount even a little bit of extra AC. A few less hits plus resistance makes you an awesome tank. Halfling is really nice because you also get advantage on fear and poison AND have Luck so you have a lot of staying power. Just watch out for Hold Person and Suggestion!
Don't discount even a little bit of extra AC. A few less hits plus resistance makes you an awesome tank. Halfling is really nice because you also get advantage on fear and poison AND have Luck so you have a lot of staying power. Just watch out for Hold Person and Suggestion!
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