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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GM Dave" data-source="post: 5897549" data-attributes="member: 6687992">I was thinking on the Barbarian Class the other day.1>  If the primitive schtick is going to become a background then that takes a chunk out of the Barbarian class.2>  If the Fighter is the Best Fighter with all weapons then the Barbarian can not be a specialist type of fighter.3>  If the Fighter is the Toughest then the Barbarian can not be the juggernaut that shrugs off wounds that would leave other opponents dead (personally, I think the fighter should leave this schtick for the Barbarian as it has always been the Barbarian's thing to have d12 hit points and gain things like Damage Reduction because they gave up heavy armour).4>  This leaves the Barbarian with Raging and Charging.  This is more of a Berserker than a Barbarian (as other posters have noted and does harken back to the roots of DnD).  Charging is a loaded gift to the Barbarian as it takes a possible schtick away from the Paladin to represent how they are good on mounts and off of mounts at the fore front of a battle.Still, Raging while possible to define a class (4e built many attacks with potential follow up attacks triggered by things like criticals and a spike damage mechanic when the Barbarian was 'in a rage').  It seems to be a bit of a thin thing.5>  This led me to think back to 3e and the Power Attack feat.  As a feat it was too dominant.  It was almost a requirement in any melee feat progression to bump up your damage to keep pace with casters (there are some melee progression feat progressions without it but those are based on 'tricks' and specific sets of feat choices).  4e kept the term Power Attack but it was radically reduced in value.I think this trade of damage for chance to hit would fit best the Barbarian/Berserker mindset.  It gives them a second schtik to build the class on as a constant bonus that they can choose to employ.The fighter is the best in melee but the Barbarian/Berserker is the crazy warrior that is 'all in' with attacks.</blockquote>

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