D&D 5E [Guide] How to Win Fights and Intimidate People (Another Barbarian Primer)

[Frankie1969]

Could someone add this to the list of guides wiki post?
I've tried multiple times but it doesn't work for me.

 

[ppaladin123]

Something weird going on. I added it...it shows up if you try to edit the post (you'll see it is there in the bullet-ed list) but it doesn't show up on the page otherwise. I looked at the html and there isn't anything obviously wrong there. Maybe @Morrus or [MENTION=6780961]Yunru[/MENTION] can help?

 

[gekkevis dehond]

You made a small mistake in the splatbook races section. You say that tabaxi get a dex/wis increase but they get a dex/cha increase instead

 

[The Yellow Sign]

I think it's worth noting that the Tiger totem level 14 ability plays very nicely with polearms: just charge in, make a bonus action attack, and move back without provoking OA's to repeat on your next turn. If you have polearm master, they will likely draw a reaction attack when they pursue you.

 

[Frankie1969]

Now that some time has passed, I'd appreciate hearing people's experiences with the newer Path options. I haven't seen any of them in actual play yet myself.

Also, finally added the rest of the MtG PDF races.

 

[FieserMoep]

Imho I think it may be a bit to much overlapping with the Polearm Feat for you "waste" one of the bonus attacks.
I would suggest mobile instead. The additional speed works as an enabler that may even let us go through some difficult terrain easier and generally stacks nice with our speed while we get a hard AOO counter, no questions asked. If already next to the target you would attack with your multi attack once, move the 20 back without triggering an AOO and 20 forward again, attack with your second attack and then qualify for your bonus attack.

 

[BurgerKingMan]

I think you forgot to add the Viashino. The Str + Dex boost is nice and the reaction tail attack is another proc of rage damage.

 

[Frankie1969]

Moved Eberron & Ravnica into splatbook races.
Would still appreciate feedback about the newer races & subclasses, which I haven't seen in actual play.

 

[El_Jairo24]

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Class Features:

Rage: The defining Barbarian feature that other melee classes can't match. The damage bonus is okay, but the real benefit is resistance to physical damage types (including non-weapon damage). Laugh while trading hits with bad guys. Last, advantage on Strength checks & saves can be helpful, particularly with shoving or grappling. However, Rage has drawbacks:

1. It only lasts 1 minute, and you only regain uses of Rage after a long rest. Don't waste a rage at the wrong time, especially at low level.
2. Until level 15, Rage ends if you spend a single turn without attacking or taking damage, so pay attention to battlefield position. Have a throwable weapon handy for times when the next foe is more than a move away; hit or miss, it'll keep the adrenaline flowing.
3. Damage bonus is only for Str-based melee attacks, not ranged attacks or finesse.
4. No heavy armor.
5. No spellcasting, or concentration on spells already cast.

I have some rectifications for you: point 3: finesse weapons can be used by either strength or dexterity, so you can apply Rage bonus damage, unless you want to attack with Dexterity, which isn't a thing for Barbarians.

Shield Master Feature allows you to make a bonus action Shove action after you attack action, not before. That would be very nice for a feature to give you all these benefits, AND give you the chance to gain advantage on your attacks in melee, with no real cost?

In the features, I would value Lucky higher than Resilient, because it is more flexible. Sure Wisdom and Dexterity are really useful yet how many times will such a save come up? Sure in certain scenario's you'll have to make multiple saving throws. So I personally see lucky as a way to mitigate some weaknesses: it can cover for all saving throws or force a single attack roll on your opponent, when he has advantage against you.

I believe that you value the Ancestral Guardian Subclass a little too low. Sure the Ancestral Protectors are somewhat limiting, because you need to hit, I do agree that making it "all creatures you hit" would seem more interesting. If you would allow it to proc on any first attack, this would lead to an easy exploit: just toss a javelin towards and enemy engaged with other party members: now it attacks at disadvantage. When you need to hit something, this means that you need to invest some resources.

Yet Spirit Shield should be blue because you typically don't have a reliable reaction, preventing damage from more squishy allies is far better than healing it up. And this ability scales from 2d6 @6th, 3d6 @10th and 4d6 @14th level at which point you return the damage soaked.

Also the Path of the Berserker isn't as bad as you portray it. It's solid, just not as flashy as the other path may appear. With Frenzy you posses the ability to Nova during one combat encounter per day. Until someone can cast greater restoration on you. Which isn't bad, sure it's not something that you'll use each rage, yet it is far more powerful than other options. This should be black.
Retaliation is as good as it gets and as you point out complements Sentinel very good: it creates a catch 22. Mindless Rages yet again, isn't that flashy but is very crucial because it cover the glaring weakness of a Barbarian: it's Wisdom Save. I do agree that Berserker could be a little more rounded out with some more fluffy features, now it's just a more angry version of Barbarian.

 

[Frankie1969]

I have some rectifications for you: point 3: finesse weapons can be used by either strength or dexterity, so you can apply Rage bonus damage,

I meant "you can't use the Finesse property and choose Dex", but I'll clarify the wording.

Shield Master Feature allows you to make a bonus action Shove action after you attack action, not before.

Right, the ruling was reversed. I'll update that.

In the features, I would value Lucky higher than Resilient, because it is more flexible. Sure Wisdom and Dexterity are really useful yet how many times will such a save come up?

You're probably right.

I believe that you value the Ancestral Guardian Subclass a little too low.

Unfortunately I still haven't seen Ancestral Guardian at the table yet. Does Spirit Shield help enough to matter, or does it just leave your party with a few more unused Hit Dice at the end of the day?

Also the Path of the Berserker isn't as bad as you portray it. It's solid, just not as flashy as the other path may appear. With Frenzy you posses the ability to Nova during one combat encounter per day.

This one I have to disagree. Frenzy barely exceeds Zealot's standard damage, and if you need it early on then you're nearly useless for non-combat encounters (skill checks) the rest of the day.