Need an interesting barbarian idea

[Gnome]

I'm likely to be playing in a new hopefully long-term campaign based in Eberron soon, and I was thinking of trying out a barbarian, since I've never played one before (in any edition). The problem is, I can't think of an interesting concept for such a character. The mental image that comes to mind when I think of the class doesn't appeal much to me.

Anyway, I just wanted to mine all the creative minds here, and see if anyone can help me break my mental block about the class, and come up with something truly interesting. Interesting can be as simple as an unusual non-cliche background, a way to make an unusual race work with this class reasonably well, or a progression that you wouldn't expect from a barbarian.

I don't mind mixing with other classes, so long as at least half the levels are barbarian, and that the character is still a front-line fighter (which, as far as I know, no-one else wants to play at the moment).

 

[demiurge1138]

I remember seeing one concept in a Dragon magazine I thought was very clever. The character is the child of a noble family. He's been well-educated and trained in a great many sports (aristocrat might be the best for first level, then multiclass into barbarian). But he's very spoiled. And when he doesn't get his way, he goes into something of a tantrum...

Demiurge out.

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Two Words.

Trained.

Ferrets.

Go Beastmaster!!!!!!

 

[fafhrd]

An orphan tough raised in the streets of Sharn(or other metropolis). Though illiterate and unschooled, as a child he learned the lore of the streets(survival) to find a safe alley to sleep in and scavenge for food. As he got a bit older he started hitting the bottle. While intoxicated, he's a nasty drunk who grouses about his misfortunes and is likely to start fights over something as simple as looking at him the wrong way.

Goblin or hobgoblin fits nicely but the standard races work as well.

 

[Tonguez]

1. Atilla the Hun - a barbarian on horseback who fights with a mighty bow

2. Sher Bahadur - I did a Barbarian/Psychic Warrior for a Mahasarpa campaign who used keen Kukri 'tiger claws' with Barbarian speed, speed of thought and powers he had a speed of 60 so could outrun most anything but when cornered could also rage (focusing his tiger-like fury)

3. Tarzan - get the brachiation feat to allow him to swing through the trees. With high hide skill you could have a stealth killer who leaps from the trees to unleashing a can of whoopass from above!

 

[Stormborn]

Try being a barbarian from Sharn. Any race you want, although check the Sharn book as some will be more appropriate in some districts. Just say that your character grew up in Malleon's Gate, Kyber's Gate, the Sewers or a smiliar place. You grew up on the streets and had to learn to fend for yourself with just your wits and your passion to help you out. Instead of a tribe you had a gang, and you were probablly an enforcer and a bully. Maybe somewhere along the line something happened to make you want to get out, a missionary cleric or the like helped you out. You decided to leave the gangs behind and wound up with the party. You might want to multiclass with Rogue or even the Savage Bard from Unearthed Arcana to reflect your streetwise nature and (as the song goes) "know every hand out in every town and all the locks that aint locked when noones around."


EDIT: Fafhrd beat me to it!

 

[luke_twigger]

If the stereotypical barbarian doesn't appeal, maybe one of these variants might be better suited (assuming your DM permits use of non-PHB material)

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm

 

[Zappo]

Barbarian/bard. Playing heavy metal.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Halfling Barbarian from the Talenta Plains.

Complete with dinosaur mount.

You know you want it.

 

[Imperialus]

Barbarian/bard. Playing heavy metal.

in a band called GWAR