D&D 5E Party Optimization

[Flamestrike]

Barbarian is a bit of an exception there because they really don't have any worthwhile class features after they get Extra Attack at level 5.

Brutal critical, attacking as a reaction [frenzy path], extra rages and the ability to stay in a rage [to the point your perma-raging] and one of the better capstones in the game.

An 'iconic' GWM half orc Frenzy Barbarian 20 with GWM attacks 4 times per round [3 times on his turn and then once on yours] at +8 [with advantage] dealing 1d12+21 damage on a hit - with a roughly 10 percent chance per swing of auto hitting and adding +5d12 to the damage. His Con and Str are both 24 giving him around 270 hit points with resistance against most damage [and at least 24 on any athletics check he makes, if he cant roll better at +13 with advantage).

Barbarians are crazy deadly in 5E.

 

[Herobizkit]

Two rogues, cleric, sorcerer? Might as well ValorBard (or Dwarf Lore Bard, since one dwarf type gets Med armor and some decent weapon proficiencies for free).

 

[Noctem]

Brutal critical, attacking as a reaction [frenzy path], extra rages and the ability to stay in a rage [to the point your perma-raging] and one of the better capstones in the game.

An 'iconic' GWM half orc Frenzy Barbarian 20 with GWM attacks 4 times per round [3 times on his turn and then once on yours] at +8 [with advantage] dealing 1d12+21 damage on a hit - with a roughly 10 percent chance per swing of auto hitting and adding +5d12 to the damage. His Con and Str are both 24 giving him around 270 hit points with resistance against most damage [and at least 24 on any athletics check he makes, if he cant roll better at +13 with advantage).

Barbarians are crazy deadly in 5E.

You should look and see what the fighter can do at the same level range @_@ And it's actually good at all levels.

 

[Flamestrike]

You should look and see what the fighter can do at the same level range @_@ And it's actually good at all levels.

I'm not dissing fighters at all man.

I'm very happy with the 5e fighter.

 

[Noctem]

I'm not dissing fighters at all man.

I'm very happy with the 5e fighter.

Fair enough

 

[FrogReaver]

You should look and see what the fighter can do at the same level range @_@ And it's actually good at all levels.

If I remember right, a barbarian polearm master, great weapon master was one of the most impressive damage dealers i've seen. It's been a while since I've done the calculations though.

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

One of my favorite concept builds that actually fares out pretty well in tanking and support is a VHuman (Polearm Master) Nature Cleric 1/Hunter Ranger (Colossus Slayer) 5/Cleric 15. Assuming point buy, post-racial stats would be as follows:

Str 10 Dex 14 Con 16 Int 8 Wis 16 Cha 8

Battle strategy is simple, Shillelagh + Hunter's Mark + Polearm Master = up to 3 whacks with a Wis-based whupping stick. For the support side, convert unused spell slots to Goodberries before taking a long rest and give each PC a share of them. If one of the Rogues is a Thief, then Fast Hands allows them to be used as a bonus action in combat. Keep Healing Word prepared for in-combat heals.

Since it's a medium armor build, it can still partake in any stealth activities.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

But now you are not leveling as a barbarian. You are leaving as a warlock and tacking on 3 levels of barbarian at the end. I like the combo but don't act like its a replacement for starting as barbarian.

Well, sort of. You're tacking on one or more levels of Barbarian at the beginning, and then getting everything important that the Barbarian gets, except that you're more MAD.

Barbarians are extremely front-loaded.

@Flamestrike, getting 4d12 on a crit is basically like +1 to +2 to damage (depending on how often you hit). A Warbearian, if he can solve the MAD issue, will attack three to four times per round for 1d10(or 1d4)+22 per hit, hitting at +6 with advantage. Possibly with +d6 from Hex if he doesn't have something better to spend his concentration on (like Rage or Darkness). He'll have three rages a day. So 17 levels of Barbarian gets you a slightly bigger damage die (d12 instead of d10/d4) and +2 to hit, -1 to damage, 68ish more HP, and unlimited rages per day instead of three.

In contrast, the warbearian gets a bunch of temp HP (assuming Fiendlock, which is totally thematic BTW for a crazy warbearian berserkoid), Armor of Agathys, Hurl Through Hell, a bunch of invocations, and 9th level spells. HtH alone will make up for the lower to-hit bonus.

I know which of those two sets of options excites me more. And I don't even like warlocks!

If I remember right, a barbarian polearm master, great weapon master was one of the most impressive damage dealers i've seen. It's been a while since I've done the calculations though.

Ironically, a warbearian has almost exactly the same damage output, to within 20% or so.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[TwoSix]

But at some point in naming this crazy multi-class combos, we're going to start venturing into silly dog naming area.

Wolamute?
Wizlock?
Cock-A-Mo?
Bardbarian?
Basston?
Monklock?
Poogle?
Druiderer?

Where does the madness stop?

I'm pretty sure at least 3 of those are Pokemon names.

Warbarian, I choose you!