D&D 5E Requesting help building a barbarian

[ersatzphil]

Races: Warforged, Beasthide Shifter.

Feat: defensive duellist (if you are using a shield no reason not to use a rapier).

I’m currently playing a shifter path of the beast barbarian. He… hits pretty dang hard, even if it is a very bonus-action-heavy character.

 

[Stoutstien]

Wild Surge really needs damage scaling to stay relevant at higher levels.
Even just adding an extra die to all the damage effects at Level 10 would help immensely.

It could definitely use some scaling but that's barbarian problem in a nutshell. Even zealots extra damage starts falling off around that point.

Your average challenge starts to have more targets and weapon attacks volume has capped out or you are seeing CRs with both higher HP and secondary mitigation features where the barbarian's steady output isn't as effective in the system meta of rocket tagging foes.

 

[MichaelSomething]

I suggest listening to Rage Against the Machine to get into the proper mindset.

 

[ElterAgo]

...
Alternatively, ignore AC and pump up other defences instead.

What other defenses do you have in mind?

 

[ElterAgo]

Do something different than a brute. A barbarian does not have to be a Conan clone. Be sensitive. Be wise. Be unique.

Don't worry, I have some ideas to make the personality unique. Some of those ideas will depend at least partly on which build I choose.

 

[ElterAgo]

I do like the idea of the barbarian / swashbuckler. But I was wanting something completely different than my current rogue. So, I will probably save that idea for later. I will think about it though.

 

[Clint_L]

"Big-Stick-Smash-Brutus" seems like a silly name to me, like a meme that is amusing at first but then is going to turn your character into a meme character and make it hard to take seriously. That's why one of my rules at session 0 is "no meme names" - I find they set a tone for the campaign that contributes to treating everything like a joke, which then makes me not want to DM.

But if you are going to go with that name, you kind of have to go berserker because he sounds dumb as a stump. Certainly not Ancestral Guardians or Zealot, which both imply strong belief systems. Maybe Wild Magic, I guess. My concern is that you haven't really given us much to go on for this guy's character, so it's kind of hard to offer any suggestions. What does this guy really want - why is he out there being an adventurer? What's his background?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

What other defenses do you have in mind?

Damage resistance + HP mostly. But Uncanny Dodge is good on a rogue multiclass.

The point is, as alluded to elsewhere in this thread, the damage output of barbarians tends to be poor, especially at higher levels. I have noticed them falling well behind fighters when the fighter gets their second extra attack. And using a shield makes it worse (Path of the Beast can work round this). What barbarians can do well is act as a meat shield, but not if the enemy can simply ignore the low-threat hard-to-hit target.

 

[ElterAgo]

"Big-Stick-Smash-Brutus" seems like a silly name to me, like a meme that is amusing at first but then is going to turn your character into a meme character and make it hard to take seriously. That's why one of my rules at session 0 is "no meme names" - I find they set a tone for the campaign that contributes to treating everything like a joke, which then makes me not want to DM.
...

Our group does have a tendency to run fairly close to meme characters. However, no that won't actually be the characters name. Not sure on name yet. Dumping int, but wisdom will probably be 12. Will be afraid of spiders and hate/distrust people of X race (X is not yet defined). Trying to become (in)famous and powerful enough to take the chieftain's torq when he goes back home. (That is his goal, even though he would be a terrible chieftain.) Some of personality will be set depending upon what build choices are made.

 

[Unicorn Heart]

If you get Wisdom up to 13 either at chargen or level 4 stat increase, you could multiclass into Ranger. Tricky to play because you would have to decide when to cast spells and when to rage but it could work somewhat. Many Ranger spells don't need high Wisdom (Hunter's mark, Zephyr Strike, etc) and you are proficient in Con saves and have a high Con. Not optimal by any means, but could be fun (and challenging) Rangers also get a fighting style, and if you use Tasha's, one skill expertise (Athletics) of course.