D&D 5E The Barbarian has been Nerfed YET AGAIN. Where is Thick Hide?

[Li Shenron]

The Rage bonus damage is indeed decreased a lot, but it also changed from 1/round to 1/attack, so it all depends how many attacks you managed to get in a round (including reaction attacks). It does feel overall still decreased. The good side is that it's much easier to play with a bonus to all attacks rather than 1/round.

I am not sure, but I think I've read that damage has been generally decreased a bit this time, so it's not just the Barbarian. For instance, Deadly Strike is removed from all classes.

Brutal Rage replaces Channel Fury and is better. Attack bonus is slightly decreased (at some levels only) and rages per day slightly increased (at some levels only). Other that those, Thick Hide (good) and Regenerative Rage (maybe too good) were replaced with Brutal Critical (fair), Furious Resilience (good), Simmering Rage (worthless), Mindless Rage (fair, or good for your allies) and Terrifying Rage (fair).

I wouldn't call that a nerf at all, but yes it does cause problems to the "naked barbarian" character concept. Thick Hide is such a simple special ability, that I totally expect to see it back in another barbarian path (which you'll be able to mix and match with the advanced rules).

But of course epochrpg you are also right that WotC has been monitoring you as an individual, checking your feedback and doing exactly the opposite because they don't want specifically you to have fun.

 

[n00bdragon]

I suspect that if "packet after packet has nerfed the class", it was probably because the feedback of thousands of playtesters suggested that the class needed nerfing.

If this is true I have to question where they are getting all these thousands of playtesters who are objectively wrong. A thousand people saying 2+2=5 doesn't make it so. The designers need to parse this feedback more effectively.

 

[the Jester]

If this is true I have to question where they are getting all these thousands of playtesters who are objectively wrong. A thousand people saying 2+2=5 doesn't make it so. The designers need to parse this feedback more effectively.

So you're saying that you are the only one who sees that 2 + 2 = 4?

Isn't it just as likely that these thousands of other playtesters just see it differently than you? I don't think there is an objective right and wrong here. I don't think this is a math problem (and to the extent that it is, the barbarian appears to come out way ahead; see Stalker0's post above) so much as a "Do you prefer Italian food or Chinese food" kind of problem.

Or are you saying that you automatically seeing clearly and nobody else is? When your point of view is outnumbered, isn't it worth considering that maybe, just maybe, the other point of view has something to it?

Sorry, but the idea that the playtesters whose feedback has been parsed are automatically "wrong" because they don't align with your preferences is just silly.

 

[Falling Icicle]

Am I the only one who thinks that Raging should be a Berserker-only thing? I just don't see why all barbarians have to be raving madmen in combat.

Also, instead of having rages on a times per day basis, I think it should be an encounter ability that is restored by a short rest.

 

[BASHMAN]

But of course epochrpg you are also right that WotC has been monitoring you as an individual, checking your feedback and doing exactly the opposite because they don't want specifically you to have fun.

As I suspected then...

 

[BASHMAN]

Here is what is SPECIFICALLY affecting my particular character:

-10 Ft Move Speed
-3 AC
-2 Rage Damage
-1 Feat

Benefits: Null.

 

[YRUSirius]

Why do you need benefits?

-YRUSirius

 

[BASHMAN]

Why do you need benefits?

-YRUSirius

Fairness, give-and-take, not-being-a-jerk, etc. The class has lost something in EACH AND EVERY PACK. I've been somewhat good natured about it till now, this latest pack is a bridge too far. I'm probably going to change character classes because of it.

 

[YRUSirius]

Isn't it fair to give up some features for the sake of fairness?

I mean this playtest isn't WoW. You're not competing against the players of other classes. It's not a contest about your character class staying the most OP.

-YRUSirius

 

[lkj]

For what it's worth, the barbarian in our game was roundly considered to be overpowered by everyone in the group, including the guy playing the barbarian. The running joke every time he attacked was "Hey dude, can you sense the nerf bat following you around? Cuz it's obviously coming. Holy crap."

Not that I want the class to be nerfed into oblivion. But it seemed clear to me that the barb was going to get scaled back. I wouldn't really have expected much in return. Very curious to see how he stacks up in our next session. Still looks effective to me.

AD