Totem Barbarian Variant

[el-remmen]

I just discovered the animal totem variant barbarian classes and immediately loved the idea because many of the barbarian tribes in Aquerra worship one of the Beast Gods. However, the trade-offs don't seem anywhere even close to being even. . . It seems like a lot is lost for little gain. . .

Am I missing something here? Is there some reasoning I am not seeing?

For example:

Eagle Totem Class Features

A barbarian dedicated to the eagle totem does not gain the standard fast movement and trap sense barbarian class features, and instead gains the following abilities.
* At 1st level, an eagle-totem barbarian's keen vision grants him a +2 bonus on Spot checks.
* An eagle-totem barbarian gains Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat at 3rd level.

Do those abilities gained really seem an equal trade for losing fast movement and trap sense? I don't think so. . .

Other opinions? Anybody use these in play?

 

[Endur]

The variant animal totem barbarians are slightly weaker than the normal barbarian (the Jaguar barbarian).

However, the tradeoff is flexibility. I can have the Barbarian I want instead of the standard PHB barbarian.

I might, for instance, greatly prefer the Bear, Boar, or Dragon totem barbarian over the standard barbarian.

The Eagle barbarian, which you quote, is probably the weakest of the ten variants.

 

[JustKim]

It was an idea I played around with some. My take on it was to replace or seriously boost their abilities. Some inspiration:

• Eberron Shifters and their various options
• The animal shen PrC from Dragon 319
• The animal lord PrC from Complete Adventurer

I didn't think about it for too long, and I don't think I saved any of what I'd come up with.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Sounds good to me.

Fast movement => A bonus feat
Trap sense => +2 to one skill check

....yeah, you could beef it up without much of a problem, they probably erred on the side of caution, but they're close.

Partially, the totem variants favor specialization. The eagle, for instance, would make a rogue/barbarian a superb combo (or any other high-ref class with Spot on the skill list). But if your players aren't milking every +2 out of their characters, bumping these options up wouldn't be a bad thing. For the eagle, for instance, I might give them a +2 bonus to Jump checks, and give them some minor Slow Fall ability, maybe?

 

[Aries_Omega]

I actually change what kind of rage they do such as certain totems I see them, not raging but doing a "whirling frenzy" per UA rage variant. Eagle is one totem I say that instead of rage the frenzy. Try that...I think it makes more sense.

 

[Fishbone]

The ape totem isn't bad. Intimidate bonus, Power attack(A feat that almost all barbarians take, this might as well be a free feat) and climb at 30 feet instead of fast movement, trapsense, and uncanny dodge. That doesn't seem so bad.
A grappling Barbarian would almost certainly want to take the Bear totem.
Toughness, Improved Grapple, Great Fortitude, and a +4 bonus on grapples when raging is great.
The boar totem is nice, too, Diehard, 2 extra rounds of raging, and an extra point of DR/- at 3 levels earlier. So far they all seem balanced against the jaguar totem to me and better for certain builds.
Edit: The serpent one seems great, fortitude bonus against poison along with Improved Grapple and Improved Initiative and a skill boost. Flavorful and balanced.

 

[Darklone]

IMHO the dragon totem is a good deal stronger than the normal barbarian. CHA may be weak... but not for all barbarians. And Blind-Fight is not bad either. Bonus vs paralysis... my players would kill for that one.