D&D 5E Ultimate Barbarian....should I multiclass?

[FormerlyHemlock]

Where does barbarian get +2 to attacks?

At 20th level he gets +4 to Str and Con, which for Str-based Barbarians means +2 to attacks/damage as well as +2 AC and +40 HP. It's not a bad capstone. The main question is really whether you will ever make it to 20, and if so, how many 20th-level adventures your DM will run before ending the campaign.

 

[daddystabz]

At 20th level he gets +4 to Str and Con, which for Str-based Barbarians means +2 to attacks/damage as well as +2 AC and +40 HP. It's not a bad capstone. The main question is really whether you will ever make it to 20, and if so, how many 20th-level adventures your DM will run before ending the campaign.

What if you are already 20 Str before this? 20 is the cap.

 

[famousringo]

What if you are already 20 Str before this? 20 is the cap.

That's the thing. Barbarian capstone explicitly breaks the cap. For them, the str and con cap is 24.

*Edit* Derp. I know better than that. Brain must be starting the weekend early. Thanks emdw45.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

That's the thing. Barbarian capstone explicitly breaks the cap. For them, the str and dex cap is 24.

Nitpick: it's Str and Con, not Str and Dex. But yes.

 

[Herobizkit]

Druid 2. Then grapple like mad, as a raging bear!

Yup, and then go a little extra to 'spec' in shifting so you can change into all sorts of delicious animals, all of which give your more HP and durability. Getting killed in animal form returns you to your original HP total before you changed and you're still rarin' to go.

 

[Kikuras]

I've struggled with this very question, as I too have a human barbarian. So far I believe I plan on an 11-level dip into fighter (which I know would technically make the character a fighter). The level-20 barbarian stat boost is awesome, but I'd trade it in a heartbeat for a third attack. Not to mention the few extra feats, and the class abilities that are so very synergastic.

 

[kerbarian]

I agree -- if I were to build my ideal "barbarian" for high levels, it would probably include barbarian 7 and fighter 11.

However, for the same total number of levels you could have barbarian 14 and fighter 4, and Retaliation from Path of the Berserker may be almost as good as a third attack. Mostly I think it would be more fun on the way there. There's a lot of flavorful stuff in the barbarian class, while fighter doesn't offer much I find interesting between levels 3 and 11 (assuming you already have Extra Attack from barbarian).

 

[Kikuras]

However, for the same total number of levels you could have barbarian 14 and fighter 4, and Retaliation from Path of the Berserker may be almost as good as a third attack.

This is true, especially when you know you're going to get hit because of Reckless Attack. Still, a proper third attack allows movement as part of the action, and leaves open the rare, but possible reaction attack, which can be more common if teamed with Polearm Master, which gives the barbarian that much more damage potential.

With the path of the berserker, I soured on the concept of Frenzy.

 

[Quartz]

Something you might want to discuss with your GM is 1e-style dual-classing. That is, you stop being your first class - and cannot go back to it - and restart as another class. You just keep your HP in 1e; in 5E you might also keep the proficiency bonus. Then, when your level in your new class exceeds the level of your old class, you get all the benefits of the old class. You wouldn't be able to take the Level 4 / 8 / 12 / etc stat bumps / feats twice, of course! Thematically a Barb 5 + Fighter X would fit well as the barbarian deciding to become a more disciplined warrior.

 

[Minsc]

I think 3 levels of fighter is worth it, unless you know the game is going to 20.

Fighting style, action surge, and either extra AC (shield spell from Eldritch knight), more criticals (champion), or extra burst damage (battle master) is worth it.