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Weathercock's Better Berserker Barbarian
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<blockquote data-quote="Weathercock" data-source="post: 6754996" data-attributes="member: 6802523"><p>Are you factoring in abilities like <em>Action Surge</em> and archetype specific abilities? If so, the Fighter who can manage to net himself advantage in key opportunities is capable of doing far more damage than a comparably built Barbarian in all but the most extended of encounters (without factoring the Fighter's capacity to utilize their own reaction, which would send them through the roof).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Do note that <em>Retaliate</em> has an activation requirement of suffering damage from a creature in range, in addition to using up the reaction. Fighter (and Barbarian as well, lowering the value of Retaliation) can also easily gain access to the reliable use of a reaction attack through feats like <em>Sentinal</em>, <em>Mage Slayer</em>, and <em>Polearm Mastery</em> feats without necessitating the loss of HP, and usually being more versatile in their utilization. For the sake of comparison, at level 20 a Fighter should have no trouble getting 6 (5 at 11) attacks a turn without using <em>Action Surge </em>or <em>Haste</em>.</p><p></p><p>While <em>Retaliate</em> may be a combat ability, so was the old <em>Intimidating Presence.</em> And moving <em>Retaliate</em> to level 10, despite being a signature combat ability, was done because I feel it creates a much more sensible progression in combat capabilities. Frenzy without exhaustion is simply too much raw power, regardless of its actual overall value, to balance at level 3, and still straddles that point from 6 on (and besides, Mindless Rage is actually in a really good spot, it doesn't need to move), up until higher levels. Giving it before level 11 would be far too much. And since Retaliation itself is only about on par with the minor points of some other feats (indeed, many Berserkers might still have interest in taking the above mentioned OoA feats), putting it at level 10 is the safest option for the ability.</p><p></p><p>While Wizards themselves does state that caution should be taken when giving combat abilities to the Barbarian archetypes at level 10, they don't even follow their own advice with their Berserker or Battlerager archetypes anyway. That said, I would not be adverse to giving my Better Berserker something more fluff oriented in addition at level 10 (and for this, I'm completely open for suggestions), I just don't see a problem with <em>Retaliation</em> itself where I have it.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>If you already have advantage, which I maintain is not particularly difficult to get in 5e as a melee fighter, especially if you're using the expanded combat rules from the DMG, <em>Reckless Attack</em> typically becomes redundant, only serving to increase the damage you take. Having it act as a requirement for use fits with the "all in" concept of the Berserker, giving players a reason to consider the use of the ability even in situations where it would normally present exclusively downsides. And while resistance definitely does help in this situation, it's mostly there to balance the fact that a Barbarian is going to be giving advantage to his enemies most of the time anyway.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Weathercock, post: 6754996, member: 6802523"] Are you factoring in abilities like [I]Action Surge[/I] and archetype specific abilities? If so, the Fighter who can manage to net himself advantage in key opportunities is capable of doing far more damage than a comparably built Barbarian in all but the most extended of encounters (without factoring the Fighter's capacity to utilize their own reaction, which would send them through the roof). Do note that [I]Retaliate[/I] has an activation requirement of suffering damage from a creature in range, in addition to using up the reaction. Fighter (and Barbarian as well, lowering the value of Retaliation) can also easily gain access to the reliable use of a reaction attack through feats like [I]Sentinal[/I], [I]Mage Slayer[/I], and [I]Polearm Mastery[/I] feats without necessitating the loss of HP, and usually being more versatile in their utilization. For the sake of comparison, at level 20 a Fighter should have no trouble getting 6 (5 at 11) attacks a turn without using [I]Action Surge [/I]or [I]Haste[/I]. While [I]Retaliate[/I] may be a combat ability, so was the old [I]Intimidating Presence.[/I] And moving [I]Retaliate[/I] to level 10, despite being a signature combat ability, was done because I feel it creates a much more sensible progression in combat capabilities. Frenzy without exhaustion is simply too much raw power, regardless of its actual overall value, to balance at level 3, and still straddles that point from 6 on (and besides, Mindless Rage is actually in a really good spot, it doesn't need to move), up until higher levels. Giving it before level 11 would be far too much. And since Retaliation itself is only about on par with the minor points of some other feats (indeed, many Berserkers might still have interest in taking the above mentioned OoA feats), putting it at level 10 is the safest option for the ability. While Wizards themselves does state that caution should be taken when giving combat abilities to the Barbarian archetypes at level 10, they don't even follow their own advice with their Berserker or Battlerager archetypes anyway. That said, I would not be adverse to giving my Better Berserker something more fluff oriented in addition at level 10 (and for this, I'm completely open for suggestions), I just don't see a problem with [I]Retaliation[/I] itself where I have it. If you already have advantage, which I maintain is not particularly difficult to get in 5e as a melee fighter, especially if you're using the expanded combat rules from the DMG, [I]Reckless Attack[/I] typically becomes redundant, only serving to increase the damage you take. Having it act as a requirement for use fits with the "all in" concept of the Berserker, giving players a reason to consider the use of the ability even in situations where it would normally present exclusively downsides. And while resistance definitely does help in this situation, it's mostly there to balance the fact that a Barbarian is going to be giving advantage to his enemies most of the time anyway. [/QUOTE]
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