Would a Barbarian/Knight hybrid be too contradictory?

Dandu · Apr 7, 2016

You mean Warrior with bonus feats?

Rottle · Apr 7, 2016

I still think Ranger does a better job of hybridising those two classes. Remember 1ed, Rangers wear all armor types and wield all types of weapons. They can certainly use a lance if they like.

Green1 · Apr 7, 2016

The purists can argue compatibility or not. 3e folks can talk broken builds and alignment restrictions.

I call too much anal retentiveness.

Is it fun? Is it a cool backstory? Is the player having fun?

Let's say Hrothgar the Barbarian washes up from a wreckage of his Viking longship. By a twist of fate, a local Lord - a pious man and worshipper of a Lawful Good god finds him on shore and nurses him back to health. Hrothgar is thankful for the aid and begins hanging around the Lord's paladin order and eventually accepts the Lord's faith. While he never got used to heavy armor, his primitive 2 handed axe fighting berserker fighting style combined with the direction of the light made him a fearsome bastion of good and order. Able to shrug off injuries and smite those who would undermine the powers of mercy using unorthodox tactics alien to the average knight.

Why not?

Dandu · Apr 7, 2016

This isn't 'Nam, there are rules!

Tuzenbach · Apr 7, 2016

Green1 said:
The purists can argue compatibility or not. 3e folks can talk broken builds and alignment restrictions.

I call too much anal retentiveness.

Is it fun? Is it a cool backstory? Is the player having fun?

Let's say Hrothgar the Barbarian washes up from a wreckage of his Viking longship. By a twist of fate, a local Lord - a pious man and worshipper of a Lawful Good god finds him on shore and nurses him back to health. Hrothgar is thankful for the aid and begins hanging around the Lord's paladin order and eventually accepts the Lord's faith. While he never got used to heavy armor, his primitive 2 handed axe fighting berserker fighting style combined with the direction of the light made him a fearsome bastion of good and order. Able to shrug off injuries and smite those who would undermine the powers of mercy using unorthodox tactics alien to the average knight.

Why not?

I'm liking your philosophical outlook!

Green1 · Apr 7, 2016

Dandu said:
This isn't 'Nam, there are rules!

True.

But rules are just a framework. Rules are you roll a D20 and add a number to determine success and failure. Rules are you gain advantage for flanking. Rules are you need expensive material components for some spells.

But, if a great player had his heart set on an awesome backstory would you break his motivation and possibly turn him away because of an outdated mechanic that does nothing to improve experience?

Plus, unless you are giving this thing monster HD and abilities (3e,5e) is a multiclass Pally/Barb really a I WIN button at level appropriate encounters?

Tuzenbach · Apr 7, 2016

ccs said:
What you're looking for is called a.... Fighter!

[video=youtube;M5QGkOGZubQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5QGkOGZubQ&nohtml5=False[/video]

Tuzenbach · Apr 7, 2016

Green1 said:
True.

But rules are just a framework. Rules are you roll a D20 and add a number to determine success and failure. Rules are you gain advantage for flanking. Rules are you need expensive material components for some spells.

But, if a great player had his heart set on an awesome backstory would you break his motivation and possibly turn him away because of an outdated mechanic that does nothing to improve experience?

Plus, unless you are giving this thing monster HD and abilities (3e,5e) is a multiclass Pally/Barb really a I WIN button at level appropriate encounters?

Regarding rules, I stopped "rolling" for my ability scores about 20 years ago. Since the mid-90's, I merely "decide" which ability scores I want based upon my end concept. LoL, I have a lot of characters who are either really strong but entirely unwise or stupid, or super-genius magic-user types with a 5 strength.

Neonchameleon · Apr 7, 2016

You've seen/read/at least know of Game of Thrones? And the Nights Watch? The military order of defenders on the frontier that can be seen as knights - but to protect from the barbarians they are supposed to they need to get on with the local barbarians and move in their territory regularly?

That sort of order is going to be a hybrid of knight and barbarian.

Tuzenbach · Apr 7, 2016

Neonchameleon said:
You've seen/read/at least know of Game of Thrones? And the Nights Watch? The military order of defenders on the frontier that can be seen as knights....

Personally, I see the "Nights Watch" as either Rangers or Psuedo-Rangers. There are plenty of Night's Watch people who don't possess the necessary courage to be true Rangers. That guy who Jon Snow beheaded was a perfect example. Just a cowardly "Fighter", if Fighter is even the appropriate word.