How to make the best barbarian?

[GoldenDwarf]

I'm in a campaign, and I'm a 6 berserker barbarian anyone has suggestions to make a better barbarian

[djreynolds]

IMHO, raise those stats and get great weapon master. Your physical attributes really help. You deal damage and take it. Get 20 in strength, now can you get 20 in dex and con? If not get what you need for medium armor. You don't need mobile or alert, but they help. So grab sentinel. Then get lucky. You could get resilient, but focus on con.

[Ralanr]

You can go unarmored without having max dex and con (though it helps). My barb has an ac of 17 from 18 Con and 16 Dex (I rolled). As long as your AC is above 15 then as a barb you should be fine in that area.

You already have con save proficiency. If you get resilient then I'd focus on wis saves.

What weapon are you using? If it's two handed then you should go for the great weapon master feat. If you're using a shield and enjoy your output, I'd recommend shield master for pseudo evasion and knocking enemies prone.

Though the most important thing is to max out your max stat, which is strength. You can get by with an 18 if you really want a feat, but stat boosts tend to be the more useful.

[PoeticDwarf]

If you want to make the best barbarian, don't multiclass (if you plan whole the way up to lv. 20) because the lv. 20 feature is just too good. If you want to be a barbarian, you have to be a barbarian.

[JAL_1138]

The best barbarian is an awakened bear who brews beer and runs a bar, who multiclassed bard and bear-totem barbarian, and who wears spiked barding.

The barbed-barded beer bar bear bard bear barbarian.

[ThermalSlapShot]

The best barbarian is an awakened bear who brews beer and runs a bar, who multiclassed bard and bear-totem barbarian, and who wears spiked barding.

The barbed-barded beer bar bear bard bear barbarian.

Throw in some Druid so he can turn into a bear, summon bears, and find a werebear to bite him.

[Easy_Lee]

Pure barbarian with the great weapon master fest is, IMO, the overall best. You can Reckless Attack and use GWM for - 5/+10 on every attack, with advantage from Reckless making it more likely than not that you will hit.

If you want a little more early game power, you can splash four levels of champion fighter after you hit barbarian 5 to 8. That makes you crit quite a bit more often, and GWF let's you turn the low damage rolls into higher ones. It works very well with a greatsword, increasing your damage by about 1.8 per attack and, more importantly, making you hit hard more consistently. But pure barbarian is best in the long run.

[ThermalSlapShot]

I feel the combo of Urchin Barbarian 14 (Totem) + Monk 6 (Shadow) doesn't get the love it should.

Use a Dex/Con/Wis combo race. Start with 14 Str (reckless attack makes it fine to be one point off). Set Con around 14. Boost Str, Dex, and Wis.

Str and Wis first and then Dex.

Hit with a weapon (if it must be Monk weapon then free drop + use item to pull out a d12 weapon for the next attack) and stun the creature for free crits.

I've seen this build work in a one off, I just need to remember how they built it...

You take Shadow Monk for the fun stuff and if you ever have no weapons... Well your Monk attacks work just fine with strength. Actually flurry rage would be hilarious.

Edited

Water Genasi Barb 14/Monk 6
Move Speed 55
Swim Speed 55
Totem Fly Speed 55
(Bonus action Dash... 110 movement + 2 attacks + stun)

Final ability scores...
Str: 18
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 8
Wis: 20
Cha: 8

AC 17
Athletics: +10
Stealth/Sleight of Hand: +8
Perception: +11

[djreynolds]

The best barbarian is an awakened bear who brews beer and runs a bar, who multiclassed bard and bear-totem barbarian, and who wears spiked barding.

The barbed-barded beer bar bear bard bear barbarian.

Ah the warrior poet. Agreed!!!! Every guy who gets sergeant has to have his "Braveheart" speech prepared. Very tanky build who can inspire as he is kicking ***.

[Mechaviking]

Ah the warrior poet. Agreed!!!! Every guy who gets sergeant has to have his "Braveheart" speech prepared. Very tanky build who can inspire as he is kicking ***.

Barbarian 5/Lore Bard 15?

[AvatarVecna]

Just wanted to point out that the monk and barbarian AC things explicitly dont stack, for that guy suggesting Kung Fu Barbie.

[Dontdestroyme]

^though a raging barbarian who can teleport definitely has something to it

[ThermalSlapShot]

Just wanted to point out that the monk and barbarian AC things explicitly dont stack, for that guy suggesting Kung Fu Barbie.

Wis (5) + Dex (2) Modifier = 17 AC, use the Monk's AC boost and not the Barbarians.

I didn't stack anything, didn't really need to.

Also just checked my book... You don't need a monk weapon to use Stunning Strike... >:D

Though I also checked and Stun doesn't grant crits... However the friendly neighborhood caster can always cast Hold Person/Monster... 8d12 + 14 damage is awesome.

Oh and yeah the Barbarian can fricken teleport 60 feet.

I like the name of Kung Fu Barbie, need to make this happen in a game. Posh lifestyle by day, barbarian kung fu master by night...

[AvatarVecna]

Wis (5) + Dex (2) Modifier = 17 AC, use the Monk's AC boost and not the Barbarians.

I didn't stack anything, didn't really need to.

Also just checked my book... You don't need a monk weapon to use Stunning Strike... >:D

Though I also checked and Stun doesn't grant crits... However the friendly neighborhood caster can always cast Hold Person/Monster... 8d12 + 14 damage is awesome.

Oh and yeah the Barbarian can fricken teleport 60 feet.

I like the name of Kung Fu Barbie, need to make this happen in a game. Posh lifestyle by day, barbarian kung fu master by night...

You didn't specifically make that mistake, but it's sort of become my knee-jerk reaction to Monk/Barbarian being mentioned. Incidentally, a good way to make a hilarious female barbarian character idea is to think of it in terms of some kind of Barbie. Ninja Barbie, Kung Fu Barbie, Berserker Barbie, Whirlwind Barbie...the possibilities are hilarious.

[Malifice]

IMHO, raise those stats and get great weapon master. Your physical attributes really help. You deal damage and take it. Get 20 in strength, now can you get 20 in dex and con? If not get what you need for medium armor. You don't need mobile or alert, but they help. So grab sentinel. Then get lucky. You could get resilient, but focus on con.

You want him to raise stats and get four feats?

:smallwink:

[ThermalSlapShot]

You didn't specifically make that mistake, but it's sort of become my knee-jerk reaction to Monk/Barbarian being mentioned. Incidentally, a good way to make a hilarious female barbarian character idea is to think of it in terms of some kind of Barbie. Ninja Barbie, Kung Fu Barbie, Berserker Barbie, Whirlwind Barbie...the possibilities are hilarious.

Obligatory theme song...

Http://youtu.be/ZyhrYis509A (https://youtu.be/ZyhrYis509A)

[djreynolds]

You want him to raise stats and get four feats?

:smallwink:

Just meant a barbarian can get away without mobile or alert feat, you really don't need to take those and just focus on abilities. Sorry for my sentence structure

[Malifice]

Just meant a barbarian can get away without mobile or alert feat, you really don't need to take those and just focus on abilities. Sorry for my sentence structure

For barbs - I generally would only get the one feat - GWM for two handers, DW for 2 weaponers (one of the few classes to get mileage out of dual wielder). You really need to MC to get mileage out of TWF though. Resilient (wisdom) gets you some mileage too.

You get the better AC from DW and decent DPR, but sticking with GWM (and taking advantage of reckless Attack) leads to some awesome reliable and high DPR.

What I really like about barb is it gets so much from multiclassing. 2 levels of Rogue (cunning action for the 60' charge) and expertise (athletics) and a few levels in fighter (action surge, second wind, fighting style and either manoivsrs or crit range)

[AvatarVecna]

Obligatory theme song...

Http://youtu.be/ZyhrYis509A (https://youtu.be/ZyhrYis509A)

Except instead of a valley girl going for a car ride, imagine Red Sonya chopping her way through a horde of her enemies with a greataxe. :smallcool:

[Dralnu]

Pure barbarian with the great weapon master fest is, IMO, the overall best. You can Reckless Attack and use GWM for - 5/+10 on every attack, with advantage from Reckless making it more likely than not that you will hit.

This.

Half orc barbarian 20, greataxe, great weapon master feat. Reckless all day every day, which not only makes it more likely to hit, but it also doubles your crit chance -- and your crits are crazy because of half-orc and brutal criticals. You win!

[ThermalSlapShot]

This.

Half orc barbarian 20, greataxe, great weapon master feat. Reckless all day every day, which not only makes it more likely to hit, but it also doubles your crit chance -- and your crits are crazy because of half-orc and brutal criticals. You win!

Eh, way too point n click. Move and hit is important but the little extra things really help make a character be more fun and dynamic.

Barbaronk (Monkarian?) can move 120' in one round, stun enemies, deflect missiles, fly-ish, doesn't need a magic weapon to have their attacks count as magic, and flurry of blows (doesn't need Monk weapon, just attack action :p).

But for a point n click adventure you also get for raging with 1ki...

Great Axe: 1d12 +7
Great Axe: 1d12 +7
Head Butt: 1d6 +7
Head Butt: 1d6 +7

Stun on any hit if you think the creature will survive. If you Crit on any hit, your damage goes crazy. You have advantage on each roll too...

Have a friendly neighborhood caster hit the target with hold person/monster spell and they become your best friend.

4d12+4d12+4d6+4d6+28 = Average 52+28+28 = 108

Stun them so if they do get out of the paralyzation they aren't going anywhere.

[KorvinStarmast]

Have you considered playing a Gargantuan?

Seems a good fit for a Barbarian if your DM allows it in your campaign.