Barbarian MC? What classes mesh well?

[Jmarsh56]

I want this character to be a big ol' chucky wall of hurt with lots of those HPs to keep him from taking dirt naps. Any suggestions on good classes to MC with or just straight barb?

Sword&Board or 2 Hander either way.

[ChampionWiggles]

Barbarian is one of the few classes where their lvl 20 feat makes multiclassing seem less desirable. A flat +4 to STR and CON that can break the normal 20 limit on ability scores? Pretty hard to beat, especially since those are the Barbarians 2 main stats. You say you want to have a lot of HP, but Barbarians have the highest Hit Dice in the game, so you won't really get much better HP from multiclassing.

Other classes don't serve much point, since the majority of them are spellcasters and you can't cast spells while doing what Barbarians. So that leaves out Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard flat out. Your only viable options are Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue.

Ranger is a partial spellcaster and gets most of its usefulness from those spells, but you can pick up Dueling Fighting style for Sword & Board or Dual Wielding fighting style if you consider dual wielding. If you dip 3 lvls, you choose an Archetype and both Colossus Slayer and Horde Breaker can be useful, but not Giant Killer. You have high HP, because your AC isn't the best. You'd also be spread out in terms of ability scores, since you need 13 Wisdom to multiclass with this.

Rogue is an interesting choice, since it seems like a weird class combination, but with Reckless Attack, you can essentially set yourself up to always have Sneak Attack damage available while wielding a Finesse weapon, but a Finesse weapon isn't terrible thematic of a Barbarian. Uncanny Dodge at Rogue lvl 5 is an interesting way to boost your survivability by using your reaction to halve the damage of an attack against you. If you're going Bear Totem, you'll have resistance to all damage except Psychic, so you'd half the damage roll from resistance and then decide to take half of THAT damage with Uncanny Dodge. Finally, if you stick to Rogue lvl 7, you'll get Evasion, which melds well with the Danger Sense barbarian feat. You'll get advantage to most DEX saves and then take no damage from passing the save, instead of taking half damage as normal. The multiclassing prerequisite of 13 DEX won't be hard for you to get either. Choose Assassin archetype, since the Assassinate feat melds super well with the Brutal Critical Barbarian feat.

Paladin is a weird one and kind of runs into the same problem as Ranger. You'll need 13 CHA to have the option. You'll get Lay on Hands, which isn't TECHNICALLY a spell, so you might be able to use it while Raging, but that's up to your DM. You'll get Fighting Style, which work well if you decide to go Sword and Board or 2H weapon. Divine Smite would raise your damage pretty well, but once again depends on your DM ruling, because while it technically isn't a spell, it uses spell slots. Same with Channel Divinity options.

Fighter is probably your best option if you're wanting to multiclass. With prerequisites of 13 STR OR 13 DEX, you'll meet that without even trying. Lvl 1 fighting style? Second Wind? Action Surge? ALL good abilities that can mesh well with Barbarian. If you dip 3 lvls into Fighter, you'll want Champion or Battle Master, both are good. Champion will help you score more criticals, which you want with Brutal Critical feat and I'd suggest doing if you go 2H weapon. If you go sword and board, Battle Master offers more versatility and gives you maneuvers that can up your damage.

If you're looking for good optimization or opinions on builds, check out the guides thread

[Specter]

Fighter 4 or Rogue 5, definitely.

Fighter gives you a fighting style (pretty mandatory for those attacking every turn), Action Surge and either improved critical or maneuvers. Second Wind helps to restore HP in a pinch.

Rogue gets you sneak attack (which you can use with a rapier, even attacking with STR), expertise (Athletics recommended for Shield Master), Cunning Action to get out of harm when needed, an archetype feature and the great Uncanny Dodge, which lets you halve one attack damage per turn.

[Klorox]

I like three levels of fighter for the champion path, but only with half orc barbarians (use a greataxe!!!)

If your game has any chance of hitting level 20, stay single classed.

[ChubbyRain]

I'm going to be stupid and do something fun.

Barbarian (Battlerager or Totem) 6/Wizard (necromancer) 6

Str: 16 (plenty with reckless attack and accuracy boosts)
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 13
Wiz: 13
Cha: 8

You are so brutal, dead people want to hang out with you.

Your underlings fear not death as they know they will rise again to help destroy their enemies.

Basically... It's like Valhalla, you are a mortal that made Valhalla "real" for many of barbarians and Vikings.

Brutal

[ChampionWiggles]

I'm going to be stupid and do something fun.

Barbarian (Battlerager or Totem) 6/Wizard (necromancer) 6

Str: 16 (plenty with reckless attack and accuracy boosts)
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 13
Wiz: 13
Cha: 8

You are so brutal, dead people want to hang out with you.

Your underlings fear not death as they know they will rise again to help destroy their enemies.

Basically... It's like Valhalla, you are a mortal that made Valhalla "real" for many of barbarians and Vikings.

Brutal

That's actually pretty cool. Go into rage and kill everyone and then when you calm down, make them your undead servants.

Reminds me of someone making a healing barbarian, who would scream at his allies to stop being such a pansy and get up, instead of actually healing them XD

[Joe the Rat]

That is a good point about spell mixes - you are picking things for utility, outside of combat, or that you would use before battle or in place of raging. I rather like Warlock for Armor of Agathys: No concentration, and raging extends the life of your frosty backbite. You are the Winter Wolf.

I may steal that Einherjar Necromancer idea.


Rogue gets you sneak attack (which you can use with a rapier, even attacking with STR), expertise (Athletics recommended for Shield Master), Cunning Action to get out of harm when needed, an archetype feature and the great Uncanny Dodge, which lets you halve one attack damage per turn.
Twin shortblades or scimitars can work with the barbarian aesthetic. It also makes you a decent bowhunter. But if you want to be the best grabbing/shoving/kicking-people-into-wells type barbarian, a little rogue goes a long way.


The one I've seen most is Fighter - one level for fighting style and second wind, two for action surge, three for Champion/BattleMaster.

[RulesJD]

From a Powergaming perspective?

The best "bruiser" is Bearbarian 3/BM (or Champ depending on anticipated level) Fighter+

Barbarians big downside is they have nothing that really recharges on a short rest. Adding in BM maneuvers increases their combat effectiveness quite a bit (Menacing Strike to off-set Reckless, Precision for GWM, etc) and Action Surge is stupendously good.

[Specter]

I'm going to be stupid and do something fun.

Barbarian (Battlerager or Totem) 6/Wizard (necromancer) 6

Str: 16 (plenty with reckless attack and accuracy boosts)
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 13
Wiz: 13
Cha: 8

You are so brutal, dead people want to hang out with you.

Your underlings fear not death as they know they will rise again to help destroy their enemies.

Basically... It's like Valhalla, you are a mortal that made Valhalla "real" for many of barbarians and Vikings.

Brutal

If you're going for Necromancy, you might as well go Oathbreaker Paladin to get some features that actually work with rage, like smiting and a fighting style.

[Deleted]

If you're going for Necromancy, you might as well go Oathbreaker Paladin to get some features that actually work with rage, like smiting and a fighting style.

Then you are Cha focused instead of Int focused.

For myself, I find Int to be a lot more fun on a Barbarian.

You don't really need all those Paladin things to do good enough damage... Besides, that bonus action for controlling undead minions works during rage so... yeah fun times.

Personally, I think giving undead advantage via Wolf Totem is enough synergy for this to work.

[Biggstick]

Depends on what exactly you're trying to achieve, but 5-6 levels of Barbarian with 14-15 levels of Rogue is fantastic. It's incredibly tanky and incredibly mobile. You have tons of the Rogue goodies and a solid amount of the Barbarian features. You can trigger your own sneak attack (Reckless attack), and then disengage with a bonus action away from an enemy. Or just Dash and take the opportunity attack.

Rogue is imo, the class that meshes best with Barbarian.

[Deleted]

Depends on what exactly you're trying to achieve, but 5-6 levels of Barbarian with 14-15 levels of Rogue is fantastic. It's incredibly tanky and incredibly mobile. You have tons of the Rogue goodies and a solid amount of the Barbarian features. You can trigger your own sneak attack (Reckless attack), and then disengage with a bonus action away from an enemy. Or just Dash and take the opportunity attack.

Rogue is imo, the class that meshes best with Barbarian.

I can't think of a single class that doesn't benefit from Rogue 1, 2, 3, or 5.

It may be hard to do, but it is the one class that makes you scarier. That expertise at 1, the mobility at 2, the subclasses at 3, and uncanny dodge at 5... Fricken awesome.

[solidork]

I am also thinking about taking some levels in Rogue on my Barbarian for a couple of reasons:
- My Barbarian actually got a really good education, so the bonus skill proficiency and expertise in some kind of mental skill (History, maybe) work
- My Barbarian is, above all, an excellent athlete. Expertise in Athletics and bonus action Dash fit this quite well.
- No one in our party is good at Nature or Survival, so I was thinking of going with the UA Scout subclass if we end up spending appreciable time in the wilderness or ever have need to track things. RPing the process of learning those skills actually seems pretty fun. Try to eat ALL the berries! Lick the footprints to discover their secrets!

I took Polearm Master at level 1 so Sneak Attack is a lost cause unless I am shooting my bow, but I'm overall fine with that.

[Deleted]

I am also thinking about taking some levels in Rogue on my Barbarian for a couple of reasons:
- My Barbarian actually got a really good education, so the bonus skill proficiency and expertise in some kind of mental skill (History, maybe) work
- My Barbarian is, above all, an excellent athlete. Expertise in Athletics and bonus action Dash fit this quite well.
- No one in our party is good at Nature or Survival, so I was thinking of going with the UA Scout subclass if we end up spending appreciable time in the wilderness or ever have need to track things. RPing the process of learning those skills actually seems pretty fun. Try to eat ALL the berries! Lick the footprints to discover their secrets!

I took Polearm Master at level 1 so Sneak Attack is a lost cause unless I am shooting my bow, but I'm overall fine with that.

Ask your DM if you can sneak attack with the polearm on your turn.

It isn't really that broken unless you start sneak attacking as a reaction. So while you lose out on reaction sneak attacks, you can still use your feature sometimes while using your main weapon.

I'm not a fan of not being able to use class features... Plus sneak attack pike/halberd is just cool.

[Specter]

Then you are Cha focused instead of Int focused.

For myself, I find Int to be a lot more fun on a Barbarian.

You don't really need all those Paladin things to do good enough damage... Besides, that bonus action for controlling undead minions works during rage so... yeah fun times.

Personally, I think giving undead advantage via Wolf Totem is enough synergy for this to work.

Both INT and CHA are dump stats, with few saves associated with them. So none of them matter for barbarians.

That bonus action thing is probably the only necromancer thing that will work with rage, and that's at level 5. Before that, an Oathbreaker has his game set with Lay on Hands, Fighting Style, smites, Dreadful Aspect and Control Undead, all of this at level 3. Oh, and without those horrible d6hd.

But of course, this is a moot argument because both are suboptimal for a Barbarian. Only difference is Oathbreaker is much less suboptimal than Wizard.

[Fflewddur Fflam]

Totem Barbarian 5/ Moon Druid x is an incredible combo for being a never-ending hit point sponge while in Wild Shape. 5 levels of Barb gives you Extra Attack which can be a huge leap in damage with some of the WildShape's natural attacks.

[Deleted]

Both INT and CHA are dump stats, with few saves associated with them. So none of them matter for barbarians.

That bonus action thing is probably the only necromancer thing that will work with rage, and that's at level 5. Before that, an Oathbreaker has his game set with Lay on Hands, Fighting Style, smites, Dreadful Aspect and Control Undead, all of this at level 3. Oh, and without those horrible d6hd.

But of course, this is a moot argument because both are suboptimal for a Barbarian. Only difference is Oathbreaker is much less suboptimal than Wizard.

They may not matter to a barbarian but they matter to a Character.

Oathbreaker is exceptionally optional as I believe the Oathbreaker is DMG only. Personally, I don't mess with anything that isn't directly a player option.

Plus, I would be using the Wizard spells to beef up my Barbarian when he isn't raging. Fly, for example, is a pretty handy spell. Longstrider can be useful as can Shield (because shield is fun). Fog cloud can be very useful as the Wolf Totem negates the disadvantage my allies would have while still causing enemies to take disadvantage against them.

Misty Step or Invisibility to help get into position before I rage.


Any attacks on the undead is an attack that isn't targeting the barbarian or the barbarian's allies. The d6 HD is all you need. Thanks to bounded accuracy, they can still be a threat.

The Paladin isn't a better version of this, it is a different version of this that doesn't have as much build flexibility.

===

Also Haste for when I run out of Rages.


*Note: I forgot that my DM runs fog cloud slightly different. When you stop concentrating on it, it slowly starts to dissipate but takes a couple rounds (it doesn't just go *poof*). Fog Cloud is still a good non-rage choice as I can run controller when my HP is low or just when I feel like having fun.

[jaappleton]

Don't rule out Cleric entirely. While Barbarians have little use for spells in battle, their Channel Divinity options aren't spells, and some features help their tankiness. Warding Flare (Not even a Channel Divinity, just an ability), for example, is one of the only abilities that can negate a crit. And resistance or not, a crit is a crit... They can be especially nasty. The ability to do a little extra healing to yourself outside of combat isn't too bad, either.

[JellyPooga]

I'm going to be stupid and do something fun.

Barbarian (Battlerager or Totem) 6/Wizard (necromancer) 6

Str: 16 (plenty with reckless attack and accuracy boosts)
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 13
Wiz: 13
Cha: 8

You are so brutal, dead people want to hang out with you.

Your underlings fear not death as they know they will rise again to help destroy their enemies.

Basically... It's like Valhalla, you are a mortal that made Valhalla "real" for many of barbarians and Vikings.

Brutal

That's...a remarkably cool idea! I certainly wouldn't play it in a high-op game, but it could be really fun for a solo adventure. Very sinister from an outsider perspective, but culturally almost honourable (from a certain point of view!).

On the subject of Rogue/Barbarians, definitely go Wolf Totem, not Bear. A massive portion of non-weapon damage you are ever likely to take is "Con for none" or "Dex for half". With your great Con (you have great Con, right?), you don't have to worry too muh about the former and with Evasion, the latter can also be ignored.

Further, by granting your allies Advantage for standing next to your target, they're far more likely to gang-up, meaning you don't have to cripple your own defences with Reckless Attack near as often. You get to Sneak Attack, they get Advantage to hit; everyone wins!

[ChubbyRain]

That's...a remarkably cool idea! I certainly wouldn't play it in a high-op game, but it could be really fun for a solo adventure. Very sinister from an outsider perspective, but culturally almost honourable (from a certain point of view!).

On the subject of Rogue/Barbarians, definitely go Wolf Totem, not Bear. A massive portion of non-weapon damage you are ever likely to take is "Con for none" or "Dex for half". With your great Con (you have great Con, right?), you don't have to worry too muh about the former and with Evasion, the latter can also be ignored.

Further, by granting your allies Advantage for standing next to your target, they're far more likely to gang-up, meaning you don't have to cripple your own defences with Reckless Attack near as often. You get to Sneak Attack, they get Advantage to hit; everyone wins!

Thanks!

I really wish there was a Rage Mage in the PHB.

[Arkhios]

Barbarian with finesse weapons, eh?

Here you go, Katars a.k.a. Shortswords. (Shorter than longsword, longer than dagger. Can't be thrown (well), deals piercing damage.)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/8e/dd/4b/8edd4b0722d1ed41c313cf502330749f.jpg

If he's not fitting for barbarian aesthetics, I'm Santa Claus.

Mind you, to deal sneak attack, all you need from the weapon is to be either Finesse or Ranged. Which ability score you use, Str or Dex, is irrelevant.

Barbarian/Rogue and Barbarian/Fighter fit best and both are easily accomplished since a barbarian wants a decent dexterity and strength is your primary ability anyway.

In fact, I would like to make a Barbarian/Fighter/Rogue for all the goodies you can get from it.

Bear-Wolf-barian 6/Battlemaster 4/Swashbuckler 10.

[Deleted]

I swear, the restriction on sneak attack should just be "any non-heavy weapon"...

[Arkhios]

I swear, the restriction on sneak attack should just be "any non-heavy weapon"...

Agreed. Rogue's proficiency in Longsword is ridiculous because of this.

[Deleted]

Agreed. Rogue's proficiency in Longsword is ridiculous because of this.

A club weighs less than a scimitar but you can't sneak attack with it.

A hit to the back of the head isn't counted as a sneak attack, but a full frontal assault with a scimitar can be...

[GlenSmash!]

I am also thinking about taking some levels in Rogue on my Barbarian for a couple of reasons:
- My Barbarian actually got a really good education, so the bonus skill proficiency and expertise in some kind of mental skill (History, maybe) work
- My Barbarian is, above all, an excellent athlete. Expertise in Athletics and bonus action Dash fit this quite well.
- No one in our party is good at Nature or Survival, so I was thinking of going with the UA Scout subclass if we end up spending appreciable time in the wilderness or ever have need to track things. RPing the process of learning those skills actually seems pretty fun. Try to eat ALL the berries! Lick the footprints to discover their secrets!

I took Polearm Master at level 1 so Sneak Attack is a lost cause unless I am shooting my bow, but I'm overall fine with that.

Scout is a really thematic fit for a Barbarian. I like it.

[Rysto]

Don't rule out Cleric entirely. While Barbarians have little use for spells in battle, their Channel Divinity options aren't spells, and some features help their tankiness. Warding Flare (Not even a Channel Divinity, just an ability), for example, is one of the only abilities that can negate a crit. And resistance or not, a crit is a crit... They can be especially nasty. The ability to do a little extra healing to yourself outside of combat isn't too bad, either.

My reading of Warding Flare has always been that you have to use the ability without knowing the result of the roll. Imposing disadvantage implies you declare after the attack is announced but before the roll.

[Talderas]

Champion fighter is pretty amazing if you want to press up the critical angle.

Consider the following.

Most characters have a constant 5% chance of securing a critical hit (20).

The barbarian, due to reckless attack, has a 9.75% chance of scoring a critical hit (failing to roll a natural 20 on either die).

The champion fighter has a 10% chance of securing a critical hit (19 or 20).

A champion fighter with reckless attack has a 19% chance of scoring a critical hit (failing to roll a 19 or 20 on either die).

[Deleted]

Champion fighter is pretty amazing if you want to press up the critical angle.

Consider the following.

Most characters have a constant 5% chance of securing a critical hit (20).

The barbarian, due to reckless attack, has a 9.75% chance of scoring a critical hit (failing to roll a natural 20 on either die).

The champion fighter has a 10% chance of securing a critical hit (19 or 20).

A champion fighter with reckless attack has a 19% chance of scoring a critical hit (failing to roll a 19 or 20 on either die).

The champion doesn't... Just... Critical hits in 5e suck on a class that doesn't gain bonus mage dice like the Paladin or Rogue.

[GlenSmash!]

The champion doesn't... Just... Critical hits in 5e suck on a class that doesn't gain bonus mage dice like the Paladin or Rogue.

They might not get smites or sneak attack, but they do get brutal critical, combined with Half-Orc for one more crit die it can be a pretty compelling reason to play a Champ 3/Barb X with a Greataxe.

[Deleted]

They might not get smites or sneak attack, but they do get brutal critical, combined with Half-Orc for one more crit die it can be a pretty compelling reason to play a Champ 3/Barb X with a Greataxe.

At level 9... You need to go 9 levels in Barbarian before you get 1 die bonus to your crits...

Going barbarian for reckless attack, rage, or even totem makes sense. But going 9 levels of Barbarian and three of fighter champion so you can crit better is silly.

Battlemaster brings more damage than champion.

There is mever a reason to go champion unless you want the most simple of classes.

[Coyote81]

My favroite Barbarian multiclass is a little left field, but it so cool and really fills the Barbarian Shaman role that I think %th D&D is missing.

Totem Barbarian 15/ Rune Scribe 5 aka "The Barbarian Shaman"

Barbarian are naturally good melee fighters and the rune scribe adds exactly what they are missing, utility, utility, and more utility.

-You need 13 in Int and Dex and other then that you free to do what you want, I recommend maxing Dex (to become more tanky) and adding to STR from there.
-Rune Scribe add a large list of benefits, here are just a few:
-Access to +1 to hit and +1 damage buffs makign yourself better in combat. (This also offsets the lost of rage damage from losing 5 Barb levels)
-Gives you various weapon buffs including extra range on ranged weapons, free proning on bludgeoning attacks, and more consist damage form fire attacks.
-You get various utility ability like reaction featherfall, meld to stone, frost armor and being able to start and snuff fires.


******Best thing of all, all but perhaps 2 abilities from the entire Rune Scribe class can be used while Raging. Almost none of them count as casting spells.


I believe this to be one of the most fun combinations you can get for a Barbarian and very under-rated.




Recommendations: -Barb to 6 (get Eagle totem at 6 for crazy vision distance), then Rune Scribe to 5 and finish off Barb.
-You need to carry various weapons: A Club/Sling with earth rune for a 1/4 chance to cause an un-savable proning, a ranged weapon (Longbow since your a dex barb) for extra long range, and you choice of main damage weapon (Either 1hd and shield for max tankiness or 2hd for max damage. I say get one of each)
-Most annoying combo for my DM, Eagle Eye and Wind Rune line of sight restricted knockback attack, basically become a magic sniper from a mile away.

[bid]

The champion doesn't... Just... Critical hits in 5e suck on a class that doesn't gain bonus damage dice like the Paladin or Rogue.
Champion 3 might be better than Str24 from a pure barbarian. It might even be better than BM 3 at level 20. I wouldn't touch a champion dip with a 10' pole before level 10+, but if I started at level 15...

[Arkhios]

Champion 3 might be better than Str24 from a pure barbarian. It might even be better than BM 3 at level 20. I wouldn't touch a champion dip with a 10' pole before level 10+, but if I started at level 15...

I kinda agree with this. Champion is perhaps mediocre in general, but at least it doesn't add any resource management to the whole (as opposed to Battlemaster Superiority Dice).

I'd probably wait until 11th barbarian level at least, maybe 12th, before taking a 3-4 levels dip in Champion, because of Relentless Rage.
Champion is still a fighter, which means Fighting Style, Second Wind, and Action Surge, which aren't bad at all (especially Second Wind + Relentless Rage). Increased crit chance is nice with Brutal Critical as it helps to ensure you get to use it more often - which might make all the difference since neither of them have a use limit (unlike Superiority Dice).

Depending on the rolls (we often roll our stats, because it's fun in all of its randomness) I might go with the earlier concept as either:
Barbarian 11/Fighter 3/Rogue 6
or
Barbarian 12/Fighter 4/Rogue 4

Two-Weapon Fighting Style, two Shortswords as the picture is too awesome to let go to waste, and Dual Wielder just because the AC bonus and the dual draw/sheath.

Rage damage applies to all attacks which means, to me, that barbarian is actually one of the best dual wielders in the game, especially with a dip for Fighting Style, but also absolutely fine without.

[Deleted]

Champion 3 might be better than Str24 from a pure barbarian. It might even be better than BM 3 at level 20. I wouldn't touch a champion dip with a 10' pole before level 10+, but if I started at level 15...

Not at all.

The champion isn't really bringing anything to the table. The barbarian will already be doing butt loads of damage, squeezing out more damage is like a drop of water in the ocean.

What battlemaster, eldritch knight, or anything else brings is new options which allow you to use what you already have in better ways. Even just getting Str 24 does more than just damage, Athletics is a hell of a drug skill.

I would take a strength boost over the improved crit, especially since it isn't just a strength boost, it is also a Con boost (24 Con @ Level 20 = 140 HP, Con Save of +13, and con checks).

Champion gives you some more damage, but so what, you and your party will be doing plenty of damage if you even get to level 20. People don't generally go past level 10 so making builds past that level is somewhat pointless unless you are specifically know you will be going past level 10.

Champion is a waste of space on a class that already can *do damage*

[solidork]

I know I said earlier in this thread that I was considering the Rogue(Scout) UA subclass for my Barbarian, but the Fighter(Scout) UA subclass is also enticing. Technically I wouldn't be able to use my superiority dice to increase my AC since I'm not wearing light or medium armor, but I'm pretty sure my GM would let me house rule that.

Fighter 3 gives me:
-Fighting Style
-Second Wind
-Action Surge
-3 Skills
-"expertise" on 4 skills some of the time (not prof in stealth)
-Enhanced accuracy some of the time, good for if I ever get GWM
-Defensive reaction some of the time (I have polearm master, so my reaction has some competition for usage.)
-Natural Explorer (this is strong if I get the revised Natural Explorer instead of the PHB one imo)

Rogue 3 gives me:
-3 skills (one of which can be unrelated to the wilderness explorer aspect of my char, which is good)
-Expertise on 4 skills all of the time (two of which have to be nature and survival)
-Cunning Action
-Sneak Attack with my bow (lul)

Decisions, decisions.

[Malifice]

Champion 3. It gives a fighting style, action surge and a 19-20 crit range (which plays real nice with reckless attack and brutal critical). Second wind also plays nice with rage resistance to damage.

A half orc with a greatxe, GWS, rolling at advantage with a 19-20 crit range, is rolling (and re-rolling) a bucketload of d12's.

For a meatshield, consider Barbarian + Druid. Wildshape plus rage for the win. You get a bucketload of extra hit points 2/short rest, which (when combined with rage) never get used up. The bonus damage from rage helps you stay competitive damage wise in beast form, and feel free to recklessly attack every round (they arent your hit points you lose when you get clobbered in return, and you WANT the monsters attacking you in any event).

A solid argument can be made for Berserker. You can spam a bonus action Frenzy attack in animal form (Bears get a 2d6+Str attack) for 3 attacks per round starting from 5th level. 2d6+6 damage (x2) and a bite at 1d8+6 is nothing to sneeze at, moreso when those attacks are at advantage and you dont care if you get hit in return.

Unarmored defence works well (a lot of beasts have great Con scores) to help your AC out as well. Advantage on Str checks plus Str 19 large sized forms online from Druid 2 and proficiency in athletics means your options for pushing, shoving and grappling (bear hug!) increase as well.

Also re Berserker path, once Elementals come on line at 11th level Druid, those forms are immune to Exhaustion (and youre capable of casting greater restoration yourself at this level in any event).

Plus all the utility of a full casting druid and wild shape.

[Deleted]

Champion 3. It gives a fighting style, action surge and a 19-20 crit range (which plays real nice with reckless attack and brutal critical). Second wind also plays nice with rage resistance to damage.

A half orc with a greatxe, GWS, rolling at advantage with a 19-20 crit range, is rolling (and re-rolling) a bucketload of d12's.

For a meatshield, consider Barbarian + Druid. Wildshape plus rage for the win. You get a bucketload of extra hit points 2/short rest, which (when combined with rage) never get used up. The bonus damage from rage helps you stay competitive damage wise in beast form, and feel free to recklessly attack every round (they arent your hit points you lose when you get clobbered in return, and you WANT the monsters attacking you in any event).

A solid argument can be made for Berserker. You can spam a bonus action Frenzy attack in animal form (Bears get a 2d6+Str attack) for 3 attacks per round starting from 5th level. 2d6+6 damage (x2) and a bite at 1d8+6 is nothing to sneeze at, moreso when those attacks are at advantage and you dont care if you get hit in return.

Unarmored defence works well (a lot of beasts have great Con scores) to help your AC out as well. Advantage on Str checks plus Str 19 large sized forms online from Druid 2 and proficiency in athletics means your options for pushing, shoving and grappling (bear hug!) increase as well.

Also re Berserker path, once Elementals come on line at 11th level Druid, those forms are immune to Exhaustion (and youre capable of casting greater restoration yourself at this level in any event).

Plus all the utility of a full casting druid and wild shape.

Bold: Utterly redundant and a waste of space.

Barbarian + Druid is always a nice combination, even Land Druids can work well with Barbarian (Spike Growth shenanigans and all the nice spells they get like Haste...). Part of me just wants Flame Blade to work with barbarian... I know it doesn't but yeah...

Frenzy works well with Druid when you grab Greater Restoration :p

[Malifice]

Bold: Utterly redundant and a waste of space.

Wut? Thanks to the mechanics of advantage your chances of scoring a crit with a 19-20 crit range are slightly better than 19 percent per swing (as opposed to just under 10 percent for a normal crit range).

For a 3 level dip, that's twice as many brutal criticals spamming. You should see a critical hit every 5th attack roll or so, instead of every 10th. Re-rolling the 1's and 2's on those d12's (from GWS) helps also.

Presuming 6 encounters of 5 rounds (30 rounds) of combat per adventuring day (and 2 short rests), with each round featuring 2 attack rolls, a half orc Barbarian 17/ Fighter (champion) 3 spams an average of 6 extra crits per day (1 more per encounter). Each crit deals an extra 5d12 damage. 3 levels of champion adds 30d12 damage to the barbarian (re-rolling 1's and 2's). Battlemaster (by comparison) adds 12d8 damage over the same period.

Also, action surge.

How on earth is that redundant or a waste of space?

[Deleted]

Wut? Thanks to the mechanics of advantage your chances of scoring a crit with a 19-20 crit range are slightly better than 19 percent per swing (as opposed to just under 10 percent for a normal crit range).

For a 3 level dip, that's twice as many brutal criticals spamming. You should see a critical hit every 5th attack roll or so, instead of every 10th. Re-rolling the 1's and 2's on those d12's (from GWS) helps also.

Presuming 6 encounters of 5 rounds (30 rounds) of combat per adventuring day (and 2 short rests), with each round featuring 2 attack rolls, a half orc Barbarian 17/ Fighter (champion) 3 spams an average of 6 extra crits per day (1 more per encounter). Each crit deals an extra 5d12 damage. 3 levels of champion adds 30d12 damage to the barbarian (re-rolling 1's and 2's). Battlemaster (by comparison) adds 12d8 damage over the same period.

Also, action surge.

How on earth is that redundant or a waste of space?

Champion is a waste of space. I would say Fighter is too, on a barbarian, but some subclass features can go a long way on the Barbarian.

It doesn't matter how much extra damage you get out of the champion. You are already doing enough damage to keep up or surpass the game expectations. All you really are doing is saying "yo, DM, make the enemies have more HP/AC!".

All that extra damage you are putting on the barbarian is redundant (as in superfluous) (see above).

Unless you think the Barbarian can't keep up or surpass game expectations? Cause then that would be crazy.

The biggest obstacle that martials have is that they don't have options and have all the at-will weapon damage... And everyone's answer is to give them more damage.

[Jmarsh56]

Gotta admit, I really dig the Barbarian/Druid combo. I would have to look into it a bit more but that is a serious contender. Already thinking of a personality and backstory. I'm new to D&D son not terribly familiar with how a lot of classes synergize together, Can anyone elaborate on how barb and Druid go together like peas and carrots?

[numerek]

I have done some thinking about Drubarians no relation to Drew Barrymore.
Giant Elk Barbarian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420494-Giant-Elk-Barbarian)

[bid]

Presuming 6 encounters of 5 rounds (30 rounds) of combat per adventuring day (and 2 short rests), with each round featuring 2 attack rolls, a half orc Barbarian 17/ Fighter (champion) 3 spams an average of 6 extra crits per day (1 more per encounter). Each crit deals an extra 5d12 damage. 3 levels of champion adds 30d12 damage to the barbarian (re-rolling 1's and 2's). Battlemaster (by comparison) adds 12d8 damage over the same period.
You're short-changing BM by that 1d8 damage. Riposte and precision do much better.
Riposte would add (1d12 + 5/6 + 9 + 1d8) * .88 + 5*(1d12 + 5/6) * .10 = 22.45 per SD, or 269.4 per day.
That's 5 times more than an extra 1d8 damage.

Improved critical will add 30d12, or 220 damage per day.


BM does more damage and has more control over when it happens.

[Hawkstar]

Where the heck did Deleted get the idea that Barbarians deal high damage? They're on the low end of DPR classes.

Fighter's cool for Barbarians - Fighting Style, Second Wind, and Action Surge are all amazing.

If you dip Fighter and Rogue, you'll probably want to go Dual Wielding. Remember - Rage Damage goes on every attack, making it an effective option for Dual Wielding (And Sneak Attack with a rogue) - but the damage there is just icing on the Expertise-shaped cake.

[Giant2005]

You're short-changing BM by that 1d8 damage. Riposte and precision do much better.
Riposte would add (1d12 + 5/6 + 9 + 1d8) * .88 + 5*(1d12 + 5/6) * .10 = 22.45 per SD, or 269.4 per day.
That's 5 times more than an extra 1d8 damage.

Improved critical will add 30d12, or 220 damage per day.


BM does more damage and has more control over when it happens.

Improved Critical is worth more in a build that capitalizes on it though.
Something like a Half-Orc Frenzy Barb 5/Moon Druid 12/Champion 3 with the Sentinel feat could be pulling off 4 attacks per round of 6D6 damage. That improved Crit range would increase its DPR from 103.635 to 112.7, for an increase of 9.065 DPR. Although Battlemaster is probably still more useful for the sake of Riposte being available when Sentinel isn't. Increasing the chances of that 4th attack is much more important than extra DPR. 3 levels of Hunter might be better still.
Or better yet, Moon Druid 9/Frenzy Barb 3/Fighter 3 (either Champ or BM - both have value)/ Hunter 5. That could pull off 140.875 DPR (Champion version) in a round where it managed to pull off all 5 attacks.

[Socratov]

You know, I'm tempted to build you a MC barbarian Moondruid.

Neither class can cast spells while using their main schtick. yet the Moondruid can use them fine. And Rage is rage, wether you are in humanoid form or a giant bear with claws and such. Thoguht what this means for extra attack and ual wielding is something you should take up with the DM..

A few options:

if your DM allows extra attack and dual wielding, then be a Bearbarian 5/Moondruid X. change into soemthing appropriate, rage on, and wail away.

If he doesn't, well, take bearbarian 3/moondruid rest and channel the Gruul primal rage to pummel everthing civilised into bits.

[bid]

Something like a Half-Orc Frenzy Barb 5/Moon Druid 12/Champion 3 with the Sentinel feat could be pulling off 4 attacks per round of 6D6 damage.
That's the problem with improved critical. You need to come up with increasingly esoteric build to give it some value.

And to ignore the 6-8 levels of exhaustion you'd get in a day.


Still, it might work when starting near level 20. If you don't have to play a full year before the build start to work with criticals.

[Deleted]

That's the problem with improved critical. You need to come up with increasingly esoteric build to give it some value.

And ignore the 6-8 levels of exhaustion you'd get in a day.

Everyone forgets the exhaustion.

[Giant2005]

Everyone forgets the exhaustion.

1 level of Exhaustion will heal naturally each day and the other two can be cured with self-casted Greater Restorations (it can only Frenzy 3x per day, so more than that is moot). Exhaustion is not an issue.

[Malifice]

You're short-changing BM by that 1d8 damage. Riposte and precision do much better.
Riposte would add (1d12 + 5/6 + 9 + 1d8) * .88 + 5*(1d12 + 5/6) * .10 = 22.45 per SD, or 269.4 per day.
That's 5 times more than an extra 1d8 damage.

Improved critical will add 30d12, or 220 damage per day.


BM does more damage and has more control over when it happens.

Reckless attack does not apply to out of turn attacks.Also you can only applied one die per attack. Its Precise attack or riposte, not both.

Plus this is the berserker. He gets riposte as a class feature already. Those reaction attacks are spoken for.

[Malifice]

That's the problem with improved critical. You need to come up with increasingly esoteric build to give it some value.

And to ignore the 6-8 levels of exhaustion you'd get in a day.


Still, it might work when starting near level 20. If you don't have to play a full year before the build start to work with criticals.

Druid 12 ignores exhaustion. Or to be more precise, his elemental forms do.

He wild shapes into an earth elemental and picks up a large great axe. You can frenzy as much as you like in that form.

Heck he can frenzy in human form and when he wild shapes into an elemental the Exhaustion goes away while wild shaped.

Plus he has greater restoration.

[Arkhios]

Druid 12 ignores exhaustion. Or to be more precise, his elemental forms do.

He wild shapes into an earth elemental and picks up a large great axe. You can frenzy as much as you like in that form.

Heck he can frenzy in human form and when he wild shapes into an elemental the Exhaustion goes away while wild shaped.

Plus he has greater restoration.

Off topic, but: how much damage does a large weapon compared to medium sized weapon? I don't think I've seen an exhaustive rule for larger weapons. (Not counting Enlarge, because it's weird)

[Quoxis]

Just because i didn't see anyone throwing in the idea when i just overread the thread:

WARLOCK

Usually you wouldn't mix a spellcaster and a barbarian, but this one has potential.

Take armor of agathys, which DOES NOT REQUIRE CONCENTRATION, cast it before going into battle and then rage. You now have temporary hp to make you tankier, anyone attacking you will take damage making them reconsider if they should attack you in the first place or run home to their mommies, and (for even more synergy) your rage lowering the damage you take makes your armor more durable - it stays on as long as your temp hp aren't used up, and (especially if you go bear totem warrior) they won't as fast, making your armor effectively twice as durable.

Also, you can pick up either a few cantrips (out of combat that could be neat), a familiar (help action for advantage, or let it attack - warlocks are the only ones that can make their familiars attack, and some of them have poison or sleep darts etc.), or a weapon you could at higher level add your cha modifier to (though that would be more a warlock with barbarian dip, not the other way around).

And last but not least: Invocations (at least the permanent ones) aren't spells. You can get the best darkvision the PHB has to offer, mage armor (to cast before combat, in case you don't have either the stats for unarmored or the money for good armor), if you go 5th level you can become invisible in dim light without casting a spell or concentration (ok, only if you don't move or attack, but still), and out of combat/out of rage you get tons of other cool stuff to do: cast disguise self at will, same goes for detect magic (this one makes you cooler than the wizard of the party, because they won't want to use a spell slot, therefore cast it as a 10 minute ritual, whereas you can toggle it on and off at will), or do viable damage with eldritch blast if you ran out of (or want to conserve) uses of rage.

I built a character on this, and it should be easy to roleplay: A shaman that gets powers from the powers in control of nature (fey), an evil shaman bending the will of the spirits to his advantage (fiend), an insane shaman that worships the chaos inherent in nature (goo) or a shaman searching to become an immortal warrior by channeling the spirits power (undying, from scag).

[Socratov]

Off topic, but: how much damage does a large weapon compared to medium sized weapon? I don't think I've seen an exhaustive rule for larger weapons. (Not counting Enlarge, because it's weird)

Well, we could always go back to 3.5's damage step model. Weapons that were smaller then medium went down a step for each category under medium and bigger weapons improved a damage step for each size category above medium.

I believe the list was: 1; 1d2; 1d4; 1d6; 1d8; 1d10; 1d12; 2d6; 3d6; 4d6 up to 8d6. Even if not every weapon did follow this guideline.

[Giant2005]

Off topic, but: how much damage does a large weapon compared to medium sized weapon? I don't think I've seen an exhaustive rule for larger weapons. (Not counting Enlarge, because it's weird)

It is in the DMG, although that rule was made with monsters in mind and not characters. Still, the DMG has it doing double the damage of a normal weapon.

[Arkhios]

Well, we could always go back to 3.5's damage step model. Weapons that were smaller then medium went down a step for each category under medium and bigger weapons improved a damage step for each size category above medium.

I believe the list was: 1; 1d2; 1d4; 1d6; 1d8; 1d10; 1d12; 2d6; 3d6; 4d6 up to 8d6. Even if not every weapon did follow this guideline.

Sure, we could, but I recall it being a bit different.
Up to 1d10, I think it improved by one die from each previous size, and starting from 1d12/2d6 it went weird.

1d10 became 2d8, 1d12/2d6 became 3d6, or something... I think I'll have to check it from d20srd. Brb.

Edit: yeah, almost like that (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm) (scroll down to Weapon Size, there's an exhaustive table).


It is in the DMG, although that rule was made with monsters in mind and not characters. Still, the DMG has it doing double the damage of a normal weapon.

Hmm, ok. I knew that an Oni (large) has a glaive that does 2d10, but I kind of assumed it was monster specific rule, and didn't think it could apply to PC's.

[djreynolds]

I want this character to be a big ol' chucky wall of hurt with lots of those HPs to keep him from taking dirt naps. Any suggestions on good classes to MC with or just straight barb?

Sword&Board or 2 Hander either way.

What do you like? The great thing is a barbarian doesn't have to be tied down to a style or weapon

TWF, S&B, PAM, great weapon all work

I'm assuming at least a 14 in dex, so that open up possibilities

Are you sold on an archetype? Lots of great guides out there.

Who else is in the party really helps out with decisions, and the length of the game? Can this character be brought back?

Are u mostly barbarian, are you tied to particular class feature?

Do you have an image? Thor, Conan, something tribal, something Viking.

Also since reckless attack isn't dependent on rage, and strength based warrior could use it for advantage

[X3r4ph]

Spellless Ranger (hunter) is pretty awesome as well. Grab superiority dice and horde breaker. Revised Ranger gives you other nice stuff like ninja initiative etc. Pretty awesome synergy. Add Champion without the dilemma of chosing between SDice and Super Crit.

I get the "already enough damage". I have been DMing for Bearbarian 1-10 and he was an absolute beast. No reason to up his damage.

So. I know this is a weird mix but why not War Cleric? Sure you can't cast spells while ranging, but a few of your buffs doesn't require concentration. I would like to see a Barbarian with Warding Bond. Making sure your squishy is alive while you run around smacking things. Would work well with Ancestral Path for a more defender type Barbarian.

[Deleted]

Spellless Ranger (hunter) is pretty awesome as well. Grab superiority dice and horde breaker. Revised Ranger gives you other nice stuff like ninja initiative etc. Pretty awesome synergy. Add Champion without the dilemma of chosing between SDice and Super Crit.

I get the "already enough damage". I have been DMing for Bearbarian 1-10 and he was an absolute beast. No reason to up his damage.

So. I know this is a weird mix but why not War Cleric? Sure you can't cast spells while ranging, but a few of your buffs doesn't require concentration. I would like to see a Barbarian with Warding Bond. Making sure your squishy is alive while you run around smacking things. Would work well with Ancestral Path for a more defender type Barbarian.

Life, War, and Light clerics make for some awesome combos with barbarian.

Barbarian (Frenzy) 5 / Cleric (Life) X is both hilarious as it is straight up deadly. All the healing without needing to prepare it and you can go moderate STR (14/16) wolf totem + high wis. You can't cast while raging but you can have your spiritual weapon flying around.

You will probably do less damage than straight Barbarian but damn isn't it fun to rage and after battle heal people up. I suggest Folk Hero background and play up The Hulk type situation.

[X3r4ph]

Well. Spiritual Weapon and Frenzy will fight over bonus actions. Also, in most combats there is a little time to buff up. I would suggest finding long lasting spells that one can cast way before combat. Aid comes to mind.

Another added benefit is you can get rid of your exhaustion yourself in higher levels. Tons of out of combat jobs to do.

And the flavor is awesome. Cleric Barbarian is a fanatic devout. No matter what Cleric you choose, or what god, it adds so much point/motivation for your rage. Something that is usually excused with: I'm a primitive.

[Deleted]

Well. Spiritual Weapon and Frenzy will fight over bonus actions. Also, in most combats there is a little time to buff up. I would suggest finding long lasting spells that one can cast way before combat. Aid comes to mind.

Another added benefit is you can get rid of your exhaustion yourself in higher levels. Tons of out of combat jobs to do.

And the flavor is awesome. Cleric Barbarian is a fanatic devout. No matter what Cleric you choose, or what god, it adds so much point/motivation for your rage. Something that is usually excused with: I'm a primitive.

Oh yes, but spiritual weapon gives you frenzy when you don't want to frenzy but you want to rage.

You still get some nice bonuses when you rage after all.

Plus Force damage is rather nice.

I notice that a lot of posters tend to think that just because you have a tactic means that you will always be using said tactic at all time. Switching up tactics and using them at different times (sometimes in combination with each other) makes you a much better combatant.

Like "The Familiar" barbarian build that uses Wolf Totem Rage and Help Actions when not raging. Yeah you can't really use the help action while raging but while raging you dont need to.

[Quoxis]

And the flavor is awesome. Cleric Barbarian is a fanatic devout. No matter what Cleric you choose, or what god, it adds so much point/motivation for your rage. Something that is usually excused with: I'm a primitive.

"These heathens don't worship Pelor?! UNACCEPTABLE!" Pelor frenzy.
"You DARE eat my holy spirit animal on this day devoted to my deity?! Die for your sins!" Totem barbleric.
"Gruumsh tell Orgnac to heal and defend buddy. Orgnac heal and defend. Gruumsh proud of Orgnac!" works too. Just saying.

[Deleted]

"These heathens don't worship Pelor?! UNACCEPTABLE!" Pelor frenzy.
"You DARE eat my holy spirit animal on this day devoted to my deity?! Die for your sins!" Totem barbleric.
"Gruumsh tell Orgnac to heal and defend buddy. Orgnac heal and defend. Gruumsh proud of Orgnac!" works too. Just saying.

UNACCEPTABLE (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=07So_lJQyqw)

[bid]

Druid 12 ignores exhaustion. Or to be more precise, his elemental forms do.

He wild shapes into an earth elemental and picks up a large great axe. You can frenzy as much as you like in that form.

Heck he can frenzy in human form and when he wild shapes into an elemental the Exhaustion goes away while wild shaped.

Plus he has greater restoration.
You said: "a half orc Barbarian 17/ Fighter (champion) 3 spams ..."

Adding druid to the mix halves your rage from 6 to 3 per day and makes retaliation impossible.

Assuming you couldn't find a source of advantage for riposte, or had to use precision, that's still ~180 damage on the turns you want.


You still need some esoteric level 16 build that only has 2 ASI to make it work, while a BM / barb starts to work at level 5-8.

No, champion doesn't mesh well with barbarian.

[Hawkstar]

... Isn't Barbarian Rage a short rest resource?

[Deleted]

... Isn't Barbarian Rage a short rest resource?

Hahaha... No


.... :( I made myself sad.

[Saeviomage]

Divination wizard. None of the divinations really use your casting stat, so the only requirement is int 13 to multiclass. Most divinations aren't in-combat. You get some precognitive dice (either big numbers for some impressive damage OR small numbers to avoid taking spells). If you take wizard as far as 10th level, you get some nice concentration-free extra senses.

In fact really only illusion, enchantment and evocation are all that bad with a poor intelligence, and if you stick with non-combat spells, you're going to be all round useful all the time. Doubly so because of ritual casting.

Druid + eagle totem barbarian. Choose a form with lots of movement, pick up mobility. Hoon into combat as a giant toad, swallow someone and run off again. Or zoom in as a warhorse, get a free bonus trample, then zoom off again.

Bard does ok. Ironically you want to avoid valor. You get some neat defensive abilities (that you can spread around if needs be), skill boosts, boosts to everything you don't have proficiency in, plus can cherry pick some non-concentration non-stat reliant spells from other lists.

In fact, I think you have to work pretty hard to make a barbarian multiclass that doesn't work. Basically you'd have to multiclass into direct damage spellcasting and concentration control effects and take only spells that require a save or attack roll or concentration. Even then, you'd be shoring up your capabilities in those situations where "stand and hit the bad men" is a less than viable tactic.

[Malifice]

You said: "a half orc Barbarian 17/ Fighter (champion) 3 spams ..."

Adding druid to the mix halves your rage from 6 to 3 per day and makes retaliation impossible.

Assuming you couldn't find a source of advantage for riposte, or had to use precision, that's still ~180 damage on the turns you want.


You still need some esoteric level 16 build that only has 2 ASI to make it work, while a BM / barb starts to work at level 5-8.

No, champion doesn't mesh well with barbarian.

That was in response to a different post mate. People were saying the Druid MC idea was bad.

Its really not bad. Even at Druid 2 (Brown Bear) + Barbarian 1 you get:

2/ wild shapes per short rest (Str 19, 34 HP, AC 11, +5 to hit 2/ round dealing 2d6+4 and 1d8+4) and Rage on top of that (+2 to damage on each attack, resistance to damage in return, + Con to your forms AC [AC 13], advantage on Str checks).

Thats a pool of 68 extra HP each short rest (at 3rd level) before raging resistance kicks in!

Add to that fact you can use your spell slots to heal (as a bonus action), even when raging. While raging, that healing is effectively double in value.

No need for more than Barbarian 3. If it was me, I would also take Paladin (ancients fits the fluff perfectly) 2 and 15 levels of Druid.

S 13
D 11
C 14
I 8
W 14
Ch 13 (needed for Paladin MC)

Race (whatever; Vuman works with +1 Str and Wis).

1st level: Barbarian (HP, Con saves, survivability)
2-3 level: Druid (Wild shape into bear online 2/ short rest at 2nd level)
4-5th level: Paladin (divine smite online; +1 caster level).

For a 5th level PC thats more than competitive with any single classed PC. You've effectively got Extra attack (thanks to Multiattack from bear), plus a bucket load of HP, and the ability to both smite and heal (while raging). You also have utility from wildshape and spells in your back pocket.

From there I would go 3 more of Druid, picking up Sentinel as my ASI at 4 to force the DM to attack me to get the most out of my constantly replenishing ablative HP + rage resistance + self healing ability (what do I care?). This also ups my caster level to 5th (4 from Druid and 1 from Paladin) for 3rd level slots to smite and self heal (or use to cast when needed and not raging).

Id probably bounce back to Barbarian for 2 levels at this point for reckless attack, a primal path and rage 3/day).

From there its Druid all the way for more slots to smite (and self heal) and bigger and better forms to wild shape into. At Druid 8 Id take Resilient (Wisdom) making me proficient in Wis, Con and Str saves (and bumping Wis to 16). At Druid 12 I'd probably take Lucky (saves are starting to be much more common at this level).

[bid]

That was in response to a different post mate. People were saying the Druid MC idea was bad.
Ah, it was. I merged both into one. My bad.

Still, Barb/BM is better than barb/champ until at least brutal 2 at 13/3. That's way too late for my taste.



1st level: Barbarian (HP, Con saves, survivability)
2-3 level: Druid (Wild shape into bear online 2/ short rest at 2nd level)
4-5th level: Paladin (divine smite online; +1 caster level).
Yeah, that build has some burst.

[Malifice]

Ah, it was. I merged both into one. My bad.

Still, Barb/BM is better than barb/champ until at least brutal 2 at 13/3. That's way too late for my taste.

Try it again, this time with a Half Orc Barbarian Champion, not applying advantage on reaction attacks (you cant use reckless attacks with off turn attacks) and not allowing 2 superioirty dice at a time (you cant riposte AND precise strike).

[bid]

Try it again, this time with a Half Orc Barbarian Champion, not applying advantage on reaction attacks (you cant use reckless attacks with off turn attacks) and not allowing 2 superioirty dice at a time (you cant riposte AND precise strike).
Which I never did.

I suggest you try barb 12 / BM 3 since you don't agree with "at least brutal 2 at 13/3". Spend all SD as riposte and convince yourself since you won't take my word for it.

[Malifice]

Which I never did.

I suggest you try barb 12 / BM 3 since you don't agree with "at least brutal 2 at 13/3". Spend all SD as riposte and convince yourself since you won't take my word for it.

Those riposte attacks dont get advantage, and you cant spam precise strike on them.

Also; try mine again, just this time with Sentinel (or PAM, or both) reliably generating him reaction attacks most rounds in any event.

[Arkhios]

Which I never did.

I suggest you try barb 12 / BM 3 since you don't agree with "at least brutal 2 at 13/3". Spend all SD as riposte and convince yourself since you won't take my word for it.


Those riposte attacks dont get advantage, and you cant spam precise strike on them.

Also; try mine again, just this time with Sentinel (or PAM, or both) reliably generating him reaction attacks most rounds in any event.

Guys, maybe just agree to disagree. There's no need to start a battle of builds. It never ends well. For the thread anyway.

[X3r4ph]

Oh yes, but spiritual weapon gives you frenzy when you don't want to frenzy but you want to rage.

Good point. I guess unless you are guaranteed to have a 24/7 Bonus Action to use it's really good to have a backup.

[Deleted]

Good point. I guess unless you are guaranteed to have a 24/7 Bonus Action to use it's really good to have a backup.


Plus for those enemies that are resistant to your weapons, or outright immune, a combo of Sacred Flame + Spiritual Weapon will keep you doing decent damage while your allies bring down the hurt.

Actually... A grapple build that uses spiritual weapon would be fun. Grapple and restrain a creature then sacrifice them to your deity by having your spiritual weapon attack them. Use this to "trigger" your rage.

[Socratov]

Plus for those enemies that are resistant to your weapons, or outright immune, a combo of Sacred Flame + Spiritual Weapon will keep you doing decent damage while your allies bring down the hurt.

Actually... A grapple build that uses spiritual weapon would be fun. Grapple and restrain a creature then sacrifice them to your deity by having your spiritual weapon attack them. Use this to "trigger" your rage.
Don't forget about guidance: "Lord! Please allow me to grapple thine enemy before I get angry to I can rip him, being naugthy in thine sight, to tiny shreds. Amen."

[Deleted]

Don't forget about guidance: "Lord! Please allow me to grapple thine enemy before I get angry to I can rip him, being naugthy in thine sight, to tiny shreds. Amen."

Spare the Dying: Death, if you take my friend I will rip your boney stick of an arm off and beat you to death with it.

Thank you!

Healing Word: WHO ARE YOU MORE AFRAID OF? DEATH OR ME? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT NOW GET UP AND ATTACK YOU MAGGOT.

[X3r4ph]

Actually... A grapple build that uses spiritual weapon would be fun. Grapple and restrain a creature then sacrifice them to your deity by having your spiritual weapon attack them. Use this to "trigger" your rage.
That is a hilarious build idea. Gotta add Bonfire spell to it as well. Nothing screams religious nutcase like sacrificing people in a fire.
Or maybe just Path of the Storm Herald (desert). Then you are a Bonfire and you have resistance if you need to drag people into fires to sacrifice them.

[Socratov]

Spare the Dying: Death, if you take my friend I will rip your boney stick of an arm off and beat you to death with it.

Thank you!

Healing Word: WHO ARE YOU MORE AFRAID OF? DEATH OR ME? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT NOW GET UP AND ATTACK YOU MAGGOT.

Sounds familliar... (http://imgur.com/csAix)

[Deleted]

That is a hilarious build idea. Gotta add Bonfire spell to it as well. Nothing screams religious nutcase like sacrificing people in a fire.
Or maybe just Path of the Storm Herald (desert). Then you are a Bonfire and you have resistance if you need to drag people into fires to sacrifice them.

Enemy: But I'm not a virgin!

Me: God no care, god likes men and women who have a bit of experience.


Sounds familliar... (http://imgur.com/csAix)

Though definitely not that exact story... I've been in that position where I roleplayed the hell out of characters to the point people neither knew my class or what I was really doing.

My first college group was like this. I was playing a 3.5 game where my character was brought up to be a fighter. Had armor and weapons and I was a terrible terrible teeeerrrriiibbbllleeee fighter. The group thought I didn't know how to play so I rolled with it... For like two semesters.

My character was always reserved and didn't draw attention to himself. They thought it was because I was new to D&D (no, just new to 3.5... I had played 2e and 3e)

Half way through the campaign we ended fighting my character's father. The DM kept making jokes about how bad of a fighter I was and how I wasn't putting my feats to good use...

We escape and plan for round two. I told everyone that my character had to go reflect on things and he would meet them for the next attack... My character showed up the second turn of combat practically naked. Everyone was like "hot damn, he was playing a monk this whole time"...
Nope, just a very very very optimized Sorcerer who got tired of denying that he was one with magic.

The DM even forgot how optimized I was, totes didn't need a team for that battle.

Ah good times.

[Asmotherion]

I'd say in case your scenario won't end up at 20th level, those are the best options:

A) Fighter

B) Warlock for Armor of Agathys and Fiend Patron.

C) Moon Druid for tankiest build

D) Wizard for a plethora of self Buff spells that need no concentration such as Mirror Image and Blink. Also choose Necromancer or Abjurer for more resiliance.


So your first step should be to grab a Bear Totem as soon as you get to lv3. From there, you can either take a couple levels of Druid (Moon) to start wild shaping into an actual bear and get some versality to moonlight (pun intended) as a healer once in a wile. Then you can either start Fighter right away or wait for your extra attack first, getting an ASI in the process. I suggest the latter. From there, you need to decide how much investment you want into fighter. Ideally you would go fighter 11 for 3 attacks. Eldritch Knight if you want spell slot progression. Finally, If you do, consider 1-2 Warlock levels for Armor of agathys and the Fiend patron's ability to regenerate or just grab AoA with Magic Initiate, grabbing Eldritch Blast in the process (and one more cantrip), to have an excelent cantrip in case you need it (also, if you're like me, you just NEED a cool ranged energy attack if for nothing else, the cool factor alone).

Either go Sword and Board for an even bulkier AC or dual wield if you take the Two Weapon Fighter FS.

Make sure to grab Shield as a spell. In case you're not raging it can be a lifesaver.