Why are Barbarians so awesome?

[jaappleton]

My first 5E character was a Half Orc Totem Barbarian. Way to go me for going against the grain :smallbiggrin:

And it was fun as all hell. It was amazing. I could lift things other people couldn't due to Bear Lv6, I took half damage from damn near everything because of Bear lv3 Rage, it was fun to roleplay the 'fish out of water dumb character', I was basically made of hit points... Sure, a domination effect could did lead to the death of a party member, but you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, right?

And I've played a lot of spellcasters since then, mostly Clerics and Wizards. And they're fun. They're great, with all the spells they have, answers for so many situations. Heck, I just recently used Stone Shape to bypass 2/3rds of a dungeon. Just making new doorways.



But now XGtE is out. And Zealot looks... That looks good. That looks damn good. Zealot looks pretty darn sexy, not going to lie. Ancestral Guardian looks pretty damn good as well. And I'm feeling the call back to my first class.

Sure, there's tons of reasons to MC out of Barbarian after level 5 or 6. That's true.

But why is it so damn FUN to play one?!

[Armok]

Because with the advent of fifth edition, theyre all the rage!

...I'll see myself out.

[Desteplo]

You feel the primal urge for power. Hit the gym you may like how much stronger you get. Get a few tattoos, get into some brawls and maybe the gods will invite you into Valhalla so you can fight forever.

[lunaticfringe]

You are free to immerse yourself in a character who doesn't give a **** and can be bold & fearless.

You run up to things and hit them, your brain isn't bogged down by OOC resource & Spell list management. That allows your mind to explore the fantasy world you are in.

[jaappleton]

You are free to immerse yourself in a character who doesn't give a **** and can be bold & fearless.

You run up to things and hit them, your brain isn't bogged down by OOC resource & Spell list management. That allows your mind to explore the fantasy world you are in.

I love this. I truly do.

"Screw the BS, go kill stuff and enjoy it!"

[LeonBH]

Pretty much what lunaticfringe said. No need to consider in character reasons. Just go up to things and hit them. It's like playing a no strings attached character.

[nickl_2000]

I love this. I truly do.

"Screw the BS, go kill stuff and enjoy it!"

You don't have to be a barbarian to do this. My face bard in "Murder in Baldur's Gate"got sick of all the politicing **** between the heads of the city and being used all the time. He turned very direct and very much got a screw you attitude to everyone in power.

[hellgrammite]

Pretty much what lunaticfringe said. No need to consider in character reasons. Just go up to things and hit them. It's like playing a no strings attached character.

This video demonstrates the complexity and depth there is to roleplaying a barbarian to perfection.

How a Barbarian Rollplays (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y51LusXwQoY)

[Tanarii]

Same reason high level Rogues, GWM, and SS are awesome? Hitting things for big damage is fun.

I mean, I've never seen a player that didn't love it when they Fireball a bunch of guys. Or gets a critical-kill. For that matter, the entire table usually loves these things.

Barbarians just have that added bonus of being able to take hits in return. Even if it's counter-acted by getting hit more often. People are usually oblivious to the rate at which they hit / get hit, or worse see a pattern that isn't really there. But the damage from a big hit getting cut in half sticks in the mind.

[lunaticfringe]

You don't have to be a barbarian to do this. My face bard in "Murder in Baldur's Gate"got sick of all the politicing **** between the heads of the city and being used all the time. He turned very direct and very much got a screw you attitude to everyone in power.

Very true, but the Barbarian kinda lives in that place by design. You should always be trying to get close to the danger. It becomes apparent rather quickly, your 1 true resource deactivates if something ain't bleeding.

[LeonBH]

In Critical Role, according to critrolestats.com (https://www.critrolestats.com/blog/2017/12/14/vox-machina-wrap-up-stats), in which they played a level 8-20 campaign on stream (they started from level 1, but almost none of their levels 1-7 adventures were recorded), the Frenzy Barbarian 15/Battlemaster 4:

1. Took 5,646 total damage, the most damage received by anyone
2. Dealt 10,038 total damage, the most damage anyone ever dished out
3. The party dealt 50,074 damage in total for the entire time they streamed, so the barbarian dealt 20% of the damage of a 5-8 player party (usually 6, but it changes depending on guests and attendance)

[jaappleton]

In Critical Role, according to critrolestats.com (https://www.critrolestats.com/blog/2017/12/14/vox-machina-wrap-up-stats), in which they played a level 8-20 campaign on stream (they started from level 1, but almost none of their levels 1-7 adventures were recorded), the Frenzy Barbarian 15/Battlemaster 4:

1. Took 5,646 total damage, the most damage received by anyone
2. Dealt 10,038 total damage, the most damage anyone ever dished out
3. The party dealt 50,074 damage in total for the entire time they streamed, so the barbarian dealt 20% of the damage of a 5-8 player party (usually 6, but it changes depending on guests and attendance)

Oh, kind sir. I know all about Grog Strongjaw, Grand Poobah de Doink & Champion of the Crucible. :smallbiggrin:

[SkylarkR6]

Oh, kind sir. I know all about Grog Strongjaw, Grand Poobah de Doink & Champion of the Crucible. :smallbiggrin:

Grand Poohbah de Doink of All This and That, Champion of the Crucible and... First Tour Captain of Whitestone

[Strangways]

My first 5E character was a Half Orc Totem Barbarian. Way to go me for going against the grain :smallbiggrin:

And it was fun as all hell. It was amazing. I could lift things other people couldn't due to Bear Lv6, I took half damage from damn near everything because of Bear lv3 Rage, it was fun to roleplay the 'fish out of water dumb character', I was basically made of hit points... Sure, a domination effect could did lead to the death of a party member, but you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, right?

And I've played a lot of spellcasters since then, mostly Clerics and Wizards. And they're fun. They're great, with all the spells they have, answers for so many situations. Heck, I just recently used Stone Shape to bypass 2/3rds of a dungeon. Just making new doorways.



But now XGtE is out. And Zealot looks... That looks good. That looks damn good. Zealot looks pretty darn sexy, not going to lie. Ancestral Guardian looks pretty damn good as well. And I'm feeling the call back to my first class.

Sure, there's tons of reasons to MC out of Barbarian after level 5 or 6. That's true.

But why is it so damn FUN to play one?!

It's all about being able to roll d12s for damage.

[Dyndrilliac]

But now XGtE is out. And Zealot looks... That looks good. That looks damn good. Zealot looks pretty darn sexy, not going to lie.

I was considering a lot of different classes and styles for a fresh campaign starting in January I'll be joining, but then I took one look at the Zealot archetype in XGtE and said "Yes, please!"

Google Drive link (https://drive.google.com/open?id=14QjFrKTIi3VWFkQbKd5NaSR_huCjjFmd) to my current character sheet.

My DM let me re-skin a Glaive as a Lucerne Hammer (just changed damage type to bludgeoning). Between the Zealot's class features and my feat choices, it's looking like I'm going to be a real bruiser! Going to focus on damage initially, then control through opportunity attacks, and then finally focus on improving mobility and damage in the late game to damage and control larger battlefields. Long term goal (like by level 15ish) is to tame a Dire Wolf mount.

[strangebloke]

Monks, wizards, and fighters invest a whole lifetime into getting stronger through discipline.

Paladins, warlocks, druids, and clerics are granted incredible power from a cause/patron/tree.

Sorcerers are just born with awesome power.

Barbarians, though?

They're so freaking passionate that their feelings outweigh all of those advantages that other classes trained/bargained for. The barbarian isn't good at fighting, not really. But he feels so strongly that nothing can stands in his way. Maybe he pays homage to a totem. Maybe the spirits of his ancestors protect him. But it always comes back to the rage. The passion that keeps him going when others go down. The fury that lets him hit deeper and strike harder.

That's why they're fun. Outside of combat, you feel free to let loose with how you feel. No restraint expected or required.

After a long day of work it's just the best damn thing.

[Potato_Priest]

I've been a comparatively weak guy all my life, so I always thought that my own love for the barbarian class and grapplers in general was just me longing for physical power and strength.

[Spore]

The class appeals to more primal wants and desires of the human playing. I think Freud would have a field day with analyzing D&D's barbarian class. They have simple and straight answers to most problems. Not as convoluted as modern day society. Their downside (imho). They suck when you NEED to approach a problem with precision and cunning.

[mephnick]

Because stormin' through the forest, movin' rocks, bashin' doors and killin' monsters is true D&D.

Leave that social and political **** to Game of Thrones and the Five Rings.

[strangebloke]

Their downside (imho). They suck when you NEED to approach a problem with precision and cunning.

No no no that's a class feature.

If they COULD have subtle solutions, people would EXPECT them to act subtly.

As it stands, if you slam the evil viceroy with a Warhammer, you're just 'role playing your character.'

[SkylarkR6]

Here you go. My favorite description of barbarians.

https://youtu.be/T2MwAy6njlM

[Levistej]

Yap, one of my favourite characters was a gnome bearbarian.

He was a failed alchemist who dropped out of wizarding school because of his bad temper and lack of intelectual capacity to cast spells. So he decided to brew he's own potions. Too much Bears Strength potions gave him great strength, too much eagle splendor gave him Cat's grace gave him an aptitude for stealth and acrobatic, too much resistance potions made him resist almost anything coming his way.

He dressed like a wizard, had a staff and polearm master o he beat people to a pulp using an implement. My fellow adventurers were going insane on why I refused to cast spells and it took quite a while to deduct that I was in fact a barbarian and not a wizard.

Long live Archmage Qinton the Tall, Breaker of knees, Destroyer of doors and Devourer of strange brews.

[jaappleton]

Yap, one of my favourite characters was a gnome bearbarian.

He was a failed alchemist who dropped out of wizarding school because of his bad temper and lack of intelectual capacity to cast spells. So he decided to brew he's own potions. Too much Bears Strength potions gave him great strength, too much eagle splendor gave him Cat's grace gave him an aptitude for stealth and acrobatic, too much resistance potions made him resist almost anything coming his way.

He dressed like a wizard, had a staff and polearm master o he beat people to a pulp using an implement. My fellow adventurers were going insane on why I refused to cast spells and it took quite a while to deduct that I was in fact a barbarian and not a wizard.

Long live Archmage Qinton the Tall, Breaker of knees, Destroyer of doors and Devourer of strange brews.

I love this.

I’ve had concepts where the character wasn’t some screaming but rushing at enemies, frothing at the mouth, but instead a well dressed Officer, calmly striking down enemies with elegance.

[2D8HP]

Because https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3DZdaIaeALI/WCAMlLW9fUI/AAAAAAABEiQ/6MIgFzbJwmQYChFRGuB0XP8b7sTtDWW0gCLcB/s280/High%2BFantasy%2BFilm%2BRules%2B-%2BConan%2Bthe%2BBarbarian.gif


https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZTaOVKFl1A/WACoXNh7xeI/AAAAAAABDJY/n6hAPVjYT-cJc-TW_Sy1l7KZQSYBF9CCgCLcB/s280/High%2BFantasy%2BFilm%2BRules%2B-%2BDragonslayer.gif

[Snowbluff]

I love this.

I’ve had concepts where the character wasn’t some screaming but rushing at enemies, frothing at the mouth, but instead a well dressed Officer, calmly striking down enemies with elegance.

I made a Yuan Ti Paladin Barbarian. He has magic resistance, huge saves, which is to say his weakness is HP damage. His HP is huge, as is his AC, and he has resistance to all damage tyoes save for psychic.

He says his name is "barry."

Yuan Ti do not have strong emotions. He cannot get angry.
So he does this instead.

https://youtu.be/sKpK6SFKTDw?t=1m21s

[Bayonet300]

What barbarians lack in versatility inside and outside of combat they make up for in their raw survivablity and straight forward approach to combat. Battlemasters may get fancy moves, paladins can smite and heal, but there's beauty in almost always being the last ally standing up against the big boss who just went nova on your party.

[polymphus]

because they're MANtastic

[MeeposFire]

The answer (well one of them) that we are all dancing around is that the class has a strong theme and actually fills it quite well. It is relatively more constrained than the fighter in theme (though just like the gnome alchemist above just being more constrained does not mean that you cannot do something different) but it is a good trade in this case because the theme gives you great hooks to use as a character and the mechanics fit what it needs to do.

This is also why the paladin is so well regarded in this edition. It also has a very strong theme that in this edition has been well supported with mechanics that suit it.

[jaappleton]

Just built a Silver Dragonborn Barbarian. Loving this character and the concept I have.

[GlenSmash!]

Because with the advent of fifth edition, theyre all the rage!

...I'll see myself out.

Well done, sir.


You are free to immerse yourself in a character who doesn't give a **** and can be bold & fearless.

You run up to things and hit them, your brain isn't bogged down by OOC resource & Spell list management. That allows your mind to explore the fantasy world you are in.

Yep. This is also why I like the Champion. I don't always play one, but when I do it hits the spot like nothing else will do.

The Barbarian class perfectly lives up to its expectations.

It does exactly what it says on the tin.

[Gardakan]

They are so awesome simply because they received their fair share of love in 5th edition.

The rage now granting half resistance to non-magic damage at level 1 as certainly helped Barbarians to shine a bit more in 5th edition.

Plus, the numerous paths they're proposing are just good ways to costumize barbarians.

Happy new year.

[Ganymede]

I'm loving the new Barbarian paths in Xanathars.

I have a character that is a nerdy wizard's school drop-out that's also a secret descendant of Kord, and the new Storm Herald embodies that far better than my previous Tempest Cleric.