Berserker and Totem Warrior Barbarian

[etrpgb]

In my party is pretty much the consensus that the Berserker is worse than the Totem Warrior. The main reason is that Frenzy gives you one level of exaustion and they fell it is too limiting compared to "pretty much double your hit points" of the Bear Totem or some of the options in the Xanathar manual like the Ancestral Guardian.


For what I can say Frenzy is really strong, but once a day (unless you want to pay a big price) is perhaps indeed too limiting.
I was wondering, what do you think?

Secondly, would a special power at level 6 (or so) that allows Berserkers to recover an exaustion level per short rest (in addition of long as usual) make that class comparable to the other choices?

[MrStabby]

You kind of replace one form of imbalance with another. It frenzy barbarian is actually very good if you are playing without feats. As long as you don't intend to play without feats it is probably closer in power... the trouble is that it really pushes a more offensive path and you need to ensure regular use is not over the top. I would be tempted to make it recover 2 exhaustion levels on a long rest, it keeps a little bit more of a penalty for use.

[Waazraath]

Having played with both (bear) Totem and Berserker: both are very strong. Bear totem doesn't 'double your HP', a lot of damage you get in my experience is of the type that any barbarian resists (slashing/bludgening/piercing). But ymmv. The berserker 3 ability is a very strong 1/day ability, that can be used 2/day as a panic button. Just manage resources wisely and it's great. The later Berserker abilities are very strong as well (immunity fear / charm, and a reaction attack). At high levels, a Berserker is the only class that can (using GWM) reliable make 4 attacks / turn for 1d12 + 20something, with advantage, and pumped up crits. And at these levels greater restoration is online to remove exhaustion levels. That's really powerful.

Auto-removing one exhaustion per short at 6 seems a bit much to me, in that light.

[BoutsofInsanity]

Technically Totem is better.

But as someone who played through an entire game from 1 to 14 as a berserker barbarian, I was the most effective in the party. Bar none.

Three attacks with great weapon master, all under reckless attack, and once I was blessed it didn't even matter.

I crushed everything in my way. I role played a dwarf slayer, a dwarf who so dishonored himself he doesn't wear armor and has sworn to die in combat. Hence why I never ever didn't' reckless attack. I was all offense, for I must die to avenge my honor.

As for the Frenzy, I only frenzied when I felt like I needed too. And the first exhaustion isn't that big a deal combat wise. The second one is harder. So three frenzy in a day was rough. But for the most part I saved Frenzy for when I found someone worthy of my axe who could kill me. Otherwise, I didn't use it. I saved it as a narrative tool. I loved my Dwarf Berserker. It was amazing and I would play one again.

[Rebonack]

I wouldn't compare Berserker to the Totem Warrior. I would compare them to the Zealot. The Zealot does comparable damage over the course of an encounter to a Berserker in Frenzy, however they aren't effectively limited to doing this only once per day. If no levels of exhaustion were involved, their damage output would be pretty close to on-par with each other.

[Malifice]

In my party is pretty much the consensus that the Berserker is worse than the Totem Warrior. The main reason is that Frenzy gives you one level of exaustion and they fell it is too limiting compared to "pretty much double your hit points" of the Bear Totem or some of the options in the Xanathar manual like the Ancestral Guardian.


For what I can say Frenzy is really strong, but once a day (unless you want to pay a big price) is perhaps indeed too limiting.
I was wondering, what do you think?

Secondly, would a special power at level 6 (or so) that allows Berserkers to recover an exaustion level per short rest (in addition of long as usual) make that class comparable to the other choices?

Make it a DC 15 Constitution save to resist the level of exhaustion.