Goblin Barbarian: Advice needed on building to be a tank.

[The Robot Goat]

Hey! I've been a fan of OoTS for a while, but just recently made an account on the forums, so let me know if I put this thread in the wrong place!

Anyway, I recently created a Goblin Barbarian (Yeebo Glarbskin) for a game of 5e D&D, and he's been loads of fun to play. However, I've just become aware that our party might end up losing it's only healer, a Forge Domain Cleric. I'd like to try to build my character to be more of a tank so we hopefully don't lose as much from not having a healer, but I'm not particularly good at optimizing characters.

We are currently level 2, and I have 18 strength, and 16s in my constitution and dexterity (we rolled for stats). The party consists of a Lizardfolk Great Weapon Fighter, an Elf Archer Fighter, a Halfling Rogue, and a Kobold Wild Magic Sorceror.

Any advice on archetypes to pick, or maybe feats to pick up, to help optimize my character to get everyone through the campaign alive? Or is it too late and I should just build for DPS to go down swinging, and maybe save my own behind?

[MeeposFire]

Personally since you are a small character I would go for either a shield or use two weapons. I would probably go for a shield and if you really want more damage you can eventually take PAM and use a one handed quarterstaff though some find that silly.

As for what type of barbarian you should play once you hit level 3 if you really want to make your party hard to kill you could go with ancestor so you can reduce damage to the party and bring more attacks to you where you will have a good overall AC (if you use a shield) and damage resistance.

[Segev]

The Sentinel feat is good for tanking.

Here's the thing about tanking outside of a computer game: agro is controlled by the DM, and thus enemies can't be compelled - usually - to attack a target that is disadvantageous. So you need to deny them the ability to safely avoid you-who-can-take-it. Sentinel allows you to control ground more effectively by preventing some movement past you. It's not as effective as 3e's mechanics could be (multiple AoOs per round plus tripping on each attack was good for this), but it does stop movement for at least one character.

Lacking a healer, you also need to maximize your own ability to keep hp high. Your resistance to damage granted by rage is great. A dip into WArlock for armor of Agathis would also be helpful, but you'd really have to run Warlock a bit to get it up in levels before it's great, so while it might be worth a glance, don't go for it as a dip unless you really, really want to (and if you do, consider going for more Warlock).

Look for ways to increase your damage (I know, I know, you'd do this anyway), but with an eye towards making you at least as bad for your targets as whichever squishies they're going after. You need to be un-ignorable. Even though this seems to point towards Frenzy, be cautious and mindful of that Exhaustion mechanic.

It might be more solid to go for the Totem Barbarian and his ritual speak with animals spell, used to get some animal friends you travel with who help form a defensive line.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Tough, Sentinel, and Squat Nimbleness(XGtE)

IDK what type of barbarian you trying to be but Ancestral Guardian or Totem are generally pretty bulky. You should be getting in the way of any melee combatants and your squishies, and planting yourself, there with either attacking or just the Dodge action if you in a decent position to block their way.

[The Robot Goat]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll have to take a look at the Spirit and Totem paths, and yeah, I'm pretty wary of Frenzy as exhaustion is a pretty rough cost for an extra attack. Does Two-Weapon-Fighting or Sword-And-Board seem like it'd be a better fit? Sword and Board immediately leaps out at me if I were to take the sentinel feat, as I wouldn't get the extra bonus attack from dual wielding for opportunity attacks anyway.

[MeeposFire]

Two weapon has the advantage of getting rage damage to the bonus action attack but you do not get the attack on the round you start raging (rage uses a bonus action) and you cannot get TWF style unless you multiclass into fighter or similar.

Shield gives you a better AC which is always nice as even with resistance it is nice not getting hit as much.

As I recall ancestor already uses reactions a bit so sentinel may not get as much use and the ancestor one includes damage reduction and deals damage eventually so I think it is generally better if you go that route and you can use the same ASI for either better stats or perhaps taking resilient wisdom to help keep you from failing wis saves as much. Using Totem sentinel becomes a more useful option to keep enemies close to you and not ignore you.

[The Robot Goat]

Thanks. I'm looking at the Ancestors path for the moment, as I think we'll hit 3 in the next session. Also I just love the idea of the ghosts of dead goblins appearing out of thin air to defend me and my party.

I already have two handaxes, so switching to TWF would be easy, but I'll have to see if I can find a shield in the middle of a necromancer's tower.

[CTurbo]

If you want to tank better, Bear Totem seems like the easiest and most obvious choice. If the group is without a healer, the DM will likely make potions of healing more accessible anyway.

After Barb 5, I'd consider a level of Fighter for the TWF style and Second Wind. I like a dual wielding Barbarian.

[The Robot Goat]

Second wind would be really nice, and a fighting style could only help.

[MeeposFire]

Second wind would be really nice, and a fighting style could only help.

Well a fighting style certainly makes TWF even better or allows you to improve your AC more (defensive or mariner if you allow it). If you do want to multiclass I would wait unitl you hit at least level 5 in barb since extra attack really helps you keep up (you will likely feel behind at level 5+ until you get extra attack as a weapon user).

[The Robot Goat]

Waiting until 5 would be a very smart move, yeah. Plus, at that point I could see what the party really needs, and if I'd be better suited going full Barb or not.

[MeeposFire]

Waiting until 5 would be a very smart move, yeah. Plus, at that point I could see what the party really needs, and if I'd be better suited going full Barb or not.

Plus you can get some more experience using a shield or two hand axes and see what you like better.