20 Str Gnome Barbarian + multiclass potentials

[CTurbo]

Ok so another idea I had was to make a Gnome Barbarian using these ridiculous stats and then multiclass into another class probably after Barbarian 5 or 6.

Stats before racials are-

20, 19, 19, 17, 8, 6
20, 20, 17, 13, 8, 8
20, 18, 14, 13, 13, 10

-and I can't go higher than 20 in any stat.

I like the 1st array best so I could slap that 20 in Str and the two 19s in Dex and Con. I could go either Forrest or Rock and put the +1 in Dex or Con. Then I could put the 17 in whichever stat is important for whichever class I choose to multiclass into.


What's some good class combos that will work with a tiny raging unarmored Gnome? lol

[Wildarm]

Ok so another idea I had was to make a Gnome Barbarian using these ridiculous stats and then multiclass into another class probably after Barbarian 5 or 6.

Stats before racials are-

20, 19, 19, 17, 8, 6
20, 20, 17, 13, 8, 8
20, 18, 14, 13, 13, 10

-and I can't go higher than 20 in any stat.

I like the 1st array best so I could slap that 20 in Str and the two 19s in Dex and Con. I could go either Forrest or Rock and put the +1 in Dex or Con. Then I could put the 17 in whichever stat is important for whichever class I choose to multiclass into.


What's some good class combos that will work with a tiny raging unarmored Gnome? lol

Ancestral Guardian would be a good path to choose. Your AC will be great. As for multiclassing afterwords, Moon Druid is always a scary effective choice for a barbarian to pick. Paladin would also be nice. You can smite while raging.

[CTurbo]

Yeah I thought about being a mostly spell less Paladin that just smites. 6 or 7 levels is all I'd really need to be one of the tankiest characters ever made lol. Advantage on mental saves plus Cha mod to boot. 22 AC with shield.


I can't decide if I'd want to go TWF, Versatile in 2 hands, or Dueling Style and Shield. I could see this guy carrying 2 handaxes. I could dip Fighter or Ranger for TWF style. I could take the Dual Wielder feat as free feat and use two Battleaxes which would be hilarious for a little Gnome lol


Did I forget to mention I get a free feat?


Even though it's situational, I like the flavor Horde Breaker would give for a raging Barbarian so a 3 level Ranger dip would be cool. Gloom Stalker is always strong too. I could use Hunter's Mark when not raging.

I know Fighter meshes extremely well with Barb, but man it's just kind of boring.

[Theron_the_slim]

Wisdom for the extra stat would probably be the most effective thing, even if only for wisdom saves perception.

Moon Druid is the most common multiclass and usually for good reason, but thats more effektive with barbarian2/druidx, since Rage and Druid spells dont work at all (so you aren´t advancing your barbarian with druid spells, you are a shapechanger with rage bonus). Also with those insane stats, wildshape really loses much of its appeal, besides extra hitpoints. You are most of the time for effektive raging with a weapon.

Rogue seems much better to me here, mostly because of the insane stats, you would be able to pull of an 22 AC Tank with shield and rapier (As gnome you usually dont take the big weapons anyway). Nice Profs/expertise, constant advancing damage with sneak attack (you need to use a finesse weapon, but you can still use the strength stat), stuff to do with your bonus action and with dangersense and evasion the most common damage safe is probably 90% of the time a complete ignoreable thing for you, which is nice

It probably works best with Ancestral Guardian, providing protection for a melee partner, that enables you to reliably sneak attack.
Also the picture of a savage gnome that guards guys 2-3 times his size just feels ironicly funny

[CTurbo]

Wisdom for the extra stat would probably be the most effective thing, even if only for wisdom saves perception.

Moon Druid is the most common multiclass and usually for good reason, but thats more effektive with barbarian2/druidx, since Rage and Druid spells dont work at all (so you aren´t advancing your barbarian with druid spells, you are a shapechanger with rage bonus). Also with those insane stats, wildshape really loses much of its appeal, besides extra hitpoints. You are most of the time for effektive raging with a weapon.

Rogue seems much better to me here, mostly because of the insane stats, you would be able to pull of an 22 AC Tank with shield and rapier (As gnome you usually dont take the big weapons anyway). Nice Profs/expertise, constant advancing damage with sneak attack (you need to use a finesse weapon, but you can still use the strength stat), stuff to do with your bonus action and with dangersense and evasion the most common damage safe is probably 90% of the time a complete ignoreable thing for you, which is nice

It probably works best with Ancestral Guardian, providing protection for a melee partner, that enables you to reliably sneak attack.
Also the picture of a savage gnome that guards guys 2-3 times his size just feels ironicly funny


Yeah Rogue would go well with this for sure. I could grab the Fade Away feat for some invisible goodness too.

Although I CAN use a rapier with Str, it just sounds too cheesy lol. I'd probably stick to scimitar or short sword. I kinda imagined him carrying a short sword which would look like a longsword in comparison to how little he is. lol


I've always joked about making a Gnome Conquest Paladin and this might be the best chance I'll ever have to do it. I could take 1 or 2 levels of Barbarian for unarmored defense and reckless attack, but stay mostly Paladin. I think a little Gnome ruling by fear would have some great great rp potential hahaha

[CheddarChampion]

You could go with a rogue multiclass:
Forest Gnome Ancestral Guardian 6 - Rogue X
20/18/20/10/14/8 (with resilient - wisdom)

Go with the standard barbarogue M.O. in combat.
(Reckless -> sneak attack, shove -> sneak attack, shove + grapple)
Max out your Dex then take noncombat feats.

Edit: Ninja'd

[CheddarChampion]

If you're a fan of combining two opposed concepts you could make the wizard barbarian.

Rock Gnome Barbarian 5/Wizard 15
20/19/20/20/8/6
Feat: Keen Mind
First ASI: Dex +1, Wis +1
Second ASI: Resilient (Wis)

This is an option but I wouldn't do it myself.

[CTurbo]

I thought about making a Gnome Wizard/Barbarian. I could ask if I could play a Gnome Bladesinger. My unarmored AC would be 20 and my Bladesong AC would be 25 lol

[Rukelnikov]

You could otherwise go Paladin for the saves, however you would be double dipping Extra Attack which is something I try to avoid.

[Wildarm]

Did I forget to mention I get a free feat?


GWM with a versatile weapon would be fun but you'd need to use strength then(or a Sunblade!).

[chando]

I would go Dual wielder for the free feat, getting bonus AC, you get plenty of damage from Str and Rage and the extra attack always is nice, and if the dual wont ever feel unoptimized with those stats. Plus, its not that you need two magic weapons: you GET to use two magical weapons, every round, with possibly diferent flavors and powers. Even when they are not magical, swithing from a Mace and a Axe, to a sword and hammer to whip and chair whenever you feel like you prevent you from ever becoming bored with describing the infinite ways you can hit anything it moves.

You dont really need to multiclass, but figther, paladin or ranger up to 4 are all great and you could get all of them and rogue 3, having a few slots for smites, or go paladin then any caster for the smites but you are going away from the barbarian feel imo.
I would take maybe some figther. but Barb 20 is a really good choice. You could always go Barb5-6 and go from there, see if were the campagin goes. More cloak and dagger and swashbuckling action? maybe some rogue. More wilderness? Add ranger to taste. Want some extra round here and there a great criticals or maneuvers? or maybe you have been knigthed? Figther may be fitting.

druid is good on a barbarian also because ir repalces stats with those of animals, barb gives better ac to animal forms and adv on Str attacks, but with your stats i would probably not want to replace them. (th hp buffer also gets double, but you will get to a point where HP damage just isn't a great concern, you have just TOO MUCH HP so the dm will probably hit your saves, hold person, banishing or removing you from the figth or reducing your effectivness some other way. you want the DM to deal HP damage to you, or at least try, instead of your friends, not give up on the attempt) you are probably more effective in ending figths with weapons tham claws. Druid gets spells but thats a whole different subject...

[CTurbo]

GWM with a versatile weapon would be fun but you'd need to use strength then(or a Sunblade!).

I intend to use strength. Why wouldn't I?



I would go Dual wielder for the free feat, getting bonus AC, you get plenty of damage from Str and Rage and the extra attack always is nice, and if the dual wont ever feel unoptimized with those stats. Plus, its not that you need two magic weapons: you GET to use two magical weapons, every round, with possibly diferent flavors and powers. Even when they are not magical, swithing from a Mace and a Axe, to a sword and hammer to whip and chair whenever you feel like you prevent you from ever becoming bored with describing the infinite ways you can hit anything it moves.

You dont really need to multiclass, but figther, paladin or ranger up to 4 are all great and you could get all of them and rogue 3, having a few slots for smites, or go paladin then any caster for the smites but you are going away from the barbarian feel imo.
I would take maybe some figther. but Barb 20 is a really good choice. You could always go Barb5-6 and go from there, see if were the campagin goes. More cloak and dagger and swashbuckling action? maybe some rogue. More wilderness? Add ranger to taste. Want some extra round here and there a great criticals or maneuvers? or maybe you have been knigthed? Figther may be fitting.

druid is good on a barbarian also because ir repalces stats with those of animals, barb gives better ac to animal forms and adv on Str attacks, but with your stats i would probably not want to replace them. (th hp buffer also gets double, but you will get to a point where HP damage just isn't a great concern, you have just TOO MUCH HP so the dm will probably hit your saves, hold person, banishing or removing you from the figth or reducing your effectivness some other way. you want the DM to deal HP damage to you, or at least try, instead of your friends, not give up on the attempt) you are probably more effective in ending figths with weapons tham claws. Druid gets spells but thats a whole different subject...

With a 20 Str, Dex, and Con, no way am l going Druid.

I do like the idea of TWF. I'd need some Fighter or Ranger if I wanted to do that which is fine.

I don't want to be mostly Barb. I'm thinking 5 or 6 levels at most and could even stop at Barb 2 if needed. Barb is just for the unarmored AC and Reckless Attack.

I'm considering Monk too.