barbarian casting?

[Bannan_mantis]

so I was recently considering the idea of making a barbarian/warlock character for fun since I think the combination would be really fun for rp. I started to go over this a bit and came to a idea and I was hoping to ask how other people felt about it. That idea is what should the cost be for barbarians gaining the ability to maintain concentration and cast spells during rage? By cost I mean should this be from a feat or maybe a racial ability or hell maybe you just get it from multiclassing a barb with a full caster (with you being able to control your rage enough to become a caster.)

From what I can tell this isn't a huge bonus to a barbarians functionality and the no casting/concentrating on spells was for realistic reasons since it's probably hard to cast a spell while you have a bloodlust rage. That said some of the options work exceptionally well in rage and spells that increase survivability (shield of faith, false life, armour of agyths and etc.) would have a increased level of effect. So to be sure I want to know how other people feel about something like this and what they would allow for so what's your opinion on this?

[Arkhios]

I've yet to receive feedback for a homebrew Primal Path I made (Rage Mage; see below in my sig), but one idea I had was that if they cast spells while raging, they do so at the risk of being easier targets for attacks, similar to Reckless Attack.

I find that allowing barbarians to keep up concentration while raging is pretty darn powerful, so I made it a part of Rage Mage's capstone feature, still with a caveat that they'll lose any concentration they might already have if they cast any other spell, regardless if the new spell being cast requires concentration or not.

Another (with or without the above ideas) could be that they would simply suffer disadvantage on Concentration saving throws while raging).

Other than that, my homebrew idea is based around similar limitation to spellcasting as Pact Magic or Ki spellcasting is facing, at least in regards to multiclassing. They have their own method, separate from others, and thus you won't be able to combine class levels for higher level spells than a Rage Mage normally casts.

[wilhelmdubdub]

Probably not what you want but look at ritual caster feat or pact of the tome. Warlocks don't have a lot of spell slots so on the first round you could eldritch blast then rage, melee on the next round. Or use your spell slots and then rage when you are out of ammo, short rest then repeat.

[Quietus]

One option is to keep the Eldritch Blasts for pre-rage use, and then pick spells that don't require concentration but key well off of your Barbarian abilities. Armor of Agathys is a frequent contender for this; you can make those temp HP last longer by way of your resistance to damage, so you get to punish people trying to hit you in melee for longer.

[Man_Over_Game]

so I was recently considering the idea of making a barbarian/warlock character for fun since I think the combination would be really fun for rp. I started to go over this a bit and came to a idea and I was hoping to ask how other people felt about it. That idea is what should the cost be for barbarians gaining the ability to maintain concentration and cast spells during rage? By cost I mean should this be from a feat or maybe a racial ability or hell maybe you just get it from multiclassing a barb with a full caster (with you being able to control your rage enough to become a caster.)

From what I can tell this isn't a huge bonus to a barbarians functionality and the no casting/concentrating on spells was for realistic reasons since it's probably hard to cast a spell while you have a bloodlust rage. That said some of the options work exceptionally well in rage and spells that increase survivability (shield of faith, false life, armour of agyths and etc.) would have a increased level of effect. So to be sure I want to know how other people feel about something like this and what they would allow for so what's your opinion on this?

Officially, you have a few options in the form of non-concentration spells that you cast before you Rage. A few good options are Armor of Agathys and Warding Bond.
Unofficially, there's a lot of homebrew you can look at. One I made had the Barbarian have two special spell lists (one for mobility, one for aggression), and you cast one spell from each list every time you Rage. Zephyr Strike + Longstrider, Entangling Strike + Tree Stride, etc.

[GlenSmash!]

There are plenty of times where a Barbarian won't be able to engage in melee. Eldritch blasitng in those scenarios is just fine. Also THP from armor of Agathys or Fiend pact work great with damage resistance from rage.

[Vulsutyr]

I've yet to receive feedback for a homebrew Primal Path I made (Rage Mage; see below in my sig), but one idea I had was that if they cast spells while raging, they do so at the risk of being easier targets for attacks, similar to Reckless Attack.



I read your Primal Path. It’s cool, but you may want to change the name of Font of Fury. RAW, multi class spellcasters only combine casting if it’s from the Spellcasting feature. Your barbarian would not benefit much from MCing as is.

[N810]

Add a class feature, that while raging you can concentrate on spells, (Primal Magic)
Roll to matain concentration if you didn't take damage that turn. :smallbiggrin:

Ps. you still can't cast while raging.

[Man_Over_Game]

I read your Primal Path. It’s cool, but you may want to change the name of Font of Fury. RAW, multi class spellcasters only combine casting if it’s from the Spellcasting feature. Your barbarian would not benefit much from MCing as is.

It'd be similar to how the Warlocks do spell slots. They don't combine with standard casters, but still provide a major benefit. In this case, a caster being able to halve incoming damage will always be relevant at any level, because 50% damage mitigation scales with level. On the flip side, a Barbarian being able to cast spells from other caster levels can exceed power levels that he would normally be able to cast with just Barbarian levels.

Similarly, mixing the Eldritch Knight with the Abjuration Wizard has a lot of importance on the Eldritch Knight's combat abilities and the Abjuration Wizard's utility abilities. What is not of much concern is the Eldritch Knight's addition to casting.

[Kurt Kurageous]

If Conan learned magic...and I were to homebrew it:

I like the ritual only thing, making all casting an out of combat experience. No cantrips (like pally's got). Look hard at XGtE paladin ritual spell.

And instead of spell slots, use hit dice. You wanna cast? It will cost you. You're a CON based caster now, giving you a better DC than WIS or (shudder) INT or CHA.

Known spells? Druid ritual tagged looks about right, feels right.

[Arkhios]

I read your Primal Path. It’s cool, but you may want to change the name of Font of Fury. RAW, multi class spellcasters only combine casting if it’s from the Spellcasting feature. Your barbarian would not benefit much from MCing as is.

That's the point. I intentionally made it so that Rage Mage would be similar to Warlock in that their class level doesn't stack with other classes who have spellcasting (or Pact Magic) feature. Besides, the intent is that Rage Mage can cast spells only by using Font of Fury.

On hindsight, I just realized I forgot to remove Cantrips from the table. As a class with Extra Attack, even a spellcasting barbarian doesn't need them.

[Shuruke]

Officially, you have a few options in the form of non-concentration spells that you cast before you Rage. A few good options are Armor of Agathys and Warding Bond.
Unofficially, there's a lot of homebrew you can look at. One I made had the Barbarian have two special spell lists (one for mobility, one for aggression), and you cast one spell from each list every time you Rage. Zephyr Strike + Longstrider, Entangling Strike + Tree Stride, etc.

I'd recemend looking at cleric list
Surprisingly they have strong non concentration

Spiritual weapon

Spirit guardian

Also
Channel divinity can be used during rage

So light cleric could be cool

(Bestow curse as higher than 5th level)

Rages are per long rest so you could just be a caster who also rages occasionally XD


I as a Dm personally would just say

Hey u wanna b.s. a rage mage

Use cleric spell list but learn learn and gain spells like E.K

Reckless attack is now reckless spell casting

Attack rolls from a spell are at advantage and enemies have disadvantage on the next barbarian spell you vast.
In turn attacks at you are at advantage and your saves are at dis advantage


Spell casting stat is str

Add rage to damage for spells


That'd be level 3

At 9 and 14 ( if I remember right for barbarian archetypes.)

9 when you cast a spell while raging you can add your rage damage bonus to attack roll or the save d.c but your rage ends

14. If you start combat without a rage you can expend a spell slot to rage for number of turns equal to slot.

[Arkhios]

Spirit Guardians requires concentration. Might want to double check your sources on that.

[Shuruke]

Spirit Guardians requires concentration. Might want to double check your sources on that.

Sorry not spirit guardian
Wrong spell name

Gaurdian of faith

[Dalebert]

"I cast rage."

My DM hates that.

[Kyutaru]

I feel like if a barbarian wanted to use spells during Rage, he should have prepared them into magical items that he can just trigger during it. The barbarian/druid probably has an assortment of totems that he pulls out and crushes to enhance his strength and speed or something. The barbarian/wizard is probably chucking wand bolts at everything he can see. The barbarian/warlock can't channel his magic into his sword but he can enchant the sword before going crazy.