Barbarian / Ranger build; but why?

[ScoutTrooper]

I can’t get it out of my head, and have already devoted 3 steno notebook pages to planning this. It’s not all min/max’d and I’m guessing math-wise not efficient with all the attack, advantage, action economy equation of “Good”.

-Stats, either Standard Array or Rolled
-All published material Ok, UAs good. (Published trumps the UA article) No Matt Mercer-brewed
-Armorer's Handbook by heavyarms & Fifth Edition Options: Optional Rules and Mechanics designed by Brian Berg are in play too.

The goal of the build is the Whirlwind Attack of the Ranger; Hunter level 11 feature. Being able to attack any number of creatures within 5 feet of you. So no need for polearm Reach 10ft hitting. Also no need for Bugbear cheese. A build to get in, deal damage and swing, swing, swing.

Stat Priority
Dex > Con > Wis > Str > Int, Cha

Race(With or Without Tasha’s linage rule) = Fire Genasi

Starting Ranger, take Barbarian right after.

Lvl. 2 = Ranger 1, Barbarian 1

Then proceed going to Ranger 5

Lv. 6 = Ranger 5, Barbarian 1

Taking Horde Breaker at Ranger 3, Adding +2 to Dex at Ranger 4
Then go to Barbarian 3 for that Bear Totem Cheese survivability

Lv. 8 = Ranger 5, Barbarian 3

**Now here’s where my indecision hits, obviously I know the campaign and the party composition will dictate what path. Does the play really require me to max my Dex Mod to survive or stay on par? Am I crunching good? Rage, fighting, hitting enemies, putting up the numbers. Acting like some Outrider character. Trying to role-play this whole finger of civilization or doomsday prepper?

Do we go for Whirlwind attack a level sooner or do we pick up a few more ASIs?

Lv. 14 = Ranger 11, Barbarian 3 *OR* Lv. 15 = Ranger 11, Barbarian 4

Now so high just for one little mechanic. It’s a long game. Depending on players coming and going, DM not bowing out on fatigue. Perhaps get a lucky break and we start a few levels in.

Then just to finish it, how do we capstone it? Finish Ranger for the spells? Or Do we bring out Barbarian level up to 6?

Lv. 20 = Ranger 14, Barbarian 6?

Horrible I know. So how would you tweak it? Would using Fighter for Battle Master really be superior to hit more targets on Attack action? Or is the maths just night and day better? I.e. this build would be falling behind everyone else even straight class builds?

[Aett_Thorn]

So, a few questions first off:

1) Why prioritizing Dex over Str? Rage only really works with Str-based attacks, so you're missing out on some of what a Barb has to offer in the lower levels unless you go Str-based. Not saying it can't be done, just trying to figure out motivation here.

2) Whirlwind Attack is going to rarely come up in a meaningful way. At the level you're going to get it, would you rather be focusing fire on one enemy, or doing just a bit of damage to a few around you? If you have Horde Breaker already, you can make 2 attacks with your action, a third against another enemy with Horde Breaker, and if you're dual-wielding, a fourth attack as a bonus action. Whirlwind Attack would need to offer you five enemies within 5' to make an improvement on this.


Despite not having the opportunity to play such a combo yet, I really like the thematic synergy between Barb and Ranger, it's just a tough one to work mechanically to get the best out of it. If I was going Hunter Ranger, I'd probably stop at level 7 (or 8 if you really need the ASI), and take Barb the rest of the way from there. Unless you know that your DM likes to throw out a ton of mooks at you and your party, I just can't see how much Whirlwind is a benefit to build towards.

[Tanarii]

Go Str with a 2 handed weapon. Whirlwind attack (and Hoard breaker or Giant slayer) benefit most from those.

In fact that's a general rule for Rangers, they're typically much better as Str builds if they're melee. The reason to be a Dex Ranger in melee is you want to be a switch hitter with ranged, and you plan to stealth all the time.

Adding Barbarian on top just makes it even more so.

So Str max, Con max, Dex 14, Wis, Int/Cha. Typical Barb and Str Ranger stats.

[ScoutTrooper]

2) Whirlwind Attack is going to rarely come up in a meaningful way. At the level you're going to get it, would you rather be focusing fire on one enemy, or doing just a bit of damage to a few around you? If you have Horde Breaker already, you can make 2 attacks with your action, a third against another enemy with Horde Breaker, and if you're dual-wielding, a fourth attack as a bonus action. Whirlwind Attack would need to offer you five enemies within 5' to make an improvement on this.

And that is a fear about the build, if mass enemy mobs stop being prevalent, it does make the build null and void.

As for the STR point out for Rage. Touche, that's an overlook on me. I think the unarmored defense tripped me for priority. STR would be better.

[GlenSmash!]

And that is a fear about the build, if mass enemy mobs stop being prevalent, it does make the build null and void.

As for the STR point out for Rage. Touche, that's an overlook on me. I think the unarmored defense tripped me for priority. STR would be better.

Unarmored defense is usually a trap unless you roll high enough stats for it. 14 Dex with a breastplate (or Mithral half-plate) for AC 16 or 17 and no Stealth disadvantage is good enough for both a Ranger and a Barb.

I'm currently playing a Zealot 5/Gloom Stalker 3 and I find it a lot more versatile than a Barbarian 8 (I can use Hunter's Mark and a Longbow when I can't close the distance to get into melee and I have better out of combat exploration abilities/spells) and I hit a lot harder in melee than a Ranger 8 (I get 3 attacks in the first round of combat that can benefit form Reckless Attack and Bonus damage from Rage) though it's not as optimized as a Dex Ranger but it is a lot of fun.

Edit: if the alternate class features in Tahsa's look like the UA, then Rangers will now have a concentration less Hunter's Mark and THP from Tireless that will make the multiclass even better. Tireless also will turn a Berserkers Frenzy into a short rest recharge which is pretty great.

[Ir0ns0ul]

I always thought about a Barbarian / Ranger multiclass trying to accumulate as much as possible bonus damage without resorting to GWM.

First of all, get a Spear and PAM.

Ranger 2+: Get Duelist FS (+2 if using one-handed) and leverage the Revised Ranger rules for Favored Enemies to get +2 on Humanoids (later +4).

Barbarian X: Rage bonus damage (+2).

3 attacks per round usually having +6 not counting STR mod, Zealot and etc.

[ScoutTrooper]

.... it is a lot of fun.

And that there is the real end goal. The DM definitely pushes either the revised Ranger UA or the Variant options for players picking Ranger. The free burn Hunter's Mark is quite useful.


...First of all, get a Spear and PAM.

That can be easy we're doing Starting Gold, thus wanting to start Ranger. And If I roll for a random flaw I can get a starting feat; that's from the Fifth Edition Options book. It alleviates the usual V.Human pick for most, if you can live with the flaw. (Anything but blind is fine by me)

If I have gold left over. Using the Armorer's Handbook; I can get the Spear a +1 to hit or to damage starting out.

[CTurbo]

Whirlwind is a trap feature that looks better on paper than it does in practice unless your DM will let you move around in between attacks and you can attack every enemy that you can get within 5ft of with your movement.

There are several really good Barbarian/Ranger combos that I can think of though that would be really fun to play especially if you can use the Revised Ranger.


1. The Giant Killer build. Barbarian 2(at least)/Hunter Ranger 5(at least). Prioritize Str>Con>Dex>Wis. Take GWM and take Giant Killer at level 3 and Multiattack Defense if you make it to Ranger 7. Wear Half-Plate and take Defense Style. Stand toe to toe with any large or larger enemy and reliably attack it 3-4 times each round with a Greataxe, Greatsword, or Maul. With Hunter's mark you'd be hitting for 3d6+10 +Str+rage bonus damage+possibly Favored Enemy bonus damage each time.

2. The GWM/Horde Breaker build. Same as above but instead of focusing on one large target, you focus more on spreading your attacks around. As long as there are 2 enemies together, you're getting 3 huge attacks per round and the Horde Breaker attack gives you another opportunity to trigger the Bonus Action GWM attack too.

3. The TWF/Dual Wielder/Horde Breaker build. This time you take attacking hordes to another level having 4 relatively reliable attacks per round and is probably as good as Whirlwind Attack is going to be a regular basis, but 4 levels sooner. You need Mobile though to avoid giving AoOs all the time as you bounce around the battlefield attacking everything.

Adding 1 level of War Cleric to the GWM builds gives you a limited Bonus Action attack for when you really need it too along with other good Cleric stuff.

I don't think I'd go past Ranger 7 with any of those builds.

Barbarians make pretty good TWFers though getting to add Rage damage to each attack assuming Str, and although Rangers aren't really built for it, they make pretty good Str builds too.

[Tanarii]

Whirlwind is a trap feature that looks better on paper than it does in practice unless your DM will let you move around in between attacks and you can attack every enemy that you can get within 5ft of with your movement.

Technically it's superior if you get within 5ft of 3 enemies, and you aren't doing anything that triggers off the Attack action (which includes TWF).

But yeah, that can be a big if to build around.

[Nidgit]

Whirlwind is definitely a trap feature. I think if it either included a shove effect or a free Disengage it'd be more worth it

[NarlyNome]

2) Whirlwind Attack is going to rarely come up in a meaningful way. At the level you're going to get it, would you rather be focusing fire on one enemy, or doing just a bit of damage to a few around you? If you have Horde Breaker already, you can make 2 attacks with your action, a third against another enemy with Horde Breaker, and if you're dual-wielding, a fourth attack as a bonus action. Whirlwind Attack would need to offer you five enemies within 5' to make an improvement on this.
I will add, play a bug bear and use a weapon with reach. Now you attacking every creature within 15ft.

[Peelee]

The Mod on the Silver Mountain: Closed for Necromancy.