Halfling Barbarian of the Kneebreaker Clan

[Chalkarts]

I'm working on a Barbarian Halfling from the Talenta Plains in Eberron.
I want him to fight Bare handed or with brass knuckles, he breaks knees and ankles. He brings his foes down to his level.
Is there a good way or what is the best way, to make a punch fighter that can hold their own, that isn't a monk.

I just envision him charging and doing run by attacks against his enemies knees or ankles. Just hammering someone in the knee with a knuckle duster as you run by at speed just sounds fun.

[Aett_Thorn]

Would you be okay with multiclassing 1 level into Fighter so that you could take the Unarmed Fighting Style? That would allow you to do some decent damage unarmed, at least until magical weapons are needed to do full damage.

[Amnestic]

Fighting Initiate feat gets you unarmed fighting style as well, but you have to wait for 4th level for that unless your DM is giving away a free feat at 1st.

[MrStabby]

I'm working on a Barbarian Halfling from the Talenta Plains in Eberron.
I want him to fight Bare handed or with brass knuckles, he breaks knees and ankles. He brings his foes down to his level.
Is there a good way or what is the best way, to make a punch fighter that can hold their own, that isn't a monk.

I just envision him charging and doing run by attacks against his enemies knees or ankles. Just hammering someone in the knee with a knuckle duster as you run by at speed just sounds fun.

So I think easiest way would be to ask your DM if you can get some stats for brass knuckles as a weapon. I would expect d4 bludgoning damage... then you are kind of set. Dual wielding these will give you OK damage, especially with rage and might help give you access to magic weapons later or with the aid of a spell. Sure, it wont be optimal, but possibly close enough if that's what you want.

What type of barbarian are you thinking?

[Joe the Rat]

So I think easiest way would be to ask your DM if you can get some stats for brass knuckles as a weapon. I would expect d4 bludgoning damage... then you are kind of set. Dual wielding these will give you OK damage, especially with rage and might help give you access to magic weapons later or with the aid of a spell. Sure, it wont be optimal, but possibly close enough if that's what you want.

What type of barbarian are you thinking?I'd do it just like a club - 1d4, light, 2 pounds. That'll be sufficiently chonky on your hands that grabbing things isn't practical. That'll hold you until you can get Unarmed Fighting style (ftr1, feat) or Path of the Beast (Bar3)

[nickl_2000]

Talk to the DM, giving the unarmed fighting style at level one isn't all the great for a halfling. It will be inherently weaker than using a Warhammer (1d6 vs 1d8 one handed damage or 1d8 vs 1d10 two handed damage). The grappling aspect of it isn't all that great considering that you are a halfling.

[da newt]

If your DM is lenient, I'd ask if you can take the PAM feat and wield a staff - mechanically no change, but reflavor / reskin it as massive brass knuckles - you'd have the feat cost, and gain the BA D4 attack and extra OpAtt trigger.

For extra sauce, add dueling fs for another +2 per hit.

I don't think this would unbalance anything, as it's all completely legit mechanically, but just a change to how it looks.

Eventually I'd look to MC battlemaster for extra maneuvers to add even more flavor to your kneecapping and speed bagging ...

[Saelethil]

If you’re up for multi-classing I would recommend a 3 or 4 level fighter dip for the unarmed fighting style and Battle Master maneuvers (might as well grab the ASI while you’re that close). That should keep things a little more interesting than just “I punch… Again!” (unless that’s what you’re looking for). It’s one of the build combos I’ve been looking at trying but I don’t expect to get a chance any time soon.

[Unoriginal]

I'm working on a Barbarian Halfling from the Talenta Plains in Eberron.
I want him to fight Bare handed or with brass knuckles, he breaks knees and ankles. He brings his foes down to his level.
Is there a good way or what is the best way, to make a punch fighter that can hold their own, that isn't a monk.

I just envision him charging and doing run by attacks against his enemies knees or ankles. Just hammering someone in the knee with a knuckle duster as you run by at speed just sounds fun.

Beast Barbarian would be great for that, I think.

[nickl_2000]

Beast Barbarian would be great for that, I think.

I thought so to, but you would need DM approval to modify the damage types.

Claws - Slashing
Bite - Piercing
Tail - Piercing with reach


Should be a pretty easy re-flavoring though.

[Chalkarts]

The grappling aspect of it isn't all that great considering that you are a halfling.
I wasn't even considering grappling, because its a halfling. In my head he's kind of like Rampaging Red Jack Jack from the Incredibles, but with an affinity for ankles and knees. He only hits below the belt.

Perhaps Beast path? I'm honestly not terribly thrilled with any of the Canon paths available to barbarians.
Beast is ok. I could just get silly and make him wild magic.

[Joe the Rat]

No, silly would be giving him Performance proficiency so he can play Tchaikovsky before sauntering into battle.

Wild Magic Barb would be pure Jack Jack.