1-2 Barb 1+ Battlemaster?

[werescythe]

So I've had this idea for sort of a ragey barbarian themed character in my mind. However, none of the subclasses really fit (except maybe Berserker but since exhaustion is horrible let's just pretend it doesn't exist), so I thought I might ask, is a character that is only 1 or 2 level barb before going fighter (battlemaster) the remainder of the way, decent or bad?

[Sherlockpwns]

There is nothing wrong with it if that is your rp. It’s not min maxed of course but it will be serviceable. To make the most out of it you’ll want to be recklessly attacking a lot and raging of course.

The question really is how do you do that and how does it tie into BM and fighting styles. You could do unarmed style and grappling strike. Or even use javelins or hand axes and do throwing style with something like trip or goading (confirm with dm if they believe thrown melee weapons are melee weapon attacks).

Or keep it simple and just grab a giant axe and use heavy weapons. Nothing special beyond “it works”.

Anyway it’s a fine combo. Nothing particularly much to say about it imo, there isn’t a ton of broken things you can do with just 2 levels. It just gives a couple extra tools in your belt but delays progression

[Eldariel]

It's incredibly solid. The only downside is getting Extra Attack 1 and 2 so late. This might suggest starting Barb 1 and blitzing Fighter 5 before going Barb 2, in spite of how good Reckless Attack is. And I might just eventually (either after Fighter 5 or Fighter 11) take Barb 3 for Totem Bear Rage to be a more barby Barbarian. Overall seems solid; Fighter doesn't get much past 11 so it's comparatively strong and gets a bunch of nice tricks normal Barbie might not have access to.

[Intregus182]

It's incredibly solid. The only downside is getting Extra Attack 1 and 2 so late. This might suggest starting Barb 1 and blitzing Fighter 5 before going Barb 2, in spite of how good Reckless Attack is. And I might just eventually (either after Fighter 5 or Fighter 11) take Barb 3 for Totem Bear Rage to be a more barby Barbarian. Overall seems solid; Fighter doesn't get much past 11 so it's comparatively strong and gets a bunch of nice tricks normal Barbie might not have access to.
I came here to say the same thing. Goo barb 1 fighter five then barb 2. After that its up to you what you want knowing that when/if you go back to batb you can grab any subclass that fits the chatacter.

[RogueJK]

Unless you're going for something that specifically benefits greatly from frequent Advantage (like taking the GWM feat, or eventually planning to take Rogue levels, or crit-fishing with a Half Orc, or going for Elven Accuracy with a DEX-based rapier/whip-wielding BM, etc.), you likely don't need to bother with Barbarian 2.

Barbarian 1/Battlemaster X is a great combo as-is. And you already have access to BM maneuvers which can grant you Advantage, like Trip.


With the Barbarian dip, consider something like the Polearm Master feat or the Longtooth Shifter race, to gain an additional BA attack to which you can apply your Rage damage bonus. This also helps lessen the sting of delaying Fighter's Extra Attack.



A quick and dirty optimized build would be something like a Wild Hunt Shifter Barbarian 2/Battle Master Fighter X wielding a halberd with the GWM and Polearm Master feats and Defense fighting style, and using Reckless Attack to offset the GWM penalty yet counteracting the enemy's Advantage thanks to their Wild Hunt Shifter racial ability.

Take the Precision Attack maneuver to help counteract GWM's penalty at times when you're out of Shifts for the day and don't want to risk Reckless Attack, or when you're having to use Reckless to offset Disadvantage and just making a straight roll, or to use on off-turn Reaction GWM attack like OAs and PAM approach attacks (since Reckless' Advantage only applies to attacks on your own turn).

Starting stats something like 15+2 STR/14 DEX/15+1 CON/10 WIS. I'd do Barbarian 1, then take Fighter to 5 grabbing PAM along the way as your first ASI, then take Barbarian 2, then GWM at Fighter 6, Slasher for 18 STR at Fighter 8, Sentinel at Fighter 12, and 20 STR at Fighter 14.

Yeah, there's a little Bonus Action conflict in that you'll have to give up your BA PAM attack on rounds when your Rage/Shift/Crit/Kill, but PAM is still worthwhile for the added chance for an extra attack on every other turn, plus the additional Reaction attack on enemy approach which can also stack GWM and Rage damage. (Plus it frees up a BM Maneuver option since you don't need to worry about Brace.) Or you can skip PAM altogether and just wield a Greatsword, doing something like 15+1 STR/13+1 DEX/15+1 CON/11 WIS, going GWM at 4, 18 STR at 6, and Resilient WIS at 8.

[Gignere]

Unless you're going for something that specifically benefits greatly from frequent Advantage (like taking the GWM feat, or eventually planning to take Rogue levels, or crit-fishing with a Half Orc, or going for Elven Accuracy with a DEX-based rapier/whip-wielding BM, etc.), you likely don't need to bother with Barbarian 2.

You can’t combo reckless attack with Elven Accuracy to get advantage with reckless you need to attack with strength and elven accuracy only allows the triple advantage when you’re not attacking with strength. So going elven accuracy means you never need any levels of barbarian unless you only want it for resistance.

[RogueJK]

Good catch. It's been a minute since I've played a Barbarian, and I forgot that Reckless only applies to STR-based melee attacks, rather than melee attacks in general.