Strongast half feat for custom lineage barbarian

[Spacehamster]

I would say either crusher, slasher or skill expert(for dem expertise athletics checks with advantage while raging)?

[Psyren]

Assuming you're trying to hit 18 Str out of the gate, those are the best for that, sure.

If you're looking for good half-feats more generally, Resilient (Wis) is a solid choice for barb.

[Yakmala]

Skill expert with expertise in Athletics. I've had it on a few of my Barbarians and it's always paid dividends. Locking down a grapple, tossing a baddie off a cliff or into lava, making nearly impossible checks to force open doors or climb sheer cliffs during a blizzard. You really can't go wrong with having an absolutely ridiculous Athletics check.

[Skrum]

Skill expert with expertise in Athletics. I've had it on a few of my Barbarians and it's always paid dividends. Locking down a grapple, tossing a baddie off a cliff or into lava, making nearly impossible checks to force open doors or climb sheer cliffs during a blizzard. You really can't go wrong with having an absolutely ridiculous Athletics check.

Athletics is by far the best skill.

It's a little frustrating how often I end up picking skill expert on my martial characters, but it's really good.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

Assuming you're trying to hit 18 Str out of the gate, those are the best for that, sure.

If you're looking for good half-feats more generally, Resilient (Wis) is a solid choice for barb.

By the time your proficiency hits +4 (so assuming you're getting a + 5 benefit from the ASI) I'd say Resilient Wis is the strongest option.

[Jervis]

Athletics is by far the best skill.

It's a little frustrating how often I end up picking skill expert on my martial characters, but it's really good.

Unpopular opinion but I think all noncasters should get some form of skill expertise. Fighters and barbarians at least should get athletics expertise at some point by default. But that’s just my opinion on caster martial balance that martials should in general be better at it. But I guess i’m just a sucker for the trope of normal guys being epic at things without magic

[Skrum]

Unpopular opinion but I think all noncasters should get some form of skill expertise. Fighters and barbarians at least should get athletics expertise at some point by default. But that’s just my opinion on caster martial balance that martials should in general be better at it. But I guess i’m just a sucker for the trope of normal guys being epic at things without magic

I 100% with you in direction, but don't feel strongly about athletics expertise because it's a pretty minor change in the scheme of things. It also raises an interesting point - like it's not that big a change, so it should be early in the level progression (certainly by 5th at the latest). But that just frontloads those classes even more.

Which brings us to a known problem - WotC refuses to scale martials. They're getting single d8's added to their features at level 15. It's ridiculous. Rogues should be doing like 100 damage with sneak attacks, with a chance to outright kill their target. Fighters should be striking unerringly. Barbs should be "noping" entire attack routines with their rage resistance.

How much better would the game be if max level was 10. 11+ was epic.

[MisterD]

Skill expert (+1 STR and athletics skill and Expertise in Athletics) gives you +8 to athletics skill for grappling

[Spacehamster]

By the time your proficiency hits +4 (so assuming you're getting a + 5 benefit from the ASI) I'd say Resilient Wis is the strongest option.

Resilient WIS does not increase STR so it’s kinda useless until you have maxed STR, then it gets good as by that time you start encountering more dangerous stuff anyways. :)

[5eNeedsDarksun]

Resilient WIS does not increase STR so it’s kinda useless until you have maxed STR, then it gets good as by that time you start encountering more dangerous stuff anyways. :)

I'm not sure if you're disagreeing with me... or agreeing with me here that eventually Res Wis is the strongest option. I don't think I'd ever go so far to say that getting a Wis save proficiency is useless (or useless if your Str isn't maxed??), as it doesn't really matter how strong you are if you're running from battle due to fear, or charmed or whatever. That said, if I had an odd attack stat and an odd Wis I would sort the attack stat sooner and the Wis later. If I had to pick one from level 1-20 it'd be Res Wis.

[RogueJK]

Resilient WIS does not increase STR so it’s kinda useless until you have maxed STR

I disagree. You don't really need to max out your primary stat until Tier 3. (Or never, for non-optimized groups.)

In Tier 1 and 2, I'd usually rather have an 18 primary stat and another useful feat like PAM/GWM/SS/XBE/Resilient/Warcaster/Fey Touched/Ritual Caster/etc. than a 20 primary stat.

So in this case I'd start with an 18 STR using a half feat like Skill Expert, but then wait until Level 8 or 12 to max out STR to 20, thus allowing for other feats/ASIs at 4 and possibly 8 (such as Resilient WIS and +2 CON or GWM).


That said, if I had an odd attack stat and an odd Wis I would sort the attack stat sooner and the Wis later.

Agreed. 18 STR is better than 17 STR and Resilient WIS.

[Spacehamster]

I'm not sure if you're disagreeing with me... or agreeing with me here that eventually Res Wis is the strongest option. I don't think I'd ever go so far to say that getting a Wis save proficiency is useless (or useless if your Str isn't maxed??), as it doesn't really matter how strong you are if you're running from battle due to fear, or charmed or whatever. That said, if I had an odd attack stat and an odd Wis I would sort the attack stat sooner and the Wis later. If I had to pick one from level 1-20 it'd be Res Wis.

Both agreed and disagreed, disagreed about using it as a level 1 feat, agree it’s great at your 2nd or 3rd normal ASI. :)

[strangebloke]

Great weapon master :tongue

More seriously for half feats you nailed it. Heavy armor master if you're a battlerager lol.

[RogueJK]

Heavy armor master if you're a battlerager lol.

Battlerager armor in 5E is medium armor. Barbarians don't get heavy armor proficiency, and can't utilize Rage in heavy armor. Even Battleragers.

(Reason number eleventeen why the Battlerager subclass is a disappointment.)

[Jak]

Tavern Brawler may make for some interesting options, if not the strongast option.

In addition to crusher and slasher, piercer is also a decent option, as lances exist.

Upvote for Resilient wisdom.
Look at the enemy wizard and tell him he's not dealing with the average Saiyan warrior anymore.