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Barbarian
A tall human tribesman strides through a blizzard, draped in fur and hefting his axe. He laughs as he charges toward the frost giant who dared poach his people’s elk herd.
A half-orc snarls at the latest challenger to her authority over their savage tribe, ready to break his neck with her bare hands as she did to the last six rivals.
Frothing at the mouth, a dwarf slams his helmet into the face of his drow foe, then turns to drive his armored elbow into the gut of another.
These barbarians, different as they might be, are defined by their rage: unbridled, unquenchable, and unthinking fury. More than a mere emotion, their anger is the ferocity of a cornered predator, the unrelenting assault of a storm, the churning turmoil of the sea.
For some, their rage springs from a communion with fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling reservoir of anger at a world full of pain. For every barbarian, rage is a power that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, and feats of strength.
Primal Instinct
People of towns and cities take pride in how their civilized ways set them apart from animals, as if denying one’s own nature was a mark of superiority. To a barbarian, though, civilization is no virtue, but a sign of weakness. The strong embrace their animal nature—keen instincts, primal physicality, and ferocious rage.
Barbarians are uncomfortable when hedged in by walls and crowds. They thrive in the wilds of their homelands: the tundra, jungle, or grasslands where their tribes live and hunt.
Barbarians come alive in the chaos of combat. They can enter a berserk state where rage takes over, giving them superhuman strength and resilience. A barbarian can draw on this reservoir of fury only a few times without resting, but those few rages are usually sufficient to defeat whatever threats arise.
A Life of Danger
Not every member of the tribes deemed “barbarians” by scions of civilized society has the barbarian class. A true barbarian among these people is as uncommon as a skilled fighter in a town, and he or she plays a similar role as a protector of the people and a leader in times of war. Life in the wild places of the world is fraught with peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying monsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger so that their people don’t have to.
Their courage in the face of danger makes barbarians perfectly suited for adventuring. Wandering is often a way of life for their native tribes, and the rootless life of the adventurer is little hardship for a barbarian. Some barbarians miss the close-knit family structures of the tribe, but eventually find them replaced by the bonds formed among the members of their adventuring parties.
Creating a Barbarian
When creating a barbarian character, think about where your character comes from and his or her place in the world. Talk with your DM about an appropriate origin for your barbarian. Did you come from a distant land, making you a stranger in the area of the campaign? Or is the campaign set in a rough-and-tumble frontier where barbarians are common?
What led you to take up the adventuring life? Were you lured to settled lands by the promise of riches? Did you join forces with soldiers of those lands to face a shared threat? Did monsters or an invading horde drive you out of your homeland, making you a rootless refugee? Perhaps you were a prisoner of war, brought in chains to “civilized” lands and only now able to win your freedom. Or you might have been cast out from your people because of a crime you committed, a taboo you violated, or a coup that removed you from a position of authority.
QUICK BUILD
You can make a barbarian quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the outlander background.
Multiclassing
The prerequisites for multiclassing into and out of a barbarian are a Strength and a Constitution score of 13.
When you multiclas into barbarian, you gain proficiency with shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons.
The Barbarian Table
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Rages | Rage Die |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Rage, Unarmored Defense | 1 | 1d4 |
| 2nd | +2 | Reckless Attack, Danger Sense | 1 | 1d4 |
| 3rd | +2 | Primal Path, Primal Knowledge | 1 | 1d4 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | 1d4 |
| 5th | +3 | Overpowering Rythym | 2 | 1d6 |
| 6th | +3 | Path Feature | 2 | 1d6 |
| 7th | +3 | Instinctive Pounce | 2 | 1d6 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 1d6 |
| 9th | +4 | Precision Critical (19+) | 2 | 1d6 |
| 10th | +4 | Path Feature, Primal Knowledge | 2 | 1d6 |
| 11th | +4 | Rage Undying | 2 | 1d8 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 1d8 |
| 13th | +5 | Precision Critcal (18+) | 3 | 1d8 |
| 14th | +5 | Path Feature | 3 | 1d8 |
| 15th | +5 | Persistent Rage | 3 | 1d8 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 1d8 |
| 17th | +6 | Precision Critcal (17+) | 3 | 1d10 |
| 18th | +6 | Indomitable Might | 3 | 1d10 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 1d10 |
| 20th | +6 | Primal Champion | Unlimited | 1d10 |
Class Features
As a barbarian, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d12 per barbarian level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per barbarian level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival
Equipment
Choose one of the following equipment options — preset or custom. You gain these items in addition to any other gear you might have (such as from your background):
A. Preset Equipment
- (a) a greataxe or (b) any martial melee weapon.
- (a) two handaxes or (b) any simple weapon.
- An explorer's pack.
- Four javelins.
B. Custom Equipment
You gain 2d4 x 10 gold pieces (or 50 gp). You may spend some or all of this gold to purchase your own equipment.
Rage
In battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action.
While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armor:
- Brutal Strength. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
- Rage Damage. When you hit with a melee or thrown weapon attack that uses Strength, you deal a bonus 1d4 damage on hit. As you gain levels in this class, this damage bonus increases to match the Rage Die column on the Barbarian table.
- Thick Skin. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
- Spellcasting. If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging.
Your Rage lasts for 1 minute. Your Rage ends early if you are incapacitated, or if you end your turn and have not done one of the following since your last turn: attacked a creature, taken damage, used the Dash action to move as close as you can toward a hostile creature, or made a Strength check.
Once you have raged the number of times shown for your barbarian level in the Rages column of the Barbarian table, you must finish a short or long rest before you can rage again.
Unarmored Defense
While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Constitution modifier + your choice between your Dexterity, Intelligence, or Wisdom modifiers. You can use a shield with this feature.
Reckless Attack
Starting at 2nd level you can throw aside concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make an attack on your turn, you can choose to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee or thrown weapon attack rolls that use Strength for the rest of the turn, but until the start of your next turn, all attack rolls targeting you have advantage.
Danger Sense
At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger.
You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see (such as traps and spells), so long as you are not incapacitated, and can either see or hear.
Primal Path
At 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes the nature of your rage. Barbarian Paths are detailed at the end of the class description, and additional primal paths are available in other sources. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Primal Knowledge
When you reach 3rd level, choose a skill from the barbarian skill list. You gain proficiency in the chosen skill if you didn't have it before. Otherwise, your proficiency bonus is doubled when making checks with that skill.
When you reach 10th level in this class, you select another skill from the barbarian skill list to gain the benefits of this feature.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Overpowering Rythym
Beginning at 5th level, the primal power that fuels your rage has enhanced your battle prowess as well. You gain the following benefits:
Extra Attack. You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Commanding Strength. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can attempt to Grapple or Shove that creature as a part of that attack.
Fast Movement. Your walking speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing heavy armor. If you have any other speeds, such as flying, they each increase by the same amount.
Instinctive Pounce
By 7th level, your instincts become honed to danger. You gain the following benefits:
Feral Instincts. You have advantage on initiative rolls.
Bursting Temper. When surprised but not incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn. To do so, you must rage before doing anything else.
Primal Rush. As part of the bonus action you take to enter your rage, you can move up to half your speed.
Precision Critical
Beginning at 9th level, your unchecked anger increases the ferocity of your attacks. Both your melee and thrown weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20 (written as 19+).
At certain levels this range increases: at 13th level you score a critical hit on a 18+, and at 17th level you score a critical hit on a 17+ .
Rage Undying
When you reach 11th level, your rage can keep you fighting, despite grievous wounds. You gain the following benefits:
Relentless Spirit. When you would drop to 0 hit points, you can drop to 1 hit point instead by ending your rage.
Rising Fury. When you would roll a death saving throw, you can choose to gain 1 hit point instead. After doing so, you must rage before doing anything else.
Unending Anger. Your Rage lasts for 10 minutes, and it only ends early if you are incapacitated or you choose to end it.
Persistent Rage
Beginning at 15th level, you have mastered your Rage, becoming one with the anger within. Your rage lasts for 1 hour and it only ends if you fall unconscious or you choose to end it.
Indomitable Might
Starting at 18th level, your physical power and stamina rival the heroes of legend. If you make a Strength or Constitution check and the result of your roll is lower than your Strength score, you can use your Strength score in place of result.
Primal Champion
At 20th level, you embody the power of the wilds. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.
Primal Paths
Rage burns in every barbarian’s heart, a furnace that drives him or her toward greatness. Different barbarians attribute their rage to different sources, however. For some, it is an internal reservoir where pain, grief, and anger are forged into a fury hard as steel. Others see it as a spiritual blessing, a gift of a totem animal.
Path of the Berserker
For some barbarians, rage is a means to an end—that end being violence. The Path of the Berserker is a path of untrammeled fury, slick with blood. As you enter the berserker’s rage, you thrill in the chaos of battle, heedless of your own health or well-being.
Frenzy
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one.
When your frenzied rage ends, you expend one hit die. If you can't, you gain a level of exhaustion.
Additionally, your physical form is daunting to those around you. You can use Strength, instead of Charisma, for Intimidation checks when you try to frighten other creatures.
Mindless Rage
Beginning at 6th level, you can’t be charmed or frightened while raging. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is suspended for the duration of the rage.
Intimidating Presence
Beginning at 10th level, you gain the ability to break an opponents advance, frightening them with a glare. As an action, you can make a Strength (Intimidation) check against a creature you can see that isn't incapacitated, contested by the target's Wisdom (Insight) check. If you succeed, the target if frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
On subsequent turns, you can use your action to extend the duration of this effect on the frightened creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends if the creature ends its turn out of line of sight or more than 60 feet away from you.
If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, you can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours.
Retaliation
Starting at 14th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
Path of the Totem Warrior
The Path of the Totem Warrior is a spiritual journey, as the barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, and inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your barbarian rage.
Spirit Seeker
Yours is a path that seeks attunement with the natural world, giving you a kinship with beasts. At 3rd level when you adopt this path, you gain the ability to cast the beast sense and speak with animals spells, but only as rituals, as described in the Spellcasting section.
Totem Spirit
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you choose a totem spirit and gain its feature. You must make or acquire a physical totem object — an amulet or similar adornment — that incorporates fur or feathers, claws, teeth, or bones of the totem animal. At your option, you also gain minor physical attributes that are reminiscent of your totem spirit. For example, if you have a bear totem spirit, you might be unusually hairy and thick-skinned, or if your totem is the eagle, your eyes turn bright yellow.
Your totem animal might be an animal related to those listed here but more appropriate to your homeland. For example, you could choose a hawk or vulture in place of an eagle.
Bear. While raging, you have resistance to all damage except for force and psychic damage. The spirit of the bear makes you tough enough to stand up to any punishment.
Eagle. While you’re raging, other creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against you, and you can use the Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. The spirit of the eagle makes you into a predator who can weave through the fray with ease.
Elk. While you are raging and aren't wearing heavy armor, your walking speed increases by 15 feet, and you can Shove creatures as a bonus action. When you do so, you can either knock the target prone or back 15 feet. The spirit of the elk makes you an extraordinarily swift charger.
Tiger. While raging, your jump height and distances are doubled, and your can Grapple creatures as a bonus action. The spirit of the tiger empowers your pounce and death grip.
Wolf. While you’re raging, your friends have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of you that is hostile to you. The spirit of the wolf makes you a leader of hunters.
Aspect of the Beast
At 6th level, you gain a magical benefit based on the totem animal of your choice.
Bear. You gain the might of a bear. Your carrying capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift) is doubled, and you have advantage on Strength checks made to push, pull, lift, or break objects.
Eagle. You gain the eyesight of an eagle. You can see up to 1 mile away with no difficulty, able to discern even fine details as though looking at something no more than 100 feet away from you.
Additionally, dim light doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Elk. You can add your Rage Die to initiative rolls, you can't be surprised while conscious, and, after you roll initiative, you can swap initiatives with a willing ally that isn't incapacitated.
Tiger. Choose a skill from the barbarian skill list. You gain proficiency in the chosen skill if you didn't have it before. Otherwise, your proficiency bonus is doubled when making checks with that skill. The cat spirit hones your survival instincts.
Wolf. You gain the hunting sensibilities of a wolf. You can track other creatures while traveling at a fast pace, and you can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace (see “Adventuring,” for rules on travel pace).
Spirit Walker
At 10th level, you can cast the commune with nature spell, but only as a ritual. When you do so, a spiritual version of one of the animals you chose for Totem Spirit or Aspect of the Beast appears to you to convey the information you seek.
Totemic Attunement
At 14th level, you gain a magical benefit based on a totem animal of your choice.
Bear. While you’re raging, any creature within 5 feet of you that’s hostile to you has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you or another character with this feature. An enemy is immune to this effect if it can’t see or hear you or if it can’t be frightened.
Eagle. While raging, you have a flying speed equal to your current walking speed. This benefit works only in short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft. If you are falling, you can safely fall a number of feet equal to your walking speed without taking damage.
Elk. While raging, you can use a bonus action during your move to pass through the space of a Large or smaller creature. That creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your Strength bonus + your proficiency bonus) or be knocked prone and take bludgeoning damage equal to 1d12 + your Strength modifier + your Rage Die.
Tiger. While you're raging, when you use the Attack action to attack a creature you're grappling, you can make an additional attack as part of that action.
Wolf. While you’re raging, you can use a bonus action on your turn to knock a Large or smaller creature prone when you hit it with melee weapon attack.
Beast Sense
2nd level divination
- Casting Time: 1 action (R)
- Range: Touch
- Components: S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You touch a willing beast. For the duration of the spell, you can use your action to see through the beast’s eyes and hear what it hears, and continue to do so until you use your action to return to your normal senses. While perceiving through the beast’s senses, you gain the benefits of any special senses possessed by that creature, though you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.
Speak With Animals
1st level divination
- Casting Time: 1 action (R)
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 10 minutes
You gain the ability to comprehend and verbally communicate with beasts for the duration. The knowledge and awareness of many beasts is limited by their intelligence, but at minimum, beasts can give you information about nearby locations and monsters, including whatever they can perceive or have perceived within the past day. You might be able to persuade a beast to perform a small favor for you, at the GM's discretion.
Commune with Nature
5th level divination
- Casting Time: 1 minute (R)
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Instantaneous
You briefly become one with nature and gain knowledge of the surrounding territory. In the outdoors, the spell gives you knowledge of the land within 3 miles of you. In caves and other natural underground settings, the radius is limited to 300 feet. The spell doesn't function where nature has been replaced by construction, such as in dungeons and towns.
You instantly gain knowledge of up to three facts of your choice about any of the following subjects as they relate to the area:
- terrain and bodies of water
- prevalent plants, minerals, animals, or peoples
- powerful celestials, fey, fiends, elementals, or undead
- influence from other planes of existence
- buildings
For example, you could determine the location of powerful undead in the area, the location of major sources of safe drinking water, and the location of any nearby towns.
