Barbarian

These formidable warriors draw power from their untamed, primal instincts. Fueled by raw emotions, they tap into a fierce rage that enhances their physical prowess, granting increased strength and endurance. With minimal armor and mighty weaponry, they fearlessly charge into battle, shrugging off blows that would cripple lesser fighters. Their unparalleled resilience allows them to endure extreme conditions and resist various effects. Barbarians possess unique paths that further shape their abilities, ranging from totemic connections with nature to embracing a berserker’s unbridled fury. While their rage can make them difficult to control outside combat, Barbarians make invaluable allies on the battlefield, where their ferocity and tenacity turn the tide in their favor, leaving foes trembling in the wake of their relentless onslaught.

Class Features

As a barbarian, you gain the following 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, Shield
Weapon: Martial Weapon, Simple Weapon
Saving Throw: Strength, Constitution
Skills: You have 0 of the following skills: Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Survival.

Starting Gold

You start with 2d4 x 10 gold pieces (GP) unless you choose to take the equipment below.

Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • (a) greataxe or (b) any martial melee weapon
  • (a) (2x) handaxe or (b) any simple weapon
  • explorer's pack
  • (4x) javelin

Barbarian Features Table

LVL Pro+ Features Rages Rage Damage
1st +2 Rage, Unarmored Defense 2 +2
2nd +2 Reckless Attack, Danger Sense 2 +2
3rd +2 Primal Path, Primal Path Feature 3 +2
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 +2
5th +3 Extra Attack, Fast Movement 3 +2
6th +3 Primal Path Feature 4 +2
7th +3 Feral Instinct 4 +2
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 +2
9th +4 Brutal Critical (1 die) 4 +3
10th +4 Primal Path Feature 4 +3
11th +4 Relentless Rage 4 +3
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 +3
13th +5 Brutal Critical (2 dice) 5 +3
14th +5 Primal Path Feature 5 +3
15th +5 Persistent Rage 5 +3
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 +4
17th +6 Brutal Critical (3 dice) 6 +4
18th +6 Indomitable Might 6 +4
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 6 +4
20th +6 Primal Champion Unlimited +4

Class Features at Level

Level 1

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:

  • You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
  • When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table.
  • You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging.

Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action.

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 long rest before you can rage again.

Level 1

Unarmored Defense

While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Level 2

Reckless Attack

You can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.

Level 2

Danger Sense

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. To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.

Level 3

Primal Path

You choose a path that shapes the nature of your rage.

Level 3

Primal Path Feature

Your Primal Path grants you abilities at this level.

Level 4

Ability Score Improvement

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. Alternatively, you can choose to take one Feat instead of the ability score increase.

Level 5

Extra Attack

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Level 5

Fast Movement

Your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing heavy armor.

Level 6

Primal Path Feature

Your Primal Path grants you abilities at this level.

Level 7

Feral Instinct

Your instincts are so honed that you have advantage on initiative rolls.

Additionally, if you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren’t incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn, but only if you enter your rage before doing anything else on that turn.

Level 8

Ability Score Improvement

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. Alternatively, you can choose to take one Feat instead of the ability score increase.

Level 9

Brutal Critical (1 die)

You can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.

Level 10

Primal Path Feature

Your Primal Path grants you abilities at this level.

Level 11

Relentless Rage

Your rage can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If you drop to 0 hit points while you’re raging and don’t die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead.

Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.

Level 12

Ability Score Improvement

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. Alternatively, you can choose to take one Feat instead of the ability score increase.

Level 13

Brutal Critical (2 dice)

You can roll two additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.

Level 14

Primal Path Feature

Your Primal Path grants you abilities at this level.

Level 15

Persistent Rage

Your rage is so fierce that it ends early only if you fall unconscious or if you choose to end it.

Level 16

Ability Score Improvement

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. Alternatively, you can choose to take one Feat instead of the ability score increase.

Level 17

Brutal Critical (3 dice)

You can roll three additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.

Level 18

Indomitable Might

If your total for a Strength check is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total.

Level 19

Ability Score Improvement

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. Alternatively, you can choose to take one Feat instead of the ability score increase.

Level 20

Primal Champion

You embody the power of the wilds. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.

Primal Path

At 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes the nature of your rage. Choose from the paths below. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Path of the Berserker

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.

Path of the Berserker Features Table

LVL Pro+ Features
1st +2
2nd +2
3rd +2 Frenzy
4th +2
5th +3
6th +3 Mindless Rage
7th +3
8th +3
9th +4
10th +4 Intimidating Presence
11th +4
12th +4
13th +5
14th +5 Retaliation
15th +5
16th +5
17th +6
18th +6
19th +6
20th +6
Level 3

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 rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion.

Level 6

Mindless Rage

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.

Level 10

Intimidating Presence

You can use your action to frighten someone with your menacing presence. When you do so, choose one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. If the creature can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be 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.

Level 14

Retaliation

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 Celestial Guardian

Path of the Celestial Guardian

Some Barbarians don’t just tap into their inner rage; they tap into the celestial energies of guardians from higher planes. Barbarians who walk the Path of the Celestial Guardian have been touched by celestial beings who guide their fury and offer blessings that manifest as protective and healing powers.

Path of the Celestial Guardian Features Table

LVL Pro+ Features
1st +2
2nd +2
3rd +2 Celestial Bond
4th +2
5th +3
6th +3 Guardian's Grace
7th +3
8th +3
9th +4
10th +4 Heavenly Smite
11th +4
12th +4
13th +5
14th +5 Celestial Resilience
15th +5
16th +5
17th +6
18th +6
19th +6
20th +6
Level 3

Celestial Bond

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can call upon your celestial guardian when you enter your rage. You gain temporary hit points equal to your Barbarian level + your Constitution modifier. Additionally, while raging, your melee attacks deal an extra 1d4 radiant damage.

Level 6

Guardian's Grace

At 6th level, you emanate an aura of celestial energy. When an ally within 10 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).

Level 10

Heavenly Smite

At 10th level, you can focus your celestial energy into a powerful smite. Once per rage, you can add an extra 2d8 radiant damage to one of your melee attacks. The target must also make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn.

Level 14

Celestial Resilience

When you reach the 14th level, your connection to your celestial guardian grants you otherworldly resilience. While raging, you gain resistance to radiant and necrotic damage. In addition, when you score a critical hit, you can choose to end one condition affecting you (e.g., blinded, paralyzed).

Path of the Elemental Fury

Path of the Elemental Fury

For Barbarians who walk the Path of the Elemental Fury, their rage isn’t just an emotional state but a channel to tap into the primal forces of nature. They draw upon the energies of earth, fire, air, and water to infuse their attacks and protect themselves, becoming one with the elements in their most furious moments.

Path of the Elemental Fury Features Table

LVL Pro+ Features
1st +2
2nd +2
3rd +2 Elemental Infusion
4th +2
5th +3
6th +3 Elemental Resistance
7th +3
8th +3
9th +4
10th +4 Elemental Burst
11th +4
12th +4
13th +5
14th +5 Elemental Avatar
15th +5
16th +5
17th +6
18th +6
19th +6
20th +6
Level 3

Elemental Infusion

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can infuse your rage with one of the four elements: Fire, Earth, Air, or Water. When you enter your rage, choose an element. Your melee attacks gain an additional effect based on the element chosen:

  • Fire: Extra 1d4 fire damage
  • Earth: Target must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone
  • Air: You gain a 10-foot increase to your movement speed
  • Water: Your attacks slow the enemy by 10 feet until your next turn
Level 6

Elemental Resistance

At 6th level, you gain resistance to the damage type corresponding to the element you chose for your Elemental Infusion during your rage. If you chose Fire, you become resistant to fire damage. The same goes for other elements.

Level 10

Elemental Burst

At 10th level, you can use your action to unleash a burst of elemental energy. Each creature within a 15-foot radius must make a Dexterity saving throw. The damage and effect are based on the element you chose during your rage:

  • Fire: 4d6 fire damage on a failed save, half as much on a successful one.
  • Earth: Creatures are restrained until the end of your next turn.
  • Air: Creatures are pushed 10 feet away from you.
  • Water: Creatures’ speed is reduced by half until the end of your next turn.
Level 14

Elemental Avatar

When you reach the 14th level, you become an avatar of your chosen element during your rage. Your Elemental Infusion benefits are doubled, and you gain an additional effect:

  • Fire: Flames surround you, causing any creature within 5 feet to take 1d6 fire damage at the start of their turn.
  • Earth: You gain temporary hit points equal to your Barbarian level at the start of your turn.
  • Air: Attacks against you have disadvantage.
  • Water: You gain the ability to move through enemies and obstacles as if they were difficult terrain, without provoking opportunity attacks.

Credits: SRD 5.1