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 rivaIs.

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 animaIs, 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, primaI 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 c1ass. 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.

CLASS FEATURES

As a barbarian, you gain the following class features.

HIT POINTS
Hit Dice: ld12 per barbarian levei
Hit Points at 1st LeveI: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher LeveIs: ld12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per barbarian leveI 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

THE BARBARIAN
Proficieney Rage
Levei Bonus Features Rages Damage
1st +2 Rage, Unarmored 2 +2

Defense

2nd +2 Reekless Attaek, 2 +2

Danger Sense

3rd +2 Primai Path 3 +2
4th +2 Ability Score 3 +2

Improvement

5th +3 Extra Attaek, 3 +2

Fast Movement

6th +3 Path feature 4 +2
7th +3 Ferallnstinet 4 +2
8th +3 Ability Seore 4 +2

Improvement

9th +4 Brutal Criticai 4 +3

(1 die)

10th +4 Path feature 4 +3
11th +4 Relentless Rage 4 +3
12th +4 Ability Score 5 +3

Improvement

13th +5 Brutal Criticai 5 +3

(2 dice)

14th +5 Path feature 5 +3
15th +5 Persistent Rage 5 +3
16th +5 Ability Seore 5 +4

Improvement

17th +6 Brutal Criticai 6

(3 dice)

18th +6 Indomitable 6

Might

19th +6 Ability Score 6

Improvement

20th +6 Primai Champion Unlimited

PART 1 CL”” I::

EQUIPMENT
You start with the following equipment, in addition to
the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a greataxe or (b) any martial melee weapon
(a) two handaxes or (b) any simple weapon
An expiorer’s pack and four javelins
RAGE
In battle, you fight with primai ferocity. On your turn,
you can enter a rage as a bonus action.
While raging, you gain the following benefits ifyou
aren’t wearing heavy armor:
Vou have advantage on Strength checks and Strength
saving throws.
When you make a melee weapon attack using
Strcngth, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that
increases as you gain leveis 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 ean’t cast them or
concentrate on tbem while raging.
Your rage lasts for 1 minute. lt 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. Vou can also end your rage
on your turn as a bonus action.
Once you have raged the number of times shown
for your barbarian leveI in the Rages column of the
Barbarian table, you must finish a long rest before you
can rage again.
PART 1 I CLASSES

UNARMORED DEFENSE
While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class
equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution
modifier. Vou can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
RECKLESS ATTACK
Starting at 2nd levei, you can throw aside ali 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 turno
DANGER SENSE
At 2nd levei, 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.
Vou have advantage on Dexterity saving throws
against effects that you can see, sue h as traps and spells.
To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or
incapacitated.
PRIMAL PATH
At 3rd levei. you choose a path that shapes the nature of
your rage. Choose the Path of the Berserker or the Path
of the Totem Warrior, both detailed at the end of the
c1ass description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd
levei and agaln at 6th, 10th, and 14th leveis.

ABILITY SCORE IMPRovEMENT
When you reach 4th levei, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th,
and 19th levei, 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.
EXTRA ATTACK
Beginning at 5th levei, you can attack twice, instead of
once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turno
FAST MOVEMENT
Starting at 5th levei, your speed increases by 10 feet
while you aren’t wearing heavy armor.
FERAL INSTINCT
By 7th levei, 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 ifyou enler your rage before
doing anything else on that turno
BRUTAL CRITICAL
Beginning at 9th levei, you can roll one additional
weapon damage die when determining the extra
damage for a criticai hit with a melee attack.
This increases to two additional dice at 13th levei
and three additional dice at 17th leveI.
RELENTLESS RAGE
Starting at 11th levei, your rage can keep you fighting
despite grievous wounds. lf you drop to O hit points
while you’re raging and don’t die outright, you can make
a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. lfyou succeed. you
drop to 1 hit point inslead.
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.
PERSISTENT RAGE
Beginning at 15th levei, your rage is so fierce that
il ends early only ifyou fali unconscious or ifyou
choose to end il.
INDOMITABLE MIGHT
Beginning at 18th levei, if your total for a Strength
check is less than your Strength score, you can use that
score in place of the total.
PRIMAL CHAMPION
At 20th levei. you embody the power of the wilds. Vour
Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Vour
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 internai 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 levei. you
can go inlo a frenzy when you rage. lf 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 levei
of exhaustion (as described in appendix A).
MINDLESS RAGE
Beginning at 6th levei. you can’t be charmed or
frightened while raging. lf 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 levei, 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. lf 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 turno On subsequent turns, you can use your action
to extend the duration of this effect on the frightened

A”RT J (‘ L SE

creature IIntil the end of your next turno This effeet ends
if the creatllre 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 ereature again for 24 hours.
RETALIATION
Starting at 14th levei, when you take damage from
a creature that is within 5 fcet of YOII.you can usc
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 journcy, as
the harharian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protcctor,
and inspiration. In battle. your totem spirit fills you
with supernatural might. adding magiral fuel to your
barharian rage.
Most harharian tribes consider a totem animal to bc
kin to a particular elan. [n such cases. it is unusual for
an individual to have more than one totem animal spirit,
though exceptions exisl.
SPIRIT SEEKER
Yours is a path that seeks altunement with the natural
world. giving you a kinship with beasts. At 3rd levei when
you adopt this path. you gain the ability to east the bcast
sense and speak with animaIs spells. but only as rituais,
as deseribcd in ehapter 10.
TOTEM SPIRIT
AI 3rd leveI. when you adopt this path, you choose a
totem spirit and gain its feature. Vou must make or
acquire a physiral totem ohject-an amulet or similar
adornment-that incorporates fur or feathers. c1aws.
teeth, or bones of the totem animal. AI your option, you
also gain minar physical altributes that are reminiscent
ofyour totem spiril. For example. ifyou have a bear
totem spirit. yott 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 ali damage
except psychic damage. The spirit of the bear makes you
tough enough to stand up to any punishment.
Eagle. While you’re raging and aren’t wearing
heavy armor. other creatures have disadvantage on
opportunity attack rolls against YOU.and you can use the
Dash action as a bonus action on your turno The spirit
of the eagle makes you into a predator who can weave
through the fray with ease.
Wolf. While you’re raging. your friends have
advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature
within 5 fect ofyou that is hostile to YOU.The spirit of
lhe wolf makes you a leader of hunters.
ASPECT OF THE BEAST
At 6th leveI. you gain a magical benefit based on the
totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same
animal you selected at 3rd levei or a different one.
Bepr. You gain the might of a bear. Your carrying
capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift)
is doubled, and you have advantage 00 Strength checks
made to push, pull. lift, or break ohjects.
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.
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 ,hapter 8 for rules on travei pace).
SPIRIT WALKER
At 10th leveI. you can cast the com mune with nature
spell, but only as a ritual. When you do so, a spiritual
version of one of the animais you ehose for Totem Spirit
or Aspect of the Beast appears to you to convey the
information you seek.
TOTEMIC ATTUNEMENT
AI 14th levei, you gain a magical benefit based on a
totem animal ofyour choice. Vou can ehoose the same
animal you selected previously or a different one.
Bear. While you’re raging. any creature within 5 feet
of you that’s hostile to you has disadvantage on altaek
rolls against targets other than you or another eharaeter
with this feature. An enemy is immune to this effeet if it
can’t see or hear you or if it ean’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 fali ifyou end your turn in the air and
nothing else is holding you aloft.
Wolf. While you’re raging, you ean use a honus aetion
on your turn to knoek a Large or smaller ereature prone
when you hit it with melee weapon attack.