Preface

The primary purpose of this document is to redesign the barbarian class in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. Its aim is to deliver the fantasy of the warrior from outside civilization, who overcomes challenges by preternatural physical prowess that is often fueled by a force so primal and nebulous it can only be described as rage.

While the stereotypical potrayal of the barbarian is mainly inspired from pulp fiction, it is clear that the barbarian concept itself can be much more diverse than "raging musclehead who likes to swing and swing big".

Rage can be a mystical force that connects the barbarian to nature, their ancestors, their faith or the unpredictable whims of wild magic.

On the other hand, it can be simply be an expression of raw adrenaline or finely honed instincts of an apex hunter, survivor and soldier - skills developed while steeped in constant battle.

In any case, the barbarian class must provide the mechanical flexibility to create a character that lands on either end of this spectrum or anywhere in between.

The main design ideas behind this rework are 1) the base class itself must provide options for mobility, survivability and a modicum of control without having to get these exclusively from a subclass 2) the barbarian must be encouraged to feasibly challenge even late game monsters in contests of strength.

Another key issue to address is that the rage feature can fizzle out in battle due to dynamic encounters, interesting terrain and NPC interactions all of which are necessary for a good tabletop game but could result in the barbarian not attacking or taking damage in a round, thus wasting a valuable player resource.

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. With each step, he grows in size while the frost giant widens its eyes in shock.

A half-orc snarls and leaps 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 face her companions who falter in their steps, fearful as they witness their friend's terrible demise.

These barbarians different as they might be, are defined by their preternatural rage: unbridled and unquenchable fury. No mere emotion, this rage is fueled by a primal force far beyond the understanding of even the greatest of scholars.

For some, their rage springs from a communion with fierce animal spirits, souls of their forebears, planar entities, the elements themselves or even raw magical essence. Others draw from a reservoir of anger at a world of pain. Whatever be the source, every barbarian is at home in the midst of battle, their bodies and minds honed to do whatever it takes to not just survive but thrive where lesser souls would flee for their lives.

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 an 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, except via the Primal Magic feature.

Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if you 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 cannot rage again unless you finish a long rest.

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.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, if you later get to choose again. You must make attack rolls using Strength to gain the benefits of these fighting styles.

• Bulwark: When you successfully hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can choose to do no damage to the target and gain temporary hit points equal to 1d12 + half your Barbarian level (rounded up) instead.
• Reckless Attacks: You can decide to attack recklessly when you make your first attack in your turn, giving you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.
• Up Close and Personal: When you successfully grapple or shove a creature, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier, and you have advantage on melee weapon attack rolls against creatures you have currently grappled. Grapples and shoves are considered Strength based attacks. They count as magical when you reach 3rd level in this class.
• Vanguard: You have advantage on melee weapon attack rolls when there are no friendly creatures within 5ft of you or your target.

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

Primal Magic

When you reach 3rd level, the Primal Force that drives your Rage enhances you with magical abilities.

When you spend a bonus action to activate your Rage, you can also choose to gain the effects of a spell, as part of the same bonus action.

The spell can be chosen from any row in the following table, if your level in this class is no lesser than specified in the Minimum Barbarian Level column of that row.

The spell takes effect at 1st level when you gain this feature. It changes to 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th level when you reach 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th level in this class.

For example, a 10th level barbarian can pick any spell from the first three rows of the table to activate along with their rage. It then takes effect as a 3rd level spell.

Primal Path

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

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.

Martial Versatility (Optional)

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to barbarians.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Feral Instincts

By 5th level, your instincts are so honed that you gain the following benefits while not wearing heavy armor:

• Your speed increases by 10 feet.
• You have advantage on initiative rolls.
• If you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren't incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn, provided you enter your rage before doing anything else on that turn.

Primal Fortitude

Beginning at 7th level, your Primal Magic bolsters your physical and mental strength.

You can add your Constitution modifier to saving throws that would cause the charmed or frightened conditions. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus and regain all spent uses after a long rest. When you reach 15th level in this class, you can add twice your Constitution modifier.

Additionally, you count as one size larger for grappling and shoving checks as well as to determine carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Brutal Critical

Beginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. Additionally, your melee attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Additional damage dice increases to two at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level.

Relentless Rage

Starting at 11th level, 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.

Primal Magic Surge

Beginning at 13th level, you are able to tap into an unimaginable reservoir of Primal Force.

You may cast a spell from the following table via Primal Magic. The spell can be chosen from any row in the table below, if your level in this class is no lesser than specified in the Minimum Barbarian Level column of that row.

Once you use this feature, you cannot do so until you finish a long rest.

Primal Champion

At 15th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature.

You can use your Strength modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier for your Unarmored Defense.

Indomitable Might

Beginning at 18th level, if your total for a Strength check is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total.

Primal Paragon

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.

Path of the Battlerager

Some barbarians lead a life of constant war. Their unnatural rage and unparalleled strength make them stand out even in pitched battles, evoking terror as they leave behind a trail of death and destruction. For the barbarians that walk the Path of the Battlerager, there can be no turning back.

Grim Reaper

Starting at 14th level, your rage makes you an avatar of death on the battlefield. When you activate your rage, you can mark a creature you see within 30ft of you. Once per turn when you hit a marked creature, you deal 2d6 additional weapon damage. If it dies while you are still raging, you can use a bonus action on your turn to mark another creature you see within 30ft of you.

Further, when you enter rage and have no uses of Primal Tactics remaining, you regain 1 use.

Barbarian by HighZenBurger

Primal Tactics

List of Primal Tactics available to the Battlerager are presented in alphabetical order:

Attention Seeker: When you hit a target with a ranged weapon attack, it takes 1d6 additional weapon damage and makes a Wisdom saving throw. On failure, the creature uses its Reaction to move a distance equal to its speed towards you. If there is no path to you, the creature reaches the nearest point it can. Prerequisite: The weapon used has thrown property.

Battle Cry: You can use your Attack action to let loose a roar of encouragement, exhorting your allies to give their all into vanquishing your enemies. Choose a number (upto your Rage Damage) of friendly creatures within 10ft of you that can hear you. The next time each of these creatures hits an enemy with a melee or ranged weapon attack, it deals 1d6 additional weapon damage.

Blood Bath: When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack it takes 1d6 additional slashing damage and must succeed a Constitution saving throw, or take 1d6 slashing damage at the end of its next turn unless it uses an Action to staunch its wounds. Prerequisite: The weapon used deals slashing damage.

Collision Course: If you move 10ft or more in a straight line towards a creature, on hitting it with a melee weapon attack, you deal 1d6 additional bludgeoning damage. The target makes a Strength saving throw. On failure, it falls prone in an unoccupied space of your choice 10ft away from you and must expend its full movement on its turn to end the prone condition. Prerequisite: The weapon used deals bludgeoning damage or a shield is equipped.

Crack the Shell: When you hit a creature with a melee weapon, it takes 1d6 additional weapon damage and makes a Dexterity (if it is wearing armor) or Constitution (if it has natural armor) saving throw. On failure, its AC is reduced by a number equal to your Rage Damage till the end of your next turn. Prerequisite: The weapon used deals piercing damage.

Destroy Morale: When you kill a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use your Reaction to make a gruesome display. Each hostile creature within 10ft of the dead creature that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or it has disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.

Disruptive Clangs: You can use your Attack action to make a series of strikes against your shield producing disconcertingly loud noises and disrupting the thought patterns of your enemies. Each hostile creature within 10ft of you that can hear you, must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw, otherwise it takes 1d6 psychic damage and subtracts d6 from any saving throw it makes until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half damage. Prerequisite: Shield must be equipped.

Meat Shield: When you successfully grapple a creature on your turn, your AC increases by an amount equal to your Rage Damage against any attacker other than the grappled creature. You may gain this benefit only from one creature at a time.

Push Comes to Shove: When you successfully shove a creature, you may choose to move it into another creature's space within 5ft of it. The second creature is then moved to an unoccupied space 5ft away from its current position and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. On a successful save, the originally shoved creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.

Reflexive Dodge: When a hostile creature makes a melee attack against you, whether it hits or misses, you can use your Reaction to move a distance of upto half your speed. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Seize the Moment: When you use your Reaction to make an attack of opportunity against a creature, you may instead choose to grapple it.

Thundering Slam: When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, each creature within a 15ft cone originating from and including the original target must succeed on a Strength saving throw, otherwise it takes 1d6 thunder damage and is flung to an unoccupied space 5ft away from you. If there is no such space, it is moved to a random unoccupied space within 5ft of its current position. On a successful save, it takes half damage. Prerequisite: The weapon used deals bludgeoning damage or has heavy property.

Whirlwind Strikes: When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, choose a number (upto your Rage Damage) of creatures within reach. Each of these creatures take 1d6 weapon damage, if the original attack roll would hit it. Prerequisite: Dual wielding.

Path of the Berserker

For some barbarians, rage is a means to an end – that end being violence. The Berserker's Path is marked by both their untrammeled fury and rigid discipline. You hone your body to be prepared; for when you enter the berserker's rage, you thrill in the chaos of battle, heedless of everything, including your own health or well-being.

Berserker's Fury

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.

Additionally, when you are in a frenzied rage and spend a bonus action to make a melee weapon attack, you can spend one hit die to make an additional melee weapon attack as part of the same bonus action.

Barbarian by HighZenBurger

Path of the Storm Herald

Barbarians who follow the Path of the Storm Herald learn to wield their Primal Magic to tap into the fury and might of nature and create powerful magical effects.

Storm heralds are typically elite champions who train alongside druids, rangers, and others sworn to protect the natural realm. Other storm heralds travel the world, honing their craft in elite lodges founded in regions wracked by storms, in the frozen reaches at the world’s end, and deep in active volcanoes.

Raging Storm

At 14th level, the power of the inner storm you channel grows mightier, lashing out at your foes. You gain the following benefits:

• While you are raging, if a creature within 10ft of you takes acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage, you can use your Reaction to make it vulnerable to that damage. You can do so a number of times equal to your Rage Damage and regain all expended uses after you finish a long rest.
• Additionally, when you use your Reaction to gain resistance to incoming elemental damage via the Tamer of the Elements feature, your weapon is sheathed with primal energy. The first time you hit with a melee attack on your next turn, the target takes an extra 4d6 acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder (your choice) damage.

Barbarian by HighZenBurger

*Chromatic Weapon

5th level Evocation

• Casting Time: 1 bonus action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Concentration, upto 1 minute

You touch one weapon and imbue it with elemental energy - choose one damage type from acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder. Weapon attacks made with it deal an extra 2d8 damage of the chosen type on a hit. If the weapon isn't already a magic weapon, it becomes one for the duration.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can dismiss this spell and cause the weapon to emit a burst of energy. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of the weapon is subject to one of the effects listed below, depending on the chosen damage type.

If a target fails the specified kind of saving throw, it takes 4d8 damage of the chosen type and suffers the corresponding effect. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and does not suffer the effect.

Path of the Totem Warrior

The Path of the Totem Warrior is the same as it appears in the Player's Handbook with following modifications.

Path of the Ancestral Guardian

Remains same as in Xanathar's Guide to Everything with the addition of the following:

Path of the Beast

Remains same as in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

Path of Wild Magic

Remains same as in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

Path of the Zealot

Remains same as in Xanathar's Guide to Everything with the addition of the following: