Barbarian Optional Features
| Level | New Optional Features |
|---|---|
| 1st | Ancestral Focus, Tribal Magic |
| 2nd | Battle Cry, Medicinal Plants, Powerful Thrower |
| 3rd | Show of Strength, Old Rites |
| 4th | - |
| 5th | Whirl of Blade, Wrecker, Primal Spirit |
| 6th | - |
| 7th | Tracker of the Wild |
| 8th | - |
| 9th | Ruthless Combatant, Warrior Strength |
| 10th | (Show of Strength and Old Rites improvements) |
| 11th | Expertise of the Ancients |
| 12th | - |
| 13th | (Ruthless Combatant and Warrior Strength improvements) |
| 14th | - |
| 15th | Superior Focus |
| 16th | - |
| 17th | (Ruthless Combatant and Warrior Strength improvements) |
| 18th | - |
| 19th | - |
| 20th | Critical Might, Primal Shaman |
Art Credit : Wizards of the Coast
Optional Features
You gain class features in the Player’s Handbook when you reach certain levels in your class. This section offers additional features that you can gain as a barbarian.
Unlike the features in the Player’s Handbook, you don’t gain the feature here automatically.
Consulting with your DM, you decide whether to gain a feature in this section if you meet the level requirement noted in the feature’s description. These features can be selected separately from one another; you can use one, multiple, or none of them.
Ancestral Focus
1st level feature, which replaces the Rage feature. When a feature requires you to use the Rage feature, you can use Ancestral Focus instead. When a feature requires you to be raging, you can also use it if you are focused instead.
The spirits of the ancestors of your tribe whisper to your ears. On Your Turn, as a bonus Action you can Focus to let them guide you.
While focused, you gain the following benefits if you aren't wearing heavy armor:
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You have advantage on Wisdom and Constitution Saving Throws.
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When you make a Weapon Attack, you can use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity for attack and damage rolls.
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You can use your wisdom instead or your intelligence when you make an intelligence ability check.
Your Ancestral Focus lasts for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). It ends early if you are knocked Unconscious. You can also end your focus on Your Turn as a bonus Action. You can Concentrate on a spell or an other feature at the same time you concentrate on Ancestral Focus. If you fail a concentration check, both Ancestral Focus and your other spell or feature end.
Once you have focused the maximum number of times for your Barbarian level, you must finish a Long Rest before you can focus again. You may focus 2 times at 1st Level, 3 at 3rd, 4 at 6th, 5 at 12th, and 6 at 17th.
Tribal Magic
1st level feature, which replaces the Unarmored Defense feature.
You learn 2 cantrips from the druid spell list. Wisdom is your spell casting modifier for those spells. You can replace one of those cantrips by an other cantrip from the druid spell list when you gain a level in this class.
In addition, you can cast cantrips while raging, and when you cast a cantrip from the druid spell list while raging, you can add your rage damage to the damage dealt.
Medicinal Plants
2nd level feature, which replaces the Danger Sense feature.
You become proficient in Herbalism.
In addition, you can apply some medicinal plants on the bruises of a creature within 5 feet of you to appease it. It takes 1 minute to choose and apply the plants. The target regains a number of hit points equal to your highest modifier between Wisdom (Medicine) and Wisdom (Survival), and it is cured of one disease or poison that affects it. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Powerful Thrower
2nd level feature, which replaces the Reckless Attack feature.
You are an expert at throwing weapons. You gain the following benefits :
- You can draw a weapon with the thrown property as part of your attack with it.
- The damage die of your one handed melee weapons that have the thrown property increases by 1 rank (for instance, when you make an attack with a handaxe, it deals 1d8 damage instead of 1d6).
- You can add your rage damage when you hit with a range attack you make with a melee weapon or an improvised weapon using strength while raging.
- When you make a range attack with a melee or an improvised weapon, you can choose to make a special Shove Attack against your target instead (to push it 5 feet or to shove it prone as you can do with a melee attack).
Damage dice ranks :
1d4 > 1d6 > 1d8 > 1d10 > 1d12 > 2d8 > 2d10
Battle Cry
2nd level feature, which replaces the Reckless Attack feature.
When you take the Attack action, you can replace one of your attacks by one of the following battle cries :
- Assault. Each ally within 30 feet of you make their next attack with advantage. If this attack hits, they add your rage damage to the damage roll.
- Set Back. Each enemy within a 30-foot cone must succeed a wisdom saving throw, or be pushed 10 feet away from you. If a target was concentrating on a spell or a feature, it must also succeed a concentration check, or lose its concentration. The DC of both of those saving throws is equal to 10 + your Charisma (Intimidation) modifier.
- Taunt. Each enemy within 30 feet of you has a disadvantage on all of their attacks that don't target you until the start of your next turn.
Old Rites
3rd level feature, which replaces the Primal Knowledge feature.
You learn two ritual spells from the druid spell list. Those spells must be of 2nd-level or lower. You can cast them as ritual and Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for those spells.
When you reach 10th-level in this class, you learn two additional ritual spells from the druid spell list. Those spells must be of 5th level or lower.
Show of Strength
3rd level feature, which replaces the Primal Knowledge feature.
As a bonus action, or as part of the bonus action you use when you start raging or focusing, you can contract your whole body to display a spectacular feat of strength. Until the end of the turn, you can carry, lift, push or pull twice as much weight as you normally do. Moreover, when you make a Strength (Athletic) check, you can add your Strength modifier to the result of your check twice instead of once.
You can use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
When you reach 10th level in this class, you now regains all your expended uses of this feature when you finish either a short or a long rest.
Wrecker
5th level feature, which replaces the Fast Movement feature.
You deal double damage to objects and structures.
Whirl of Blade
5th level feature, which replaces the Extra attack feature.
As an action, you can start making deadly reels around you with your weapon. Until the end of the turn, your reach becomes 5 feet and your AC increases by 2. Moreover, you can make as many melee weapon attacks as you want, but you can't attack a same creature more than once.
Primal Spirit
5th level feature, which replaces the Extra attack feature.
As an action, you can call the primal spirit of an ancient beast, protector of your tribe. The spirit appears as a Large thunderous specter in a free space you can see within 30 feet.
The spirit doesn't take space and doesn't block lines of sight, but it grants half cover to creatures behind it. When it appears, it makes an attack against a creature of your choice that you can see and that is within 5 feet of the spirit.
The attack modifier of the spirit is equal to your Wisdom modifier + your Proficiency Bonus. On a hit, it deals 1d8 + you Wisdom modifier thunder damage. Alternatively you can choose that the spirit makes a special shove attack. When it does so, its Strength (Athletic) modifier is equal to your wisdom + your proficiency bonus.
As a bonus action, you can make the spirit move 30 feet and attack a creature of your choice that you can see and that is within 5 feet of the spirit.
When you make an attack with the spirit, you can use or add any bonus from your barbarian features that you would normally be able to use or add on a strength melee weapon attack, like rage damage, or reckless attack's advantage for instance.
You can make the spirit disappear back to where it came from as a bonus action. The spirit also disappears if you fall unconscious or if you end your turn more than 60 feet away from it.
Tracker of the Wild
7th level feature, which replaces the Feral Instinct feature.
You gain proficiency in survival and perception. If you are already proficient in one of that skills, you gain expertise in that skill instead.
Warrior's Strength
9th level feature, which replaces the Brutal Critical feature.
Choose one of the following benefits. You gain an additional benefit of your choice from that list when you reach 13th and 17th levels in this class.
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You can carry, lift, drag or push twice as much weight.
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You ignore any disadvantage caused by the long range when you make a range attack with a thrown weapon. In addition, if you are small, you can use heavy weapons without disadvantage.
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You can make special grapple or shove attacks against creatures that are up to 2 sizes bigger than you.
Ruthless Combatant
9th level feature, which replaces the Brutal Critical feature.
Once per round, you can reroll one die when you make a damage roll.
When you reach 13th level, you can reroll up to 2 dice per round, and when you reach 17th level, you can reroll up to 3 dice per round (you can reoll a same die multiple times).
Expertise of the Ancients
11th level feature, which replaces the Relentless Rage feature.
When you focus, you gain the expertise in a skill of your choice from the barbarian's list until the end of your focus.
Superior Focus
15th level feature, which replaces the Persistent Rage feature.
You can't lose your concentration, except if you fall unconscious.
Critical Might
20th level feature, which replaces the Primal Champion feature.
Your attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18, 19 or 20.
Primal Shaman
20th level feature, which replaces the Primal Champion feature.
At 20th level, you embody the power of the spirits of your ancestors. Your Wisdom scores increase by 4. Your maximum for that score is now 24. In addition, you can now add your wisdom modifier to the damage dealt by your cantrips if those are from the druid spell list.
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