Barbarian

---

---

Overview & Creation

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.

You must have a Strength score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Rages	Rage Damage
1st	+2	Rage, Unarmored Defense	2	+2
2nd	+2	Reckless Attack, Danger Sense	2	+2
3rd	+2	Primal Path	3	+2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	+2
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Fast Movement	3	+2
6th	+3	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	Path feature	4	+3
11th	+4	Relentless Rage	4	+3
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5	+3
13th	+5	Brutal Critical (2 dice)	5	+4
14th	+5	Path feature	5	+4
15th	+5	Persistent Rage	5	+4
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

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.

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.

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.

Reckless Attack

Starting at 2nd level, 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 all melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.

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.

Extra Attack

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

Fast Movement

Starting at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor.

Feral Instinct

By 7th level, 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.

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

Relentless Rage

Starting at 11th level, your raage 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.

Persistent Rage

Beginning at 15th level, your rage is so fierce that it ends early only if you fall unconscious or if you choose to end it.

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 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.

---

Starting 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 explorer's pack and four javelins

 

---

Subclass Options

Path of the Ancestral Guardian Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors. These tribes teach that the warriors of the past linger in the world as mighty spirits, who can guide and protect the living. When a barbarian who follows this path rages, the barbarian contacts the spirit world and calls on these guardian spirits for aid. Barbarians who draw on their ancestral guardians can better fight to protect their tribes and their allies. In order to cement ties to their ancestral guardians, barbarians who follow this path cover themselves in elaborate tattoos that celebrate their ancestors’ deeds. These tattoos tell sagas of victories against terrible monsters and other fearsome rivals. Ancestral Protectors Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, spectral warriors appear when you enter your rage. While you’re raging, the first creature you hit with an attack on your turn becomes the target of the warriors, which hinder its attacks. Until the start of your next turn, that target has disadvantage on any attack roll that isn't against you, and when the target hits a creature other than you with an attack, that creature has resistance to the damage of the target’s attacks. Spirit Shield Beginning at 6th level, the guardian spirits that aid you can provide supernatural protection to those you defend. If you are raging and a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by 2d6. When you reach certain levels in this class, you can reduce the damage by more: by 3d6 at 10th level and by 4d6 at 14th level. Consult the Spirits At 10th level, you gain the ability to consult with your ancestral spirits. When you do so, you cast the Augury or Clairvoyance spell, without using a spell slot or material components. Rather than creating a spherical sensor, this use of Clairvoyance invisibly summons one of your ancestral spirits to the chosen location. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells. After you cast either spell in this way, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest. Vengeful Ancestors At 14th level, your ancestral spirits grow powerful enough to retaliate. When you use your Spirit Shield to reduce the damage of an attack, the attacker takes an amount of force damage that your Spirit Shield prevents. 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 rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion. 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 can use your action to frighten your advisories with your menacing presence. When you do so, each creature within 5 feet of you that can see must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength 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. 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 and you have advantage on the attack. Path of the Mercurial Your rage is not rage at all. Instead, you are filled with a malicious spite that runs wild within your veins, bringing a cruel smile to your face and causing the shadows around you to writhe and twist in sympathy. Many who walk this path find themselves in contact with the Shadowcat: an unusual creature that wanders the planes devouring nightmares, twisting fate, and causing mischief for some inscrutable end. As you learn to walk the planes like it does, that cruel joy within your heart grows ever stronger, granting you powers unseen by mortal men. You are the stalking panther, the hunting lion, and the sly grin that appears even as your form fades away. Become nightmare. Cheshire Grin When you choose this path at 3rd level, your rage forces a terrible smile upon your face. When you use your Reckless Attack feature while raging, shadows begin to writhe around your form until the start of your next turn. If you take damage from an attack during this time, you can use your reaction to move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks and you become invisible to your attacker until the start of your next turn. Whenever your rage ends, you can choose to inflict that same malicious grin upon another creature. Choose a creature within 30 feet that can see you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). If they fail, they can’t speak or cast spells for 1 minute, and they lose concentration on active spells as their face contorts and twists into a cruel smile. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the effect ends. Down the Rabbit Hole At 6th level, you learn to journey through terrible shadow, though it fills you with a wicked madness. When you enter your rage, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied location you can see, and while raging, you can do so again whenever you reduce a creature to 0 hit points. Looming Shadow Starting at 10th level, your unique perspective grants you control over the scope and scale of things. You can cast enlarge/reduce at will, even while raging. You can maintain concentration on this spell while you are raging and entering your rage does not cause you to lose concentration. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. All that Remains Starting at 14th level, when you use your reaction to activate your Cheshire Grin feature, you can choose to have your wicked smile hang in midair, fully visible. You still gain the benefits of invisibility against your attacker, but now each creature within 15 feet of you who can see your grin, including your attacker, must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Cheshire Grin save DC. If a creature fails, they are enraged by your taunting grin and must attack you with a weapon or spell attack before the end of their next turn or take psychic damage equal to your barbarian level. If their first attack misses, they take half as much damage. Creatures immune to the charmed condition are unaffected. Primal Path of the Ancestors While other barbarians lose themselves to their fury, the Path of the Ancestors channels the power of the ancient spirits of a tribe through rage. When the rage takes you, the spirits of the ancients flow through your body, granting you their strength and wisdom. Barbarians on the Path of the Ancestors are often leaders, or respected advisors, with the strength to bring greater tempers to heel. Wisdom of the Ancients Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, when you rage, the spirits of your ancestors inhabit your body and lend you their might. You have advantage on Wisdom saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Spiritual Leader Beginning at 6th level, you can cast calm emotions once. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. The save DC for this spell is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. Wrath of the Ancients Beginning at 10th level, while raging, your melee weapon attacks deal additional psychic damage equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). Unfettered Soul Starting at 14th level, while raging you are under the effect of a freedom of movement spell. You don’t need to concentrate to maintain this effect. Path of the Storm Herald Typical barbarians harbor a fury that dwells within. Their rage grants them superior strength, durability, and speed. Barbarians who follow the Path of the Storm Herald learn instead to transform their rage into a mantle of primal magic that swirls around them. When in a fury, a barbarian of this path taps into nature to 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 hone their craft in elite lodges founded in regions wracked by storms, in the frozen reaches at the world’s end, or deep in the hottest deserts. Storm Aura When you select this path at 3rd level, you emanate a stormy, magical aura while you rage. The aura extends 10 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover. Your aura has an effect that activates when you enter your rage, and you can activate the effect again on each of your turns as a bonus action. Choose desert, sea, or tundra. Your aura's effect depends on that chosen environment, as detailed below. You can change your environment choice whenever you gain a level in this class. If your aura's effects require a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. Desert. When this effect is activated, all other creatures in your aura take 2 fire damage each. The damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 3 at 5th level, 4 at 10th level, 5 at 15th level, and 6 at 20th level. Sea. When this effect is activated, you can choose one other creature you can see in your aura. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. The target takes 1d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 2d6 at 10th level, 3d6 at 15th level, and 4d6 at 20th level. Tundra. When this effect is activated, each creature of your choice in your aura gains 2 temporary hit points, as icy spirits inure it to suffering. The temporary hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 3 at 5th level, 4 at 10th level, 5 at 15th level, and 6 at 20th level. Storm Soul At 6th level, the storm grants you benefits even when your aura isn't active. The benefits are based on the environment you chose for your Storm Aura. Desert. You gain resistance to fire damage, and you don’t suffer the effects of extreme heat, as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Moreover, as an action, you can touch a flammable object that isn't being worn or carried by anyone else and set it on fire. Sea. You gain resistance to lightning damage, and you can breathe underwater. You also gain a swimming speed of 30 feet. Tundra. You gain resistance to cold damage, and you don’t suffer the effects of extreme cold, as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Moreover, as an action, you can touch water and turn a 5-foot cube of it into ice, which melts after 1 minute. This action fails if a creature is in the cube. Shielding Storm At 10th level, you learn to use your mastery of the storm to protect others. Each creature of your choice has the damage resistance you gained from the Storm Soul feature while the creature is in your Storm Aura. Raging Storm At 14th level, the power of the storm you channel grows mightier, lashing out at your foes. The effect is based on the environment you chose for your Storm Aura. Desert. Immediately after a creature in your aura hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes fire damage equal to your Barbarian level. Sea. When you hit a creature in your aura with an attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is knocked prone, as if struck by a wave. Tundra. Whenever the effect of your Storm Aura is activated, you can choose one creature you can see in the aura. That creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or its speed is reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn, as magical frost covers it   Path of the Streets While barbarians are stereotyped as reclusive nomads or savage brute, a life in the city breeds a different kind of warrior. Barbarians who follow the Path of the Streets learn that unfettered mayhem quickly earns a stay in the dungeon cells or city stockades.These barbarians learn to be less conspicuous, even if their rage still gets the best of them. They’re well known as streetfighters and riot-starters, ruffians who’ve adapted to the city and people around them. Bare-Knuckle Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, your unarmed strike uses a d4 for damage. This increases to a d6 at 10th level. You add rage damage bonus to damage rolls from your unarmed strikes. While you are raging, when you use the Attack action to make an unarmed strike, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. If you hit the same creature with at least two of your unarmed strikes during your turn, you can make a third unarmed strike against that creature immediately, as part of the same action Improved Unarmored Defense Beginning at 3rd level, you learn how to best defend yourself when your arms are free of burden. When you are not wearing any armor, using a shield, or holding a weapon, your Armor class equals 12 + your Dexterity Modifier + your Constitution modifier. Fists Through the Walls Starting at 6th level, you deal double damage with your unarmed strikes to objects and structures. Forceful Strike Starting at 6th level, you can hit a creature with such force that you send it reeling. When you hit a creature with at least three unarmed strikes during your turn, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.) If it fails, the target is incapacitated until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature twice, and regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. Streetwise At 10th level, you become accustomed to climbing buildings and leaping across rooftops. When you are not wearing any armor, using a shield, or holding a weapon, you climb at your full rate of movement instead of half speed. Additionally your long jump distance is increased by a number of feet equal to your strength modifier (minimum of 1.) Riot Beginning at 14th level, you’re so familiar with the city that you can use your rage to whip others into a state of unrest and anarchy. While you are raging, you can use an action to incite others to riot with you. This feature affects humanoids within 100 feet of you who understand your language and can see and hear you. You can affect a number of hit dice of creatures equal to your barbarian level, and creatures are affected in a radius from you in ascending order of their hit dice. A creature with more than one hit die can make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your charisma modifier) to resist the effect. While affected, creatures behave violently and impulsively, and regard your instructions favorably but not infallibly. Thus, you might be able to direct them to tear apart a tavern, tackle guards in the street, or break down a city gate, but you wouldn’t be able to convince them to burn down a building with them inside or cause obvious harm to themselves or loved ones. Your influence over the riot lasts for one minute, but the duration, size, and fallout of the riot continues at the GM’s discretion. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.   Path of the Totem Warrior The Path of the Totem Warrior is a spiritual journey, as the barbarian accepts a spirit animal as a guide, protector, and inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your barbarian rage. Most barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be kin to a particular clan. In such cases, it is unusual for an individual to have more than one totem animal spirit, though exceptions exist. 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. 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. You may only have one type of animal spirit active at a time but may attune to another animal spirit after a short or long rest. Bear. While raging, you have resistance to all 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 turn. The spirit of the eagle makes you into a predator who can weave through the fray with ease. Elk. While you're raging and aren't wearing heavy armor, your walking speed increases by 15 feet and you ignore difficult terrain. The spirit of the elk makes you extraordinarily swift. Tiger. While raging, you can add 10 feet to your long jump distance and 3 feet to your high jump distance. You also have resistance to bludgeoning damage you suffer from falling. The spirit of the tiger empowers your leaps. 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. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd level or a different one. 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. Whether mounted or on foot, your travel pace is doubled, as is the travel pace of up to ten companions while they're within 60 feet of you and you're not incapacitated. The elk spirit helps you roam far and fast. Tiger. You gain proficiency in two skills from the following list: Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, and Survival. 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. 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. You can choose 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 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. 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. Tiger. While you're raging, if you move at least 20 feet in a straight line toward a Large or smaller target right before making a melee weapon attack against it, you can use a bonus action to make an additional melee weapon attack against it. 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. Path of the Zealot Some deities inspire their followers to pitch themselves into a ferocious battle fury. These barbarians are zealots – warriors who channel their rage into powerful displays of divine power. Divine Fury Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can channel divine fury into your weapon strikes. While you're raging, the first creature you hit on each of your turns with a weapon attack takes extra damage equal to 1d6 + half your Barbarian level. The extra damage is necrotic or radiant; you choose the type of damage when you gain this feature. Warrior of the Gods At 3rd level, your soul is marked for endless battle. If a spell, such as Raise Dead, has the sole effect of restoring you to life (but not undeath), the caster doesn't need material components to cast the spell on you. Fanatical Focus Starting at 6th level, the divine power that fuels your rage can protect you. If you fail a saving throw while raging, you can reroll it, and you must use the new roll. You can use this ability only once per rage. Zealous Presence At 10th level, you learn to channel divine power to inspire zealotry in others. As a bonus action, you unleash a battle cry infused with divine energy. Up to ten other creatures of your choice within 60 feet of you that can hear you gain advantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. Rage Beyond Death Beginning at 14th level, the divine power that fuels your rage allows you to shrug off fatal blows. While you're raging, having 0 hit points doesn’t knock you unconscious. You still must make death saving throws, and you suffer the normal effects of taking damage while at 0 hit points. However, if you would die due to failing death saving throws, you don’t die until your rage ends, and you die then only if you still have 0 hit points.