Barbarian Class Revisit
As time is spent in game, the various classes deficiencies become more apparent. The first class I've taken the time to revisit is the Barbarian class.
The tweaks that have been made put the class more in line with the D&D barbarian, while maintaining the thematic lore from the Elder Scrolls. I'm really happy with where this class has ended up and am excited to share 2 new Barbaric Paths; the Path of the Battleworn, and the Path of the Reaver.
BARBARIAN CONCEPT
Barbarians are the proud, savage warrior elite of the plains nomads, mountain tribes, and sea reavers. They tend to be brutal and direct, lacking civilized graces, but they glory in heroic feats, and excel in fierce, frenzied single combat.
They are fearsome brutes who inspire fear and dread in the hearts of their enemies. Most commonly associated with Nords, Orcs or Redguards, they are much like a storm, swift and powerful. The true savage warriors of Tamriel, barbarians hail from the wastelands, where only the strongest and hardiest survive.
What they may be lacking in social finesse, barbarians more than counterbalance with their battle prowess. Barbarians have very high strength and endurance and have a natural resistance to poisons. Due to their incredible physical condition, barbarians tend to heal quickly and have higher than normal health points.
Finding little use for heavy armor, they rely on smashing their foes into the ground. Barbarians sacrifice heavy armor in favor of being more swift. They also sacrifice the specialization of any particular form of melee combat, using whatever means available to them to cut, crush, or pummel their way through whatever man, mer or beast is daring enough to oppose them.
REVISIONS
Counter
Counter has been reworked and moved to 2nd level. Counter no longer makes you invulnerable to physical attacks, and instead offers resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage, and can be used more frequently.
Having resistance to physical attacks is a huge feature of the D&D barbarian, which fits into the essence of the Elder Scrolls. The limited use of counter each short rest offsets the limited amount rage available each long rest.
Fast Movement
Fast Movement has been reworded for clarity and consistency. The feature has not changed.
Barbaric Path
Two new Barbaric Paths have been added. The Path of the Battleworn, and the Path of the Reaver.
The Path of the War Crier had a major overhaul. This has changed to be similar to the Monk's Way of the Voice. The path changes will be outlined in detail in their respective section.
Extra Attack
Reaper's Verdict has been renamed and reworded as the Extra Attack feature. The features were similar, but this change brings more consistency to conventional feature names.
Reaper's Gambit
The original concept of this feature was to sacrifice defence for additional offence, however, it was worded poorly and was mechanically clunky. The wording has been changed to match D&D's Reckless Attacks, which has the same concept. The feature has been modified to be able to be used indefinitely, rather than on the first round of combat only, to make up for the level in which it is learned.
Warbringer
Another clunky mechanic, which was really redundant from Reaper's Verdict / Extra Attack. This has been replaced with the D&D Brutal Critical feature.
Last Stand
This feature had a minor change. Instead of the feature being triggered by being dropped below a specific, and varying, health level, the player now has more control and can choose when to use it.
Devastating Blows
With counter being moved to 2nd level, the 15th level feature has been replaced with Devastating Blows, allowing you to deal more damage on the first round of combat.
Slaughter
Slaughter had a minor wording change for clarity.
Survival of the Fittest
The new 20th level feature is a copy of the D&D feature, as it just feels right. The original Devastating Blows feature felt really cool, but it was a bit weird - being able to automatically kill almost anything all the time. I thought I had read a similar feature from another class, but I think I was imagining things.
Barbaric Paths
Path of the Battleworn
A brand new path, the battleworn are hardened fighters that have been shaped by their lives of war. These natural warriors are resilient and skilled combatants.
Path of the Reaver
A brand new path, Reavers fight fast and hard and work best when they swarm their prey.
Path of the Savage
Armsman
The Blunt weapon benefit has been reworded to add +1 to your attack roll, instead of -1 to the targets armor. The effect is the same, but should be less clunky to determine.
Uppercut
The action has been slightly reworded for clarity.
Boiling Point
This feature has been removed and moved to the Battleworn path.
Relentless Storm
This ability has been reworked to be usable more frequently to make up for the removal of boiling point. It now states how far you can move while using the special attack, and the reach of the attack is determined by the melee weapon you are wielding, rather than set at 5 feet.
Path of the War Crier
This path has had a major rework to be more on par with the Monk Way of the Voice, and be more thematically accurate to the world of the Elder Scrolls. The amount of shouts you can use each short or long rest has remained the same, but the shouts themselves have been updated. The shouts are similar to the Monks shouts, but there are some unique shouts, and some are similar with unique tweaks to suit the appropriate which they are gained at.
Please take a look and leave any comments and questions below. This class will eventually replace the class that is listed on the Barbarian page. When that happens, I will include a "patch notes" page that will more accurately describe the changes.
BARBARIAN (Version 1.1)
CLASS FEATURES
As a Barbarian, you gain the following class features:
HIT POINTS
Hit Die: d12
Starting Hit points: 12 + your endurance modifier
At higher levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your endurance modifier
PROFICIENCIES
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Unarmored, Shields
Weapon: Axe, Blunt, Hand to Hand, Long Blade, Marksman, Polearms, Short Blade
Saving Throws: Strength & Endurance
Skills: Choose 2 from Acrobatics, Athletics, Fauna, First Aid, Nature, and Intimidation
Trade Skills: Armorer
Tools: None
Barbaric Strength
Barbarians are savage warriors that have lived their life requiring to fight to survive. You always do additional damage on all of your attacks. Refer to the Bonus Damage column of the Barbarian table.
Conditioning
Living in harsh environments makes barbarians resistant to all poison damage.
Unarmored Defense
When you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Agility modifier + your Endurance modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Brute
Starting at 2nd level, you gain advantage on strength checks and strength saving throws.
Counter
At 2nd level, you can use a reaction to use your weapon to deflect a physical attack against you, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. You can use this feature an amount of times equal to your Endurance modifier every short or long rest.
At 20th level, you are able to use this feature indefinitely.
Fast Movement
At 2nd level, your speed increases by 5 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor.
This increases by an additional 5 feet when you reach 5th level.
Barbaric Path
At 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes the nature of your abilities. Choose the Path of the Battleworn, Path of the Reaver, Path of the Savage, or the Path of the War Crier, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Attribute Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one attribute score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two attribute 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 use the Attack Action on your turn.
Reaper's Gambit
By 7th level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make an attack, 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.
Warbringer
Starting 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.
Last Stand
Beginning at 11th level, when you take damage, you can use a reaction to regain hit points equal to 1 hit die. You can also choose to retaliate by using an attack action at that time. You must finish a short or long rest before you can do this again.
Devastating Blows
At 15th level, you learn how to deal destruction quickly. When you attack and hit a creature on your first round of combat, you can use an additional attack action.
Slaughter
Starting at 17th level, when you successfully attack an enemy that is bloodied, you can roll an additional weapon damage die each turn.
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.
Survival of the Fittest
At 20th level, your incredible physical condition rises above your peers. Your Strength and Endurance scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.
BARBARIC PATH
Path of the Battleworn
Thick Skin
Your body is scarred and calloused from years of battle. When you choose this path at 3rd level, your unarmored AC is equal to 12 + your Agility modifier + your Endurance modifier.
Battle Instincts
By 6th level, your instincts are so honed that you have advantage on initiative rolls.
Additionally, you cannot be surprised unless you are incapacitated.
Battle Scars
At 10th level, your scarred body and strong presence is readily noticeable. You have advantage on all Intimidation checks.
Boiling Point
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.
Path of the Reaver
Accelerated Regeneration
When you choose this path at 3rd level, you regain 1 additional hit die each time you finish a short rest.
Pact Tactics
At 6th level, you have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of your allies are within 5 feet of you and the ally isn't unconscious.
Dread Warrior
Beginning at 10th level, your physique is so intimidating that you inspire dread in your enemies. You can use a bonus action to make yourself appear exceptionally fearful. Every creature within 10 feet of you suffers from one of the following effects of your choice:
Disadvantage on Strength and Agility checks
Disadvantage on Willpower and Personality checks
All intimidation checks by you and your allies have advantage.
This effect lasts up to 1 minute, and requires concentration to maintain. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Reaper's Verdict
Beginning at 14th level, you can attack three times, instead of twice, whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
Path of the Savage
Some barbarians only know destruction and violence. The Path of the Savage is a path of fury and death, learned from years of war.
Armsman
Starting at level 3, your savage history has made you a master of weaponry, which gives you additional features when using different types of weapons:
Axes. On a successful attack, roll an additional d20. If you roll a 15+ you apply a bleed to the target, dealing 1d4 damage for this turn and next.
Blunt. Your attacks can better penetrate armor; add 1 to your attack roll.
Blades. Your attacks do additional 2 damage.
Uppercut
At 6th level, you are able to sacrifice your movement to spend additional time winding up your attack to slam an enemy with an upward blow. Once on each turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, the target must make a Strength saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiecny bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target is knocked back 10 feet and left prone. On a successful save, the target is staggered and has disadvantage on attacks until the start of your next turn. This can only affect large or smaller creatures.
Heavy Lifting
Beginning at 10th level, you are able to dual wield all weapons except for those with the heavy or two handed traits. Additionally, weapons with the heavy or two handed traits can be used in one hand, as though it were versatile. To be able to handle the extra weight, you must be unarmored.
Relentless Storm
At 14th level, when you use the attack action, you can choose to sacrifice all additional actions, bonus actions, and reactions to whirl around, attacking all enemies within range of your melee weapon. Roll a separate attack roll for each creature you attack. While whirling, you can move up to half your movement speed, rounding down. Any opportunity attacks against you, have disadvantage.
Path of the War Crier
Battle Thu'um
When you choose this path at 3rd level, you learn how to harness the power of the dragon tongue to form powerful shouts. You are able to use 2 shouts, but you must finish a short or long rest to regain any expended shouts. As your class level increases, the amounts of shouts you can use between rests increases.
You know the Unrelenting Force shout and one other shout of your choice, which are detailed in the “Dragon Shouts” section below. You learn one additional shout of your choice at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Whenever you learn a new shout, you can also replace one shout that you already know with a different shout.
Using Words of Power. The Thu'um is a form of magic which uses words from the draconic language to form powerful shouts. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don't need to use any magicka for it.
As you reach higher levels in this class, some of your shouts become more powerful, such as unrelenting force. Each are described in the “Dragon Shouts” section below.
Dragon Shouts
The dragon shouts are presented at the level you must be to learn them.
At 3rd level, you learn Unrelenting Force and one other shout of your choice listed below.
Clear Skies (Lok Vah Koor)
You can spend 1 shout to use your voice to clear out thick clouds, overcast sky, poisonous fog, or impeding haze.
Blinding Winds (Ven Fus Vokun)
You spend 1 shout to create a powerful wind storm, in a 60 foot-radius, centered on you. The wind blows in all directions, causing dust and refuse to heavily obscure the area.
Additionally, the area is considered difficult terrain, and any projectile that is within or enters the area, has disadvantage on hitting its target.
The winds require concentration to remain and last up to 1 minute. You can use an action to disperse the winds at any time.
Unrelenting Force (Fus Ro Dah)
You use 1 shout to cast the alteration spell Kinetic Push. On a failed save, you can spend an additional shout to knock a creature prone.
At Higher Levels. At 6th level, you can use an additional shout to increase the damage by 2d8 (4d8). At 10th level, you can use 3 shouts to increase the damage by 4d8 (6d8). At 14th level, you can use 4 shouts to increase the damage by 6d8 (8d8).
Whirlwind Sprint (Wuld Nah Kest)
You can use a bonus action to spend 1 shout to double your speed for one turn. While you are under these effects, any opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.
Starting at 6th level, you can choose to learn one of the shouts listed below, or two shouts from the previous list. You can now use 4 shouts each short or long rest.
Animal Allegiance (Raan Mir Tah)
You can spend 1 shout to use your voice to convince a beast that you mean it no harm. Choose a beast that you can see within range. It must be able to see and hear you. The beast must make a Willpower saving throw, against a DC of 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Endurance modifier. On a failed save, the beast is charmed by you. If you or one of your companions harms the beast, the effect ends.
If the animal is friendly, it may be willing to fight by your side while you are within it's territory.
The effect ends if you use another shout.
Aura Whisper (Laas Yah Nir)
You can spend 1 shout to whisper a detection spell that allows you to cast the mysticism spell Detect Life. This spell can only detect beasts.
Disarm (Zun Haal Viik)
You can use 2 shouts to use your voice to focus vibrations on a weapon currently being wielded by a creature within 30 feet. The creature must make a Strength saving throw, against a DC of 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Endurance modifier. On a failed save, the creature drops their weapon. On a successful save, the creature has disadvantage on any attacks made with that weapon until the start of your next turn.
If a creature tries to pick up a dropped weapon, they must use half their speed and make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is incapable of picking up the weapon. On a successful save, the creature is able to pick up the weapon and the effect is dispelled.
Gale Winds (Ven Mul Riik)
You use one 1 shout to cast the alteration spell Gust of Wind.
Marked for Death (Krii Lun Aus)
You can spend 1 shout to cast the conjuration spell Daedric Curse.
Starting at 10th level, you can choose to learn one of the shouts listed below, or two shouts from the previous lists. You can now use 6 shouts each short or long rest.
Battle Fury (Mid Vur Shaan)
You can spend 2 shouts to cast the illusion spell Haste on yourself.
Call of Valor (Hun Kaal Zoor)
You can spend 2 shouts to cast the illusion spell Heroism on up to 5 willing creatures.
At Higher Levels. Starting at 14th level, you can cast this spell an additional creature for each additional shout used.
Cyclone (Ven Gar Nos)
You can spend 1 shout to cast the alteration spell Dust Devil. The cyclone deals 4d8 damage.
At Higher Levels. Starting at 14th level, the damage increases by 1d8 for each additional shout used.
Ice Form (Iiz Slen Nus)
You can spend 2 shouts to attempt to freeze a target that you can see that is within 60 feet of you.
The target must make a Strength saving throw to resist the spell. On a failed save, the target takes 4d8 frost damage and they are encased in a shell of frost. The encased creature is immobilized and can't speak, hear, move, or make any actions. The creature takes this damage again on each subsequent turn while the spell persists.
The creature restrained by this spell must make another Strength saving throw at the start of each of their turns to try and break free. If it successfully saves against this spell three times, the spell ends. If it fails saves three times, the frost hardens and the creature is subjected to the petrified condition for the duration. The successes and failures don’t need to be consecutive; keep track of both until the target collects three of a kind.
On a successful save, the creature takes half of much damage and isn't immobilized.
While the spell is active, the frost shell has an AC of 5 and 60 hit points. When the frost shell reaches 0 hit points the shell breaks, ending the spell effect. A dispel magic spell can also reverse the effects.
Starting at 14th level, you can choose to learn one of the shouts listed below, or two shouts from the previous lists. You can now use 8 shouts each short or long rest.
Breath
You can spend 3 shouts to exhale an element of your choice. Choose either fire, frost, poison, or shock. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must make an Endurance saving throw. A creature takes 6d8 elemental damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. Example shouts are: Fire Breath (Yol Toor Shul, Frost Breath (Fo Krah Diin).
Dismay (Faas Ru Maar)
You can spend 2 shouts to cast the illusion spell Fear.
Dragon Aspect (Mul Qah Diiv)
You can spend 3 shouts to take on the aspect of a dragon, casting the alteration spell Dragonflesh on yourself. Also, each of your melee strikes damage increases by +2.
Storm Call (Strun Bah Qo)
You can spend 3 shouts to cast the destruction spell Storm Cloud. The lightning-bolts from this spell deal 3d10 shock damage.
