Barbarian, Noble

Nobility for barbarians is a different notion than for other classes. These characters never live a life of ease and idleness. They are leaders through their prowess.

The Quintessential Barbarian
Author Robert Schwalb
Series Quintessential Series
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2003

Masters of conflict and Diplomacy, they must never appear weak before their clansmen lest they lose the precarious hold on the leadership of their people. In order to lead other barbarians, the noble must prove himself in the world, gaining renown through conquest and battle. Thus, these barbarians break away from the responsibilities of being the head of their clan and commit to a life of adventure and glory. One day, when skalds sing of his deeds, he will return and seize his rightful place as chieftain of his tribe.

Adventuring: Glory is the sole motivator for the barbarian noble. He feels the need to establish himself amongst his peers and so he will undertake impossible tasks to heap fame upon fame onto his name. This need drives him to take incredible risks, for the reward is greater in the end. Other nobles leave their clans in disgrace, vowing to restore honour to their family name. Some even leave their people in lieu of accepting the responsibility of ruling. These warriors feel great shame and thereby fight even harder than most, as they have something to prove to themselves.

Roleplaying: Regardless of the noble’s motivation for leading a life of high adventure, he is the antithesis of the nobility of civilised cultures. While others embrace luxury, the barbarian noble disdains it, forcing himself to live a brutal life of deprivation. He prefers to stare into the night sky than enjoy the finery of silken sheets and a lusty maid. He may only assume the full stature of his position when he feels he has adequately proved he is deserving of his title. Humbler than most, open to suggestions, he is a true leader. He leads with the assistance of others rather than by his own ability.

Benefits: As a leader of men, the noble must be able to convey his wishes effectively and concisely. Thus, Bluff and Diplomacy are class skills for the Noble barbarian. In addition, when he reaches 6th level, he gains Leadership as a bonus feat, thus representing his increased renown.

Penalties: The noble barbarian is ill-equipped for treachery as it is beneath his station. His blind adherence to honour disallows the Uncanny Dodge Reflex bonus against Traps. In addition, his upbringing alters the very nature of his class, incorporating the variant rules found in SRD. At first level, he is an apprentice in both aristocrat and barbarian. He must choose the D8 Hit Die; he receives the entire list of weapon and armour skills available to both classes and receives skill points as if he were a fully-fledged barbarian. When he accumulates enough experience points to achieve 2nd level, he is first level in both classes. Add this line to the Apprentice-Level Characters table in SRD.

Class	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
Aristocrat	+0	+0	+0	+1	–