Barbarian (2024 One D&D)

Barbarians in the 2024 Player’s Handbook embody unstoppable primal force, with streamlined Rage, the all‑new Weapon Mastery system, and upgraded core features that scale more smoothly into high levels. Rage now lasts 10 minutes, is maintained with a Bonus Action (or by forcing a save), and regains uses on both Short and Long Rests. Weapon Mastery lets you harness cinematic combat options—Cleave, Push, Topple, and more—across multiple weapons you can swap at will. Classic staples like Danger Sense and Reckless Attack gain fresh utility, while mid‑tier milestones (Brutal Strike → Improved Brutal Strike → Superior Brutal Strike) and resilience pivots (Relentless Rage, Persistent Rage, Indomitable Might) ensure you remain a terror on the battlefield.

---

Class Overview

• Hit Die: d12
• Primary Stats: Strength, Constitution
• Armor & Weapons: Simple & Martial weapons; light & medium armor; shields
• Role: Front‑line striker, tank, battlefield controller

---

Barbarian Progression

Level	Prof. Bonus	Features	Rages	Masteries
1	+2	Rage, Unarmored Defense, Weapon Mastery	2	2
2	+2	Danger Sense, Reckless Attack	2	2
3	+2	Primal Knowledge, Primal Path	3	2
4	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	2
5	+3	Extra Attack, Fast Movement	3	3
6	+3	Subclass Feature	4	3
7	+3	Feral Instinct, Instinctive Pounce	4	3
8	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3
9	+4	Brutal Strike	4	3
10	+4	Subclass Feature	4	4
11	+4	Relentless Rage	4	4
12	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5	4
13	+5	Improved Brutal Strike	5	4
14	+5	Subclass Feature	5	4
15	+5	Persistent Rage	5	4
16	+5	Ability Score Improvement	5	4
17	+6	Superior Brutal Strike	6	4
18	+6	Indomitable Might	6	4
19	+6	Epic Boon	6	4
20	+6	Primal Champion	6	4

---

Core Features – Detailed

Rage (Level 1)

• Activation & Maintenance: Bonus Action (no heavy armor); maintain with Bonus Action, by forcing an enemy save, or by making a successful attack roll.
• Duration: Up to 10 minutes once active.
• Benefits:
• +2 (Str‑based) bonus damage (scales by tier).
• Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, slashing.
• Cannot cast or concentrate.
• Uses: per day = Rage column; regain one use on a Short Rest, all on a Long Rest.

Unarmored Defense (Level 1)

• AC Calculation: 10 + DEX mod + CON mod (shield OK).

Weapon Mastery (Level 1)

• Choose & Swap: Master two (Simple or Martial melee) weapons; gain their Mastery property. Swap one mastered weapon per Long Rest.
• Mastery Slots: 2 at 1st, 3 at 5th, 4 at 10th.
• Properties:
• Cleave: Hit → extra attack on adjacent foe.
• Graze: Miss → deal damage equal to your ability mod.
• Push: Hit → shove target up to 10 ft. away.
• Sap: Hit → target has disadvantage on next attack.
• Slow: Hit → reduce target’s speed by 10 ft. until next turn.
• Topple: Hit → target must save or fall prone.
• Vex: Hit → advantage on next attack vs. that target.
• Nick: Light weapon off‑hand → bonus attack (doesn’t use Attack action).

Danger Sense (Level 2)

• Saves: Advantage on DEX saves vs. visible effects.
• Initiative: New advantage on Initiative rolls.

Reckless Attack (Level 2)

• Attack: First melee Str attack each turn with advantage.
• Trade‑off: Attacks vs. you have advantage—including Opportunity Attacks.

Primal Knowledge (Level 3)

• Skill: Gain proficiency in Acrobatics, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth, or Survival.
• Rage Bonus: While raging, use Strength + advantage for that skill’s checks.

Extra Attack & Fast Movement (Level 5)

• Attack: Attack twice with Attack action.
• Move: +10 ft. speed if not in heavy armor.

Feral Instinct & Instinctive Pounce (Level 7)

• Initiative: Advantage + act on surprise (if you Rage first).
• Pounce: When Rage activates, move up to half your speed as part of that Bonus Action.

Brutal Strike (Level 9)

• Mechanic: Forgo any source of advantage on one attack to:
• Add 1d10 damage (→ 2d10 at 13th; 3d10 at 17th).
• Apply one mastery‑style rider effect (→ two effects at 13th/17th).

Relentless Rage (Level 11)

• Survival: If you drop to 0 HP while raging and don’t die outright, make a CON save (DC 10 + uses); on success, drop to 1 HP. DC increases by 5 each use; resets on short/long rest.

Persistent Rage (Level 15)

• Recovery: Once per Long Rest, when you roll Initiative with no Rages left, regain all uses.
• Stability: Rage now only ends if you fall unconscious or don heavy armor.

Indomitable Might (Level 18)

• Checks: If your Str check total < your STR score, you may use your STR score instead.

Primal Champion (Level 20)

• Capstone: +4 to STR and CON (max 25).

---

Primal Paths – Full Subclass Breakdown

Path of the Berserker

Level 3 – Frenzy
When you Rage and use Reckless Attack, your first hit each turn deals extra damage: roll d6s equal to your Rage bonus (2d6 at Lv 3 → 4d6 at Lv 16). No Exhaustion penalty.

Level 6 – Mindless Rage
While raging, you’re immune to Charmed and Frightened. If either condition was on you at Rage start, it ends.

Level 10 – Retaliation
When you take damage from a creature within 5 ft., use your Reaction to make one melee attack (weapon or unarmed) against it.

Level 14 – Intimidating Presence
Bonus Action to force chosen creatures in 30 ft. to make a Wis save (DC 8 + STR + Prof). Fail → Frightened 1 min. Save again each turn end. Recharge on Long Rest (or expend a Rage to reset).

---

Path of the Wild Heart

Level 3 – Animal Speaker
Cast Beast Sense and Speak with Animals as rituals (Wisdom spellcasting).

Level 3 – Rage of the Wilds
On Rage start, choose one:

• Bear: Resistance to two non‑force/psychic damage types.
• Eagle: Gain Dash & Disengage as part of your Rage Bonus Action.
• Wolf: Allies within 10 ft. of you have advantage on melee attacks vs. creatures you hit.

Level 6 – Aspect of the Wilds
Choose one, changeable after each Long Rest:

• Owl: Darkvision 60 ft. (or +60 ft. if you already have it).
• Panther: Climb speed = walking speed.
• Salmon: Swim speed = walking speed.

Level 10 – Nature Speaker
Cast Commune with Nature as a ritual (Wisdom spellcasting).

Level 14 – Power of the Wilds
On Rage start, choose one:

• Falcon: Fly speed = walking speed (no armor).
• Lion: Enemies within 5 ft. have disadvantage on attacks vs. targets other than you (or another Barbarian).
• Ram: Hit a Large or smaller creature → they fall prone.

---

Path of the World Tree

Barbarians on this path draw on the multiversal power of Yggdrasil to protect allies and control the battlefield.

Level 3: Vitality of the Tree

• When you activate your Rage, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Barbarian level.
• At the start of each of your turns while raging, you can give another creature within 10 feet Temporary Hit Points by rolling a number of d6 equal to your Rage damage bonus and adding them together.

Level 6: Branches of the Tree

• When a creature you can see starts its turn within 30 feet, you can use your Reaction to summon spectral branches.
• The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength modifier) or be teleported to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you; its speed is then 0 until the end of its turn.

Level 10: Battering Roots

• While wielding a heavy or versatile melee weapon, your reach with that weapon increases by 10 feet.
• When you hit with this weapon, you can activate the Push or Topple Weapon Mastery property in addition to any other mastery you have active.

Level 14: Travel Along the Tree

• As a Bonus Action when you activate your Rage—and again each turn as a Bonus Action while raging—you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.
• You can bring up to six willing creatures within 10 feet; at this level, the teleport distance increases to 150 feet and you can teleport allies with you once per Rage.

Path of the Zealot

Zealots channel divine power through their Rage to heal allies and embody holy wrath.

Level 3: Divine Fury

• While raging, the first creature you hit each turn takes extra damage equal to 1d6 + half your Barbarian level (round down). You choose necrotic or radiant damage each time.

Level 3: Warrior of the Gods

• You gain a pool of four d12s that you can spend as a Bonus Action to heal yourself. Your pool increases by 1 die at Barbarian levels 6, 12, and 17, and regains all dice on a Long Rest.

Level 6: Fanatical Focus

• Once per Rage, if you fail a saving throw, you can reroll it with a bonus equal to your Rage damage bonus; you must use the new roll.

Level 10: Zealous Presence

• As a Bonus Action, up to ten creatures you choose within 60 feet gain advantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature again after a Long Rest or by expending one use of your Rage.

Level 14: Rage of the Gods

• When you activate your Rage, you can assume a divine form for 1 minute (or until you drop to 0 HP):
• You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed and can hover.
• You have resistance to necrotic, psychic, and radiant damage.
• When a creature within 30 feet would drop to 0 HP, you can use your Reaction and expend a use of your Rage to instead set its HP to your Barbarian level.

For some, there is only rage. In the ways of their people, in the fury of their passion, in the howl of battle, conflict is all these brutal souls know. Savages, hired muscle, masters of vicious martial techniques, they are not soldiers or professional warriors’ they are the battle possessed, creatures of slaughter and spirits of war. Known as barbarians, these warmongers know little of training, preparation, or the rules of warfare; for them, only the moment exists, with the foes that stand before them and the knowledge that the next moment might hold their death. They possess a sixth sense in regard to danger and the endurance to weather all that might entail. These brutal warriors might rise from all walks of life, both civilized and savage, though whole societies embracing such philosophies roam the wild places of the world. Within barbarians storms the primal spirit of battle, and woe to those who face their rage.

Role: Barbarians excel in combat, possessing the martial prowess and fortitude to take on foes seemingly far superior to themselves. With rage granting them boldness and daring beyond that of most other warriors, barbarians charge furiously into battle and ruin all who would stand in their way.

Alignment: Any non-lawful

Hit Die: d12

Starting Wealth: 3d6 × 10 gp (average 105gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The barbarian’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Strength) , Craft (Intelligence), Handle Animal (Charisma), Intimidate (Charisma), Jump (Strength), Listen (Wisdom), Ride (Dexterity), Survival (Wisdom), and Swim (Strength).

Skill Points at 1st Level (4 + Intelligence modifier) x?4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level 4 + Intelligence modifier.

The Barbarian
Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Fast movement, illiteracy, rage 1/day
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Uncanny dodge
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Trap sense +1
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Rage 2/day
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Improved uncanny dodge
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	Trap sense +2
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2	Damage reduction 1/-
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	Rage 3/day
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	Trap sense +3
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	Damage reduction 2/-
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3	Greater rage
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4	Rage 4/day, trap sense +4
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+4	Damage reduction 3/-
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+4	Indomitable will
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+5	Trap sense +5
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+5	Damage reduction 4/-, rage 5/day
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	Tireless rage
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	Trap sense +6
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6	Damage reduction 5/-
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	Mighty Rage, rage 6/day

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the barbarian.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A barbarian is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Rage (Ex) : A barbarian can fly into a rage a certain number of times per day. In a rage, a barbarian temporarily gains a +4 bonus to strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases the barbarian’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While raging, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or Concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A fit of rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A barbarian may prematurely end his rage. At the end of the rage, the barbarian loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter (unless he is a 17th-level barbarian, at which point this limitation no longer applies; see below).

A barbarian can fly into a rage only once per encounter. At 1st level he can use his rage ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Entering a rage takes no time itself, but a barbarian can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex) : At 2nd level, a barbarian retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a barbarian already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Trap Sense (Ex) : Starting at 3rd level, a barbarian gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 Dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise by +1 every three barbarian levels thereafter (6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level). Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex) : At 5th level and higher, a barbarian can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the barbarian by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has barbarian levels. If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank the character.

Damage Reduction (Ex): At 7th level, a barbarian gains Damage Reduction. Subtract 1 from the damage the barbarian takes each time he is dealt damage from a weapon or a natural attack. At 10th level, and every three barbarian levels thereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th level), this damage reduction rises by 1 point. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0.

Greater Rage (Ex) : At 11th level, a barbarian’s bonuses to Strength and Constitution during his rage each increase to +6, and his morale bonus on Will saves increases to +3. The penalty to AC remains at -2.

Indomitable Will (Ex): While in a rage, a barbarian of 14th level or higher gains a +4 bonus on Will saves to resist enchantment spells. This bonus stacks with all other modifiers, including the morale bonus on Will saves he also receives during his rage.

Tireless Rage (Ex) : At 17th level and higher, a barbarian no longer becomes fatigued at the end of his rage.

Mighty Rage (Ex) : At 20th level, a barbarian’s bonuses to Strength and Constitution during his rage each increase to +8, and his morale bonus on Will saves increases to +4. The penalty to AC remains at -2.