Although it states in the Player's Handbook that most Totem Warrior Barbarians stick with one spirit animal throughout their lives, players still have the option to pick different animals for Totem Spirit, Aspect of the Beast, and Totemic Attunement. As a Dungeon Master, should you enforce/heavily encourage players to stick with one spirit animal throughout their career or should players be able to min/max and pick any combination of bear, eagle, elk, tiger, and wolf as they see fit?
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Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.
Nah, I'm cool with players changing their spirit animal throughout. Some of the abilities are cool in a thematic sense but otherwise not practical in the slightest.
Nah, I'm cool with players changing their spirit animal throughout. Some of the abilities are cool in a thematic sense but otherwise not practical in the slightest.
Yeah, I agree. Some of the abilities, like the bear's at 6th level, really aren't that good.
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Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.
I don't think GMs should enforce this. There are many reasons someone may want to choose to stay with/pick another animal. Things will happen throughout the levels. Even if a player sets out to have one animal as 'that's my character's animal' may not make sense after a few months of play, when their struggles are more clear, and events occur.
A good example of this is Vax from Critical Role. Over the first 40+ episodes he's the roguest rogue to ever rogue. Then SPOILERS his sister falls in battle and he essentially sells himself to the Raven Queen. He multiclassed into Paladin after becoming her champion. Why? It just made sense.
I firmly believe that as characters develop in roleplay, their character sheet should reflect this.
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If you love a character, you give them pain, ruin their lives, make them suffer. Maybe even throw in a heroic death.
I don't think a DM should do any more "enforcing" on a player's character option choices than to make sure that whatever rules are agreed upon playing by are not being broken - so no, a DM should not force a player of a totem barbarian to stick to one animal.
Especially not since many tribal cultures actually revere all animal spirits in some way, so "only bear" isn't a restriction that makes sense from a flavor standpoint either.
I think as DM I should to enforce that in most of the situations. Imagine a tribal guy who was gifted by a ancient animal spirit an rises like a chosen warrior, its power is given by a animal spirit who choses it and I think it needs to be devoted to that spirit. In another case, I think there is a solution to players who dosnt feels confortable playing that way: It was gifted for various anceint spirit and any one has gave it one special power, that way, when it rise up Totem Spirit, Aspect of the Beast, and Totemic Attunement it needs to chose a diferent animal for each one.
Any way, I think that any choice the player made needs to be well linked to their background history or a good DM explanation related to the players journay.
Players should be given as much scope as possible when it comes to adding things that will cause fun roleplay.
A barbarian that can channel the power of the bear totem is great and brings lots of fun with it, but how much more fun is it when that barbarian then learns to channel a new totem as well, channeling the power of the hawk to track the foes that are eluding the party, or channeling the Eagle to leap across a chasm to save a friend.
Especially not since many tribal cultures actually revere all animal spirits in some way, so "only bear" isn't a restriction that makes sense from a flavor standpoint either.
The PHB is where this flavor comes from, describing a tribe or clan that has more than one totem animal as the exception.
I'm currently playing an eagle totem barbarian and i plan on sticking with the eagle till the end, but for the question no I think it's up to the player to decide how there character is playe as long as they can explain it.
I like the idea of mixing and matching to "create" a additional totem archetype, like a wolverine (bear (totem spirit), tiger (aspect of the beast), wolf (totemic attunement), even more fantastical creatures.
In the Sword Coast Adventure's Guide, it lists several different tribes with totems like Tree Ghost or Sky Pony that mixes and matches different totem animals. So I would say that it depends on the totem that your player chooses.
In the Sword Coast Adventure's Guide, it lists several different tribes with totems like Tree Ghost or Sky Pony that mixes and matches different totem animals. So I would say that it depends on the totem that your player chooses.
Note to self make sky pony barbarian next time I play one
I don't think a DM should Force a player to do so But I would think the DM might encourage a player to do so. UNLESS the player can come up with a good role-play reason why'd they'd switch.
I am a big fan of role-playing the narrative and letting that sway certain decisions.
Self imposed restrictions are fine, but if the book (and its rules written there in) is allowed in the campaign you have no right to restrict a player’s freedom.
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Although it states in the Player's Handbook that most Totem Warrior Barbarians stick with one spirit animal throughout their lives, players still have the option to pick different animals for Totem Spirit, Aspect of the Beast, and Totemic Attunement. As a Dungeon Master, should you enforce/heavily encourage players to stick with one spirit animal throughout their career or should players be able to min/max and pick any combination of bear, eagle, elk, tiger, and wolf as they see fit?
Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.
Nah, I'm cool with players changing their spirit animal throughout. Some of the abilities are cool in a thematic sense but otherwise not practical in the slightest.
Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.
I like looking through different fantasy art to find creatures to use as my totems. Just as some fun flavor appearance wise.
I don't think GMs should enforce this. There are many reasons someone may want to choose to stay with/pick another animal. Things will happen throughout the levels. Even if a player sets out to have one animal as 'that's my character's animal' may not make sense after a few months of play, when their struggles are more clear, and events occur.
A good example of this is Vax from Critical Role. Over the first 40+ episodes he's the roguest rogue to ever rogue. Then SPOILERS his sister falls in battle and he essentially sells himself to the Raven Queen. He multiclassed into Paladin after becoming her champion. Why? It just made sense.
I firmly believe that as characters develop in roleplay, their character sheet should reflect this.
If you love a character, you give them pain, ruin their lives, make them suffer. Maybe even throw in a heroic death.
I don't think a DM should do any more "enforcing" on a player's character option choices than to make sure that whatever rules are agreed upon playing by are not being broken - so no, a DM should not force a player of a totem barbarian to stick to one animal.
Especially not since many tribal cultures actually revere all animal spirits in some way, so "only bear" isn't a restriction that makes sense from a flavor standpoint either.
I think as DM I should to enforce that in most of the situations. Imagine a tribal guy who was gifted by a ancient animal spirit an rises like a chosen warrior, its power is given by a animal spirit who choses it and I think it needs to be devoted to that spirit. In another case, I think there is a solution to players who dosnt feels confortable playing that way: It was gifted for various anceint spirit and any one has gave it one special power, that way, when it rise up Totem Spirit, Aspect of the Beast, and Totemic Attunement it needs to chose a diferent animal for each one.
Any way, I think that any choice the player made needs to be well linked to their background history or a good DM explanation related to the players journay.
(Sorry for my english. I'm still learning it)
Players should be given as much scope as possible when it comes to adding things that will cause fun roleplay.
A barbarian that can channel the power of the bear totem is great and brings lots of fun with it, but how much more fun is it when that barbarian then learns to channel a new totem as well, channeling the power of the hawk to track the foes that are eluding the party, or channeling the Eagle to leap across a chasm to save a friend.
Also, there's this: Brave Starr intro (video link to YouTube) and Totem barbarians always make me think of this cartoon, "Strength of the Bear!"
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6th level bear totem is fun though if you're a goliath and you want to grapple a pair of T-rex's then drag them around the map :D
Coming from the PHB doesn't automatically make something make sense, though.
Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.
I'm currently playing an eagle totem barbarian and i plan on sticking with the eagle till the end, but for the question no I think it's up to the player to decide how there character is playe as long as they can explain it.
I like the idea of mixing and matching to "create" a additional totem archetype, like a wolverine (bear (totem spirit), tiger (aspect of the beast), wolf (totemic attunement), even more fantastical creatures.
Different is fine, I feel like each time you pick it's like the next section of your totem pole.
In the Sword Coast Adventure's Guide, it lists several different tribes with totems like Tree Ghost or Sky Pony that mixes and matches different totem animals. So I would say that it depends on the totem that your player chooses.
I don't think a DM should Force a player to do so But I would think the DM might encourage a player to do so. UNLESS the player can come up with a good role-play reason why'd they'd switch.
I am a big fan of role-playing the narrative and letting that sway certain decisions.
Self imposed restrictions are fine, but if the book (and its rules written there in) is allowed in the campaign you have no right to restrict a player’s freedom.