I'm level 2, with a Green Dragonborn Barbarian (Fizban version if curious). Used standard array so my current stats are 16 STR, 16 CON, 13 DEX, 12 WIS, 10 CHA, and 8 INT. My goal is to be a tank and protector mostly, since my party is a druid, artificer and bow using ranger. I definitely want to be less a damage dealer and more tank and protector so am curious what I should take at levels 4 and 8, as I believe the module I'm playing, Tomb of Annihilation (no spoilers please), goes only to level 10. I am thinking a CON boost at level 4 to help with my tankiness and then an STR boost at level 8, but what do y'all think? I went Ancestral Guardian mostly just to protect my allies with their Ancestral Spirit thing they got.
Couple of quick questions. Are you wearing armor? Are you rocking a two handed weapon or a sword and board build? Is anybody going to be a melee combatant like yourself?
So far I'm the only one built for melee, and right now going two handed weapon. Might be willing to put on medium armor later though. Also got until Sunday for next session and we got gold for shopping, so I could change this up a bit. We're trying to get more folk to join but thus far no one else has a strong melee build. The ranger didn't hesitate to pull out two blades during a fight with a spectre, but beyond that has remained out of the fray.
My suggestion would be wearing half plate and grabbing the Slasher feat (I'm assuming you are using a slashing weapon) at level 4 to bump your DEX to 14. This ups your AC to 17 with half plate which would be more unarmored defense which will only be 15 with the CON increase. Slasher also gives your enemy a speed debuff making it harder for them to get to your backline. The crit effect kind of overlaps with with your Ancestral Protectors ability but it also affects their hits on you so still good.
Level 8 will depend on how you are doing. If you are having difficulty hitting enemies then a +2 STR will be the way to go. If you seem to go down too fast then the Tough feat will net you an extra 16 hp (20 in total at lvl 10) which is effectively doubled because of Rage damage reduction. A potential third option is Gift of the Metallic Dragon feat. The Cure Wounds spell can net you on average 5.5 hp (thanks to your +1 WIS modifier) per day which again is effectively doubled because of Rage damage reduction. Its not a lot of hp but you get 3 potential misses out of your enemies attacks with the +3 AC boost and that can save a decent amount of damage. The AC boost and uses increase to 4 at level 9 so the feat only gets better later. It's potential to protect a nearby ally is also quite attractive.
Hm, does help aye. Just was worried about HP since I'm taking average, as the DM has a flat rule of rolling or taking average. I don't want to be a barbarian that rolls 1's and 2's for HP.
If you're considering increasing DEX, I'd think about picking Resilient DEX. Making saves at advantage that you're proficient at? That's too good!
Now, that aside, I'm of the opinion you should increase your STR at lvl 4 instead. Barbarians are already so beefy out the gate, especially when raging. Heck, I've played with barbarians who start with a 14 in CON and do just fine for the whole campaign! It just seems unnecessary to think you need MORE hp when you already have a ton thanks to your top tier d12 hit die AND resistance from raging, AND the eventual spirit shield you'll gain that you can use on yourself.
Damage solves, simple as. The ancestral protector feature means at least one target will be incentivized to hit you, but there's rarely encounters with just one target. To incentivize other targets dog piling on you, your barbarian has to be a threat on the battlefield! And for that, he needs to be dealing loads of damage. Increasing STR will help with that.
True... I just worry as I know TOA is a tough module and feel like I need all the health I can get, and since I'm just taking average. Also if I remember right I'm not sure if the Spirit Shield can be used on myself I admit.
Going by the PHB rules for taking a flat value or straight rolling for HP actually favors taking the flat value. The flat value is generated by rounding up the average result for the given hit die.
I agree with TheLonelyMagi, if your goal is to increase your survivability you are better off taking a half feat to increase your dex to 14 to increase your AC. Also if you don't have a good medium armor like scale, breastplate, or half-plate you should absolutely get it. As a Barbarian you have access to resistance to a lot of damage types with Rage and the largest hit die in the game. 16 con may not be maxed but it is really high and making yourself harder to hit in the first place will save you from taking a lot of damage over the course of an adventuring day.
Unless your Ranger didn't learn Goodberry literally everyone else in your party should have access to healing magic so I wouldn't actually worry about picking some up yourself.
So my recommendation would be at level 4 to pick up either Resilient (Dex), Slasher, or Skill Expert to get your Dex to 14. Slasher is good for slowing down your enemies and making it harder for them to get to your back line. Resilient (Dex) gives you proficiency in Dex saves which a lot of elemental damage effects call for you to make. Skill Expert is probably the least desirable as you use a two-handed weapon but if you want to consider going the grappler route then Expertise in Athletics is a really powerful means of controlling an enemy.
Level 8 is a harder pick but likely +2 to Stength would be the way to go. If you are comfortable with your Strength score then you could go something more utility based like Sentinel or some other full feat of your choice.
I'm level 2, with a Green Dragonborn Barbarian (Fizban version if curious). Used standard array so my current stats are 16 STR, 16 CON, 13 DEX, 12 WIS, 10 CHA, and 8 INT. My goal is to be a tank and protector mostly, since my party is a druid, artificer and bow using ranger. I definitely want to be less a damage dealer and more tank and protector so am curious what I should take at levels 4 and 8, as I believe the module I'm playing, Tomb of Annihilation (no spoilers please), goes only to level 10. I am thinking a CON boost at level 4 to help with my tankiness and then an STR boost at level 8, but what do y'all think? I went Ancestral Guardian mostly just to protect my allies with their Ancestral Spirit thing they got.
Couple of quick questions. Are you wearing armor? Are you rocking a two handed weapon or a sword and board build? Is anybody going to be a melee combatant like yourself?
So far I'm the only one built for melee, and right now going two handed weapon. Might be willing to put on medium armor later though. Also got until Sunday for next session and we got gold for shopping, so I could change this up a bit. We're trying to get more folk to join but thus far no one else has a strong melee build. The ranger didn't hesitate to pull out two blades during a fight with a spectre, but beyond that has remained out of the fray.
My suggestion would be wearing half plate and grabbing the Slasher feat (I'm assuming you are using a slashing weapon) at level 4 to bump your DEX to 14. This ups your AC to 17 with half plate which would be more unarmored defense which will only be 15 with the CON increase. Slasher also gives your enemy a speed debuff making it harder for them to get to your backline. The crit effect kind of overlaps with with your Ancestral Protectors ability but it also affects their hits on you so still good.
Level 8 will depend on how you are doing. If you are having difficulty hitting enemies then a +2 STR will be the way to go. If you seem to go down too fast then the Tough feat will net you an extra 16 hp (20 in total at lvl 10) which is effectively doubled because of Rage damage reduction. A potential third option is Gift of the Metallic Dragon feat. The Cure Wounds spell can net you on average 5.5 hp (thanks to your +1 WIS modifier) per day which again is effectively doubled because of Rage damage reduction. Its not a lot of hp but you get 3 potential misses out of your enemies attacks with the +3 AC boost and that can save a decent amount of damage. The AC boost and uses increase to 4 at level 9 so the feat only gets better later. It's potential to protect a nearby ally is also quite attractive.
Hope this helps.
Hm, does help aye. Just was worried about HP since I'm taking average, as the DM has a flat rule of rolling or taking average. I don't want to be a barbarian that rolls 1's and 2's for HP.
If you're considering increasing DEX, I'd think about picking Resilient DEX. Making saves at advantage that you're proficient at? That's too good!
Now, that aside, I'm of the opinion you should increase your STR at lvl 4 instead. Barbarians are already so beefy out the gate, especially when raging. Heck, I've played with barbarians who start with a 14 in CON and do just fine for the whole campaign! It just seems unnecessary to think you need MORE hp when you already have a ton thanks to your top tier d12 hit die AND resistance from raging, AND the eventual spirit shield you'll gain that you can use on yourself.
Damage solves, simple as. The ancestral protector feature means at least one target will be incentivized to hit you, but there's rarely encounters with just one target. To incentivize other targets dog piling on you, your barbarian has to be a threat on the battlefield! And for that, he needs to be dealing loads of damage. Increasing STR will help with that.
True... I just worry as I know TOA is a tough module and feel like I need all the health I can get, and since I'm just taking average. Also if I remember right I'm not sure if the Spirit Shield can be used on myself I admit.
Going by the PHB rules for taking a flat value or straight rolling for HP actually favors taking the flat value. The flat value is generated by rounding up the average result for the given hit die.
I agree with TheLonelyMagi, if your goal is to increase your survivability you are better off taking a half feat to increase your dex to 14 to increase your AC. Also if you don't have a good medium armor like scale, breastplate, or half-plate you should absolutely get it. As a Barbarian you have access to resistance to a lot of damage types with Rage and the largest hit die in the game. 16 con may not be maxed but it is really high and making yourself harder to hit in the first place will save you from taking a lot of damage over the course of an adventuring day.
Unless your Ranger didn't learn Goodberry literally everyone else in your party should have access to healing magic so I wouldn't actually worry about picking some up yourself.
So my recommendation would be at level 4 to pick up either Resilient (Dex), Slasher, or Skill Expert to get your Dex to 14. Slasher is good for slowing down your enemies and making it harder for them to get to your back line. Resilient (Dex) gives you proficiency in Dex saves which a lot of elemental damage effects call for you to make. Skill Expert is probably the least desirable as you use a two-handed weapon but if you want to consider going the grappler route then Expertise in Athletics is a really powerful means of controlling an enemy.
Level 8 is a harder pick but likely +2 to Stength would be the way to go. If you are comfortable with your Strength score then you could go something more utility based like Sentinel or some other full feat of your choice.