For those starting out or wanting some advice for their Barbarians. Hope it helps and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. And for more help take a look at the awesome class guides here on DND Beyond written by James Haeck.
Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
I don’t see how more Dex makes you a better hit and run Barbarian. Both Dex and Con increase Unarmored Defense AC, and medium armor only adds a max of 2 Dex bonus.
I don’t see how more Dex makes you a better hit and run Barbarian. Both Dex and Con increase Unarmored Defense AC, and medium armor only adds a max of 2 Dex bonus.
It doesn't unless your only thinking of unarmored defense and not the Barbarian's ability to wear armor. Their unarmored defense only outdoes the medium armor if it's a the lower ac end of medium armors and you have decent to good dexterity and Con. or if it's something like half plate it's only beat out if you have both really high con and dexterity. Medium armor is really a way to have an alternative and take a stat focus out of the equation and not worry about getting more than just a +1 or +2 modifier out of it at most.
However. None of this actually matters which way you go when you being a skirmisher. The massive amounts of hp and the resistances that they get from raging means that they aren't usually as worried about taking AoO's as other skirmishers. Particularly if your Totem barbarian and have eagle as your spirit for your third level ability like he mentioned. But really all of the totem options other than bear are highly useful to skirmisher style play to any Totem Barbarian. Taking AoO's can sometimes be useful as well to keeping the Barbarian's rage going and you'll have to judge it on the situation.
One other thing to note is that while the video is correct that you can mix and match animals for the totem powers. Thematically it is more fitting to stick to the one or two that represents the Totem animal of the tribe, group, background, what have you that the totem barbarian comes from.
I don't agree with the Reckless Attack heuristics outlined in this video. The example combat given is a poor one. If the Barbarian is surrounded, but killing an enemy in their face means less attacks coming in, then going reckless to help guarantee the kill can be great. I think the process behind choosing whether to be reckless or not should be very fluid, to the point where having a heuristic is almost pointless.
I think there should have been something mentioned about Rage budgeting. Raging at the beginning of combat should not be an automatic thing. Sure, it's what the Barbarian wants to do at the beginning of combat, but they just don't have enough per day to always do that. Simply stating that's what you do at the beginning of combat without mentioning as such is a bit misleading because a Barbarian should be conscious of how challenging the encounter seems and if it is rage worthy.
I thought I would mind the video being a general guide while only covering the totem warrior archetype, but I think it was a good one to pick to outline basic tactics, even if I disagree with some of the content. Thanks for the vid Ajexton.
One other thing to note is that while the video is correct that you can mix and match animals for the totem powers. Thematically it is more fitting to stick to the one or two that represents the Totem animal of the tribe, group, background, what have you that the totem barbarian comes from.
Hard disagree here. Just look at totem poles. They regularly feature multiple animals. It's just as thematically appropriate to come from a tribe that worships animals in general, revering each of them for their specific abilities.
Fateless, even if you’re just thinking of Unarmored Defense, Dex and Con both increase your AC. I don’t agree with some of the things in the video.
I'm not sure what your going for here. Because I mention that Unarmored Defense takes both when I'm comparing the two. But it doesn't just overcome wearing Medium armor if you don't have Con to go with it which is exactly what I said when stating what it takes to overcome Medium armor to use Unarmored Defense. Which is the only reason to even worry about it. Which boils down to what I continued to say that it's not needed at all for the Barbarian to function in that capacity.
Fateless, even if you’re just thinking of Unarmored Defense, Dex and Con both increase your AC. I don’t agree with some of the things in the video.
I'm not sure what your going for here. Because I mention that Unarmored Defense takes both when I'm comparing the two. But it doesn't just overcome wearing Medium armor if you don't have Con to go with it which is exactly what I said when stating what it takes to overcome Medium armor to use Unarmored Defense. Which is the only reason to even worry about it. Which boils down to what I continued to say that it's not needed at all for the Barbarian to function in that capacity.
Maybe it was a miscommunication. I totally agree that if you don't have the numbers (stats wise) you're better off putting 14 into Dex and wearing medium armor. Generally speaking that's where you're at if you do point buy or you don't roll well.
I still want to know why the guy in the video claims higher Dex is better for hit and run play. Literally the only benefits are better initiative, better Dex saves and better Dex skill checks.
Fateless, even if you’re just thinking of Unarmored Defense, Dex and Con both increase your AC. I don’t agree with some of the things in the video.
I'm not sure what your going for here. Because I mention that Unarmored Defense takes both when I'm comparing the two. But it doesn't just overcome wearing Medium armor if you don't have Con to go with it which is exactly what I said when stating what it takes to overcome Medium armor to use Unarmored Defense. Which is the only reason to even worry about it. Which boils down to what I continued to say that it's not needed at all for the Barbarian to function in that capacity.
Maybe it was a miscommunication. I totally agree that if you don't have the numbers (stats wise) you're better off putting 14 into Dex and wearing medium armor. Generally speaking that's where you're at if you do point buy or you don't roll well.
I still want to know why the guy in the video claims higher Dex is better for hit and run play. Literally the only benefits are better initiative, better Dex saves and better Dex skill checks.
There really is nothing. Despite the couple of "dedicated" skirmisher classes tending to go first because they are dexterity based classes. There is actually a distinct advantage of going later in the round and responding to the enemy movements or the positioning of the tank for maximum effect since you can better respond to enemy weak points rather than them responding to yours. Barbarians already have ways to deal with Dex Saves to help them out and damage in general, and dex skill checks can be mitigated by other members of the party or if you have decent dice rolling skills or proficiency in them not actually be that bad. So there isn't a big advantage in planning for them despite the fact that many people have it set in their mind that Dex is absolutely the most important stat and required in ever single build. But the creator of the video didn't seem like they prescribed to that mentality.
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For those starting out or wanting some advice for their Barbarians. Hope it helps and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. And for more help take a look at the awesome class guides here on DND Beyond written by James Haeck.
Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPmyTI0tZ6nM-bzY0IG3ww
So I have a question when is said resistance to all damage but physic does that include magical weapons?
It doesn't say "except magic", so unless the magical weapon says it bypasses resistance I would say yes.
Yeah Barbarian resistance ignores magic weapons
I don’t see how more Dex makes you a better hit and run Barbarian. Both Dex and Con increase Unarmored Defense AC, and medium armor only adds a max of 2 Dex bonus.
It doesn't unless your only thinking of unarmored defense and not the Barbarian's ability to wear armor. Their unarmored defense only outdoes the medium armor if it's a the lower ac end of medium armors and you have decent to good dexterity and Con. or if it's something like half plate it's only beat out if you have both really high con and dexterity. Medium armor is really a way to have an alternative and take a stat focus out of the equation and not worry about getting more than just a +1 or +2 modifier out of it at most.
However. None of this actually matters which way you go when you being a skirmisher. The massive amounts of hp and the resistances that they get from raging means that they aren't usually as worried about taking AoO's as other skirmishers. Particularly if your Totem barbarian and have eagle as your spirit for your third level ability like he mentioned. But really all of the totem options other than bear are highly useful to skirmisher style play to any Totem Barbarian. Taking AoO's can sometimes be useful as well to keeping the Barbarian's rage going and you'll have to judge it on the situation.
One other thing to note is that while the video is correct that you can mix and match animals for the totem powers. Thematically it is more fitting to stick to the one or two that represents the Totem animal of the tribe, group, background, what have you that the totem barbarian comes from.
Fateless, even if you’re just thinking of Unarmored Defense, Dex and Con both increase your AC. I don’t agree with some of the things in the video.
Agreed SeanJP.
I don't agree with the Reckless Attack heuristics outlined in this video. The example combat given is a poor one. If the Barbarian is surrounded, but killing an enemy in their face means less attacks coming in, then going reckless to help guarantee the kill can be great. I think the process behind choosing whether to be reckless or not should be very fluid, to the point where having a heuristic is almost pointless.
I think there should have been something mentioned about Rage budgeting. Raging at the beginning of combat should not be an automatic thing. Sure, it's what the Barbarian wants to do at the beginning of combat, but they just don't have enough per day to always do that. Simply stating that's what you do at the beginning of combat without mentioning as such is a bit misleading because a Barbarian should be conscious of how challenging the encounter seems and if it is rage worthy.
I thought I would mind the video being a general guide while only covering the totem warrior archetype, but I think it was a good one to pick to outline basic tactics, even if I disagree with some of the content. Thanks for the vid Ajexton.
Hard disagree here. Just look at totem poles. They regularly feature multiple animals. It's just as thematically appropriate to come from a tribe that worships animals in general, revering each of them for their specific abilities.
I'm not sure what your going for here. Because I mention that Unarmored Defense takes both when I'm comparing the two. But it doesn't just overcome wearing Medium armor if you don't have Con to go with it which is exactly what I said when stating what it takes to overcome Medium armor to use Unarmored Defense. Which is the only reason to even worry about it. Which boils down to what I continued to say that it's not needed at all for the Barbarian to function in that capacity.
Maybe it was a miscommunication. I totally agree that if you don't have the numbers (stats wise) you're better off putting 14 into Dex and wearing medium armor. Generally speaking that's where you're at if you do point buy or you don't roll well.
I still want to know why the guy in the video claims higher Dex is better for hit and run play. Literally the only benefits are better initiative, better Dex saves and better Dex skill checks.
There really is nothing. Despite the couple of "dedicated" skirmisher classes tending to go first because they are dexterity based classes. There is actually a distinct advantage of going later in the round and responding to the enemy movements or the positioning of the tank for maximum effect since you can better respond to enemy weak points rather than them responding to yours. Barbarians already have ways to deal with Dex Saves to help them out and damage in general, and dex skill checks can be mitigated by other members of the party or if you have decent dice rolling skills or proficiency in them not actually be that bad. So there isn't a big advantage in planning for them despite the fact that many people have it set in their mind that Dex is absolutely the most important stat and required in ever single build. But the creator of the video didn't seem like they prescribed to that mentality.