very positive outlook. I love it. I'd have a hard time reaching that headspace myself so hats off to you. This is a great subclass for the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde trope. This would have been a great subclass to experiment with some kind of benefit the barbarian only gets when out of rage.
very positive outlook. I love it. I'd have a hard time reaching that headspace myself so hats off to you. This is a great subclass for the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde trope. This would have been a great subclass to experiment with some kind of benefit the barbarian only gets when out of rage.
That's kind of the way of the Barbarian. Their subclass combat abilities seem to all pertain to Rage. There's plenty of non-Rage abilities, though. Reckless attack is huge.
Very true, but this is the first barb that grows its main attacks with rage. It's much more pronounced.
And I meant something that can't be used while raging. Like some skills buffs or something good for character development. Totem warrior gets beast sense and speak with animals. It would be nice to see more barbarian design space in that realm.
Very true, but this is the first barb that grows its main attacks with rage. It's much more pronounced.
And I meant something that can't be used while raging. Like some skills buffs or something good for character development. Totem warrior gets beast sense and speak with animals. It would be nice to see more barbarian design space in that realm.
Yeah, I hear you on that. Unless I'm misremembering, all of the Beast subclass abilities pertain to combat (and by default, rage). I don't mind that, because there is SO much story potential for your condition. And for me, first and foremost I look at game mechanics. The mechanics of the Beast are effective, flavorful, and flexible.. There are so many effective ways to play it, and it's more than just choosing which form you take. You can carry a greataxe or greatsword, and to Sword - Claw - Claw. You can carry a shield and pick up shield master - Claw - Claw - Claw - Shieldbash. You can teak it (in limited ways) so you have four attacks. Carry a greatword and Strike - Strike - Tail Reaction for pretty good damage reduction. And on and on. All of them are good.
My biggest complaint is the bite healing. You can only use it if you're at less than 50% hit points, and if that happens while you're already raging it's too late to switch (unless you have a rage left and you want to unrage, then waste another rage).
Very true, but this is the first barb that grows its main attacks with rage. It's much more pronounced.
And I meant something that can't be used while raging. Like some skills buffs or something good for character development. Totem warrior gets beast sense and speak with animals. It would be nice to see more barbarian design space in that realm.
Yeah, I hear you on that. Unless I'm misremembering, all of the Beast subclass abilities pertain to combat (and by default, rage). I don't mind that, because there is SO much story potential for your condition. And for me, first and foremost I look at game mechanics. The mechanics of the Beast are effective, flavorful, and flexible.. There are so many effective ways to play it, and it's more than just choosing which form you take. You can carry a greataxe or greatsword, and to Sword - Claw - Claw. You can carry a shield and pick up shield master - Claw - Claw - Claw - Shieldbash. You can teak it (in limited ways) so you have four attacks. Carry a greatword and Strike - Strike - Tail Reaction for pretty good damage reduction. And on and on. All of them are good.
My biggest complaint is the bite healing. You can only use it if you're at less than 50% hit points, and if that happens while you're already raging it's too late to switch (unless you have a rage left and you want to unrage, then waste another rage).
Yeah its an odd thing to add...they seemed very against the THP gains in this book.
It would be a good option if you were already low on health when a combat broke out so its not terrible.
The bite definitely feels like the most niche option. OptimusGrimus you're right about it's use case. Best for the fight after the fight when your DM is trying to wear you down. But I don't know. Can't shake the feeling that a beast barb spec'd for claws or tail is just better off sticking with their main shtick most of the time. Bite feels super niche because of how weak they made it. Like a 5% use case. Obviously just throwing that number out of my ass, but it's the feeling I get from the ability.
Tail and Claw open up great build space because of their special properties. The bite is just an attack
The bite definitely feels like the most niche option. OptimusGrimus you're right about it's use case. Best for the fight after the fight when your DM is trying to wear you down. But I don't know. Can't shake the feeling that a beast barb spec'd for claws or tail is just better off sticking with their main shtick most of the time. Bite feels super niche because of how weak they made it. Like a 5% use case. Obviously just throwing that number out of my ass, but it's the feeling I get from the ability.
Tail and Claw open up great build space because of their special properties. The bite is just an attack
Yeah I feel like it was mostly added for flavor and the balance behind it was an afterthought.
The bite definitely feels like the most niche option. OptimusGrimus you're right about it's use case. Best for the fight after the fight when your DM is trying to wear you down. But I don't know. Can't shake the feeling that a beast barb spec'd for claws or tail is just better off sticking with their main shtick most of the time. Bite feels super niche because of how weak they made it. Like a 5% use case. Obviously just throwing that number out of my ass, but it's the feeling I get from the ability.
Tail and Claw open up great build space because of their special properties. The bite is just an attack
It's not very much healing, perhaps better a very low levels. But I'm a firm believer that killing quickly is a great defense. If I'm going into a fight low on health, do I heal 2 or 3 hit points per bite and do a lot less damage, or do I turn into a killing machine to bring them down quicker? I suspect that even the Tail is a better emergency defensive measure.
Mountain Dwarf for plus 2 plus 2, probably to str, con for a 19, 18 with an odd dex
Dwarven Resilience (+1 con) Durable. (+1 con) BBr to 5, monk thereafter to at least character level 9-10. You might want to go BBR 6 to get 'magic' claws. Way of the living weapon if GM allows (for some claw theme when not raging) or really any monk class that's good - living death is synergistic Now you have plenty to do with your bonus actions, including spend an HD for 10-17 points of "healing factor" in combat while still attacking 3 times. You can [punch claw claw] {punch punch} with ki. You can [punch claw claw] {punch} with no ki.You can sub any "punch" with any monk weapon. (or basically any non-heavy one handed weapon, if using optional rules) If your group uses the short rest rules, your short rests are SUPER efficient - your HD always do at least 10 HP and thus the amount you need is very predictable, so on breaks you just spend monk HD first knowing they are good for about 11 each, saving your d12s for combat healing.
Alternative dips (AKA pick your era) Champion fighter for critfishing (dirty fighting old west era/military years) Caviler fighter to lock down aggro (vintage main xmen team years) Rune Knight to become huge in the second round (movies where 5'4" canadians are played by 6'2" englishmen years) Mastermind to stand in the thick of combat handing out helps (xavier's school CQC teaching years) Samurai (lost in japan years) BBR6/Swashbuckler 3( Solo weapon x years) Edit: There's some great synergy with hunter or gloomstalker ranger, too, I just always forget rangers are a thing
very positive outlook. I love it. I'd have a hard time reaching that headspace myself so hats off to you. This is a great subclass for the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde trope. This would have been a great subclass to experiment with some kind of benefit the barbarian only gets when out of rage.
That's kind of the way of the Barbarian. Their subclass combat abilities seem to all pertain to Rage. There's plenty of non-Rage abilities, though. Reckless attack is huge.
Very true, but this is the first barb that grows its main attacks with rage. It's much more pronounced.
And I meant something that can't be used while raging. Like some skills buffs or something good for character development. Totem warrior gets beast sense and speak with animals. It would be nice to see more barbarian design space in that realm.
Yeah, I hear you on that. Unless I'm misremembering, all of the Beast subclass abilities pertain to combat (and by default, rage). I don't mind that, because there is SO much story potential for your condition. And for me, first and foremost I look at game mechanics. The mechanics of the Beast are effective, flavorful, and flexible.. There are so many effective ways to play it, and it's more than just choosing which form you take. You can carry a greataxe or greatsword, and to Sword - Claw - Claw. You can carry a shield and pick up shield master - Claw - Claw - Claw - Shieldbash. You can teak it (in limited ways) so you have four attacks. Carry a greatword and Strike - Strike - Tail Reaction for pretty good damage reduction. And on and on. All of them are good.
My biggest complaint is the bite healing. You can only use it if you're at less than 50% hit points, and if that happens while you're already raging it's too late to switch (unless you have a rage left and you want to unrage, then waste another rage).
Yeah its an odd thing to add...they seemed very against the THP gains in this book.
It would be a good option if you were already low on health when a combat broke out so its not terrible.
The bite definitely feels like the most niche option. OptimusGrimus you're right about it's use case. Best for the fight after the fight when your DM is trying to wear you down. But I don't know. Can't shake the feeling that a beast barb spec'd for claws or tail is just better off sticking with their main shtick most of the time. Bite feels super niche because of how weak they made it. Like a 5% use case. Obviously just throwing that number out of my ass, but it's the feeling I get from the ability.
Tail and Claw open up great build space because of their special properties. The bite is just an attack
Yeah I feel like it was mostly added for flavor and the balance behind it was an afterthought.
It's not very much healing, perhaps better a very low levels. But I'm a firm believer that killing quickly is a great defense. If I'm going into a fight low on health, do I heal 2 or 3 hit points per bite and do a lot less damage, or do I turn into a killing machine to bring them down quicker? I suspect that even the Tail is a better emergency defensive measure.
"The Badgerine"
Basic build is
Mountain Dwarf for plus 2 plus 2, probably to str, con for a 19, 18 with an odd dex
Dwarven Resilience (+1 con)
Durable. (+1 con)
BBr to 5, monk thereafter to at least character level 9-10. You might want to go BBR 6 to get 'magic' claws.
Way of the living weapon if GM allows (for some claw theme when not raging)
or really any monk class that's good - living death is synergistic
Now you have plenty to do with your bonus actions, including spend an HD for 10-17 points of "healing factor" in combat while still attacking 3 times. You can [punch claw claw] {punch punch} with ki. You can [punch claw claw] {punch} with no ki.You can sub any "punch" with any monk weapon. (or basically any non-heavy one handed weapon, if using optional rules) If your group uses the short rest rules, your short rests are SUPER efficient - your HD always do at least 10 HP and thus the amount you need is very predictable, so on breaks you just spend monk HD first knowing they are good for about 11 each, saving your d12s for combat healing.
Alternative dips (AKA pick your era)
Champion fighter for critfishing (dirty fighting old west era/military years)
Caviler fighter to lock down aggro (vintage main xmen team years)
Rune Knight to become huge in the second round (movies where 5'4" canadians are played by 6'2" englishmen years)
Mastermind to stand in the thick of combat handing out helps (xavier's school CQC teaching years)
Samurai (lost in japan years)
BBR6/Swashbuckler 3( Solo weapon x years)
Edit: There's some great synergy with hunter or gloomstalker ranger, too, I just always forget rangers are a thing