I'm making a high elf barbarian for the campaign I'm joining. I'm very much set on this race and class for roleplaying reasons, however, since I'll be a high elf I get to start with a wizard cantrip. Which would I find most useful as a barbarian?
I'm making a high elf barbarian for the campaign I'm joining. I'm very much set on this race and class for roleplaying reasons, however, since I'll be a high elf I get to start with a wizard cantrip. Which would I find most useful as a barbarian?
Out of combat/utility is what's called for here. I'm partial to mage hand. Especially if you're in a campaign with trapped chests and doors.
If I were to actually take a damaging cantrip would the damage still increase as I level up even though I'd be leveling as a barbarian?
Yes. But the damage is trivial compared to what a Barbarian can already do. And you won't be able to cast it while you are raging.
Essentially, if you take a cantrip that is a damaging cantrip, it will key off of your intelligence for it's save DC and to hit bonus, unless it specifies otherwise like with Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade. Intelligence isn't known to be an in demand stat for so the SCAG cantrips are the best bet since they'll key off your strength. That will give you additional damage for when you decide not to rage and potentially some crowd control with Booming Blade. Another potential combat spell might be Blade Ward, but most instances where that would be useful, simply dodging would be better. Mind Sliver is a reasonable option since it targets intelligence saves and the creature has to subtract 1d4 on the next save it has to make before the end of your next turn, which combos well with other save spells that other characters might make along with a modest 1d6 damage at 60 ft.
That said, you'll spend a larger portion of your combat periods raging so you'll probably get more use out of the utility cantrips as SeanJP suggested. In addition to Mage Hand, consider Light for your non dark vision party members, Prestidigitation, Move Earth, Gust (understanding that the first option will be limited to low strength creatures due to your low save), Control Flames, or Shape Water.
True Strike requires you to choose an enemy that's within 30 feet of you. It's still useless.
Plus, barbarian gets advantage easily enough and doesn't need it for something like sneak attack. I had considered it for my post. I still think that mind Sliver or SCAGtrips are the best for combat but utility would be better.
True Strike requires you to choose an enemy that's within 30 feet of you. It's still useless.
Plus, barbarian gets advantage easily enough and doesn't need it for something like sneak attack. I had considered it for my post. I still think that mind Sliver or SCAGtrips are the best for combat but utility would be better.
BB and GFB reduce the number of attacks per round, which also reduces the chance of triggering GWM for your bonus action. Extra damage will never be worth it considering the potential of a bonus action.
True Strike requires you to choose an enemy that's within 30 feet of you. It's still useless.
You can cast at the end of your movement. Argument debunked.
If you're within 30 feet of an opponent and have an action, you could either hurl a javelin at them or use the Dash action to move adjacent to them. And as barbarians get Reckless Attack at 2nd level, they have a dramatically more reliable means of giving themselves advantage on attacks than the most worthless cantrip in the game.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
True Strike requires you to choose an enemy that's within 30 feet of you. It's still useless.
Plus, barbarian gets advantage easily enough and doesn't need it for something like sneak attack. I had considered it for my post. I still think that mind Sliver or SCAGtrips are the best for combat but utility would be better.
BB and GFB reduce the number of attacks per round, which also reduces the chance of triggering GWM for your bonus action. Extra damage will never be worth it considering the potential of a bonus action.
I didn't say that they were great options, just that they were among the best for barbarians for combat. BB in particular, if the creature stays put, can be beneficial. GFB is nice for the cleave pre-level 5, but is less impressive after that. Mind Sliver would be my choice as a distance option for damage and its mostly for it's enabling of the Cleric's Toll the Dead or other save based spells.
Utility is much more impactful and gives the barbarian something more to do out of combat. I like the suggestions of Mending and Message, not sure why I missed those in my suggestions. I had considered Dancing Lights, but the concentration does limit it's usefulness somewhat. Create bonfire could be fun from a camp roleplay standpoint, but others are more useful.
Prestigitation. Everyone likes the ability to start campfires at need, clean yourself off after a sweaty, bloody battle, or silly sounds to make fun of the bard with.
Worth repeating, you cannot cast any spell while raging. Even a cantrip. This makes combat spells synergize very badly with a barbarian. At BEST you could take booming blade or greenfllame blade for combats between rages, but even that is a worse option than normal attacks once you reach level 5.
I'm making a high elf barbarian for the campaign I'm joining. I'm very much set on this race and class for roleplaying reasons, however, since I'll be a high elf I get to start with a wizard cantrip. Which would I find most useful as a barbarian?
Out of combat/utility is what's called for here. I'm partial to mage hand. Especially if you're in a campaign with trapped chests and doors.
If I were to actually take a damaging cantrip would the damage still increase as I level up even though I'd be leveling as a barbarian?
Yes. But the damage is trivial compared to what a Barbarian can already do. And you won't be able to cast it while you are raging.
has to be utility. the barbarian's friends will laugh at it if its caught chanting hokum when it should be wackin'
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Essentially, if you take a cantrip that is a damaging cantrip, it will key off of your intelligence for it's save DC and to hit bonus, unless it specifies otherwise like with Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade. Intelligence isn't known to be an in demand stat for so the SCAG cantrips are the best bet since they'll key off your strength. That will give you additional damage for when you decide not to rage and potentially some crowd control with Booming Blade. Another potential combat spell might be Blade Ward, but most instances where that would be useful, simply dodging would be better. Mind Sliver is a reasonable option since it targets intelligence saves and the creature has to subtract 1d4 on the next save it has to make before the end of your next turn, which combos well with other save spells that other characters might make along with a modest 1d6 damage at 60 ft.
That said, you'll spend a larger portion of your combat periods raging so you'll probably get more use out of the utility cantrips as SeanJP suggested. In addition to Mage Hand, consider Light for your non dark vision party members, Prestidigitation, Move Earth, Gust (understanding that the first option will be limited to low strength creatures due to your low save), Control Flames, or Shape Water.
This would be the first time I recommend True Strike. If you ever find battle starts more than running distance away, you get a great prep round.
True Strike requires you to choose an enemy that's within 30 feet of you. It's still useless.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Plus, barbarian gets advantage easily enough and doesn't need it for something like sneak attack. I had considered it for my post. I still think that mind Sliver or SCAGtrips are the best for combat but utility would be better.
You can cast at the end of your movement. Argument debunked.
BB and GFB reduce the number of attacks per round, which also reduces the chance of triggering GWM for your bonus action. Extra damage will never be worth it considering the potential of a bonus action.
If you're within 30 feet of an opponent and have an action, you could either hurl a javelin at them or use the Dash action to move adjacent to them. And as barbarians get Reckless Attack at 2nd level, they have a dramatically more reliable means of giving themselves advantage on attacks than the most worthless cantrip in the game.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I get some reasonable usage out of message as well.
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]Mending. As a barbarian, you tend to smash things when you're upset. Now you can put them back together again later.
A single wizard cantrip that you won't want to cast in combat is going to be useless. Choose it based on flavour.
Chilling kinda vibe.
I didn't say that they were great options, just that they were among the best for barbarians for combat. BB in particular, if the creature stays put, can be beneficial. GFB is nice for the cleave pre-level 5, but is less impressive after that. Mind Sliver would be my choice as a distance option for damage and its mostly for it's enabling of the Cleric's Toll the Dead or other save based spells.
Utility is much more impactful and gives the barbarian something more to do out of combat. I like the suggestions of Mending and Message, not sure why I missed those in my suggestions. I had considered Dancing Lights, but the concentration does limit it's usefulness somewhat. Create bonfire could be fun from a camp roleplay standpoint, but others are more useful.
Prestigitation. Everyone likes the ability to start campfires at need, clean yourself off after a sweaty, bloody battle, or silly sounds to make fun of the bard with.
Mold Earth is great for burying the bodies.
But shape water helps you preserve them. Keep them in a block of ice.
Chilling kinda vibe.
Worth repeating, you cannot cast any spell while raging. Even a cantrip. This makes combat spells synergize very badly with a barbarian. At BEST you could take booming blade or greenfllame blade for combats between rages, but even that is a worse option than normal attacks once you reach level 5.
Which is why we're thinking of things to do after you've killed everything and broken the goblin's furniture.
Chilling kinda vibe.