The Barbarian: DnD 5e Class Guide (Updated June 2024)

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Drenched in blood, his chest heaving in exhaustion, Karak surveyed the carnage around him. Five dead gnolls lay at his feet, their bodies twisted and broken beyond recognition. A series of high-pitched yelps and barks drifted through the trees, more of the creatures picking up his scent. Karak growled and gripped his massive battleaxe tightly in both hands, his vision narrowing to a haze of red as the rage took hold once more.

Table of Contents

• What is a Barbarian in DnD 5e?
• What is a Barbarian’s primary ability score?
• What is a Barbarian’s hit die and hit points?
• What are Barbarians proficient in?
• What equipment do Barbarians start with?
• What unique features do Barbarians have?
• What are the Barbarian subclasses?
• What species are best for Barbarians?
• How do you roleplay a Barbarian?
• What DnD 5e sourcebooks do Barbarians appear in?

What is a Barbarian in DnD 5e?

Known for their ferocity in battle and ability to survive in even the most inhospitable environments, Barbarians remain one of the most iconic DnD 5e classes. These unique characters are as diverse as the tribes they come from, ranging from noble guardians stepped in sacred lore to solemn survivalists who can command the power of storm and beast in battle.

In DnD 5e, Barbarians have developed a reputation for being somewhat difficult to roleplay, with many players falling into the stereotypical view of them as primitive savages who revel only in combat and respond to NPCs with only a monosyllabic grunt or two. In reality, they are a surprisingly deep class and offer both unique customization and roleplaying opportunities. As a martial class Barbarians might not have the finesse and versatility of Fighters or the magical abilities of Paladins, but they are undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in combat.

Notably, Barbarians most recognizable trait is their use of “Rages,” which allows them to fly into a bloodsoaked frenzy and deal extra damage during combat. Below is the Barbarians class table, which breaks out their proficiency bonuses, key features and Rage abilities.

The Barbarian Class Table
Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Rages	Rage Damage
1st	+2	Rage, Unarmored Defense	2	+2
2nd	+2	Reckless Attack, Danger Sense	2	+2
3rd	+2	Primal Path, Primal Knowledge (Optional)	3	+2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	+2
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Fast Movement	3	+2
6th	+3	Path feature	4	+2
7th	+3	Feral Instinct, Instinctive Pounce (Optional)	4	+2
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4	+2
9th	+4	Brutal Critical (1 die)	4	+3
10th	+4	Path feature, Primal Knowledge (Optional)	4	+3
11th	+4	Relentless Rage	4	+3
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5	+3
13th	+5	Brutal Critical (2 dice)	5	+3
14th	+5	Path feature	5	+3
15th	+5	Persistent Rage	5	+3
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	5	+4
17th	+6	Brutal Critical (3 dice)	6	+4
18th	+6	Indomitable Might	6	+4
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	6	+4
20th	+6	Primal Champion	Unlimited	+4

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What is a Barbarian’s Primary Ability Score?

Strength is an Barbarian’s primary ability score. Your character must have a Strength of 13 or higher to play a Barbarian or to multiclass as one. This reflects the class’ focus on relentless melee combat and the ability to survive extreme situations.

The higher your Strength score, the more adept you are in combat and can tap into the full effects of your Rage. This is particularly important at higher levels as it directly influences new abilities that are unlocked for Barbarians.

Notably, Barbarians also gain a saving throw proficiency in Constitution, which reflects their role as party “tanks” who are able to deal out and take a significant amount of damage.

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What is a Barbarian’s Hit Die and Hit Points?

Barbarians have 1D12 hit dice per level. This mean at 1st Level your Barbarian’s hit points will be 12 + your Constitution modifier. Each level you advance from Level 2 onwards, you gain an additional 1D12 (or an average of 7) Hit Points, plus your Constitution modifier.

This hefty Hit Dice means Barbarians have the highest potential amount of hit points out of any DnD 5e class (for context, Wizards and Sorcerers have just a 1D6 hit dice and even Fighters have only a 1D10 hit dice). If you’re interested in maximizing the combat effectiveness of your Barbarian, you may want to consider going with a high Constitution score to increase your potential hit points even more.

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What are Barbarians Proficient In?

Barbarians have a unique set of skills that represent their prowess in battle and ability to survive in the wilds.

• Armor: Light armor, medium armor and shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons and martial weapons
• Tools: None
• Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
• Skills: Choose two from: Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception and Survival

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What Equipment Do Barbarians Start With?

As a Level 1 Barbarian, you begin your adventures with the following equipment, in addition to any equipment that’s provided by your background:

• A greataxe or any martial melee weapon
• Two handaxes or any simple weapon
• An explorer’s pack and four javelins

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What Unique Features Do Barbarians Have?

As a Barbarian, you’re able to access a number of unique Features that reflect your prowess in battle and ability to react quickly to danger.

• Rage: On your turn (and as long as you aren’t wearing heavy armor), you can enter a rage as a bonus action, which grants advantage on Strength checks and saving throws. It also provides a bonus to damage on Strength-based melee attacks. You also have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. Each Rage action lasts for 1 minute, but you can end it as a bonus action. Your number of Rages and Rage damage bonuses can be found in the Barbarian Class Table above.
• Unarmored Defense: While you are not wearing any armor, your armor class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. Notably, you can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
• Danger Sense: At 2nd level you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see. To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened or incapacitated.
• Reckless Attack: At 2nd level you gain you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength. The tradeoff is that this can only be used on your turn in the first round of combat and all attack rolls against you also have advantage until your next turn.
• Extra Attack: At 5th level you can attack twice per round.
• Fast Movement: At 5th level your speed increases by 10 feet (this only applies if you aren’t wearing heavy armor).
• Feral Instinct: At 7th level you have advantage on initiative rolls. Additionally, if you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren’t incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn. This only applies if you enter your Rage before doing anything else on that turn.
• Brutal Critical: At 9th level you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level.
• Relentless Rage: At 11th level if you drop to 0 hit points while you’re raging (and aren’t dead), you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead. Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.
• Persistent Rage: At 15th level, your rage only ends if you fall unconscious or choose to end it (rather than ending after 1 minute).
• Indomitable Might: At 18th level if your total for a Strength check is less than your Strength score, you can use your Strength score for the check.
• Primal Champion: At 20th level your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those two scores is now 24.

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What are the Barbarian Subclasses?

Currently, there are 9 official Barbarian subclasses for DnD 5e which are referred to as “Paths,” representing the physical and spiritual journey Barbarians take over the course of their adventuring careers. You choose your Barbarian Path subclass at Level 3.

• Path of the Ancestral Guardian: You invoke the spirits of your ancestors to protect yourself and your allies in battle. These ancestral spirits can shield your allies and deal extensive damage to your enemies.
• Path of the Battlerager: Available only for dwarves, you harness your rage into a reckless and frenzied fighting style, using unique spiked armor as a weapon. This path allows you to excel in close combat, dealing additional damage to anyone foolish enough to come within your reach.
• Path of the Beast: You channel the power of wild creatures, transforming physical aspects of your body to unleash devastating attacks. This includes sprouting claws, fangs or even a tail, offering unique ways to damage foes and interact with the battlefield.
• Path of the Berserker: You give in to the fury of combat, allowing you to fight with a primal ferocity. While in the grips of your battle rage, you can make extra attacks and ignore effects that would otherwise cause damage or slow you down.
• Path of the Giant: You draw on the might of legendary giants, gaining their strength and abilities. This path allows you to embody different aspects of giantkind, such as frost or fire, with each option enhancing your combat abilities in unique ways.
• Path of the Storm Herald: You tap into the power of the storm, generating a magical aura that affects everything around you. Depending on the environment you choose—tundra, desert, or sea—your aura can chill, scorch or lash your enemies with storm-like fury.
• Path of the Wild Heart: Formerly known as the Path of the Totem Warrior in 2014, you forge a spiritual bond with a totem animal spirit, emulating the aspects of that being. Each animal spirit—be it bear, eagle, elk, tiger or wolf—provides unique strengths and supernatural abilities to aid you and your allies.
• Path of Wild Magic: Your rage taps into the chaotic force of wild magic, resulting in unpredictable arcane side-effects. This path is unique in that that can be both incredibly powerful but also relies heavily on random dice roles.
• Path of the Zealot: You are driven by a divine fury, bolstered by the power of the gods. This path not only increases your combat prowess with divine energy but also makes you nearly impossible to kill while raging.
• Path of the World Tree: You draw your power from the World Tree whose vast, endless branches touch all of the realms of the multiverse. This power allows you to be more resilient in combat, heal your allies and teleport across the battlefield.

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What Species are Best for Barbarians?

While Barbarians can encompass a wide ranges of species, in general ones that offer natural increases to your Strength score are seen as the best option. This includes:

• Orc: Half-Orcs provide a +2 bonus to Strength and a +1 bonus to Constitution, two key ability scores for Barbarians. Additionally, features like Relentless Endurance and Savage Attacks can complement the Barbarian’s combat prowess.
• Dwarf: Mountain Dwarves offer a +2 bonus to Strength, making them incredibly sturdy and capable of dealing and absorbing damage. Their Dwarven Resilience trait also grants resistance to poison, which can be quite handy.
• Goliath: Goliaths have a +2 bonus to Strength and a +1 bonus to Constitution, enhancing their physical prowess and durability. Their Stone’s Endurance ability allows them to shrug off damage, further bolstering their tankiness.
• Human: While Humans may not have race-specific abilities tailored for Barbarians, their versatility can be quite beneficial. The +1 bonus to all ability scores allows players to customize their Barbarian according to their preferred playstyle.
• Dragonborn: Dragonborn offer a +2 bonus to Strength, which is excellent for Barbarians focused on melee combat. Additionally, their breath weapon ability can provide some ranged damage options, adding versatility to the Barbarian’s toolkit.

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How Do You Roleplay a Barbarian?

Roleplaying a Barbarian involves embracing the persona of a warrior who thrives in the wilds and often runs up against the customs and norms of the so-called “civilized” world. While you should always consider your character’s background and goals, here are a few ideas to get you started:

• The Survivor: The last member of a once mighty tribe, you were born into a world of bloodshed and death. Your rage is a primal force, forged in the fires of adversity and fueled by the will to survive against all odds. You wander now in search of revenge or to find a new life in a world beyond the wilds.
• The Seeker: You are driven by a sacred oath to locate something greater than yourself. Perhaps it is a relic of your tribe, an ancient burial ground or a long forgotten piece of ancient knowledge. Whatever it is, your rage is a beacon that guides you on your quest.
• The Spiritual Warrior: You are a warrior steeped in sacred wisdom and bound by the timeless precepts of your people. Your rage is a tempest of holy power as you seek to prove yourself to the souls of your ancestors and the great spirits of the wilds.
• The Battle-tested: Forged in the crucible of combat, you stand as a paragon of martial prowess and indomitable will. Your rage is a symphony of steel and sinew and you live now only to test your skill against any and all who would stand before you.
• The Nomad: Born beneath the endless expanse of the open sky, you roam across the land with an untethered spirit, driven to see what lays beyond the horizon. Your rage is a wild gust of wind, carrying you across the vast expanse of the world.

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What DnD 5e sourcebooks do Barbarians appear in?

While Barbarians have been a staple of Dungeons & Dragons since some of its earliest editions, rules related to the class for DnD 5e can be found in the following sourcebooks:

• 2024 Player’s Handbook: Includes base class, plus the Path of the Berserker, Path of the Wild Heart, Path of the World Tree and Path of the Zealot.
• 2014 Player’s Handbook: Includes base class, plus the Path of the Berserker and the Path of the Totem Warrior.
• Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide: Path of the Battlerager.
• Xanathar’s Guide to Everything: Path of the Ancestral Guardian, Path of the Storm Herald and Path of the Zealot.
• Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything: Path of the Beast and Path of Wild Magic.
• Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants: Path of the Giant.

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