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Barbarian D&D 2024

Revised for 2024 The D&D 2014 version differs. Read the D&D 2014 version.

Core barbarian traits

Hit die
d12
Primary ability
Strength
Saving throws
STR, CON
Armour
Light, Medium, Shields
Weapons
Simple, Martial

Skills. Choose 2 from Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Survival.

Starting equipment. Choose A or B: (A) Greataxe, 4 Handaxes, Explorer’s Pack, and 15 GP; or (B) 75 GP

SRD 5.2.1, p.28 · CC BY 4.0

Barbarian level table (D&D 2024)

LevelProficiency bonusWhat you gain
1+2STR & CON saves; choose 2 skills; gain Rage. Unarmored Defense (while you aren't wearing any armor, your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Constitution modifiers; you can use a Shield and still gain this benefit). Weapon Mastery (pick 2) is wired.
2+2Reckless Attack + Danger Sense
3+2Subclass: Path of the Berserker. Primal Knowledge (extra skill; channel Rage into STR-based ability checks).
4+2ASI: distribute +2 across abilities (or take a Feat).
5+3Extra Attack (attack twice when you take the Attack action). Fast Movement (+10 speed while you aren't wearing Heavy armor).
6+3Mindless Rage (Immunity to the Charmed and Frightened conditions while your Rage is active).
7+3Feral Instinct (advantage on Initiative) and Instinctive Pounce (move half your Speed when you enter Rage).
8+3ASI: distribute +2 across abilities (or take a Feat).
9+4Brutal Strike (forgo Advantage from Reckless Attack for +1d10 and one effect).
10+4Retaliation (when you take damage from a creature within 5 feet of you, take a Reaction to make one melee attack against that creature, using a weapon or an Unarmed Strike).
11+4Relentless Rage: if you drop to 0 HP while raging and don't die outright, make a DC 10 CON save to instead drop to HP equal to twice your Barbarian level. DC increases by 5 each use after the first, and resets to 10 on a Short or Long Rest.
12+4ASI: distribute +2 across abilities (or take a Feat).
13+5Improved Brutal Strike (adds Staggering Blow and Sundering Blow effects).
14+5Intimidating Presence (Bonus Action: frighten creatures in a 30-ft emanation).
15+5Persistent Rage: when you roll Initiative, you can regain all expended uses of Rage (once per long rest). Your Rage also lasts 10 minutes without needing to extend it each round, and ends early if you fall Unconscious or don Heavy armor.
16+5ASI: distribute +2 across abilities (or take a Feat).
17+6Improved Brutal Strike (extra damage becomes 2d10; use two different effects).
18+6Indomitable Might (if your total for a Strength check or Strength saving throw is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total)
19+6Epic Boon (gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat you qualify for).
20+6Primal Champion (+4 STR/CON, max 25)

Barbarian class features

RageLevel 1

You can imbue yourself with a primal power called Rage, a force that grants you extraordinary might and resilience. You can enter it as a Bonus Action if you aren’t wearing Heavy armor.

You can enter your Rage the number of times shown for your Barbarian level in the Rages column of the Barbarian Features table. You regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

While active, your Rage follows the rules below.

Damage Resistance. You have Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage.

Rage Damage. When you make an attack using Strength—with either a weapon or an Unarmed Strike—and deal damage to the target, you gain a bonus to the damage that increases as you gain levels as a Barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian Features table.

Strength Advantage. You have Advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

No Concentration or Spells. You can’t maintain Concentration, and you can’t cast spells.

Duration. The Rage lasts until the end of your next turn, and it ends early if you don Heavy armor or have the Incapacitated condition. If your Rage is still active on your next turn, you can extend the Rage for another round by doing one of the following:

  • Make an attack roll against an enemy.
  • Force an enemy to make a saving throw.
  • Take a Bonus Action to extend your Rage.

Each time the Rage is extended, it lasts until the end of your next turn. You can maintain a Rage for up to 10 minutes.

Unarmored Defense (Barbarian)Level 1

While you aren’t wearing any armor, your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Constitution modifiers. You can use a Shield and still gain this benefit.

Danger SenseLevel 2

You gain an uncanny sense of when things aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge perils. You have Advantage on Dexterity saving throws unless you have the Incapacitated condition.

Reckless AttackLevel 2

You can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with increased ferocity. When you make your first attack roll on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you Advantage on attack rolls using Strength until the start of your next turn, but attack rolls against you have Advantage during that time.

Primal KnowledgeLevel 3

You gain proficiency in another skill of your choice from the skill list available to Barbarians at level 1.

In addition, while your Rage is active, you can channel primal power when you attempt certain tasks; whenever you make an ability check using one of the following skills, you can make it as a Strength check even if it normally uses a different ability: Acrobatics, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth, or Survival. When you use this ability, your Strength represents primal power coursing through you, honing your agility, bearing, and senses.

Extra AttackLevel 5

You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Fast MovementLevel 5

Your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing Heavy armor.

Feral InstinctLevel 7

Your instincts are so honed that you have Advantage on Initiative rolls.

Instinctive PounceLevel 7

As part of the Bonus Action you take to enter your Rage, you can move up to half your Speed.

Brutal StrikeLevel 9

If you use Reckless Attack, you can forgo any Advantage on one Strength-based attack roll of your choice on your turn. The chosen attack roll mustn’t have Disadvantage. If the chosen attack roll hits, the target takes an extra 1d10 damage of the same type dealt by the weapon or Unarmed Strike, and you can cause one Brutal Strike effect of your choice. You have the following effect options.

Forceful Blow. The target is pushed 15 feet straight away from you. You can then move up to half your Speed straight toward the target without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Hamstring Blow. The target’s Speed is reduced by 15 feet until the start of your next turn. A target can be affected by only one Hamstring Blow at a time—the most recent one.

Relentless RageLevel 11

Your Rage can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If you drop to 0 Hit Points while your Rage is active and don’t die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, your Hit Points instead change to a number equal to twice your Barbarian level.

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.

Improved Brutal StrikeLevel 13

Level 13: Improved Brutal Strike

You have honed new ways to attack furiously. The following effects are now among your Brutal Strike options.

Staggering Blow. The target has Disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes, and it can’t make Opportunity Attacks until the start of your next turn.

Sundering Blow. Before the start of your next turn, the next attack roll made by another creature against the target gains a +5 bonus to the roll. An attack roll can gain only one Sundering Blow bonus.

Level 17: Improved Brutal Strike

The extra damage of your Brutal Strike increases to 2d10. In addition, you can use two different Brutal Strike effects whenever you use your Brutal Strike feature.

Persistent RageLevel 15

When you roll Initiative, you can regain all expended uses of Rage. After you regain uses of Rage in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

In addition, your Rage is so fierce that it now lasts for 10 minutes without you needing to do anything to extend it from round to round. Your Rage ends early if you have the Unconscious condition (not just the Incapacitated condition) or don Heavy armor.

Indomitable MightLevel 18

If your total for a Strength check or Strength saving throw is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total.

Primal ChampionLevel 20

You embody primal power. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4, to a maximum of 25.

Hit Point Die (d12)

Spend Hit Point Dice. You can spend one or more of your Hit Point Dice to regain Hit Points. For each Hit Point Die you spend in this way, roll the die and add your Constitution modifier to it. You regain Hit Points equal to the total (minimum of 1 Hit Point). You can decide to spend an additional Hit Point Die after each roll.

Path of the Berserker features

FrenzyLevel 3

If you use Reckless Attack while your Rage is active, you deal extra damage to the first target you hit on your turn with a Strength-based attack. To determine the extra damage, roll a number of d6s equal to your Rage Damage bonus, and add them together. The damage has the same type as the weapon or Unarmed Strike used for the attack.

Mindless RageLevel 6

You have Immunity to the Charmed and Frightened conditions while your Rage is active. If you’re Charmed or Frightened when you enter your Rage, the condition ends on you.

RetaliationLevel 10

When you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can take a Reaction to make one melee attack against that creature, using a weapon or an Unarmed Strike.

Intimidating PresenceLevel 14

As a Bonus Action, you can strike terror into others with your menacing presence and primal power. When you do so, each creature of your choice in a 30-foot Emanation originating from you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, a creature has the Frightened condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of the Frightened creature’s turns, the creature repeats the save, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a use of your Rage (no action required) to restore your use of it.

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Licence and attribution

This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 ("SRD 5.1") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, licensed under the Open Game License Version 1.0a. Section 15, Copyright Notice: Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, LLC. System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

The Open Game License Version 1.0a is reproduced in full at rollquest.io/open-game-license.

This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2 ("SRD 5.2") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).

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