Barbarian
Class Overview
A Barbarian is a nomadic warrior who fights with brute force and savage fury. Barbarians can fly into a rage that makes them some of the most powerful and deadly warriors on the battlefield.
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This class can be used to portray a Viking raider, a savage gladiator, a tribal champion, a vengeful warrior, a bandit brawler, or any other character with a penchant for violence or a fiery passion for combat and the thrill of battle.
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With immense strength and the highest hit points of any class, Barbarians excel at dishing out and absorbing damage. Combined with their Rage ability, Barbarians can become nearly unstoppable in battle, able to fell many foes in a single blow.
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In a party, barbarians are valued for their brutal offensive power, ability to knock down foes, increased move speed, and incredible resilience. With less dependence on armor and equipment, Barbarians are ready to fight at any moment, and can notice and respond to threats faster than most characters.
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Barbarian characters from fiction & history: Conan, Hercules, Rollo, Harald Hadrada, Lagertha (Shield Maiden), Boudica, Incredible Hulk, Atilla the Hun
Hit Rating (HR): Good
Saves: Good Fort / Bad Ref / Bad Will
Skill Ranks: 10+INT Mod
Weapon Proficiency: Simple, Martial
Armor /Shield Proficiency: Simple, Light Armor, Medium Armor, Light Shields, Heavy Shields
Hit Points Per Level: 10+CON Mod
Initiative Rating: Fast (+1 per 3 levels)
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Morality & Motivations: Can have neither Reason nor Benevolence as a motivation.
BARBARIAN – Class Level Table
Improved Power Attack (Ex)-lvl1: You gain Improved Power Attack as a Bonus Feat.
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Rage (Ex)-lvl1: You can send yourself into a combat rage, granting additional strength and resilience in combat.
-You can start a Rage once per day, plus 1 time per 4 Barbarian levels (1/day +1/4 Barbarian Levels).
-Entering a Rage is a Swift Action.
-Your Rage lasts for 1 round per point of Constitution. Ex: 15 CON = Rage lasts 15 Rounds
-You cannot enter a Rage while at Weakened Stage 3 or higher.
While in Rage, you gain the following:
+4 Alchemical Bonus to Strength
+4 Alchemical Bonus to Constitution
You are Fortunate on all WILL Saves and Intimidate Checks
-2 Penalty to Armor Class
-The CON increase grants 2 Temporary HP per Level. TempHP are lost first in combat & disappear when Rage ends.
-This Alchemical Bonus allows you to temporarily surpass the natural maximum for any physical attribute.
-While Raging, you cannot use any CHA, DEX, or INT based Skills (except Acrobatics, Intimidate, Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. You may not fight defensively or attempt combat tricks. You may use aggressive combat maneuvers such as trip, grab, and shove.
-While Raging and unarmed, you gain a Smack Natural Attack as follows: 20/x2 / 1d4+STRMod [b].
-This attack requires use of both free hands but provides some offensive capabilities even while unarmed.
Ending your Rage:
-Your Rage ends automatically after the full duration is reached or if you fall unconscious.
-You may choose to stop Raging as a Free Action before the duration ends, but the remaining time is lost.
-You gain +1 Stage of the Weakened condition when your Rage ends.
-You must wait at least 1 minute before you can activate your Rage ability again.
-GM Note: A character should not go into Rage without any reason (GM Discretion). Things such as fear, surprise, anger, taking damage, threats made against loved ones, and enemy taunts are known to send barbarians into a rage.
Fast Movement (Ex)-lvl2: You gain an Innate Bonus to your Move Speed of +10 feet. If you already possess an Innate Bonus to your Move Speed from another class, you instead gain Runner as a Bonus Feat.
True Fortitude (Ex)-lvl2: Whenever subject to a FORT Save, a successful Save indicates that you suffer no ill effect, even if the spell or ability normally causes a negative effect on a successful Save.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex)-lvl3: You react to danger faster than most other characters.
-You cannot be Flat-Footed. (Your FFAC is the same as your normal AC.)
-This ability also confers a +2 Innate Bonus on opposed checks against Combat Feints and Dirty Tricks.
-If you already have Uncanny Dodge from a different class, you gain Improved Uncanny Dodge instead.
-You may still be Flat-Footed if Heavily Encumbered, Immobilized, or tricked by a successful Feint in Combat.
Raiding Life (Ex)-lvl4: You are used life on the move. You may use a single Big Action that Provokes AOO to awaken from sleep, stand up out of bed, and ready a weapon or shield if one is in reach. You require half the normal time to don or remove proficient armors, set up & take down tents, camps, and simple structures, build fire-pits, saddle a horse, and cook and eat a meal.
Knockdown Expert: You gain the Knockdown Expert Feat (ignore any prerequisites).
Natural Armor 1 (Ex)-lvl3: You gain a +1 Innate Bonus to Natural Armor Rating. This Innate Bonus increases to +2 At Barbarian Level 19.
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DR2/AA (Ex)-lvl10: You gain Damage Resistance 2/AA
-You reduce all incoming Physical Damage by 2 points. Anti-Armor weapons and attacks bypass this DR.
DR3/AAA (Ex)-lvl19: Your Damage Resistance improves to Damage Resistance 3/AAA
-You reduce all incoming Physical Damage by 3 points. This is only bypassed by Adamantine Anti-Armor Weapons.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)-lvl6: You cannot be Flanked.
-You take no penalties from being flanked, and enemies gain no benefits from flanking positions.
Sweeping Blow (Ex)-lvl8: Once per turn, you may use an Attack Action to make a single melee attack against foes in two adjacent hexes you threaten with a -2 Attack Penalty. Use one Attack Roll for both targets.
-Critical damage & precision damage may only be applied to the first target struck.
-The weapon you use must deal slashing or bludgeoning damage.
-This ability does not allow you to deal damage twice to one single target.
-Against targets with Concealment, your miss chances are considered Fortunate.
-This attack destroys 3 figments produced by a Mirror Image spell (at GM discretion).
-When you reach Barbarian Level 12, you may use this ability twice per turn.
Adrenaline Surge (Ex): You ignore all penalties of the Injured condition and instead gain the following benefits while Injured: -You are Fortunate on all Saving Throws.
-Increase all physical damage dealt by +1 die size (Innate Bonus to physical damage)
-You heal +1HP per Round (healing occurs at the end of your turn).
-If you heal above your injured threshold, your Adrenaline Surge ends.
-If you possess the Die Hard Feat, you gain +1 Reaction per round while the Adrenaline Surge is active.
Instant Rage (Ex): You can now begin your Rage at any moment without expending an action. You may activate your Rage after being struck by an attack (or spell, trap, etc), but before tallying the damage received.
Unnaturally Strong (Ex): You gain a +1 Innate Bonus to Strength.
Tireless Rage (Ex): Your Rage duration is doubled. If you end your Rage voluntarily with at least 10 rounds of duration remaining, you do not gain a Weakened Stage upon ending your Rage.
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Resilient Rage (Ex): While Raging, you gain Elemental Resist 5 (All Elements) and Negative Energy Resist 5. Also, you are immune to pain conditions while Raging (such as Distressed & Agonized).
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Unstoppable Rage: You are nearly impossible to stop or control in combat. While Raging:
-You are Fortunate on all checks made to escape from any physical restraints or grapples.
-You may move at your full Move Speed through Difficult Terrain.
-You cannot be held in place, restrained, or magically contained by active spells or effects. (GM Discretion)
Ex: You may ignore Entangle, Slow, Divine Containment Field, Force Barrier, Trap the Soul, etc.
-You are immune to all mind-affecting spells.
-You ignore all effects of the Time Stop spell and may act normally during the spell’s duration.
-You may choose to be affected by one of these spells if desired.
DESIGNER’S NOTE: This Barbarian is the token “heavy hitter” character. If you want to make a “barbarian” or “tribal” style character who uses a bow and arrow or with high dexterity and light weapons, the Ranger may be a better choice. Rangers, Fighters and Rogues could all easily be “barbarians.” Even a Druid or Priest could be a barbarian shaman, oracle, or mystic. This version of the Barbarian excels with big weapons and dishing out damage. It is geared towards a “Conan” or “Hercules” style barbarian. If you just want to be called “a barbarian,” then pick a class that suits your character and role-play them as a member of a barbarian tribe!
Barbarian Variant – Shield-Bearer / Shield-Maiden:
At Level 1: You gain the Improved Shield Bash Feat instead of Improved Power Attack.
At Level 5: You gain the Shield Charge or Shielded Strikes Feat (choose 1) instead of Knockdown.
At Level 8: You gain Shield-Bearer’s Rage (or Shield Maiden’s Rage) instead of Sweeping Blow – described below:
Shield-Bearer’s / Shield-Maiden’s Rage: While Raging, you may make a Shield Bash attack as a Swift Action.
-This class option provides better defense at the cost of offensive damage output. However, the lightly armored barbarian with a sturdy shield is probably more historically accurate (and more likely to survive a battle against archers).