“Conan, what is best in life?”
“To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women.”
The Barbarian is a classic, a class that has inspired us in media for centuries. We draw inspiration from the likes of Conan (my all-time favourite), The Incredible Hulk, Drax, and even The Bride. It’s a wrecking ball of a class, one that was initially designed to bring out the primal rage that lurks within us all. But the Barbarian is so much more than a bull in a china shop.
You’re always going to be a combat beast when you play a Barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons 5e, and you’re limited in terms of skills. But you have the ability to function well as both a Defender and a Striker, and you will gain access to options that may even allow you to branch out into a support role – even if it isn’t the most extensive version out there.
Table of Contents
What to Expect from This Guide
This guide is here to condense all of the things you need to know about playing a Barbarian into one space that’s easy to manage and navigate. The best Primal Paths, the best Feats, everything we include here only gives you the top options for the class you want to play so that you spend less time scrolling through the things that are less than ideal for a 5E Barbarian.
However, we can’t avoid them all, so you’ll want to take a quick peek at the key we have here:
BLUE is essential for your class.
GREEN is excellent for your class.
ORANGE is alright but often quite specific to a situation.
RED should be avoided at all costs.
What Makes a 5E Barbarian?
Learning what makes up a Barbarian is an integral part of playing this class. The features that come with this damage-dealing machine are pretty important when deciding if this is going to be the right class for you
Hit Points (HP)
D12 (the biggest Hit Dice available)
Saves
While Strength Saves are very rare, Constitution saves are incredibly common and also one of the trickiest to make, so you’re golden here.
Proficiencies
As a Barbarian, Proficiencies refer to a few things. Let’s take a quick look at them.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
You get Medium armor and martial weapons. This can take you a long way and definitely helps you create a durable build that really is a force of nature.
Skill Proficiencies
The skill list is one of the worst for classes in 5e, but you get two skills.
Tools
None.
Class Features
Rage: This is what makes a Barbarian, it’s the defining feature of the class. While the bonus damage isn’t massive, you get a lot of reliability and consistency from this ability. Your number of Rages is limited each day, but you can use it multiple times in the same encounter. It’s part of what makes you so durable and it certainly keeps the aggro off.
Unarmored Defence: It certainly adds flavour to the class, but it won’t do a great deal unless your ability scores are very high. You’re going to need at least a +7 to Dex and Con for it to be of any use, and even as you level up and your scores increase this ability still doesn’t hit the mark.
Reckless Attack: You have the perfect excuse to go absolutely wild and just kill everything. Rage gives you resistance to damage caused by normal weapons so this is your chance.
Danger Sense: You get an Advantage on any Save.
Extra Attack: Two attacks means twice the damage and twice the opportunity to apply your Rage Bonus.
Fast Movement: It can be a fun ability but it brings nothing to the game.
Feral Instinct: Essentially, you are immune to surprise attacks. Nothing can faze you. You get an Advantage on Initiative which means you strike first most of the time – ideal for the protector of squishy allies.
Brutal Critical: There’s just a lot of problems with this ability and the chances of getting a crit are minimal. You don’t even get the third die until 17th level. It feels satisfying to use but the math is just plain bad.
Relentless Rage: If you need to stay up and fighting for longer while getting hit, this will do just that. Make sure you take the little enemies out first though because small and consistent attacks are going to lower your DC much faster.
Persistent Rage: Honestly, this isn’t particularly useful because there are very few abilities that can knock you out of Rage without leaving you unconscious.
Indomitable Might: Your Strength checks will be plain sailing with this, and by the time you unlock this ability you will absolutely have hit 20 Strength.
Primal Champion: You basically get four ability increases at once, and by this point, everything should be very high anyway. Basically, if you wanted to strip naked and kill things this is exactly when you do it (no judgement from me).
Optional Barbarian Features from New Source Books
When we refer to optional features, we’re talking about class aspects that were introduced in later texts. For Barbarians, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything offers two very nice choices. However, not every table will allow them so you’ll need to talk to your DM first.
Primal Knowledge: This will give you two additional skills, which can really change the way a Barbarian works outside of battle. They are traditionally useless if they aren’t killing things, and this allows you to add a little more meat to the bones of your build. For Barbarians who don’t get bonus racial skills or Reckless Attack, this is something that should definitely be allowed.
Instinctive Pounce: You will likely have Fast Movement when you unlock this, which means your speed is much quicker. However, Instinctive Pounce allows you to go at half that speed and move into melee faster. It’s essential, and all Barbarians who don’t have a complex secondary effect when they Rage should be granted this ability.
Primal Paths
Primal Path is essentially a list of the Barbarian subclasses, which is something we will look at in a little more detail later. However, to start things off here’s a quick rundown of what each one is and what they entail.
Ancestral Guardian: Summon the spirits of your ancestors to defend you and your allies on the battlefield.
Battlerager: These are Dwarf Barbarians who specialise in fighting in spiked armor.
Beast: You can manifest teeth, claws, and other bodily features, allowing you to tear your enemies to pieces.
Berserker: Adds the ability to go into a Frenzy while raging, making you even more dangerous at the cost of levels of Fatigue.
Storm Herald: A nature-themed Barbarian, giving you a choice of Environment that will grant you unique features, which you can change every time you gain a level.
Totem Warrior: Choose from Animal-themed benefits which means you can adjust your barbarian to fill several roles in combat.
Zealot: If you die a lot or like to embrace the Leeroy Jenkins lifestyle, you will be very difficult to kill on this Path and you can be brought back to life without the expensive materials.
Wild Magic: Why not add some unpredictable magic to your unpredictable self? You will gain a randomly-selected buff every time you rage, giving you access to special abilities like being able to teleport in the middle of combat.
The Role of the Barbarian
You’re all about the damage as a Barbarian. You exist to deal damage and destroy your enemies in one fell swoop. At the same time, you’re going to need to be a damage sponge, absorbing those heavy blows so that you can take the brunt of the force to protect the party.
There are some nice support abilities available to you, and some of the Primal Paths even have a touch of spellcasting to them. However, your goal as a Barbarian is to Rage and do so as much as you can in order to pull aggro away from your allies. You’re the meat shield, the one screaming with true primal rage as you tell the big bad boss that’s it’s time for a dance-off.
But what about the strengths and weaknesses that come with the Barbarian class? You have a strong focus on Strength and Constitution, are highly durable, and you’re going to be fighting melee most of the time. Since your class is purely focused on those two stats you won’t need anything else, and you have more staying power than any other class in the game.
The downside to the Barbarian is that you’re not much more than a rage machine that’s there to deal damage and take an equal amount. There is also no access to magic, so you aren’t as versatile, and while you are proficient in combat there isn’t much for you outside of it. You’re not going to be the one solving puzzles or navigating political meetings, that’s for sure.
But all of this is ok because, in D&D 5e, the Barbarian is the core of the party. They are the one who is going to prevent their allies from dying by standing in the way and taking the hits. Just because you’re big on Strength and can take a blow doesn’t mean you’re dumb. You can really flesh your Barbarian out and make them into the character you have been envisioning.
Ability Scores
When you’re playing a Barbarian, Strength is everything. It’s your primary stat and one that is mostly going to dictate how effective you are in combat and likely a lot of out of combat actions you’ll be doing like breaking down doors or lifting large barrels of ale. Here’s a quick look at the ability scores for Barbarian in 5e so you can see what you should be focusing on.
Strength (STR). The most important stat for a Barbarian, you’re going to be relying heavily on this especially since you use a lot of chunky weapons.
Dexterity (DEX). You need 14 DEX if you want to pad your Armor Class with half-plate. However, many Barbarians can get a nice boost from items and go armorless so that they can focus on Con and Strength.
Constitution (CON). You’re going to be taking a lot of damage, and this is why it is the second most important trait for Barbarians.
Intelligence (INT). Absolute dump stat unless it’s important for you’re roleplaying.
Wisdom (WIS). Since Wisdom Saves are important, there is some use for this ability. However, don’t pour a lot of resources into it.
Charisma (CHA). This is rarely needed for a Barbarian, but it can still be worth having depending on your Primal Path.
The Best Races for Barbarian
When you are picking a race for your Barbarian, a Constitution or Strength bonus tends to be a crucial aspect to look for. There are countless races and variations available in Dungeons and Dragons 5e, so we are bringing you the best options so that you can optimize your class. All of these races keep those crucial ability bonuses in mind.
Aasimar
Fallen: You get a nice +1 to Strength and also benefit from Necrotic Shroud – a powerful crowd control effect that will help you to keep your enemies at bay.
Bugbear
Default Rules: The AC bonus from the Dex increase is very helpful, and Sneaky is great for ambushing an enemy. You also get Reach, which makes taking on larger foes much easier and even attacking smaller enemies from a distance.
Centaur
Default Rules: You have a nice Strength increase, and having Charge on a Barbarian is a massive bonus. If you decide to Rage before charging, the Hoof Attack gives you an extra chance to apply your Rage Bonus to the damage you cause.
Dragonborn
Default Rules: You get a bonus to Strength, but the Charisma bonus is wasted on your class unless you plan on using Intimidating Rage frequently. You also get a nice breath weapon for the weaker enemies that you want to get out of the way faster.
Chromatic: There is fantastic damage resistance here but the AOE can be a little be difficult.
Gem: You get some incredible damage resistance, especially if you are a Bear Totem Barbarian, as well as temporary flight. Combined with a conical breath weapon and brilliant offensive damage types, you’re an unstoppable force.
Metallic: There is a conical breath weapon, but once you hit 5th level you will discover there are five additional ways in which you can use it.
Dragonmarked Human
Mark of Sentinel: If you’re going for the tank route then this might be a good choice for you. From an offensive perspective, you will be pretty behind though, and the inability to cast spells makes this a less interesting choice.
Dwarf
Duergar: If you’re playing in a subterranean campaign, this is equal to the Mountain Dwarf. If not, Sunlight Sensitivity is going to be a massive issue.
Mountain: You get the perfect bonuses – Strength and Constitution (+2 to each). This also means that you have space to expand your other abilities if you want to, such as adding a few points to Dexterity.
Elf
Shadar-Kai: While a Dexterity and Constitution bonus isn’t the ideal combo for a Barbarian, it does mean your AC will be improved and you also get the ability to teleport as well as damage resistance.
Genasi
Earth: There is a Strength bonus as well as the ability to move across difficult terrain without any problems or slowing your speed. This means that in situations where it would normally be difficult to get into melee, it won’t be.
Gith
Githyanki: You get a +2 to Strength as well as some additional Proficiencies. Githyanki Psionics will also give you access to some magical options to help Barbarians in situations they couldn’t normally overcome.
Goliath
Default Rules: This was designed to be an absolute beast with melee, and it shows. You get bonuses for your key abilities, a free Athletics Proficiency, and Stone’s Endurance to add to that massive Hit-Point pile.
Half-Elf
Wood Half-Elf: Fleet of Foot is a great ability if you want to be fast, but both Weapon Training and Mark of the Wild are pretty much redundant.
Half-Orc
Default Rules: This race was made for the Barbarian, and you can Hulk out as much as you like. You get bonuses to Strength and Constitution, Darkvision, and you get to save a skill choice on Intimidate. The racial abilities work nicely with the class abilities and there are some fantastic racial Feats for you to consider.
Human
Variant: You get those essential bonuses to Strength and Constitution while also obtaining an excellent Feat at 1st level. You also get a very nice bonus skill, and while it is not an essential addition it’s definitely worth having.
Leonin
Default Rules: They are very similar to Half-Orcs in terms of the benefits they have for Barbarians. However, they trade Relentless Endurance and Savage Attacks for claws, improved skills, and the ability to roar and scare off enemies.
Lizardfolk
Default Rules: Natural Armor and the bonus to Constitution are nice additions. However, it does conflict with Unarmored Defence. Either way, this still makes for a nice Barbarian race.
Locathah
Default Rules: You get an ability increase that is similar to what the Bugbear has to offer but it’s not as useful. You get two additional skills that make you more useful outside of combat and Leviathan Will is good for defending against status effects. Also needing to be submerged underwater every 4 hours is a little annoying.
Minotaur
Default Rules: They are the perfect Barbarians and you get brilliant ability score increases. Goring Rush is fantastic and you get the most important part of the Charger Feat. Hammering Horn will also get you the key part of the Shield Master Feat without you needing a shield.
Orc
Default Rules: The aggression levels are very nice from an RP perspective, but the Half-Orc is just a much better choice overall.
Shifter
Beasthide: You get brilliant ability score increases and Proficiency in an important skill. There is the addition of Temporary Hit Points and a +1 to AC while you are shifting for durability.
Longtooth: You get a Dexterity boost instead of Constitution, but it’s still helpful. The ability to bite as a Bonus Action means you get as many attacks as using two-weapon fighting without the restrictions. It means you can apply your growing bonus damage from Rage too.
Simic Hybrid
Standard: A flexibility ability increase in Strength means that you get more versatility out of this race when combined with the Barbarian. The first round of Animal Enhancement will give you some nice utility options that the Barbarian can’t replicate, and the second brings some very tasty combat options to the table that complement your class features.
Tortle
Default Rules: You get a +2 to Strength and 17 AC which makes it a brilliant choice for a Barbarian. You also get a Survival Proficiency which is a very nice addition.
Warforged
Standard: There is a nice increase to Constitution and a flexible one that you can throw into Strength. You get resistance and immunities as well as losing the need for sleep. If you pick up a Proficiency in Perception you can also capitalise on the fact you don’t need sleep.
Best Barbarian Subclasses
Subclasses are an important aspect of your class, and there will come a time when you have to choose one. It can be a tricky choice to make, but there are plenty of benefits that come with each for you to consider.
Of course, this is a brief breakdown because a more detailed one is definitely for another guide. Your subclass is known as your Primal Path, and it determines the kind of Barbarian you are going to be as well as the unique traits you’ll gain as a result.
Path of the Ancestral Guardian
Summon the spirits of your ancestors to defend you and your allies on the battlefield. It is the ideal path to choose if you want to become a tank and draw aggro from your allies in order to protect the party. It comes with the following abilities:
- Ancestral Protectors: Entice foes to only attack you
- Spirit Shield: Further ally protection at the cost of your Reaction
- Consult the Spirits: Highly situational, can cast Clairvoyance and Augury
- Vengeful Ancestors: Boost Spirit Shield and remain in Phalanx with allies
Path of the Battlerager
This Primal Path is only for Dwarves, and while it starts off strong it does sink a little as you level up. If you decide to take this path, it works best with a couple of Fighter levels added. It comes with the following abilities:
- Battlerager Armor: Spiked armor Proficiency, bonus attack and damage
- Reckless Abandon: Temporary Hit Points when attacking
- Battlerager Charge: Dash as a Bonus Action
- Spiked Retribution: Retaliation damage while Raging
Path of the Beast
Become the embodiment of the Barbarian that was raised by wolves with offensive and defensive options that make you one of the most competitive subclasses that this D&D 5e class has to offer. It comes with the following abilities:
- Form of the Beast: Three different attack modes – Bite, Claws, Tail
- Bestial Soul: Magical natural attacks, three movement modes – Swim, Climb, Jump
- Infectious Fury: Con-based Wisdom Save, two damage choices – Attack, Psychic
- Call the Hunt: Damage bonus for all your allies
Path of the Berserker
Go into a frenzy with the classic Barbarian subclass. It’s all about hitting hard and fast, ignoring the pain and fighting until the bitter end. A true Juggernaut, it is one of the coolest paths you can take and comes with the following abilities:
- Frenzy: Make an attack as a Bonus Action
- Mindless Rage: Shake off Mind Control effortlessly
- Intimidating Presence: Charisma-based Save that replaces your actions
- Retaliation: Make an attack a Reaction when you take damage
Path of the Storm Herald
Feed the storm within you with a path that gives you a Constitution-based Save and an aura ability that activates when you use Rage. While you can change the aura when you level up, the big downside to this choice is that you are limited to a single set of elemental choices. It contains the following abilities:
- Storm Aura: Use Rage to activate a 10ft aura with your choice of effect. Desert will deal a small amount of fire damage and scales with level. Sea gives enemies a Dex save that halves the damage. Tundra gives allies a small number of Temporary Hit Points.
- Storm Soul: Adds to the utility of your chosen aura, but each of the abilities is highly situational. Desert provides fire and heat resistance, can set things on fire by touching them but no damage bonus. Sea gives resistance to lightning and swim speed. Tundra gives resistance to cold and the ability to freeze water (no creatures).
- Shielding Storm: Works well when given to another melee ally and you work as a team, essentially doubling the Desert aura effects.
- Raging Storm: With this, you get retaliation addons. Desert gives you a retaliatory blow against your enemies when you are attacked. Sea means when a creature hits you with an attack they either max a Save or are knocked prone. Tundra means that a creature must make a Dex Save or lose movement when they attack you.
Path of the Totem Warrior
Choose from Animal-themed benefits which means you can adjust your barbarian to fill several roles in combat. The flexibility offered means that you can take up arms as a tank or support your party as a damage dealer, no to mention it’s exceptionally strong. It comes with the following abilities:
- Spirit Seeker: Honestly a dump ability. You get more from Beast Sense or Speak with Animals.
- Totem Spirit: There are five to choose from. Bear gives you resistance to everything except psychic damage while Raging making you the ultimate tank. Eagle gives you Dash as a Bonus Action to close distance quickly on those annoying kiting enemies. Wolf gives you and your allies Pack Tactics for advantage on attacks, great for teamwork. Elk boosts your movement by an additional 15 feet. Tiger gives you a distance bonus on your jump while Raging, which is not super useful.
- Aspect of the Beast: You can pick a different totem from the ones at 3rd level. Bear has Strength Saves which are rare, and it’s a really difficult aspect to track for DMs. Eagle gives you the ability to see for 1 mile ahead. Wolf gives you Stealth and Survival bonuses. Elk doubles the group’s travel pace which is something that DM’s rarely keep a super close eye on. Tiger gives you useless skills.
- Totemic Attunement: You get five choices, once again. Bear gives adjacent foes a Disadvantage against other creatures. Eagle gives you Leaping Flight while Raging. Wolf lets you knock a large or smaller opponent Prone. Elk gives you a Bonus Action attack wrapped in a mobility boost. Tiger gives you the same as Elk but more situational.
Path of the Zealot
If you die a lot or like to embrace the Leeroy Jenkins lifestyle, you will be very difficult to kill on this Path and you can be brought back to life without the expensive materials. You get damage, support, and powerful defence to keep you going through every battle. Every other divine spellcaster in the party will benefit and it comes with the following abilities:
- Divine Fury: Additional necrotic or radiant damage that scales with your level.
- Warrior of the Gods: As long as the healer can reach you, you’ll never fear death.
- Fanatical Focus: You can reroll a save once per Rage.
- Zealous Presence: Grant Advantage to allies within 60ft after a Long Rest.
- Rage Beyond Death: Buys you an extra turn at 0 Hit Points before you bite the dust.
Path of the Wild Magic
Why not add some unpredictable magic to your unpredictable self? You can have a lot of fun with this Primal Path, and you can expect to encounter a fair amount of chaos when you choose it. This subclass opens up a lot to the Barbarian that wouldn’t normally be available, and it’s worth investing in if you want a bit of a twist. It comes with the following abilities:
- Magic Awareness: You don’t need this, but it does add a good dash of flavour.
- Wild Surge: You don’t get to control which effect is used but all of them are beneficial.
- Bolstering Magic: Combines with Reckless Attack and also restores allied spell slots.
- Unstable Backlash: A great Reaction that triggers when you take damage in Rage.
- Controlled Surge: Gives you some serious precision with your chaos.
Barbarian Multiclassing
Multiclassing can be a lot of fun. However, not every class is compatible with Barbarian unless you want to do a lot of Homebrewing. I should mention that the Homebrew aspect can be an absolute blast, but it needs a lot of work if you want the game to remain balanced.
Bard: This is a pretty interesting class combination, and you might find it works a little better than you think. You are granted disruptive spellcasting and selective buffs that have the ability to turn you into an absolute beast when working on the offensive.
Cleric: The Proficiencies are redundant and the skills don’t make much sense, but the access to healing is what makes this a good combination for a couple of levels. You become completely self-sufficient, which is great if you are a solo adventurer or only like to rely on yourself.
Druid: If you combine Wild Shape with Rage and your resistances, it’s amazing how bulky you become. If you are looking to fill a tank role, this is a perfect match and will have you taking damage for days while your allies take down the big bad evil guy.
Fighter: Honestly, the perfect combo. Why? Well, all we need to say is Fighting Style and Action Surge mixed with Rage. If you ever wanted to be truly unstoppable, this is the way.
Monk: In some ways, this combination would make sense from a theoretical perspective. However, there are no relevant abilities and the unarmored bonuses don’t stack which makes this a pretty poor choice.
Paladin: You get a Fighting Style alongside Smite and spellcasting abilities. The idea of mixing a holy warrior with a raging Barbarian is also a really fun concept from an RP perspective – definitely one to take advantage of if you want to add some spice to your game.
Ranger: Access to Hunter’s Mark is a massive bonus and you get a Fighting Style. With this combination, if your Barbarian didn’t feel like a threat to enemy existence before it definitely does now.
Rogue: You get low Hit Dice, and this hurts. However, there is something to be gained from this multiclassing choice. You get a Sneak Attack damage die at 1st level that is very tempting and the Cunning Action gives you fantastic mobility Bonus Actions that make you formidable.
Sorcerer: This is just a case of completely opposite skillsets that mean this doesn’t really work as a combination.
Warlock: Once again, we are looking at completely opposite skill sets.
Wizard: For the third time, this is a case of opposite skill sets that simply don’t work together.
Important Skills and Best Barbarian Backgrounds
Skills are an important aspect of character creation in 5e, and not all of them are useful for you as a Barbarian. Some of them are going to be dump stats, others will be highly advantageous. Let us take the hard work out and show you which is which.
Acrobatics (DEX): You won’t need it but a high Dexterity score is always useful.
Animal Handling (WIS): You’re not a Druid, you don’t need this. The flavour is nice though.
Arcana (INT): Not your responsibility.
Athletics (STR): It’s the only Strength Skill, and you can use it for grappling enemies quickly.
Deception (CHA): You’re not the Face of the party.
History (INT): Did you know that Barbarians couldn’t read until 4th Edition
Insight (CHA): You fight with your sword and not your mind.
Intimidation (CHA): If you’re using Intimidating Presence go for it. Otherwise, leave it.
Investigation (INT): This isn’t a strong point for you, but comes in handy occasionally digging for loot.
Medicine (WIS): It’s not essential, but a little field medicine can come in handy.
Nature (INT): It’s a dump stat, but it can be handy if no one else in the party has it.
Perception (WIS): One of the most important Skills and at least two people should have it.
Performance (CHA): You aren’t going to need this at all.
Persuasion (CHA): You’re the muscle and not the Face.
Religion (INT): Only to be considered for Zealots.
Sleight of Hand (DEX): You’re not hiding anything, especially that massive weapon.
Stealth (DEX): There is absolutely nothing stealthy about a Barbarian.
Survival (WIS): Helpful to the party when you are wandering the untamed wilds.
With regards to backgrounds, there are so many that if we included all of them here it would be a guide in itself. Not to mention that many of them are irrelevant to the class. Here are some of the best considerations for a Barbarian.
City Watch: Athletics is great, but Insight might be a hard choice. Not much else from it.
Criminal: This will work for a Wolf Totem Barbarian, especially if you have a Rogue.
Folk Hero: Two Skills, two Proficiencies, and the theme works so well for the class.
Hermit: Medicine and Herbalism can be useful, but they aren’t the best options.
Outlander: You get two Skills but the Proficiencies tend to be wasted.
Sailor: Two skills, the joy of boats, and beneficial for an aquatic campaign.
Soldier: Two good skills, some tool
Proficiencies; a nice combo of Folk Hero and Outlander.
Uthgardt Tribe Member: Two important skills but the rest is wasted on a Barbarian.
Best Feats for Barbarian
Just like Backgrounds, this is another section that would go on forever if I included every single Feat available to you. Instead, you’ll find the ones that are best-suited to a Barbarian in 5E so that you have a better idea of the choices that will boost your class.
Chef: Offers way more impact than the Tough Feat, and has a lot to offer Barbarians. You get a great Constitution increase and there is bonus healing on a short rest – helpful to you since you take a lot of damage and rely on natural healing. The snacks are also great for giving your party Temporary Hit Points.
Durable: While Rage is great for giving you resistance to normal damage types, magic is still a problem. This Feat is there to keep your Hit Points up throughout the day, something you tend to need as a Barbarian because your health is expected to fluctuate.
Great Weapon Master: Since you’re all about two-handed weapons, this is a fantastic Feat to take advantage of.
Lucky: This is a good Feat for anyone to have. It’s simple, does what it says on the tin, and it’s exceptionally handy.
Mounted Combat: This has a lot of potential for Barbarians because it’s not just useful but you also have loads of Hit Points that can absorb any attacks that would otherwise hit your mount.
Sentinel: An absolutely fantastic option for those who want a defensive build and are looking for a tanky Barbarian. It forces enemies to remain in melee combat with you, preventing them from running away and attacking your allies. Really solves the tank fallacy issue experienced by Zealots and Bear Totem Warrior Barbarians.
Skill Expert: Since you get very few skill options outside of combat, this really helps to expand your capabilities as a Barbarian. It gives you expertise that can be handy inside and outside of combat, even helping you get an advantage on Strength checks from Rage.
Slasher: Speed reduction for your enemies means they are going to struggle to escape your grasp. You also get a fantastic critical hit benefit and an ability increase. All of this combined makes it a very handy Feat to have and it addresses that tank fallacy issue much like the Sentinel Feat does.
Tavern Brawler: Having proficiency in Constitution really helps with Concentration as well as those ever-common Constitution saves.
Equipment
You’re a Barbarian, which means you automatically need to have good weapons if you want to make an impact on your enemies. You’re also going to want a combination of melee and ranged weaponry because there will be times when you need to strike from a distance.
The thing is, you’re going to be prioritizing damage over tactics because that’s just the way Barbarians work. As a result, you need to have heavy two-handed weapons ready to unleash on your foes. Greatswords and Mauls are nice choices, but the Greataxe is an absolute icon – especially when you unlock Brutal Critical at 9th level.
With regards to the ranged weapons, a longbow or a javelin is going to do just fine. Handaxes are also a brilliant option for a Barbarian and they really fit in thematically. They can be thrown at a short distance, and I actually quite like using them in bar fights. Trust me, once you try it you’ll never look back.
Armor Choices
A lot of the time you aren’t going to be wearing armor because of your class ability. It makes sense, and what Barbarian doesn’t want to be mostly naked on the battlefield? However, if the math makes sense then you may way to try out halfplate for the best AC modifier available. While you are Proficient in shields, you should be using two-handed weapons so you aren’t going to need them. Plus, you have high Hit Points and plenty of damage resistance.
The Best 5E Barbarian Magic Items
We all like some good magic items in the game, they make things exciting. However, if I were to show you every magic item that is available in D&D 5e it would be a very long list indeed – you’d click away from this guide in about two seconds. So, we have the best and only the best for your new Barbarian.
Common Magic Items
Moon Touched Sword: You get two problems solved for the price of one. First, the sword glows almost as brightly as a torch, allowing you to see in dark places without having to take up a hand to hold a torch and without asking your allies to cast a spell for light.
Second, and perhaps most importantly, it allows you to overcome damage resistance to non-magic attacks. Resistances like this are common as you gain levels, and the Moon Touched Sword is a cheap way to overcome them until a better weapon makes itself known.
Uncommon Magic Items
Adamantine Armor: You get some great protection against Critical Attacks, which is especially useful since Reckless Attack grants enemies Advantage against you – doubling the risk of you being hit with a crit (check my rhymes, I should be a Bard).
Cloak of Protection: It requires Attunement and is one of those items that is good for any character. Other than that, there’s nothing exceptional about it. Doesn’t hurt to have a little extra protection though.
Eyes of the Eagle: it’s no secret that Perception is the most rolled Skill in the game, and while the Barbarian doesn’t have a huge list of options this is still one of the better choices. If you have a good Wisdom bonus, use it. If not, pass it to a party member that does.
Lantern of Revealing: This is a fantastic way to counter invisible enemies, especially since the Barbarian is a class that doesn’t have any innate ways to do this. Honestly, if you find this magic item you will want to keep it on you.
Periapt of Wound Closure: As a Barbarian, you have a low AC and big Hit Dice, and spending those Hit Dice is how you manage to stay alive. What this item does is double the efficiency of the Hit Dice to keep you up and prevent you from overtaxing the healer as well as the party.
Stone of Good Luck: This is another one of those items that is brilliant for literally any character, but from a protection stance the Cloak of Protection is going to be a better match. If you’re reliant on Skills and ability checks, this stone will really sparkle.
Weapon (+1): You’re all about the weapon attacks, that’s what makes a Barbarian who they are. You get a numeric Bonus to attack, and this remains even as you level up. Other weapons might come along that seem appealing, but very little actually beats this beauty.
Winged Boots: They are fun, and work well on their own if you want to channel your inner Hermes (or Mercury for the Romans). However, they are more limited than the broomstick and require Attunement.
Rare Magic Items
Armor (+1): There is no attunement, which is fantastic. It doesn’t do anything fancy, but it does give you a +1 to AC which is something every Barbarian can benefit from.
Belt of Dwarven Kind: If you aren’t a Dwarf, you are going to benefit from Darkvision and poison resistance because most Barbarians cannot achieve these abilities through other means. You get an increase to Constitution, which is nice, and that +2 bonus will be beneficial for quite a while.
Belt of Giant Strength (Hill): The existence of this magic item almost makes putting ability increases into Strength a bad idea. You get a massive boost, which is important for a Barbarian and will help you out in battle. If you can get your hands on this, never let it go.
Bracers of Defence: You get as much AC as a shield, which is especially good if you are relying on Unarmored Defence to get through the day. They are a really nice magic item, although some players may prefer a Ring or Cloak of Protection.
Cloak of Displacement: This is one of the best defensive items in the game. Taking damage from any source suppresses the effect temporarily, which means you need to make a point to kill anything that can damage you without an attack roll.
Flametongue: The 2d6 damage is multiplied on critical hits, and since barbarians score critical hits frequently thanks to Reckless Attack, multiplying the damage from Flametongue can provide a significant source of damage output.
Periapt of Proof Against Poison: Poison damage is an absolute pain and also one of the most common damage types across the game. So, immunity to it means you get a significant boost to your durability.
Ring of Evasion: This is a fantastic method for mitigating damage from AOE spells and breath weapons. This is especially handy because frontline characters, like you, often suffer the most at the hand of these abilities.
Ring of Resistance: it can seem tempting to go for something common like fire, but a Barbarian is often weak to psychic damage and so this is the damage type we recommend choosing resistance to.
Sword of Life Stealing: Since you have Reckless Attack and Extra Attack, you are more likely to roll a Nat 20 than most – making this a highly appealing magic item. You get great damage, and the Temporary Hit Points are very nice indeed.
Sword of Wounding: You get persistent damage that stacks with itself, which is a great combination. If you get the opportunity to attack outside of your turn, you will be able to stack up the damage dice very nicely indeed.
Weapon (+2): The math doesn’t lie, it’s like Weapon +1 but, well, better.
Very Rare Magic Items
Armor (+2): Once again, you don’t get anything fancy here but the +2 to AC is highly beneficial for a Barbarian because you naturally have a low AC. It also doesn’t require attunement, which is an added bonus.
Belt of Giant Strength (Frost, Stone, Fire): Raising your Strength above 20 is a massive benefit, and going up as high as 25 is spectacular. Between that and Reckless Attack you hit so reliably that you almost can’t miss. One of those situations where the math doesn’t lie.
Dancing Sword: If you don’t have any use for your Bonus Action, this is a fantastic way to use it. The sword does only use your attack and damage modifiers, so there is no way for it to benefit from Feats, class features, Racials, or any other bonuses.
Manual of Bodily Health: There is a very nice permanent Constitution bonus that raises your cap by +2. So, unless you are using a magic item that has your Constitution fixed to a score, this is an excellent choice.
Manual of Gainful Exercise: If you reach level 20 and get the +4 Strength increase, you can hit 26 Strength and exceed the Strength provided by a Belt of Giant’s Strength of the same rarity.
Weapon (+3): We’re here after Weapon +1 and Weapon +2, so you can already guess that this is just a great item where the math doesn’t lie and you’re sure to find it gives you a nice edge.
Legendary Magic Items
Belt of Giant Strength (Cloud, Storm): As good as a +4 weapon for Strength-based character, and that doesn’t even consider Athletics checks or saves. It’s a really solid option that will help you on the battlefield.
Blood Fury Tattoo: he first ability provides a great damage boost which also heals you, and since it’s extra damage, the damage is multiplied on a critical hit. The second ability provides a way to counterattack using your Reaction, and with Advantage on that attack it’s an easy and reliable boost to your damage output.
Ioun Stone (Mastery): You get Proficiency Bonuses that apply to quite a few things, and you will find that a +1 Bonus actually goes a long way. Your Attacks, Saves, and Skills will all benefit from this, and you’ll be thankful for it.
Luck Blade: You get Bonuses to attacks as well as Saves and a reroll once per day. As a really cool bonus, it has the ability to cast Wish a few times (1d4-1). However, if it doesn’t get at least one Wish with it then it becomes a less interesting weapon.
Ring of Three Wishes: Use this to do one of the things that risks permanently removing the ability to cast Wish, such as granting 10 creatures permanent resistance to once damage type. If you lose the ability to cast Wish, pass this off to another ally who will never be able to cast Wish by any other means. Repeat until the last charge is used.
Scarab of Protection: This works as a nice upgrade from the Mantle of Spell Resistance. It also has a limited benefit against necromancy and undead creatures. It doesn’t take up your cloak slot either, so you could double it up with a Cloak of Invisibility.
Vorpal Sword: This is very useful as a +3 weapon, and with Reckless Attack by your side you will find that your Nat 20 rolls become much more frequent.
To Conclude
Barbarians are one of my favorites, and they draw so much from the myths and legends that they were inspired by that it makes it hard not to have a soft spot for them. With the addition of Primal Paths, there is so much versatility available to this class and you’ll be able to create an absolute powerhouse that can protect the party and deal major damage. It’s the kind of class you can have a lot of fun with and definitely brings flavor to games.
If you’ve chosen a Barbarian for your next campaign, we’d love to hear more about the character that you created. What kind of build did you go for? Are you enjoying playing it? Make sure you leave us a comment below so that we can hear more about the fun you’re having at the table.
