| vandycorn |
Blue_Drake wrote:I've actually found the barbarian to be a very solid class and don't agree with it being underpowered at all. I don't think any of the combats in the Tyranny of Dragons game I'm in has gone over 10 rounds. The fights always end before rage expires.
IMO, the greatest benefit of the rage is the resistance to physical damage it gives. There have already been 2 fights where the barbarian was the only PC left standing at the end with the others knocked out. Coupled with the classes high health it easily makes it one of the most durable classes in the game.
I'm not sure what the original poster means by penalty to use it. Unless you Frenzy and end the rage with 1 level of exhaustion there really isn't any penalty for raging.
Reckless attack is an option to gain advantage in melee combat, but in turn gives attackers advantage against you for one turn. Using it is optional; it's not something you have to do just because you rage.
I haven't found the unarmored defense to be a hindrance. Remember you can still use a shield with it. The barbarian's AC is comparable to the other front-line fighters.
I second the barbarian's ability to take punishment. I'm running 5E for my 7yo son and this weekend his character took a literal pounding, including multiple crits, and was still standing at the end of a fight while the warlock and rogue were down and bleeding about halfway through.
I just need to convince him that using Reckless Attack when he's surrounded isn't the best tactical option. :) (Though his justification was that his friends were hurt and he was trying to get the people that hurt them. So he's got the barbarian mindset down.)
I third this. I was confused as to why OP's assessment of the barbarian's rage didn't even mention the damage resistance, which is (in my opinion) far and away the most useful benefit of raging, at least at lower levels.
I'm DMing a group running through Hoard with a dwarven tank fighter (heavy armor, shield, extra HP from dwarfiness and high con) and a human barbarian and the human barbarian is often standing long after the dwarf has gone down.