So I was started playing a 1st lvl barbarian that focused on improvised weapons and unarmed strikes. However I realize that this style of play will not last me past 4th lvl, So i thought up some options to keep the drunken barroom brawler style of barbarian viable even til 20th lvl. I would love any feedback that you can give.
-increased unarmed ability (class option): the barbarian may not do flips, or hit pressure points, but he doesnt need to either. He makes up for it with the fact that his fists are the size of toddlers and he can crush rocks between them. at 2 lvl the barbarian gets improved unarmed combat and his unarmed damage increases to 1d6, at 4th lvl this becomes 2d4 and the crical multiplier becomes X3. this bonus increases at lvls 8/12/16 and the damage becomes 3d4/4d4/5d4. also starting at 1st lvl unarmed crits cause the target to make a fort save DC:10+(1/2barblvl+str) vs stagger a failure by ten or more cause stun for rds=1/5 barb lvl (min1).
Reason: there is currently no option for a unarmed barbarian and there really needs to be (Conan punched out a cammel). It also isn't nearly as rapid fire lethal as the monk's unarmed but it can still hold its own as the barbarian trades off attacks per round for shear dmg.
-Champion of the tankard (class option): the barbarian is the lord of alchohal, when he drinks magic happens. if the barbarian goes to drink a full pitcher of alchohal (which is a fullround action) he can make it have one special property:
Healing Brew- the tankard is a cure all, the barbarian may have the drink cure wounds as if by the highest level cure wounds spell that a cleric of his lvl could cast (treat the characters barb lvls as cleric levels for determining the lvl of the spell and bonuses)
The Loner's Brew- the tankard grants the barbarian +2str and con while giving him a -2wis and int. this effect lasts for 3rds+con mod. this effect stacks with itself. If either his wis or int hit zero or below, the character immediately falls unconcious until the effect wears off.
the gift of life- the barbarian is stabalized if he is force fed one pitcher.
the barbarian can only use this ability 1+con mod times per day, each effect costs one use.
Reason: For some character. It also allows the barbarian to regain some of those hit points he will lose because of his low ac. the buff also gives him more damage and lasting power but stops him from overdoing it.
-Zen and the art of breaking everything in the room (Class option): When the character grabs an improvised weapon it's like he is grabbing for his trusty friend, with this a chair leg is a tool of mass destruction. at lvl 1 and every 6 levels after, increase the dmg value for an improvised weapom by 1 step up the dmg table. You can also deal subdual damage without the penalty. at lvl 7 any improvised weapon is treated as a +1 weapon in the hands of the barb, this increases to +2 at 13th lvl and +3at 19th lvl. However the drawback is that when ever you kill/knockout and enemy with an improvised weapon you strike with such force as to break it, destroying the weapon.
Reason: there is no tavern Brawler class but with this option there can be, the increase in damage dice means that this style of fighting can remain useful long after you've left the bar room and are out fighting dragons.
