I posted this to another forum page, but no one answered me. I have just bought again, the old school RULES CYCLOPEDIA and CREATURE CATALOG for BECMI D&D (I think these books were originally published in 89 and 91.) One of the things that always bothered me about that edition of D&D was the lack of the Barbarian class for that rule set. So for the 1st time ever, I have tried to create my own class. Research has taught me that originally, they did have a barbarian class for OD&D (Dragon Mag) but they didn't put it into the BECMI box sets and instead, added the Barb to the the Unearthed Arcana book. Here is my class, with most of it coming from this website:
ode2bd.blogspot.com/2009/11/bx-s-barbarian-class.html
BECMI Barbarian
Prime Requisite: Strength - 13-15=+5% to Experience earned/16-18=+10% to Experience earned
Barbarians roll on the attack charts of Fighters and the saving throw charts of Dwarves
Restrictions: Barbarians use a 1d10 to determine their hit points. Barbarians may use any type of armor (except plate and suit,) and may use shields (except Tower and Walled.) They may use any type of melee or thrown weapons but do not use missile weapons. A barbarian character must have a minimum Constitution score of 9.
Special Abilities: Barbarians are used to surviving in the wilderness and are able to forage, discover the correct direction if they become lost, and spot traps and snares in the wild one-third of the time (a roll of 1 or 2 on 1d6.) Because of a Barbarian's upbringing and natural behavior, they can fight with one weapon in each hand, but only with a -2 penalty to the second weapon's attack roll. When a Barbarian fights this way, they do not receive 3 attacks/round because of high levels. At the beginning of play, Barbarians gain the Lance Attack and Set Spear vs. Charge attacks.
When Barbarians reach 9th level, they become known as a Barbarian Lord, build a stronghold and attempt to establish a clan. The stronghold will be located in the wilderness.The Barbarian Lord may only use barbarian warriors, but specialists and retainers of other classes may be offered other positions.
1- 0 - 1d10 - Barbarian
2 - 2200 - 2d10 - Barbarian
3 - 4400 - 3d10 - Barbarian
4 - 8800 - 4d10 - Barbarian
5 - 17000 - 5d10 - Barbarian
6 - 35000 - 6d10 - Barbarian
7 - 70000 - 7d10 - Barbarian
8 - 140000 - 8d10 - Barbarian
9 - 270000 - 9d10 - Barbarian Lord
10 - 400000 - 9d10+3*
11 - 530000 - 9d10+6
12# - 660000 - 9d10+9
13 - 800000 - 9d10+12
14 - 940000 - 9d10+15
15 - 1080000 - 9d10+18
16 - 1220000 - 9d10+21
17 - 1360000 - 9d10+24
18 - 1500000 - 9d10+27
19 - 1640000 - 9d10+30
20 - 1780000 - 9d10+33
21 - 1920000 - 9d10+36
22 - 2060000 - 9d10+39
23 - 2200000 - 9d10+42
24## - 2340000 - 9d10+45
25 - 2480000 - 9d10+48
26 - 2620000 - 9d10+51
27 - 2760000 - 9d10+54
28 - 2900000 - 9d10+57
29 - 3040000 - 9d10+60
30 - 3180000 - 9d10+63
31 - 3320000 - 9d10+66
32 - 3460000 - 9d10+69
33 - 3600000 - 9d10+72
34 - 3740000 - 9d10+75
35 - 3880000 - 9d10+78
36 - 4020000 - 9d10+81
*=Constitution adjustments no longer apply
#=2 attacks/round ...... ##=3 attacks/round
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I decided not to give the Barbarian 4 attacks per round like the Fighter. I figured with the most hit points possible in the game (198,) I had to give him some severe restrictions. Plus to me, a person that gets 4 attacks/round would need some intense training for that. Barbarians (IMO) do not have that amount of patience. That's also why Barbarians cannot wear plate, suit armors, or use a walled or tower shields. I just don't see Conan (Arnold version ..... don't forget I'm 37,) in huge restricting armors. Imagine Arnold in knightly suit armor? Yea .... that's not right. I lowered the penalty on the duel wield, because to me, Barbarians would learn something like that pretty much from birth. LOL! According to the Rules Cyclopedia, it seems to me like if you use the weapon specialization rules, let's say your Barbarian uses duel wield. You use a Long Sword in your main-hand, and a dagger in your off-hand. Now with your specialization, you get your dagger up to +2 to attack roles. When you duel wield, now your dagger in the off-hand does not have a penalty. However, if the dagger is in the main hand, it receives a +2 to attack roles, but now the sword, (which is in the off-hand,) now receives the -2 penalty. I may have that rule wrong, but that's the way I read it. I thought about attempting rage powers, but then I figured that would make this version of the class to ..... Advanced. Let me know what you all think. Please keep in mind, this is the very first time I have tried to do my own class. Not really my own, but hopefully it doesn't unbalance my BECMI D&D campaign.
It is likely that you will get much better response and feedback over at Dragonsfoot. Specifically the "Classic D&D" sub-forum.
Heres the link: Dragonsfoot Forums
Good luck.
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I put barbarian down as a cultural template for all four classes and the (three) races.
I've been working on protoindoeuropean roots in language for a while. The origin of lycanthropes comes from lik-ansu (ansu refering to demons/ancestors) so people like the jot-uns, the h-uns, are the basis for giants, trolls, and ogres because they are physically far larger and more powerful than the human average (which is back down there at 5'4"). Barbarians might be 5'4"+7d6 inches in physical height rather than the more average 17d6+5 inches.
If I recall, the creature catalog defines barbarians under the reference of men, isolated.
Frankly you could just have double-classed the existing classes for barbarians so fighter-fighter needs double xp, can attack twice as many times, gets double the hd, but only progresses to 18th level in each. Weapons and armor should remain primitive.
Great Physical height and monsters that eat humans seem to be a parallel so eating your enemies seems a popular protien source.