|
DR is not caring about damage (thats what temp HPs from a con boost are) its not taking any.Well, it could be, or it could be your skin being thicker over vital places so that you don't get as much damage to organs or arteries. Or it could be you pulling out some mind-over-matter anger and legitimately not taking extra damage because you don't acknowledge that hit as having hit. Furthermore, the Temporary HP from the Con Boost you do care about, because you still wind up taking them.
Well, its not entirely not caring about defense. Its also having learned from observing other predators in the wild[not entirely unfitting], that if you let them come closer and attack you, you get more openings to counterattack, and can manage to overcome them more efficiently. Personally, I see the Beast Totem barbarian as being [self]described like this. "When I get really, really angry, I tend to mimic other predators in the wild. Specifically, I focus my anger to strengthen my skin, nails, and teeth, and tend to either rush at the target of my rage and beat him with such a rapid series of blows, followed by making seemingly-foolish gaps in my stance in order to strike him more", which seems to be pretty typical of a Barbarian to me. I see the typical Monk described as having spent years in a monastery, focusing mind and body into one single, lethal weapon that can kill or cripple as much as anyone's sword. Adding the line "But I happen to be better at shooting them from far away" seems pretty off IMO.Not caring about defense is fine its just not the realm of fantasy barbarian tropes, they have STRONG survival instincts and evade with preternatural 'wild' skill - a rabid animal however, a false human dog boy like wolverine is legit its just not 'typical' barbarian and may as well be an archetype like a 'archer' monk.
Or perhaps its supernatural because you are funneling your rage so intensely that your teeth and fingernails and skin become more resilient, because your anger is not bound by what mere mortals can do. Still fits with barbarian trope to me, but one in a more magic-heavy world[Golarion].
'Bite and scratch' lolz - d3 unarmed subd damage yes. d8 CLAW damage NO! Its still legit its just becoming a BEAST legit and growing claws magically.
Cause and effect and logic - natural armour is natural armour not skin, claws are claws not nails, DR = some kind of padding that negates damage or a lack of vitals (as you gain no elemental immunities its likely padding - be it bone and hair or just plain fat).
Natural Armor could easily be thicker or stronger skin, not necessarily matted fur that you grow or scales that appear on you. DR could easily be your skin being a little bit thicker[this is through your experience in the wild, not just your Rage], in vital places such as over organs or arteries, claws can be simply long, harder-than-normal fingernails, and a bite can be you biting someone. You don't have to turn into wolf-man to get these things.
If your doing things your linage was doing further back in its evolutionary tree = degenerate.
So, breathing is something that my lineage was doing further back right? I suppose since I am still doing that I am a degenerate:p
Strawman aside , I still don't see why mimicking what you see other hunters do in nature is "degenerating", nor do I see where it states that by growing a 2 claws and a bite attack, and having thicker/stronger skin causes you to become a big, hairy, beast-man who is de-evolving back into an ape.
Not saying its not legit just that its a specific trope - sometimes its nice to play a degenerate beast man pretending to be a hero and mimicking humanity but lets not pretend that that looks normal any more than the 4 armed beast form mutated mumiffied bat winged alchemist covered in 'countless eyes', 'thorn body', 'eruptive pustules' and 'barkskin'.
Be proud of who you are even if your a degenerate mass of eyes and spikes pus and claws that would scare Cthulhu or be something else. Simples!
Indeed it is, but nothing requires you to have obvious aesthetic changes, nor does it imply that you do[at least, I don't think it does]. YMMV, of course.