Early-level barbarians and their 3rd-level class feature

[Colette Brunel]

Early-level barbarians and their 3rd-level class feature:

This is the barbarian's 3rd-level class feature:

Quote:

Critical Brutality, 3rd

While you are raging, you gain access to the critical specialization effect for any melee weapon or unarmed attack you have (see page 183).

This comes with a measly +1 damage as well.

This is the fighter's 3rd-level class feature:

Quote:

Weapon Mastery, 3rd

Choose one weapon group. Your proficiency rank increases to master [from expert] with the simple and martial weapons in that group and to expert with the exotic weapons in that group. You gain access to the critical specialization effects of all simple and martial weapons in that group (see page 183).

This is the ranger's 3rd-level class feature:

Quote:

Weapon Expertise, 3rd

Choose a single weapon group. Your proficiency rank increases to expert for the simple and martial weapons of that group. You gain access to the critical specialization effects of all simple and martial weapons in that group.

Why does the barbarian have a worse 3rd-level class feature than the fighter and the ranger? +1 damage is not equivalent to +1 accuracy, and it is not as though the weapon flexibility is that great a boon either, given the way magic weapons work.

The ranger needs the help, really, but the barbarian's overall power and flexibility in combat already looks to be lagging behind the fighter at the early levels. I have not exactly been impressed by early-level barbarians over early-level fighters during my playtests.