Player's Handbook
“I have witnessed the indomitable performance of barbarians on the field of battle, and it makes me wonder what force lies at the heart of their rage.”
— Seret, archwizard
A tall human tribesman strides through a blizzard, draped in fur and hefting his axe. He laughs as he charges toward the frost giant who dared poach his people's elk herd.
A half-orc snarls at the latest challenger to her authority over their savage tribe, ready to break his neck with her bare hands as she did to the last six rivals.
Frothing at the mouth, a dwarf slams his helmet into the face of his drow foe, then turns to drive his armored elbow into the gut of another.
These barbarians, different as they might be, are defined by their rage: unbridled, unquenchable, and unthinking fury. More than a mere emotion, their anger is the ferocity of a cornered predator, the unrelenting assault of a storm, the churning turmoil of the sea.
For some, their rage springs from a communion with fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling reservoir of anger at a world full of pain. For every barbarian, rage is a power that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, and feats of strength.
People of towns and cities take pride in how their civilized ways set them apart from animals, as if denying one's own nature was a mark of superiority. To a barbarian, though, civilization is no virtue, but a sign of weakness. The strong embrace their animal nature—keen instincts, primal physicality, and ferocious rage. Barbarians are uncomfortable when hedged in by walls and crowds. They thrive in the wilds of their homelands: the tundra, jungle, or grasslands where their tribes live and hunt.
Barbarians come alive in the chaos of combat. They can enter a berserk state where rage takes over, giving them superhuman strength and resilience. A barbarian can draw on this reservoir of fury only a few times without resting, but those few rages are usually sufficient to defeat whatever threats arise.
Not every member of the tribes deemed "barbarians" by scions of civilized society has the barbarian class. A true barbarian among these people is as uncommon as a skilled fighter in a town, and he or she plays a similar role as a protector of the people and a leader in times of war. Life in the wild places of the world is fraught with peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying monsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger so that their people don't have to.
Their courage in the face of danger makes barbarians perfectly suited for adventuring. Wandering is often a way of life for their native tribes, and the rootless life of the adventurer is little hardship for a barbarian. Some barbarians miss the close-knit family structures of the tribe, but eventually find them replaced by the bonds formed among the members of their adventuring parties.
Barbarians tend to travel light, carrying little in the way of personal effects or other unnecessary gear. The few possessions they do carry often include small items that have special significance. A personal totem is significant because it has a mystical origin or is tied to an important moment in the character's life—perhaps a remembrance from the barbarian's past or a harbinger of what lies ahead.
A personal totem of this sort might be associated with a barbarian's spirit animal, or might actually be the totem object for the animal, but such a connection is not essential. One who has a bear totem spirit, for instance, could still carry an eagle's feather as a personal totem.
Consider creating one or more personal totems for your character—objects that hold a special link to your character's past or future. Think about how a totem might affect your character's actions.
| Personal Totems | |
| d6 | Totem |
| 1 | A tuft of fur from a solitary wolf that you befriended during a hunt |
| 2 | Three eagle feathers given to you by a wise shaman, who told you they would play a role in determining your fate |
| 3 | A necklace made from the claws of a young cave bear that you slew singlehandedly as a child |
| 4 | A small leather pouch holding three stones that represent your ancestors |
| 5 | A few small bones from the first beast you killed, tied together with colored wool |
| 6 | An egg-sized stone in the shape of your spirit animal that appeared one day in your belt pouch |
The members of many barbarian clans decorate their bodies with tattoos, each of which represents a significant moment in the life of the bearer or the bearer's ancestors, or which symbolizes a feeling or an attitude. As with personal totems, a barbarian's tattoos might or might not be related to an animal spirit.
Each tattoo a barbarian displays contributes to that individual's identity. If your character wears tattoos, what do they look like, and what do they represent?
| Tattoos | |
| d6 | Design |
| 1 | The wings of an eagle are spread wide across your upper back. |
| 2 | Etched on the backs of your hands are the paws of a cave bear. |
| 3 | The symbols of your clan are displayed in viny patterns along your arms. |
| 4 | The antlers of an elk are inked across your back. |
| 5 | Images of your spirit animal are tattooed along your weapon arm and hand. |
| 6 | The eyes of a wolf are marked on your back to help you see and ward off evil spirits. |
Barbarians vary widely in how they understand life. Some follow gods and look for guidance from those deities in the cycles of nature and the animals they encounter. These barbarians believe that spirits inhabit the plants and animals of the world, and the barbarians look to them for omens and power.
Other barbarians trust only in the blood that runs in their veins and the steel they hold in their hands. They have no use for the invisible world, instead relying on their senses to hunt and survive like the wild beasts they emulate.
Both of these attitudes can give rise to superstitions. These beliefs are often passed down within a family or shared among the members of a clan or a hunting group.
If your barbarian character has any superstitions, were they ingrained in you by your family, or are they the result of personal experience?
| Superstitions | |
| d6 | Belief |
| 1 | If you disturb the bones of the dead, you inherit all the troubles that plagued them in life. |
| 2 | Never trust a wizard. They're all devils in disguise, especially the friendly ones. |
| 3 | Dwarves have lost their spirits, and are almost like the undead. That's why they live underground. |
| 4 | Magical things bring trouble. Never sleep with a magic object within ten feet of you. |
| 5 | When you walk through a graveyard, be sure to wear silver, or a ghost might jump into your body. |
| 6 | If an elf looks you in the eyes, she's trying to read your thoughts. |
Multiclassing and the Barbarian
If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose The Barbarian as one of your classes.
- Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have at least a Strength score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already a Barbarian.
- Proficiencies Gained. If The Barbarian isn't your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a Barbarian: Shields, Simple Weapons, and Martial Weapons.
| The Barbarian | ||||
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Rages | Rage Damage |
| 1st | +2 | Rage, Unarmored Defense | 2 | +2 |
| 2nd | +2 | Reckless Attack, Danger Sense | 2 | +2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Primal Path, Primal Knowledge (Optional) | 3 | +2 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | +2 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Fast Movement | 3 | +2 |
| 6th | +3 | Path feature | 4 | +2 |
| 7th | +3 | Feral Instinct, Instinctive Pounce (Optional) | 4 | +2 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | +2 |
| 9th | +4 | Brutal Critical (1 die) | 4 | +3 |
| 10th | +4 | Path feature, Primal Knowledge (Optional) | 4 | +3 |
| 11th | +4 | Relentless Rage | 4 | +3 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | +3 |
| 13th | +5 | Brutal Critical (2 dice) | 5 | +3 |
| 14th | +5 | Path feature | 5 | +3 |
| 15th | +5 | Persistent Rage | 5 | +3 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | +4 |
| 17th | +5 | Brutal Critical (3 dice) | 6 | +4 |
| 18th | +6 | Indomitable Might | 6 | +4 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | +4 |
| 20th | +6 | Primal Champion | Unlimited | +4 |
As a barbarian, you gain the following class features.
Hit Dice: 1d12 per barbarian level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per barbarian level after 1st
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Alternatively, you may start with 2d4 × 10 gp to buy your own equipment.
In battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action.
While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren't wearing heavy armor:
If you are able to cast spells, you can't cast them or concentrate on them while raging.
Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven't attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action.
Once you have raged the number of times shown for your barbarian level in the Rages column of the Barbarian table, you must finish a long rest before you can rage again.
While you are not wearing any armor, your armor class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren't as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.
Starting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.
At 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes the nature of your rage. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
For a full list of available Primal Paths, see here.
3rd-level Barbarian optional feature
When you reach 3rd level and again at 10th level, you gain proficiency in one skill of your choice from the list of skills available to barbarians at 1st level.
When you reach 4th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Starting at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor.
At 6th level, you gain a feature from your Primal Path.
By 7th level, your instincts are so honed that you have advantage on initiative rolls.
Additionally, if you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren't incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn, but only if you enter your rage before doing anything else on that turn.
7th-level Barbarian optional feature
At 7th level, as part of the bonus action you take to enter your rage, you can move up to half your speed.
When you reach 8th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
Beginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.
This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level.
At 10th level, you gain a feature from your Primal Path.
10th-level Barbarian optional feature
When you reach 3rd level and again at 10th level, you gain proficiency in one skill of your choice from the list of skills available to barbarians at 1st level.
Starting at 11th level, your rage can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If you drop to 0 hit points while you're raging and don't die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead.
Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.
When you reach 12th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
At 13th level, you can roll two additional weapon damage dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.
This increases to three additional dice at 17th level.
At 14th level, you gain a feature from your Primal Path.
Beginning at 15th level, your rage is so fierce that it ends early only if you fall unconscious or if you choose to end it.
When you reach 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
At 17th level, you can roll three additional weapon damage dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.
Beginning at 18th level, if your total for a Strength check is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total.
When you reach 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
At 20th level, you embody the power of the wilds. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.