Summary
Dungeons and Dragonsis notoriously host to fantasy lovers’ favorite archetypes. The newPlayer’s Handbookcoming this September is introducing many changes ahead ofDungeons and Dragons’ next edition, and among them, each class is getting its own overhaul.
The Barbarian is arguably the most iconic tank in the game, known in memes for having little brains and all the brawn. The update massively buffs their Rage and makes them even harder to take down than before, in addition to introducing a new subclass.
The D&D Barbarian is Made Beefier and Angrier in 2024
New Barbarian Combat Highlights Better Rage and More Strategy
The most famous feature ofD&DBarbarians, the Rage, allows them to do more damage and draw on their Strength abilities when it matters. Now the Rage is more persistent, allowing Barbarians to use their bonus action to maintain rage rather than just relying on making a weapon attack or taking damage. Rage is also extended by forcing an enemy to make a saving throw. This allows Barbarians to keep raging even through uneventful turns in combat.
EachD&Dweaponin the 2024Player’s Handbooknow has a mastery property, which grants an additional ability to the bearer of those weapons. At level 1, upon choosing their weapons, Barbarians have access to their mastery properties and can switch them out upon a long rest. For example, the Barbarian-favorite greataxe has the Cleave feature, which states that whenever they hit a creature, they can make a second attack at another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within their reach. The second attack deals the weapon’s damage dice and Rage bonus damage, but not its ability score modifier.
The Barbarian’s level 9 Brutal Critical has also been replaced by Brutal Strike, highlighting a slightly more strategic approach tothe Barbarian’s usual simplicity in combat. With this, players can deal an extra 1d10 damage and give up advantage on an attack (e.g. through Reckless Attack) in exchange for interesting features to use against enemies, namely for better control of the battlefield. The options are:
At level 13, the list expands:
Finally, at level 17, Brutal Strike allows Barbarians to double the extra damage of this feature to 2d10 and inflict two Brutal Strike effects each time they hit. This is likely to be a big feature at high levels.
There’s a reason Barbarians make one of themost effective tanks in D&D, but now they’re even harder to fell. The level 11 Relentless Rage feature is improved. Previously, this feature allowed Barbarians to succeed on a Constitution saving throw upon going down to 0 hit points while Raging to instead come back at 1. The 2024PHBbrings them back up to hit points equal to twice their Barbarian level. With the resistance granted by Rage and the fact that Barbarians can continually use this feature, it becomes very difficult to take them down.
Similarly, Persistent Rage at level 15 still gets the ordinary benefits of the feature (only ending a Rage early upon going Unconscious) and Rage lasts 10 minutes total—that is, about 100 rounds of combat. Once per long rest, Barbarians also regain all uses of Rage upon rolling initiative with this feature.
The staying power of the new Barbarian doesn’t stop there, with level 2’s Danger Sense improved. The new buff makes it so players don’t have to access all their senses to get advantage on their Dexterity saving throw.
Additionally, features that were previously optional to the class are included—Primal Knowledge and Instinctive Pounce. The former, granted at level 3, gives players an extraD&Dskill proficiencyand the ability to replace certain skill modifiers with the Strength modifier while Rage is active. The latter, granted at level 7, allows Barbarians to move up to half their speed when they enter Rage, ensuring their role as a frontline fighter.
Barbarians Gain a New Subclass in 2024
Barbarians are among the handful of classes that are seeing a completelynew subclass in the 2024PHB. The four subclasses included are the Path of the Berserker, Path of the Wild Heart (formerly Totem Warrior), Path of the Zealot, and the new Path of the World Tree. Each of the existing ones got major updates.
Path of the Berserker is perhaps the most classic version of a Barbarian there is, with their Frenzied Rage. Instead of the extra bonus action attack granted by Frenzy, they get additional damage on their first hit each turn, and using this also doesn’t give the player Exhaustion. There were minor tweaks to its other abilities, but most notably Mindless Rage now ends theCharmed or Frightened conditioninstead of simply suspending it.
Path of the Wild Heart has more flexibility. Previously, these Barbarians would choose an animal at level 3 and stick with it, but they can now choose between the abilities granted by each animal every time they Rage. The abilities granted at level 6 can also be changed out with each long rest.
Path of the Zealot now gives these Barbarians a pool of healing dice they can roll as a bonus action as a part of its Warrior of the Gods feature instead of making it easier for another caster to revive them. Rage Beyond Death is also replaced by giving this subclass a flying speed,damage resistances, and expending Rage uses to prevent them and others from dropping to 0 hit points.
Finally, the new Path of the World Tree seems to be a stable force in battle, channeling the roots of their primal path. This allows Barbarians to grant temporary hit points, still or move enemies, increase reach and versatility of their weapon mastery properties, and eventually teleport themselves and allies around the battlefield.
If Barbarian lovers andnewD&Dplayersweren’t already thrilled by the sheer power they possess, the newPHBmakes this class infinitely harder to slow down, let alone kill. With massive improvements to its beloved Rage, completely new features as players progress, and a fascinating new subclass, these melee monsters won’t get tired anytime soon.
