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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Barbarian Path: Path of the Dual Talons (dual wielding barbarian) [PEACH]



RakiReborn
2016-02-25, 09:01 AM
Hi GiantITP,

Once again a homebrew sub-class frome me. This time i wanted to make a path for the Barbarian that focused on dual-wielding instead of two-handing or sword & board. I wanted the damage to be ahead of the 2-hander totem, but behind the 2-hander berserker. The path focusses on damage, but the 2-hander berserker gets exhaustion, so that one should do more damage with the right build. At the end ill have some maths that show the damage for the totem, berserker and viking Dual Talons at some levels.

This Path was formerly known as Path of the Viking, but changed the name since Viking got too much opposition.

Path of the Dual Talons
Fighting with both arms or legs is something you encounter in nature a lot - may it be the mighty lion in the grasslands, or the keen eagle in the skies. Certain tribes embraced the grace of fighting with both arms, wielding weapons as their talons. With those embraces, the barbarians that follow the Path of the Dual Talons came to be.

Dual Fighting (lvl3):
Your fighting as a Viking has made you adopt a particular fighting style. You gain the Two-Weapon Fighting style (phb p72).

Life at Sea (lvl3):
While not wearing any armor, you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, you have advantage on any checks to keep your balance on a ship.
Needs to be changed to follow the new fluff

Deflect and Retaliate(lvl6):
Starting at 6th level, you have learned to use your anger and bloodlust to deflect with one arm and retaliate with the other in one fierce action. While raging, when you are missed by a weapon attack within your weapon reach while dual wielding, you may use your reaction to make one weapon attack against the attacking creature.

Improvisional Fighter (lvl10)
Your fighting as a Viking has taught you to fight with anything available. You gain proficiency in Improvised Weapons.
Needs to be changed to follow the new fluff

Equal Arms (lvl14):
At 14th level, you are so accustomed to fighting with both your arms, that they are equally swift. When you use your bonus action to make an off-hand weapon, you may attack twice instead of once.

The maths are made with the assumption of point-buy and min-maxing (as i can see is the best it can do). Do mind that the totem has other features, like the bear totem at 3rd, that gives it other advantages than maximizing damage, GWM power attack is pretty much always usable with reckless attack, and that the Viking and Berserker must use their bonus actions every turn for the damge (which they can't in the same turn as entering rage).

Level 1:
Totem 2H: 2d6+3+2 (12)
Berserker 2H: 2d6+3+2 (12)
Viking DW: 2d6+3+4 (14)

Level 3 (path feature):
Totem 2H: 2d6+3+2 (12)
Berserker 2H: 4d6+6+4 (24)
Viking DW: 2d6+6+4 (17)

Level 5 (extra attack and ASI to STR at 4th):
Totem 2H: 4d6+8+4 (26)
Berserker 2H: 6d6+12+6 (39)
Viking DW: 3d6+12+6 (28,5)

Level 8 (ASI to STR):
Totem 2H: 4d6+10+4 (28)
Berserker 2H: 6d6+15+6 (42)
Viking DW: 3d6+15+6 (31,5)

Level 12 (ASI for feat, and rage damage increase at 9th):
Totem 2H: 4d6+10+6+20 (50) <-- GWM feat (30 without power attack)
Berserker 2H: 6d6+15+9+30 (75) <-- GWM feat (45 without power attack)
Viking DW: 3d8+15+9 (34,5) <- DW feat

Level 14 (path feature):
Totem 2H: 4d6+10+6+20 (50) (30 without power attack)
Berserker 2H: 6d6+15+9+30 (75) (45 without power attack)
Viking DW: 4d8+20+12 (50)

Any suggestions are welcome. I am open to variants for the Life at Sea and Improvisional Fighter features, but the two-hander base of the path is what i really want to keep - suggestions to change the features are welcome, but i wont change the base. As it is now, it is switching with the totem for most damage of the two towards the end, but ends a little higher. I haven't counted in the Polearm master though, which the totem could get at 16th for more damage.

EDIT (3-3-2016): Changed Rend into Riposte (lvl6). Changed some wording to make it more like the wording in the core books. Changed the maths to be correct with the changes.
EDIT (8-3-2016): Changed the fluff and name of the Path. Changed Riposte's name to Deflect and Retaliate, and changed the fluff inside the description to what i imagined with it.

PoeticDwarf
2016-02-26, 03:43 PM
Seems cool, maybe now too much damage boosts. There is enough vikig fluff this is a bit too much extra twf damage

The maths? Viking has +5 to hit more here. This is not fair

RakiReborn
2016-02-26, 05:24 PM
As it is true that the viking has more to hit, with reckless attack it is easily managable i think. And although the viking has more to-hit, it has to use its BA for it, or it loses 3d8+10+6 at level 14.
One thing i just thought of - what if i changed the rend feature to a feature that allows you to make one attack when an enemy misses you as a reaction when you rage? That way it should use reckless attack less, and sort-of makes the -5 more even in the calculations.

RakiReborn
2016-03-03, 12:48 PM
Changed Rend to Riposte. I also added the damage of the other archetypes without power attack to the maths. The Viking as it is now gets slightly ahead of the 2H berserker without using the power attack. It is however still a very viable use that can easily get the beserker ahead again in DPR if he uses it in more than once in 6 attacks, which he probably will with reckless attack. I do think that it looks cleaner as it is now with Riposte. Less bonusses to damage in attacking when it is its turn, and instead a way to use its reaction. Thanks to EnderDwarf for making me rethink it a bit.

PoeticDwarf
2016-03-03, 01:08 PM
I think it works this way. Reminds me of a player wanted to play a barbarian/paladin as viking.

Doesn't seem too strong looking at dpr rigjt now. Think it works perfectly fine

Edit: riposte is a bit early. Normally this sort cones around level 14. I'd swap it with the level 10 feature if I were you

RakiReborn
2016-03-03, 04:05 PM
I think it works this way. Reminds me of a player wanted to play a barbarian/paladin as viking.

Doesn't seem too strong looking at dpr rigjt now. Think it works perfectly fine

Edit: riposte is a bit early. Normally this sort cones around level 14. I'd swap it with the level 10 feature if I were you
Glad it works better this way in your view too. I do see why you say Riposte would be better at 14th, but i prefer it at 6th because of the maths. I want this to be an offensive build just like the Berserker. The beserker however stays ahead quite a bit from 5th level till 14th level when not counting in power attacks. This is something i wanted to bring closer together with the Riposte at 6th, as the extra possibility to attack gives some extra dpr. Placing it at 10th means it will have 5 levels instead of 1 that it will be noticably behind. I made this dicision with my maths and the beserker in mind, instead of the barbarian that gets a 'fluff' feature at 6th, or other classes. Apart from that, the 3rd level feature is also less combat orientated as the other paths, so i figured i could make that up by changing the combat feature and out of combat feature at 6th and 10th. Reading this back it might be written a little confusing, but i hope you see my reasoning behind the decision. If you do, do you still feel it should be at 10th? What counter-arguments do you have to do make it 10th? (apart from how it is usually done).

Amnoriath
2016-03-05, 01:52 PM
You are correct by math and good by the design of what you want to do. The problem is though this lacks the well-rounded appeal hinging your utility off of swimming and a niche situational check. Improvised attacks are to be honest crap even with a feat and unless the DM has an array of rules and different effects for each kind it is useless. While the same could be said for the Berseker's 10th level ability because of the DC it at least has a tangible effect at will which could work well in the party in many areas.

RakiReborn
2016-03-05, 04:42 PM
Thanks for the compliment ^^
I do nit completely understand what you suggest though. Do you suggest adding a swim-boon feature at 10th? Or change the 10th to a boon while swimming? (Or at least make something like the life at sea fluff return) although i see that the improv weapon prof. Isnt really useful, it does fit the fluff of a wild viking imo, grabbing anything it can to use as a weapon when it is without.

Amnoriath
2016-03-06, 12:08 AM
A simple solution would be to look to the Totem Barbarian giving it Commune as a ritual with some extra show of your choice.

Talamare
2016-03-06, 03:50 AM
Riposte doesn't feel manly viking-ish

The word feels frenchy twinkle toe duelist

Grynning
2016-03-06, 12:41 PM
So, my inner history nerd is screaming here - Vikings were known mostly for fighting with a shield, usually with a spear, sometimes with an axe or sword. Historically they would never, ever forgo a shield, it would just be viewed as pure stupidity.

As a path, I think it's fairly balanced; in our 1-20 campaign the TWF fighter really fell off at high levels so giving that style a boost is not a bad thing, and the barbarian works as a good chassis for the archetype. Just...please don't call it a Viking. Tempest, maybe?
I also have a suggestion on the Improvised Weapon feature - perhaps make it so that any one-handed weapons you wield also gain the thrown property? Would let you throw axes/hammers and stuff to better effect.

PS: Just to clarify, I am not in any way saying that D&D has much connection to historical fighting or European history, but by calling it a Viking, to me it's invoking a certain image, and I don't connect "Viking" with "dual wielding" in any way, either from a fantasy or historical perspective.

Amnoriath
2016-03-06, 02:26 PM
So, my inner history nerd is screaming here - Vikings were known mostly for fighting with a shield, usually with a spear, sometimes with an axe or sword. Historically they would never, ever forgo a shield, it would just be viewed as pure stupidity.

As a path, I think it's fairly balanced; in our 1-20 campaign the TWF fighter really fell off at high levels so giving that style a boost is not a bad thing, and the barbarian works as a good chassis for the archetype. Just...please don't call it a Viking. Tempest, maybe?

PS: Just to clarify, I am not in any way saying that D&D has much connection to historical fighting or European history, but by calling it a Viking, to me it's invoking a certain image, and I don't connect "Viking" with "dual wielding" in any way, either from a fantasy or historical perspective.

I couldn't agree more.

Arnakalar
2016-03-06, 03:20 PM
So, my inner history nerd is screaming here - Vikings were known mostly for fighting with a shield, usually with a spear, sometimes with an axe or sword. Historically they would never, ever forgo a shield, it would just be viewed as pure stupidity.

As a path, I think it's fairly balanced; in our 1-20 campaign the TWF fighter really fell off at high levels so giving that style a boost is not a bad thing, and the barbarian works as a good chassis for the archetype. Just...please don't call it a Viking. Tempest, maybe?
I also have a suggestion on the Improvised Weapon feature - perhaps make it so that any one-handed weapons you wield also gain the thrown property? Would let you throw axes/hammers and stuff to better effect.

PS: Just to clarify, I am not in any way saying that D&D has much connection to historical fighting or European history, but by calling it a Viking, to me it's invoking a certain image, and I don't connect "Viking" with "dual wielding" in any way, either from a fantasy or historical perspective.

I wasn't going to say this, but I was going to think it - I like Tempest, maybe something like 'Sea Wolf' or a similar kenning (my username is actually derived from a norse kenning for 'Eagle Feeder' => warrior/slayer (so obviously I think kennings are fun) - or just 'Raider'.

On the actual archetype, I do think it seems fairly balanced, but I'm not really a big fan of the water/swimming elements. Honestly I think this is better represented by a barbarian/fighter with the sailor background, just like pirates are largely represented by reskinned bandits, fighters, and swashbuckler-rogues. I'm also not really a fan of improvised weapons, just because they're so non-functional/irrelevant in d&d

What about trading out the seafaring and improvised weapon abilities for 'hit and run' skirmish or blitzkreig type features/ribbons?

I also don't totally see riposte as a 'dual wielding barbarian storm of swords' kind of ability. I missed the previous 'rend' ability, but what about something like 'Storm of Blows: At 6th level, when you hit with an attack while raging, your next attack against that target deals an extra 1d6 damage'?

RakiReborn
2016-03-07, 12:45 PM
Riposte doesn't feel manly viking-ish
The word feels frenchy twinkle toe duelist
I completely agree, but i couldn't come up with a better name... The fluff i imagined for the feature is that the attack is blocked by the off-hand, immediately followed by an attack with the main hand. If you could help me with a fitting name, i would be really grateful, as i havent come up with ánything despite thinking about it a lot >.<


So, my inner history nerd is screaming here - Vikings were known mostly for fighting with a shield, usually with a spear, sometimes with an axe or sword. Historically they would never, ever forgo a shield, it would just be viewed as pure stupidity.

As a path, I think it's fairly balanced; in our 1-20 campaign the TWF fighter really fell off at high levels so giving that style a boost is not a bad thing, and the barbarian works as a good chassis for the archetype. Just...please don't call it a Viking. Tempest, maybe?
I also have a suggestion on the Improvised Weapon feature - perhaps make it so that any one-handed weapons you wield also gain the thrown property? Would let you throw axes/hammers and stuff to better effect.

PS: Just to clarify, I am not in any way saying that D&D has much connection to historical fighting or European history, but by calling it a Viking, to me it's invoking a certain image, and I don't connect "Viking" with "dual wielding" in any way, either from a fantasy or historical perspective.
It is true that Vikings almost never used dual wielding, but they were the only historical group where it would at least sometimes happen with two light/larger weapons. The only others i found were 'case of rapiers' and a japanese swordstyle, which both do not fit the fluff of a barbarian at all :/ I personally do not really like 'Tempest', as it makes me think of the Cleric Domain with storm/lightning/thunder fluff. Do you have any other ideas of dual wielding groups or something like that in history or other fantasy environments?
The throwing idea is pretty nice actually. Will consider it as a possibility! Glad the path as written now seems balanced enough ^^


I wasn't going to say this, but I was going to think it - I like Tempest, maybe something like 'Sea Wolf' or a similar kenning (my username is actually derived from a norse kenning for 'Eagle Feeder' => warrior/slayer (so obviously I think kennings are fun) - or just 'Raider'.

On the actual archetype, I do think it seems fairly balanced, but I'm not really a big fan of the water/swimming elements. Honestly I think this is better represented by a barbarian/fighter with the sailor background, just like pirates are largely represented by reskinned bandits, fighters, and swashbuckler-rogues. I'm also not really a fan of improvised weapons, just because they're so non-functional/irrelevant in d&d

What about trading out the seafaring and improvised weapon abilities for 'hit and run' skirmish or blitzkreig type features/ribbons?

I also don't totally see riposte as a 'dual wielding barbarian storm of swords' kind of ability. I missed the previous 'rend' ability, but what about something like 'Storm of Blows: At 6th level, when you hit with an attack while raging, your next attack against that target deals an extra 1d6 damage'?
The water/swimming elements are mostly there to make the character feel more like the name suggests. If it gets a different name, i might throw them out and replace them completely. I do not know whether i will change the entire fluff yet - i first need some good new ideas for that, as the dual wielding Viking (as mentioned above in this post) was the closest thing to my idea i could find.
Riposte defenitally needs a renaming towards the fluff mentioned above, but the feature itself will probably stay as it is. The 'fluff' features might change, but ill need a good idea first. If i stick to Viking, i will keep the seafaring fluff, but will probably change the 10th level feature at the very least. Thanks for your ideas though, they keep me on my toes and keep me thinking :)

Arnakalar
2016-03-07, 08:30 PM
[...] The water/swimming elements are mostly there to make the character feel more like the name suggests. If it gets a different name, i might throw them out and replace them completely. I do not know whether i will change the entire fluff yet - i first need some good new ideas for that, as the dual wielding Viking (as mentioned above in this post) was the closest thing to my idea i could find.
Riposte defenitally needs a renaming towards the fluff mentioned above, but the feature itself will probably stay as it is. The 'fluff' features might change, but ill need a good idea first. If i stick to Viking, i will keep the seafaring fluff, but will probably change the 10th level feature at the very least. Thanks for your ideas though, they keep me on my toes and keep me thinking :)

I would still say the fluff is much better represented by a fighter or barbarian with the sailor/pirate background though, which is a problem. If your class option is about TWF, you aren't going to find a historical precedent because this is a fantasy trope not a reality trope, but that doesn't mean you should take a very tangential name with different implications and build your class partly around that? I honestly still think 'Raider' is better wihle keeping the same meaning, and if you're going to move away from that, how about something like 'Path of the Fury' or 'Path of the Blade Storm' or something. Not great but I think it gives a better idea of what the class is about.

Edit: Path of the Twin Fangs. Path of the Talons, Path of Relentless Steel, Path of Spinning Blades, Path of Rending Steel, Path of the Taz(manian Devil)

Talamare
2016-03-07, 11:40 PM
I completely agree, but i couldn't come up with a better name... The fluff i imagined for the feature is that the attack is blocked by the off-hand, immediately followed by an attack with the main hand. If you could help me with a fitting name, i would be really grateful, as i havent come up with ánything despite thinking about it a lot >.<

I suggest, screw the "missed by" and exchange it with "hit by" and call it Brutal Retaliation

RakiReborn
2016-03-08, 06:55 AM
I would still say the fluff is much better represented by a fighter or barbarian with the sailor/pirate background though, which is a problem. If your class option is about TWF, you aren't going to find a historical precedent because this is a fantasy trope not a reality trope, but that doesn't mean you should take a very tangential name with different implications and build your class partly around that? I honestly still think 'Raider' is better wihle keeping the same meaning, and if you're going to move away from that, how about something like 'Path of the Fury' or 'Path of the Blade Storm' or something. Not great but I think it gives a better idea of what the class is about.

Edit: Path of the Twin Fangs. Path of the Talons, Path of Relentless Steel, Path of Spinning Blades, Path of Rending Steel, Path of the Taz(manian Devil)
I like Path of the DualTalons (using your second suggestion from the edit). I can make some nice fluff with it! I will change the 'fluff features' to be like them, but i will need some time to come up with them. Suggestions are welcome :) Thanks for helping me ^^


I suggest, screw the "missed by" and exchange it with "hit by" and call it Brutal Retaliation
I really want to keep the 'missed by'. It gives the Path some more thinking and tactical dept. Should i use my Reckless Attack to hit now, or do i think i can get an extra attack with my reaction off if i don't? Where the Berserker at 14th wants to get hit for his reaction, i want this to be the other way around. And the Bear Totem doesnt mind at all to get hit with its resist almost all, so both those paths focus more on how to abuse a lower AC. This feature focuses on the opposite - how to abuse not get hit with a higher AC?
I hope i get my view across... I will change the name to Deflect and Retaliate (thanks for the inspiration for the name) for now. Feels a lot more like i wanted it.

BoogieFrights
2016-03-08, 03:13 PM
Love what you are doing, keep it up!
For ribbons maybe somthing crafty expertise like with tools sets to reflect the increase in manual Dexterity or reduced crafting time.
Just my 2 cents. Totally looking forward to seeing where it ends up.

Amnoriath
2016-03-08, 03:19 PM
With this new flavor of this path I would suggest something survival and speed oriented would be an order.

RakiReborn
2016-03-09, 02:06 PM
Love what you are doing, keep it up!
For ribbons maybe somthing crafty expertise like with tools sets to reflect the increase in manual Dexterity or reduced crafting time.
Just my 2 cents. Totally looking forward to seeing where it ends up.
Thanks for the compliment :)
Crafty stuff is something i wouldn't add to the barbarian very quickly. Barbarians usually seclude themselves from civilisation and are more in tune with nature. Crafting would be more of the civilisation side instead of nature. Thanks for your idea though, they are always welcome!


With this new flavor of this path I would suggest something survival and speed oriented would be an order.
Survival feels fitting. Speed orientated is also fitting, but the barbarian also gets a speed increase at 5th, so it would feel a little boring and uncreative to me. Back to survival - i have some ideas of what i could do:
1: Grant survival skill at 3rd.
2: Grant Favored Terrain (ranger feature) at 3rd
3. Grant Favored Enemy (ranger feature) at 3rd
4. Grant Land's Stride at 10th
These are all in flavor, and grant a sort of 'ribbon', which is what i want. However, stealing them from the ranger/druid feels wrong, and only granting survival feels lame. If there won't be a better idea, i am leaning towards giving Favored Terrain and Land's Stride. What do you think about this? Any other ideas?

Any suggestions are more than welcome. I might not use them, but the worst that can happen is that they make me think a little more ;P

Amnoriath
2016-03-11, 10:36 AM
I would say lets work with Favored Enemy, but not so much Favored Terrain. Dual Talons evokes a sort of predator-like appeal and Favored Terrain has similar features to that of the Outlander. I really don't think you need to focus on ribbons considering that it just gets one of the suboptimal ones it could use a little more crunch. With that being said even with a total of 3 favored enemies and terrains the ranger gets a lot of flack for being too situational. So maybe some thing like this at level 3 to compete with the Totem Barbarians.

RakiReborn
2016-03-11, 12:16 PM
I would say lets work with Favored Enemy, but not so much Favored Terrain. Dual Talons evokes a sort of predator-like appeal and Favored Terrain has similar features to that of the Outlander. I really don't think you need to focus on ribbons considering that it just gets one of the suboptimal ones it could use a little more crunch. With that being said even with a total of 3 favored enemies and terrains the ranger gets a lot of flack for being too situational. So maybe some thing like this at level 3 to compete with the Totem Barbarians.
Predator theme is indeed more what it should feel like, so i agree on favored enemy at 3rd. I also want something more predator-like at 10th, will try to think of something.
I dont really get what you are saying in the latter part. Are you saying it needs more combat-orientated features? It already has 2,5 (fighting style counted as half), so i thought that should be enough, and the power level is about where i envisioned it to be.

Oramac
2016-03-11, 12:29 PM
Predator theme is indeed more what it should feel like, so i agree on favored enemy at 3rd. I also want something more predator-like at 10th, will try to think of something.
I dont really get what you are saying in the latter part. Are you saying it needs more combat-orientated features? It already has 2,5 (fighting style counted as half), so i thought that should be enough, and the power level is about where i envisioned it to be.

For Predator-like stuff, what about a thrown weapon thing at 10th level? Something like this: (totally off the top of my head and with no regards for balance)

Laser Sights: Your practice with two weapons extends to throwing those weapons. When you take the attack action, you may make a ranged weapon attack with both weapons. You may add your proficiency and strength bonus to the attack and damage rolls for this feature.

EDIT: Or a non-combat option based on Predator:

Active Camouflage: Your time spent in the wild has honed your reflexes and allows you to hide more easily. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks when not wearing heavy armor.

Amnoriath
2016-03-11, 02:32 PM
1. What I mean lets take a look at the Totems here and how they stack up in comparison to yours. They have 2 rituals(spell level 1 and 2) and some pretty significant rage abilities. One cuts almost all kinds of damage except for one rare type that can be resisted. A second gets advantage on attack rolls for your fellow melee combatants. Then the third effectively doubles your movement while shoring up defenses against a couple of kinds of attacks. Yours though is relying on a single proficiency which would most likely come up in your typical build anyway and one of the less optimal fighting styles as your constants. A single Favored Enemy and Favored Terrain while brings a little custom flavor it doesn't add reliable utility. Even the Berserker has great potential action economy at that level.

2. I am not saying go copy other classes but many of the Fighting Style levels in which you chose which one you want was coupled with another somewhat more significant ability. Since Survival could be redundant instead I would suggest this for rage.
"Blood in the Water: At 3rd level your keen instincts are heightened to that of a mighty predator. While raging when you would hit a creature with a melee attack you can choose to deal an extra 1d6 of the same kind of damage. Additionally you have advantage on Perception and Survival checks to either detect or track that creature. This may only be used once per round"
You can keep Favored Enemy but I would at least give them a 2nd one at level 10.
For 10th level I would suggest looking at Locate Creature spell for ideas and maybe tie it with ignoring difficult terrain for the duration.