Why do barbarians have uncanny dodge?

Barbarians as a class are all about reckless aggression, having limited armor and their signature ability actively reduces their ability to dodge.

So why do they get the ability to uncannily dodge attacks they can't see coming and react more quickly to traps?

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Originally Posted by AceOfFools

Barbarians as a class are all about reckless aggression, having limited armor and their signature ability actively reduces their ability to dodge.

So why do they get the ability to uncannily dodge attacks they can't see coming and react more quickly to traps?

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Because of their quick feral reflexes

Because Conan was known for his reflexes and animal cunning.

Because it makes their charts feel better.

Just because that Barbarians prefer an offensive combat style (AC penalties) doesn't mean that their senses are dull.
Imho they have perfect natural combat senses like a wild animal.

The Barb sees the blow always coming, it's just his pride that doesn't always want to dodge the blow and instead hit harder once it's his turn again to act.

I believe it's also an port of their OD&D %chance ability to negate a thief's backstab attempt.

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Originally Posted by J-H

Because Conan was known for his reflexes and animal cunning.

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Coz Barbarians are really the mix of Fighter and Thief Conan was.

Technically every class was the thief until the thief was written in and basically ruined every other class.

Damn thief. You ruined everything!

Of course, they don't really share much else with Conan.

I have limited familiarity with Conan, does he actually use rage and reckless offense add part of his signature style? I had always heard him described as the quintessential fighter/thief.

Feral reflexes or hightend senses don't grant animals (or almost any other creatures that have them, e.g. elves) uncanny dodge. A
human barbarian had objectively worse senses than an elven ranger, but has much better ability to dodge unexpected attacks, traps, and fight against coordinated foes.

Why?

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Originally Posted by AceOfFools

I have limited familiarity with Conan, does he actually use rage and reckless offense add part of his signature style? I had always heard him described as the quintessential fighter/thief.

Feral reflexes or hightend senses don't grant animals (or almost any other creatures that have them, e.g. elves) uncanny dodge. A
human barbarian had objectively worse senses than an elven ranger, but has much better ability to dodge unexpected attacks, traps, and fight against coordinated foes.

Why?

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AFAIKR, Conan was using uncanny dodge in the movie "Conan the destroyer'

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Originally Posted by AceOfFools

A human barbarian had objectively worse senses than an elven ranger, but has much better ability to dodge unexpected attacks, traps, and fight against coordinated foes.

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I don't have the D&D history to answer your initial question, but for the "elven ranger" analogy, senses are irrelevant because uncanny dodge doesn't use your senses at all.

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Originally Posted by Mordaedil

Technically every class was the thief until the thief was written in and basically ruined every other class.

Damn thief. You ruined everything!

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Yeah, darn that Tolkien! Complete hack I tell you.

Because Fighters have access to heavy armor and bonus feats.

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Originally Posted by AceOfFools

A
human barbarian had objectively worse senses than an elven ranger, but has much better ability to dodge unexpected attacks, traps, and fight against coordinated foes.

Why?

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Because the senses involved and the way they are used differs.

The elven ranged is trained to "spot forms, structures & colors".

While the barbarian is trained to react to attacks that he can't see. He might hear them in the last instant and have fast enough combat reflexes to react to it. Or he feels the vibration on the earth or the air-pressure from the charging enemy.

Both have trained their senses, but in different ways and with different results. And neither of em can copycat the other. Neither one is overall better, they just have different specializations.

If it made sense, it wouldn't be uncanny.

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Originally Posted by Psyren

I don't have the D&D history to answer your initial question, but for the "elven ranger" analogy, senses are irrelevant because uncanny dodge doesn't use your senses at all.

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That's actually a good point. Uncanny dodge functions just fine while blind, deaf, and against intangible foes that can't effect the air around them.

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Originally Posted by Zanos

If it made sense, it wouldn't be uncanny.

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Hehehe.

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Originally Posted by Psyren

Yeah, darn that Tolkien! Complete hack I tell you.

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Actually, D&D drew more inspiration initially from Conan and the like, and originally didn't have a thief class, it was only introduced as inspirations started borrowing more elements from folklore and eventually Tolkien.

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Originally Posted by Psyren

I don't have the D&D history to answer your initial question, but for the "elven ranger" analogy, senses are irrelevant because uncanny dodge doesn't use your senses at all.

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"My plot armor is tingling."

If you do want your Elven Ranger to have Uncanny Dodge though, VMC has you covered.

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Originally Posted by Mordaedil

Actually, D&D drew more inspiration initially from Conan and the like, and originally didn't have a thief class, it was only introduced as inspirations started borrowing more elements from folklore and eventually Tolkien.

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I was referring to Tolkien being among the first, if not the first, to see the need for a "burglar" as a dedicated role in an adventuring party.

The answer is always Conan.

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Originally Posted by Mordaedil

Actually, D&D drew more inspiration initially from Conan and the like, and originally didn't have a thief class, it was only introduced as inspirations started borrowing more elements from folklore and eventually Tolkien.

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Original D&D, without any supplements (and therefore before the Thief class), had four PC races: Humans (called Men, as in Tolkien), Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits.

The paragraph about allowing other PC races used balrogs as the example.

The monster list included ents and balrogs.

Tolkien was a major influence from the start.

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Originally Posted by Jay R

Original D&D, without any supplements (and therefore before the Thief class), had four PC races: Humans (called Men, as in Tolkien), Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits.

The paragraph about allowing other PC races used balrogs as the example.

The monster list included ents and balrogs.

Tolkien was a major influence from the start.

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I'm a little fuzzy on the exact time frame and history, I'll admit. But was chainmail like that too?

I see the uncanny dodge ability that barbarians and rogues get as something like an 'always ready for trouble' type thing. Rogues are skulky, sneaky type characters, always on the lookout of getting caught. Barbarians are smashy-meatshieldy type characters who are always on the lookout for the next fight (while a straight-up fighter might be too busy brushing up on his tactical maneuvers).

Because Conan dodged the venomous spider in the Tower of the Elephant