Improved 3.5 Barbarian (PEACH)

[Alabenson]

I've been working on upgrading the 3.5 Barbarian class (eventually along with most of the other tier 4-6 classes) to bring them up to about tier-3, and would like some feedback on what I have so far.

The additions I've made are as follows (aside from the granted rage/day, I've left the existing class features in place):
The following skills are now class skills for Barbarians: Balance, Knowledge (nature), and Spot

1 Rage is now useable 3+Con modifier / day (this replaces the existing rage/day)
2
3
4 Steadfast Determination (B)
5
6 Frenzied Rage
7
8 Mettle
9
10
11
12 Savage Rush
13
14
15
16 Greater Frenzied Rage
17
18
19
20

Frenzied Rage (Ex): While raging, a barbarian may make an extra attack at his highest attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as do any other attacks made that round.

Savage Rush (Ex): While raging, a barbarian may make a full attack as part of a charge.

Greater Frenzied Rage (Ex): As Frenzied Rage, but a barbarian may now make two extra attacks instead of one.

[Metahuman1]

I'm away from books and don't recall if Barbarian's get search as a class skill or not normally. If they don't, add it. Now give him the trap killer AFC as a standard class feature at first level. Now give him at level's 3 and 5 the ability to add con mod to reflex saves and AC in place of dex and give him mettle.


From here, give him better DR and stat bonus progressions, and move your full attack on a charge ability down to sixth lvl. Then throw in Scent as an ability at level seven or eight and Strenght to fuel number of AOO's if he takes combat reflexes somewhere in your earlier levels. Maybe give him something for flavor at some point that he's super good at using improvised weapons.



Now you should have a pretty strong Tier 3 character.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Improved rages/day and mettle are both good, and the changes do increase the power at least a bit, but the barbarian's real problems are lack of interesting options in combat, and lack of anything useful to do outside of combat. Some more nature-focused abilities and a bit of skill work-- Strength to Intimidate rolls, anyone?-- would be the best angle of attack, probably.

[Metahuman1]

-- Strength to Intimidate rolls, anyone?--

How I missed something that obvious is beyond me. Cudo's good sir.

[Alabenson]

Based on the feedback I've gotten, I've made a few additions to my barbarian revisions. Here's what I have now:

The following skills are now class skills for Barbarians: Balance, Knowledge (nature), Search, Spot, and Tumble

1 rage now useable 3+Con modifier / day (this replaces existing rage/day)
2
3 Trapkiller (as ACF from Dungeonscape)
4 Steadfast Determination (B)
5
6 Frenzied Rage
7 Savage Presence
8 Mettle
9 Commune with Nature 1/day
10
11
12 Enraged Charge
13
14
15 Warding of the Ancestors
16 Greater Frenzied Rage
17
18 Inhuman Resolve
19
20

Frenzied Rage (Ex): While raging, a barbarian may make an extra attack at his highest attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as do any other attacks made that round.

Savage Presence (Ex): At 7th level, a barbarian gains the ability to add his Str modifier to all Intimidate rolls.

Commune with Nature (Sp): At 9th level, a barbarian may cast Commune with Nature 1/day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to his barbarian level.

Enraged Charge (Ex): While raging, a barbarian may make a full attack as part of a charge.

Warding of the Ancestors (Su): At 15th level, a barbarian gains the protection of the spirits of his ancestors, rendering him immune to death effects and energy drain.

Greater Frenzied Rage (Ex): As Frenzied Rage, but a barbarian may now make two extra attacks instead of one.

Inhuman Resolve (Ex): At 18th level, a barbarian becomes nearly impossible to kill by normal means. Whenever an attack would bring the barbarian to fewer than -10 hp, he may make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to the damage that would be dealt by the attack. If successful, the barbarian is instead brought to -9 hp and is considered stable.