Feats only Barbarian. Bad idea?

[MikeRoxTheBoat]

I'm about to start a new game and I've had this idea in my head where I wanted to build an Ancestral Guardian Barbarian using only feats.

I'm using standard array, a custom race with +2 Str +1Con with a built in 1d4+Str claw weapon with a bonus action grapple if I attack with it, and a free level 1 starting feat.

I'm thinking of going shield master for level 1, then maybe mobile, tough, resilient: dex, mage Slayer, sentinel, alert, or maybe even magic initiate or grappler for the others.

Dunno if multiclassing would be worthwhile either.

Any fun, tanky feat only builds for a barbarian looking to be tough and sticky?

[kebusmaximus]

I'm not sure shield master is worth it, since you can already grapple as a bonus action with your natural weapon.

Additionally, I think resilient: con is a better choice than dex, especially if you still take shield master.

All the other feats you listed are definitely good choices.

[NOMster]

Barbarians are already adding Prof to con saving throws. Why would he take resilient con? Resilient wisdom is better than dex on a barbarian with danger sense. You'll want to get gwm, mobile, and alert for sure. Not sure how good sentinel is with AG though. Your reaction is pretty used up.

[CheddarChampion]

What about 16/14/14/10/13/9?
You're gonna have to decide what your typical M.O. in combat will be:
#1. Sword and Board
#2. Sword and Claw
#3. Claw and Board

For #1 Shield Master and Sentinel are good. You could also start with 16/13/14/10/14/9 and take resilient: dexterity.
For #2 and #3 Grappler can be good. Sentinel is less good if you are grappling a foe and can thus control their positioning.

Mobile, Tough, Resilient: Wisdom, PAM (spear), etc are good for most of #1, #2, and #3. GWM is always good on a Barb but it looks like you want to avoid it?

One level in fighter can get you a fighting style and bonus healing. Two gets you action surge. Three gets you improved critical, maneuvers, or the cavalier's mark.
One level in rogue gets you skill stuff and 1d6 SA. Use a rapier. Two levels gets you extra mobility. 3+ is still a good option: big SA, evasion, reliable talent for grappling/shoving, uncanny dodge further reducing damage when in a rage...

Generally speaking, don't MC until Barb level 5 because you get extra attack.

[micahaphone]

Ancestral Guardian's main schtick relies on hitting enemies with an attack. Reckless can help with this, but even so, I think a few stat increases would be much better than all those feats.

One or two of those feats will be great (I do love sentinel), but I can't even tell what playstyle or equipment you plan on using. Better to become better at a few roles rather than try to do everything.


I don't see the need for Tough; as a barb you'll have plenty of hp and effective hp, and if you're planning for all the way to level 20 (as you are here), you'd want that barb capstone, so you'd want 20 str and 20 con.

You already have increased move speed, what's your goal with Mobile? If you're doing hit and run (free disengage) shenanigans, making use of your ancestral guardians, then you don't need as much hp, and you'll even more then ever really want to make sure that you hit.

Res (dex) is unnecessary, you have advantage on dex saves already and have plenty of hp too. Hp is a resource, barbarians shouldn't be afraid to spend it.

Res (wis) is nice to have but not mandatory. It's a team game, your allies can help or mitigate these.

Shield Master means you're wearing a shield, so if you do claw & grapple, then your claw hand is holding them, and you can only hit them with your shield. You aren't proficient in shield bashing, and will only do 1+str(3) if you do hit them.

I really feel like the Grappler feat isn't worth it. It was written before the rest of the rules for 5e were finished and boy does it show. If I could train that as a special skill in downtime, I'd maybe do it. But it's not worth an asi, at all.

[da newt]

If you plan to grapple often, a 1 lvl dip in Rogue for Expertise in Athletics is very handy for near fool proof grappling.

[stoutstien]

Drop tough and mage Slayer. +Con con is better than tough and mage Slayer is mostly pointless unless your table changed it.

The difference between 18-20 in a primary stat isn't the end of things. With reckless attack your advantage will make up a lot of ground with crits.

[djreynolds]

Reckless attack and great weapon master is better....... than peanut butter and jelly

Grab a greatsword and go to it

[kebusmaximus]

Barbarians are already adding Prof to con saving throws. Why would he take resilient con? Resilient wisdom is better than dex on a barbarian with danger sense. You'll want to get gwm, mobile, and alert for sure. Not sure how good sentinel is with AG though. Your reaction is pretty used up.

Typo---I meant resilient: wis.

Also, I assume op can't take gwm, because they'll be using natural weapons.

[MikeRoxTheBoat]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I came to my senses a little bit after posting this. Think that I'm just feat starved from my previous games, as I usually go with the "get your main stat to 20" advice for my characters before looking at feats, then the game stops around level 8 or so.

Probably still gonna end up grabbing shield master for my free feat, since I'm planning on going shield/warhammer (drop the Warhammer to strike + grapple if I need). I like the extra potential control options. Might just alternate STR and CON for the other ASIs. I was considering Resilient Dex in order to start with 16 Con/16Str and bring the off 13 con to even and leverage the shield evasion more by getting proficiency, but I might play around with that a bit.

[HiveStriker]

I'm about to start a new game and I've had this idea in my head where I wanted to build an Ancestral Guardian Barbarian using only feats.

I'm using standard array, a custom race with +2 Str +1Con with a built in 1d4+Str claw weapon with a bonus action grapple if I attack with it, and a free level 1 starting feat.

I'm thinking of going shield master for level 1, then maybe mobile, tough, resilient: dex, mage Slayer, sentinel, alert, or maybe even magic initiate or grappler for the others.

Dunno if multiclassing would be worthwhile either.

Any fun, tanky feat only builds for a barbarian looking to be tough and sticky?

Hi.

Bad idea? Definitely not.
I would pick Grappler only if you don't plan on using Reckless attack (which is fair since you want to be resilient, and that way you can keep enemies close) NEITHER using a shield. Otherwise, I fail to see how you would attack (you could take Tavern Brawler but that's a nerf still overall).
So if you plan on using shield, Grappler definitely out.

Multiclassing would definitely be worthwhile, but I feel that would reduce the point of your exercise. :)

Of all you said, clearly Mobile and Sentinel are mandatory. All the others are great, but you could also pick skills making you good at something OUT of combat (Ritual Caster is you can manage the WIS/CHA, Observant to scout).

[etrpgb]

Unfortunately Feats are really difficult for Barbarians. Even if you start with a mountain dwarf to reach you apex of 20STR, 20DEX, 20COS you need all the ASI you can get. (This assumes standard array or points buy)

[GlenSmash!]

Reckless Attack makes maxing Strength on a Barbarian less of a priority. I think you could get away with the all feats build pretty easily.

What about 16/14/14/10/13/9?

This point spread picking up resilient wisdom is a really solid Barbarian.

I have a 7th level Zealot right now with Con 14 and Wis 14 with resilient, and I've had more combats where that wisdom save proficiency has mattered than extra hitpoints and +1 to con saves from having Con 16 would have mattered.

Even at level 7 he still only has 16 Strength since I took GWM at 4, but times where I've only missed by 1 have been very few, especially with reckless attack.

[HiveStriker]

Unfortunately Feats are really difficult for Barbarians. Even if you start with a mountain dwarf to reach you apex of 20STR, 20DEX, 20COS you need all the ASI you can get. (This assumes standard array or points buy)

And why would you assume max stats are required?

Lots of feats bring far more than a +1 bump, and bounded accuracy means that you'll miss some things anyways (attack-wise) and at highest level will get hit anyways (defense-wise).

So sticking with medium armor and possibly shield is far enough, especially considering the damage resistance a Barbarian can get.

Meanwhile, the melee-centricity of all its features make feats like Mobile, Mage Slayer or Sentinel extremely synergizing, and the violence-centricity of the whole class make feats like Observant, Magic Initiate or Ritual Caster bring a very welcomed diversification of skills for anything else than fighting (which is -supposedly at least- only one of three pillars).

[Willie the Duck]

How does the DM do magic items? If Gauntlets/Gloves/Etc. of attribute 19+ are things you might pick up, this becomes a lot less of a sacrifice.