Barbarian guide for the 2024 rules

Class basics

Features by level

Rage uses, damage and masteries by level

Three numbers grow as you level: how many times you can rage, the bonus damage your Strength attacks deal while raging, and how many weapon types you have mastered. You get one rage back on a short rest and all of them on a long rest.

In practice, two rages at level 1 is tight. Save them for fights that matter. From level 3 the short-rest refill means you can rage in most real fights of the day.

The features that matter

Rage (level 1)

A bonus action. While it lasts you resist bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage, add your rage damage bonus to Strength-based weapon and unarmed hits, and have advantage on Strength checks and saves. You can't cast spells or hold concentration, and heavy armor ends it. It lasts until the end of your next turn, and you keep it going by attacking, forcing a save or spending a bonus action to extend it, up to 10 minutes.

Unarmored Defense (level 1)

With no armor on, your AC is 10 plus your Dexterity and Constitution modifiers. A shield still counts. With good Dex and Con this matches medium armor, and it frees you from caring about armor at all.

Weapon Mastery (level 1)

You start with mastery of two weapon types. A greataxe with Cleave clears weak enemies fast. A maul with Topple knocks targets prone so the whole party gets advantage.

Reckless Attack (level 2)

You get advantage on Strength attacks for the turn, and enemies get advantage against you until your next turn. Rage halves most of what they hit you with, so this trade usually favors you. Watch out for enemies that deal fire, poison or psychic damage.

Primal Knowledge (level 3)

An extra skill, and while raging you can use Strength for Acrobatics, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth and Survival checks. It gives a Strength-heavy character a reason to try things outside combat.

Brutal Strike (level 9)

When you use Reckless Attack, you can give up the advantage on one attack. If it hits, it deals an extra 1d10 damage and adds an effect: push the target 15 feet or cut its speed. Level 13 adds two more effects that hurt the target's saves and set up an ally's next attack. At 17 the extra damage becomes 2d10 and you can apply two effects at once.

Relentless Rage (level 11)

If you drop to 0 hit points while raging, a DC 10 Constitution save puts you back at twice your Barbarian level instead. The DC goes up by 5 each time and resets when you rest.

Persistent Rage (level 15)

Once per long rest, rolling initiative refills all your rages, and your rage now lasts the full 10 minutes without upkeep.

What changed from 2014

• Rage recovers faster. You now get one use back on a short rest instead of waiting for a long rest.
• Rage is easier to keep up. You can spend a bonus action to extend it, so a turn spent moving or grappling no longer ends it.
• Weapon Mastery is new. It gives your basic attack a rider effect from level 1.
• Brutal Strike replaces Brutal Critical. The old feature only added dice on a crit. The new one works on any hit you set up with Reckless Attack.
• Primal Knowledge and Instinctive Pounce are new. Raging now helps some skill checks, and you can close distance as you start a rage.
• Persistent Rage refills your rages when you roll initiative, once per long rest.

The net effect is a barbarian that rages in more fights and has more to decide each turn. It's still a simple class. It just isn't a boring one anymore.

Subclasses

You pick your Path at level 3. Only the Berserker is in the free SRD; the other three are in the 2024 Player's Handbook.

Berserker has the fewest moving parts, so it's the easiest to teach, and World Tree adds the most to a party that lacks a defender.

Building one

• Ability scores: Strength first, Constitution second, Dexterity third. Both Con and Dex feed your AC.
• Weapons: a two-handed weapon for damage, or a one-handed weapon and shield for a higher AC. Take at least one thrown option, like handaxes or javelins, for enemies you can't reach.
• Feats: push Strength to 20 first. After that, Great Weapon Master suits two-handed builds and Tough adds even more hit points.
• Skills: take Perception and Athletics. Primal Knowledge makes Perception run off Strength while raging, but you won't always be raging when you need to spot something.

The common mistake is raging every fight at level 1 and running dry before the boss. Ask the DM how long the adventuring day looks and plan around it.