How to? Barbarian tank

[kaltenberg]

Hey eveyone
I read over here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1096530/discussions/0/3722820527906117550/
That Barbarians can become very good tank characters, or atelast very good frontline figthers.
But as I'm not familiar to DnD I would very much some points on how to do it.
And also perhaps which mods to run do dualclass??
Can you help?

[guard65]

İlk olarak Ommamar tarafından gönderildi:

Particularly on a class like Barbarian who unless you want to try a dexterity focused build benefits greatly from a high strength.

İlk olarak THAC0 tarafından gönderildi:

not sure why you ask that.

My strength question was associated to the claim that Barbarian greatly benefits from high strength. Where I can not find any outside of the puny outside of the rage strength based melee weapon where you gain a +2 (+3 @9th) bonus to the damage roll. I figure there has to be more to it if it is pushed so highly.

I run a Multi-class Barbarian (Stone) / Rogue (Opportunist) [14,16,18,10,10,10] and far prefer it to any other build I have tried so far. I already know what all the sub-classes bring and nothing so far makes me want to wield an two handed axe and multi class with Rogue(Brute). That d12 bonus die on critical hits could glow in the dark if there were an actual advantage and not just wind.

[BigRockWall]

İlk olarak guard65 tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak Ommamar tarafından gönderildi:

Particularly on a class like Barbarian who unless you want to try a dexterity focused build benefits greatly from a high strength.

İlk olarak THAC0 tarafından gönderildi:

not sure why you ask that.

My strength question was associated to the claim that Barbarian greatly benefits from high strength. Where I can not find any outside of the puny outside of the rage strength based melee weapon where you gain a +2 (+3 @9th) bonus to the damage roll. I figure there has to be more to it if it is pushed so highly.

I run a Multi-class Barbarian (Stone) / Rogue (Opportunist) [14,16,18,10,10,10] and far prefer it to any other build I have tried so far. I already know what all the sub-classes bring and nothing so far makes me want to wield an two handed axe and multi class with Rogue(Brute). That d12 bonus die on critical hits could glow in the dark if there were an actual advantage and not just wind.

People see barb and assume high str is the way to go. And to be fair, its definitely viable. DPR is pretty high for a raging str based 2 handed barb. Note that reckless attack not only helps via the taunt, but also doubles your crit chance just by virtue of getting to roll twice. So that extra D12 comes into play twice as often as you might think. Stack half orc for another D12.

d12 = 6.5 avg damage. If you go str based half orc, you are getting 2d12 BONUS damage on crits, which happen approx 10% of attacks (5% doubled cuz advantage). Which averages out then to 1.3 damage per attack. plus 3 more damage per attack because using a str weapon and barb class feature. So now were at +4.3 average damage per attack. Times 3 attacks per round at level 5 (2 plus follow up strike). Add another if hasted (should be hasted). So approx 17 damage per round gained by using a str weapon vs a dex weapon (approx equal to 6d6 sneak attack damage). Actually more because there arent 2 handed dex weapons in solasta that qualify for follow up strike feat, to my knowledge. I also have not added in the extra damage you get from just critting more in general, have only factored in the BONUS crit damage a half orc barb gets from class and racial features. Nor have i factored in difference in base damage of the great axe vs 1 hander of choice.

Furthermore, the spike damage potential of the greataxe str build is actually worth discussing. When fighting things that regen themselves like vampires, the potential exists for them to heal through death by a thousand tiny cuts, where a big spike of a great axe crit is more likely to be a fight ender.

[guard65]

I will try the build but my current Barb build may out hit and critical that build, but perhaps not out dps. But what would I multi-class with since I have already remove Rogue Brute from the list since it relies on dexterity skills. It should not be a spell caster since rage kills spell casting. Alone the Barbarian was a boring rinse and repeat combatant, so I need something to flesh out that build to make it not boring.

I use the dual wielding with two short swords, and I only get 2d6 for sneak attack once since I never go over level 3 or 4 in the Rogue class. However I take the feats sentinel, dual flurry and, improved critical feats, in that order, which gives me the potential for 3 to 6 attacks per round including the extra attack at level 5 Barbarian.

Also I select the Opportunist Rogue subclass, which gives me advantage on all attacks against enemies with a lower initiative than me (everyone if I start the fight). That combined with the number of attacks potential make for a high chance to critical every round often multiple times. Since I play with enemies at 300% health, no hit takes down an enemy and I also play with a -5 to hit setting, so hits land at less than 50% of the time, making for a hard fight every time. Requiring the advantage of the Rouge side and its bonus actions, dash, disengage, and hide, which gives me control of the battle field.

[BigRockWall]

Reckless attack = advantage

Rogue still a solid multi class choice, if only for the cunning action at level 2. You are correct that barbs dont have a great way to spend their bonus action, outside of an attack. the berzerkers bonus attack, like the follow up strike attack, or the dual wield off hand attack, all take your bonus action. So cunning action won't get used every turn. That doesn't make it not useful.

Off hand attack while dual wielding will not get str/dex to damage like the main hand attack does. That requires dual wield style, which is a fighter/ranger only thing (vanilla, idk with mods). So the off hand attack of dual wielding will be a worse version of follow up strike when 2 handing. They both take your bonus action, but only follow up strike applies your stat to damage, and on a crit the 2h will get the extra half orc + barb crit dice.

Like I stated earlier in the thread, a dex focused tank barb build does great. I used one all the way through LV on max settings and he did the job just fine. It really just depends on what your goals for the build are, and your play style. Do you start with 3x 18s or adhere to point buy rules or roll randomly? Are you willing to wait for a +str item? Etc

[guard65]

I do free edit and give all party members the following starting stats to be dropped into their builds abilities. One 18, one 16, one 14 and three 10's, and nothing more. So I never have more than 78 points at start. Also because I am starting the game with such a major disadvantage (-5 all hits and skills) I start the game at level 5. Which sounds like a cheat but by the time I get to level 6, a player starting at level 1 will reach level 5. That and I can barely survive most fights right out of the gate at level 5 with enemies doing 200% damage getting +5 and me missing more than 50% of the time. Makes the game so much more fun when you sweat blood.

I could pickup Dual Wield fighting style at level 8 (barb 4 / Rogue 4) since it gets added as a feat option with UB1. Although the feat Power Attack is usually the one I take.

Power Attack: You have learned to trade accuracy to land deadlier blows. When attacking with melee weapons, you can choose to take a -3 penalty to your to hit in order to do additional damage equal to 3 + your proficiency bonus.

[BigRockWall]

Another option that seems appealing for a splash would be 3 levels of swiftblade ranger. That gets you your dual wield style, 2 more movement range, and +2 AC while dual wielding.

Would also give you access to spells that are useful outside combat where rage won't prevent their use. Like cure wounds, jump, and goodberry.

We could have a completely different conversation about why i think rogue is trash tier outside of 2 levels for cunning action (which is very very good for many builds). That is to say, trash tier within the scope of combat build min maxing. All classes are capable of completing the official campaigns. Swiftblade Ranger is just flat better than a rogue in every way as a primary class

[TrueWarlord真の武]

İlk olarak THAC0 tarafından gönderildi:

so multiclassing isnt a thing in D&D 5E something i dislike

Why so many keep saying that there are no Multiclassing in D&D 5e? Do you guys even play it?

There are multiclass in D&D 5e, the rules are present in the Players Handbook, around page 162 or so.

[guard65]

İlk olarak BigRockWall tarafından gönderildi:

Another option that seems appealing for a splash would be 3 levels of swiftblade ranger.

I like swiftblade range but I opted for a ranger(marksman) / rogue (Raven) multi-class which both focus heavy of archery and sniper skills with Heart-Seeker Shot and Dead Eye.

I love to multi-class rogue but I have never given the class more than 4 levels for the same reason you gave. Great for the bonus actions, then the sub-class, and at fourth you get the feat. Beyond that seems a waste, so all the other levels go to the main class.

[BigRockWall]

İlk olarak guard65 tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak BigRockWall tarafından gönderildi:

Another option that seems appealing for a splash would be 3 levels of swiftblade ranger.

I like swiftblade range but I opted for a ranger(marksman) / rogue (Raven) multi-class which both focus heavy of archery and sniper skills with Heart-Seeker Shot and Dead Eye.

Sure, these are 2 completely different characters. One is a tank the other a crit fishing archer. You asked what to multiclass with besides rogue, swiftblade would be my choice if you are set on dual wielding. If you are dead set on multiclassing instead of pure barbarian, all you need is 2 levels of barb to get rage (for damage resistance) and reckless attack (for taunt). You dont NEED a subclass. Those 2 things will let you build an effective tank using any other 10 levels of whatever class you want, as long as its built intelligently.