Revised Barbarian Class

Revised Fighter Class

Epic Advice Column

Epic Demographics

Epic Encounter Levels

Superhero Relativity

Absolutes: Part 4

Absolutes: Part 3

Absolutes: Part 2

Absolutes: Part 1

Revised Barbarian

Hit Dice: d12 hit points per level.

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (one craft), Handle Animal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (one profession), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st-level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 1st-level and every ten levels thereafter (11th, 21st, 31st) the barbarian's movement rate increases +10 feet. This benefit only applies when he is wearing no armor, light armor or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load.

Illiteracy (Ex): Barbarians do not begin knowing how to read or write. A barbarian must expend 2 skill points (or take a level of another class) in order to learn how to read and write in all languages he can speak.

Rage (Ex): A barbarian can fly into a rage a certain number of times per day. In a rage, a barbarian temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases the barbarian’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While raging, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A fit of rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A barbarian may prematurely end his rage. At the end of the rage, the barbarian loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter (unless he is a 17th-level barbarian, at which point this limitation no longer applies).

A barbarian can fly into a rage only once per encounter. At 1st level he can use his rage ability once per day. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day. Entering a rage takes no time itself, but a barbarian can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency (Ex): A barbarian is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor and shields (except tower shields).

Damage Reduction (Ex): Beginning at 2nd-level, the Barbarian gains one point of Damage Reduction for every two Barbarian levels they possess. Half of this damage reduction is the barbarian's mental ability to simply ignore pain, while the other half is the actual leathering of the skin. At 32nd-level the barbarians skin will be akin to stone, while at 40th-level it will be akin to iron. Any weapon that ignores hardness will ignore half a barbarian's damage reduction.

Improved Toughness (Ex): At 3rd-level, and every four levels thereafter, the Barbarian's hit points increase by +1 per die.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The barbarian retains his Dexterity bonus to AC even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker.

Roar (Ex): Starting at 5th-level the barbarian can generate a howling roar as a full round action that causes all enemies of a hit dice equal to or lower than your barbarian level, within 25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 barbarian level + Cha mod) or be frightened. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The barbarian can no longer be flanked. This denies a rogue the chance to sneak attack the barbarian unless they are 4 levels or more higher.

Summon Ancestral Spirits (Su): At 10th-level the Barbarian gains the ability to call upon the spirits of his ancestors. Once per month the Barbarian can call upon either 1d4+1 ancestors of half their barbarian level, or 10d4+10 of one quarter their barbarian level (in both cases round fractions down). The ancestors remain for up to 1 round per level of the barbarian, or until slain. Use the NPC stats for barbarians provided in the Dungeon Masters Guide or Epic Level Handbook (and update them with the class abilities of the revised barbarian class). These summoned spirits cannot use the Summon Ancestral Spirits power themselves.

Indomitable Will (Ex): While raging a barbarian gains a +4 bonus on will saves to resista enchantment spells and effects. This bonus stacks with all other

Greater Roar (Ex): At 15th-level, those failing a will save against the barbarian's roar become panicked, and those who succeed are still shaken. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Bloodrage (Ex): At 20th-level the barbarian's rage increases dependant upon how much damage they have sustained. If the barbarian is moderately wounded (less than 50% normal hit points - before raging), then they gain a further +2 to Strength. If the barbarian is heavily wounded (less than 25% normal hit points - before raging) then that increases to +4 Strength. If the barbarian is mortally wounded (less than 10% normal hit points - before raging) that bonus increases to +8 strength.

Bloodstrike (Ex): Starting at 24th-level the barbarian can expend their own hit points to deal extra damage to a target. The barbarian can never expend more hit points than they have barbarian levels with any single attack.

Thundering Roar (Su): Those affected by the barbarian's roar are stunned for 1d6 rounds.

Impenetrable Will (Ex): While raging the barbarian cannot be affected by enchantment spells or effects.

Terrible Roar (Su): Those affected by the barbarian's roar are weakened for 3d6 points of strength damage.

Sundering Skin (Ex): At 40th-level the Barbarian's iron hide is so tough that weapons which fail to penetrate the Barbarian's Damage Reduction suffer sunder damage equal to the difference.

e.g. If an enemy deals 15 damage, and fails to penetrate the barbarians DR 20/-, the weapon takes 5 points of sunder damage.

War-General Hulsk (40th-level Barbarian) - STILL IN PROGRESS

Male Ogre; CR 30; Large-size giant; HD 4d8+52+40 and 40d12+520+400; hp 1320; Init +4; Spd 80 ft.; AC 38 (-1 size, +15 armor, +5 deflection, +4 Dex, +5 natural armor), flat-footed 34, touch 18; Atk: +67 melee 8d6+37/19-20/x3 (+7 huge adamantine, mercurial, returning, vorpal double-sword of distance) or +71 missile 8d6+37/19-20/x3 (+7 huge adamantine, mercurial, returning, vorpal double-sword of distance); AL CE; SV Fort +35; Ref +26; Will +14; Str 50; Dex 18; Con 36; Int 11; Wis 13; Cha 16; Height 9 1/2 ft; DR 20/-; Fast Healing 9

while raging...

Gargantuan-size giant; HD 4d8+92+40 and 40d12+920+400; hp 1760; Init +4; Spd 80 ft.; AC 25 (-4 size, -10 rage, +15 armor, +5 deflection, +4 Dex, +5 natural armor), flat-footed 21, touch 5; Atk: +77 melee 10d10+59 +2d6 anarchic +2d6 electricity/19-20/x3 (+7 huge adamantine, mercurial, returning, vorpal double-sword of distance) or +81 missile 20d10+59 +2d6 anarchic +2d6 electricity/19-20/x3 (+7 huge adamantine, mercurial, returning, vorpal double-sword of distance); AL CE; SV Fort +45; Ref +26; Will +14; Str 70; Dex 18; Con 56; Int 11; Wis 13; Cha 16; Height 38 ft, DR 20/-, Fast Healing 9.

Skills (Total Skill Points 160): Balance +14, Climb +35, Concentration +23, Handle Animal +11, Intimidate +13, Jump +35, Listen +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11, Swim +35.

Feats (6): Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical, Improved Sunder, Leadership (bonus feat - see Armour), Monkey Grip, Power Attack.

Epic Feats (7): Blinding Speed, Chaotic Rage, Fast Healing (x3), Dire Charge, Thundering Rage

• Possessions (Artifacts/Epic Items):
• "Bracers of Relentless Might" (+12 strength, +12 Constitution).
• "Breastplate of the Warlord" +10 mithril breastplate of heavy fortification, adds +4 to Charisma and bestows the Leadership feat.
• "Double-Sword of Life and Death" +7 huge adamantine, mercurial, returning, vorpal double-sword of distance. When thrown the rotation of the double-sword causes it to strike the same target twice and then return to the hand of the wielder.
• "Helm of Hate"

• Possessions (Non-epic Items)
• Amulet of Natural Armor +5
• Ring of Protection +5
• Ring of Spell turning
• NB. Has also used every ability boosting tome.

Comments on the Revised Barbarian Class

If you have any other comments or questions about the Revised Barbarian Class feel free to email me agooddesigner@hotmail.com or come to the forums.

Next week (fingers crossed)...the Revised Monk Class...what a feeling...to be dancing on the ceiling. ;-D