Dungeons & Dragons Reveals Redesigned Barbarian Class

Dungeons & Dragons is showing off its changes to the Barbarian class, with a tankier and more versatile class build. Today, Wizards of the Coast released a preview for the Barbarian class rules that will appear in the 2024 Player’s Handbook later this year. While the core functions of the Barbarian remain the same, its signature Rage ability has received several quality-of-life upgrades and other abilities have been added to make the Barbarian more useful and versatile. The Barbarian also receives three upgraded subclasses plus a new subclass built around the theming of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. 

The Barbarian’s core ability in 5th Edition is the ability to Rage, a state that grants the Barbarian various benefits based on its level and subclass. Barbarians now regain one use of a Rage with every Short Rest and the Rage itself is easier to maintain, as the Barbarian can now expend a Bonus Action to keep the Rage active. Like the Fighter and the Paladin, Barbarians also gain access to the Weapon Mastery subsystem introduced in the new Player’s Handbook.

The Barbarian’s versatility has also been addressed via several ability changes. A Barbarian now gains Primal Knowledge at Level 3, which gives the Barbarian an extra proficiency and replaces certain skill ability modifiers with the Barbarian’s Strength modifier when they’re raging. For instance, a Barbarian can make an Acrobatics check using their Strength modifier instead of their Dexterity modifier. At Level 7, the Barbarian gains a new ability called Instinctive Pounce, which allows the Barbarian to move up to half their speed when they enter into a rage, pushing them towards a foe or to protect squishier party members. 

Another new ability is the Brutal Strikes ability, which Barbarians gain at Level 9. This allows players to forgo Advantage on a Reckless Attack in exchange for extra damage and debuffs on a successful attack, with players able to slow foes or push foes depending on the situation. Additional options for Brutal Strikes become available at Level 13, pushing disadvantage onto foes or granting another player a +5 to hit the same foe with their next attack. The Brutal Strikes ability also receives another upgrade at Level 17, with even more damage dealt and the ability to use multiple debuffs with the same strike.

At Level 11, Barbarians gain an upgraded Relentless Rage, with a Barbarian now gaining HP equal to twice their Barbarian level instead of 1 HP if they succeed on a Constitution saving throw when being reduced to 0 HP in a rage. Persistent Rage, at Level 15, also receives an upgrade as players now regain all their uses of Rage when they roll Initiative once per Long Rest. 

The Barbarian subclasses have also received upgrades. The Path of the Berserker’s Frenzy has been improved, with the ability not causing exhaustion and a Frenzy adding additional damage on the player’s first attack instead of gaining an extra attack. The Path of the Wild Heart (a renamed Path of the Totem Warrior) allows players to change the animals they draw power from whenever players rage. Other abilities can also be swapped out after a Long Rest. The Path of the Zealot grants Barbarian players a pool of healing dice and a new ability that lets a player spend Rage to prevent them from dropping to 0 Hit Points. The Barbarian also gains a new subclass – the Path of the World Tree – that provides the Barbarian with several additional versatile combat abilities.