Kaelik Barbarian [Tome of Smashing]

The homebrew forum

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Kaelik
ArchDemon of Rage
Posts: 14800
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Kaelik Barbarian [Tome of Smashing]

Post by Kaelik »

Kaelik Barbarian
"GRRRRAAAANNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!"

Barbarians are simple smashy classes for simple smashy people, a Barbarian likes to smash things pretty hard. They hit things and that's pretty much it. As such, they usually have a high strength. The Barbarian is almost uniquely capable of having a low con score and being still actually good, but not that good, so you should probably also have a high Con.

Hit Die: d12
Base Attack Bonus: Full
Good Saving Throws: All Good Saves
Skill Points: 4+Int
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Disable Device (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Level:Abilities:
1:Really Tough, Rage, Barbarian Smash, Barbarian Angry
2:Break Things Good, Juggernaut
3:Cleave, Final Strike
4:Track, Barbarian Scary
5:Barbarian Throw
6:Jump, Swim, Run
7:Impale
8:Find Enemies
9:Whirlwind
10:
11:No More Undead
12:
13:Break the Ground
14:
15:Stop Making Saves
16:
17:NO MORE SAVES
18:
19:
20:

Proficiencies: A Barbarian is proficient with all melee weapons including improvised melee weapons. A Barbarian is also proficient with Light and Medium Armors.

Really Tough (Ex): A Barbarian doesn't die at -10 HP, instead, they die at -200 HP. This ability is inconsistent with Diehard, if you have Diehard or something like it, you only stay conscious until -10HP. They can still be Coup De Graced as normal when unconscious with the usual effects. Barbarians also get Fast Healing 1 that kicks in only when they have 0 Rage. This ability goes away if a character does not have more than half or their class levels of Hit Die in Barbarian.

Rage (Ex): A Barbarian has Rage. Most often, they have 0 Rage. Having less than maximum HP increases a Barbarian's Rage. The first time a Barbarian takes damage they gain one rage. For each 20 points of damage they receive (collective across attacks) they gain 1 Rage. Being at negative HP grants an additional Rage, but they are unlikely to be able to use it until level 3. Any time the Barbarian is subject to ability damage or drain, they gain 1 Rage per point of ability damage or drain. When a Barbarian is subject to a status effect, it grants rage as outlined in the table of Barbarian Rage Status below. If it's a new status effect, try to pick the closest one.

Rage grants a Barbarian a +1 Rage bonus to attack and damage for each point. If a Barbarian rolls a Natural 1 on an attack roll, it gains 1 Rage (Unless it still hits with the attack for some reason related to an ability that lets them still hit on a Natural 1).

If at any point a Barbarian has not made an attack roll against a suitable enemy, or been attacked by one (including having to make a saving throw, or being damaged by a magic missile, or likewise non attack roll attacks), for three rounds then the Barbarians Rage returns to 0. None of these attacks need to actually hit. This is also the time when you stop tracking previous damage for the purpose of gaining HP.

A Barbarian can get Angry and generate one rage with a Full Round Action if they are at zero Rage, but not if they have any Rage.

Barbarian Smash (Ex):When a Barbarian has 1 or more Rage they can make a single attack as a standard action that expends 1 Rage. If the strike hits and does any non zero amount of damage then the recipient must make a Fortitude Save or Die with a DC equal to 15+1/2 the Barbarians level. This is a Death Effect. If the enemy is immune to Death effects from a spell or item, they must still make a save, and if they fail, the spell is removed as if dispelled, or the item's ability will no longer provide that magical effect for 1 hour, but they do not die (at this time).

This standard action can be used at the end of a charge. Because.

Barbarian Angry (Ex): The Barbarian may make a single attack as a standard action against a suitable threatening enemy. This attack generates 1 Rage so long as it hits. Suitable threatening enemies include weaker enemies in packs, weaker enemies attacking with a boss, unconscious or otherwise incapacitated foes, but not bags of rats or walls or allies.

This standard action can be used at the end of a charge. Because.

Break Things Good (Ex): At level 2 a Barbarian is really good at breaking things, they can successfully smash or break any object they ever could after a moment of gathering their Rage. In effect, the Barbarian can take 20 in two rounds instead of 20 when making a check to break an object with a strength check, or to disable any device with the Disable Device skill. But only if they are disabling in the most simple and direct manner, Smashing something so it is rendered inoperable. This does set off traps when you break them. The Barbarian can use this to disable any kind of trap regardless of DC, even magical traps, and as an exception to the two rounds time, the Barbarian can use this ability reactively on any trap that has triggered and effected them, but after the effect of the trap.

Juggernaut (Ex): At level 2 Barbarians get the Juggernaut Combat Feat as a Bonus Feat.

Cleave (Ex): At level 3 when a Barbarian has 1 or more Rage they may use a standard action to attack all enemies they threaten. This attack expends 1 Rage. If they have 2 or more Rage, they may use this ability with Barbarian Smash and it expends 2 Rage.

Final Strike (Ex): At level 3 when a Barbarian has been either rendered unconscious due to negative HP, killed, or given a status effect since their last turn, they can stay strong for a Final Strike and act on their next turn as if they are not subject to any negative status effects inflicted on them by enemies of this fight, even ones inflicted in previous rounds, and they may make take a single turn's actions. On the conclusion of that turn, they are either at negative 100 HP or the HP they were at before the Final Strike, whichever is lower, and they suffer any status effects they had taken, such as turning to stone, or being killed with a death effect or HP damage.

Track (Ex): At level 4 a Barbarian's Rage seeks out their enemies. They can follow the path enemies have taken to do more battle. They can track, like the Track feat if you want, or they can just follow the paths successfully because the Track rules aren't very good and this is magic. In either case, they have to find the path, then follow the path that exists, and they can pierce Pass Without Trace with a Rage check of 1d20+character level against the Caster level of the spell or effect.

Barbarian Scary (Ex): At level 4 a Barbarian's Rage makes them scary. They automatically roll a 20 on all intimidate checks, and they don't need to make sound to make such a check, or be able to communicate in language with the intimidated creature.

Barbarian Throw (Ex): At level 5 when a Barbarian has 1 or more Rage they may throw any melee weapon wielded in two hands (including an improvised melee weapon, like a creature they have pinned or lifted) as a standard action. This throw expends 1 Rage. This throw takes no penalties for being an unconventional throwing weapon, can can be thrown with a range increment of 100ft out to a maximum distance of 500ft. If they have 2 or more Rage they may use Barbarian Smash with this thrown weapon and it expends 2 Rage.

Jump (Ex): At level 6 when a Barbarian has 1 or more Rage they may expend 1 Rage to jump 200ft as a move action. This jump ends in them landing up to 200ft away from their current location, and in the process, they can use their standard action to make a melee attack at any flying creature overhead that they pass by on the jump, up to 200ft above them. If they have 2 or more Rage at the start of their turn, they may use Barbarian Smash on that melee attack.

Swim (Ex): At level 6 a Barbarian gains a swim speed of 60ft.

Run (Ex): At level 6 a Barbarian's base land speed becomes 60ft if that is faster than their previous base land speed. Barbarians also never get tired, are immune to Fatigue and Exhaustion, and can force march as long as needed. But theoretically still need sleep every couple weeks or so even though there are no rules that make them.

Impale (Ex): At level 7 when a Barbarian has 2 or more Rage they can as a standard action hurl a melee weapon wielded in two hands through a line of targets. In effect, they make a single attack roll and damage roll and the attack is resolved against all targets in a 100ft line. This expends 2 Rage. If they have 3 or more Rage they can combine this ability with Barbarian Smash and it expends 3 Rage.

Find Enemies (Ex): At level 8 a Barbarian gets Blindsense 120ft.

Whirlwind (Ex): At level 9 when a Barbarian has 3 or more Rage they can as a full round action move twice their move speed and make a single attack against all enemies they threaten at any point along their movement. This expends 3 Rage. If they have 4 or more Rage they may use Barbarian Smash on this attack, and it expends 4 Rage.

No More Undead (Ex): At level 11 Barbarian Smash is no longer a Death effect, and the Fortitude Save effects objects.

Break the Ground (Ex): At level 13 a Barbarian may expend one Rage to create a Wall of Stone starting adjacent to him, or to cast Earthquake, or to carve a tunnel into any stone or earth 50ft long and 10ft wide.

Stop Making Saves (Ex): At level 15 Barbarian Smash has a DC of 10+1/2 Level+Barbarian's Strength Modifier or DC 15+1/2 Level whichever is larger.

NO MORE SAVES (Ex): At level 17 Barbarian Smash has no saving throw, and just kills people.

Rage Condition Table:
ConditionRage Generated
Blinded1
Checked1
Knocked Down/Prone2
Blown Away3
Entangled1
Confused3
Staggered1
Dazed2
Stunned2
Negative Levels1 for each
Paralyzed2
Petrified3
Shaken1
Frightened2
Panicked3
Cowering3
Sickened1
Nauseated2
Fatigued or Exhausted2

Last edited by Kaelik on Sun Jul 02, 2023 5:43 pm, edited 13 times in total.
Omegonthesane
Prince
Posts: 3685
Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:55 pm

Post by Omegonthesane »

Barbarian Smash (Ex): ... DC equal to 15+1/2 the Barbarians level
...
Stop Making Saves (Ex): At level 15 Barbarian Smash has a DC of 10+1/2 Level+Barbarian's Strength Modifier
While I will concede that a Kaelik Barbarian's strength mod at level 15 will probably be something very large, it seems odd that the base to which that modifier is added drops by 5 points when they get the ability. Not even a "greater of +5 or +Str".
Kaelik wrote:Because powerful men get away with terrible shit, and even the public domain ones get ignored, and then, when the floodgates open, it turns out there was a goddam flood behind it.

Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath, Justin Bieber, shitmuffin
User avatar
Kaelik
ArchDemon of Rage
Posts: 14800
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by Kaelik »

Omegonthesane wrote:
Barbarian Smash (Ex): ... DC equal to 15+1/2 the Barbarians level
...
Stop Making Saves (Ex): At level 15 Barbarian Smash has a DC of 10+1/2 Level+Barbarian's Strength Modifier
While I will concede that a Kaelik Barbarian's strength mod at level 15 will probably be something very large, it seems odd that the base to which that modifier is added drops by 5 points when they get the ability. Not even a "greater of +5 or +Str".
The DC of 15 is a replacement for 10+Stat. Stats at level 1 are usually 3-5 depending on optimization, and mostly scale pretty slowly, if we were talking about Intelligence on a Wizard, I would expect about +6 at level 4-5, +7 at level 8, +8 at level 10, +9 at level 14, and then some minor bonus on top of that from inherents whenever you let that happen, in 3.5 without wish factories, that's not really on line until level 17 or so in terms of WBL for the damn books.

On the other hand, you can probably start off with +6 str bonus, and then jump that to +11 at level 6. So I wasn't going to be basing the stat bonus off of Strength, but also, every other stat also seemed like a bad idea. So I went with a flat bonus.

I could have either scaled it up slightly overtime for an extremely modest "balance" improvement on the at will save or die of Barbarians in exchange for a lot of complexity, or I could just say, nah... it will be slightly lower save than an optimized Wizard and/or they will take Ability Focus (Barbarian Smash).

Level 15 is just re-replacing 10+1/2 character level+ ARBITRARY STAT REPLACEMENT 5 with a stat, because it doesn't matter if your saves are off the charts at 15th level, just like it doesn't matter that it's no save at level 17.

It is not weird that the arbitrary state replacement was removed when you got to add your stat to the DC.
DSMatticus wrote:Kaelik gonna kaelik. Whatcha gonna do?
The U.S. isn't a democracy and if you think it is, you are a rube.

That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves.
User avatar
Foxwarrior
Duke
Posts: 1633
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 8:54 am
Location: RPG City, USA

Post by Foxwarrior »

But what if the barbarian is extremely frail? This could reduce their save DC by up to 10!
Pariah Dog
Knight
Posts: 371
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:44 am

Post by Pariah Dog »

At that point I think you're fucked like the Sorcerer with a CHA of 9.
Whiysper
Master
Posts: 182
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:43 am

Post by Whiysper »

Pariah Dog wrote:At that point I think you're fucked like the Sorcerer with a CHA of 9.
Infrequently but embarrassingly?

Liking the class so far. Not sure how awkward rage points will be to track, but doesn't look too bad at a glance. may get one tried out.

Also, love the names of the save effects. Because I am a goram child at some level :D.

Thanks again Kaelik.
User avatar
RobbyPants
King
Posts: 5201
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:11 pm

Post by RobbyPants »

I'm liking this. I made a similar class last year that's way more fiddly. This seems to hit all the important parts. I imagine you just write your four thresholds on your character sheet and update them when you gain HP to keep this moving as fast as possible.

I like the passive bonus for having Rage. It gives you a trade off for keeping it vs spending it. At low level, with a two-handed weapon, I imagine you just keep it and accrue the bonuses, because you're going to drop everything in one hit, anyway.

Also, I just caught "Disable Device (Str)" in the skill section. Nice touch.
User avatar
OgreBattle
King
Posts: 6820
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:33 am

Post by OgreBattle »

How does temporary changes to CON and hitpoints affect rage thresholds
User avatar
Kaelik
ArchDemon of Rage
Posts: 14800
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by Kaelik »

OgreBattle wrote:How does temporary changes to CON and hitpoints affect rage thresholds
Temp HP would have no effect, temp con changes change what 1/5 your maximum HP is Basically you look at the HP bar, and you can probably eyeball it and that would be fine, or you can just take the maximum divide by 5.
DSMatticus wrote:Kaelik gonna kaelik. Whatcha gonna do?
The U.S. isn't a democracy and if you think it is, you are a rube.

That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves.
Iduno
Knight-Baron
Posts: 969
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:47 pm

Post by Iduno »

Kaelik wrote:
OgreBattle wrote:How does temporary changes to CON and hitpoints affect rage thresholds
Temp HP would have no effect, temp con changes change what 1/5 your maximum HP is Basically you look at the HP bar, and you can probably eyeball it and that would be fine, or you can just take the maximum divide by 5.
The amount of Rage gained not scaling with level (because it's a percentage) is interesting. You should always gain about the same amount of Rage per fight (less per round, though), but it gets more useful. Making it a flat damage amount would have meant getting a lot of Rage per round at later levels, but I guess that will happen at first level anyway. D6 damage could be 3 rage.

Have you considered a bonus Rage point for taking large amounts of damage at once, giving the barbarian a good reason to fight the toughest opponent possible? I don't know, but the image of the barbarian just standing and taking it to get super pissed and kill whatever boss monster seems like a fun idea. Also, seeking out stupid challenges for a thrill.
Omegonthesane
Prince
Posts: 3685
Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:55 pm

Post by Omegonthesane »

Bit of a necro, but when using Cleave with Barbarian Smash!, does every applicable target have to save VS death, or just one target of your choice among the foes in the Cleave range?
Kaelik wrote:Because powerful men get away with terrible shit, and even the public domain ones get ignored, and then, when the floodgates open, it turns out there was a goddam flood behind it.

Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath, Justin Bieber, shitmuffin
User avatar
Kaelik
ArchDemon of Rage
Posts: 14800
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by Kaelik »

Omegonthesane wrote:Bit of a necro, but when using Cleave with Barbarian Smash!, does every applicable target have to save VS death, or just one target of your choice among the foes in the Cleave range?
The intention was certainly not for people to just find ways to get extra attacks to get more save or dies.

I believe by raw since cleave is an extra attack that it would only trigger on the first target whomever they are, and all cleave attacks would not be able to benefit from save or die effects.

I think the Minatures book class that has a three square single attack power through effect could use that one attack on all three targets and trigger three save or dies.

EDIT two years later: I just now realized you probably mean the Barbarian Ability Cleave, and I feel so dumb. When you used 2 Rage to Cleave and Barbarian Smash the Save or Die applies to everyone.
DSMatticus wrote:Kaelik gonna kaelik. Whatcha gonna do?
The U.S. isn't a democracy and if you think it is, you are a rube.

That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves.
User avatar
Kaelik
ArchDemon of Rage
Posts: 14800
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Re: Kaelik Barbarian [Tome of Smashing]

Post by Kaelik »

Hello, So I've been continuing to update this. Major changes are

1) Rage is now based on 20HP, so you get more per fight as you level up.
2) The saves now don't go down, by adding an Or clause as was recommended.
3) Lots of changes to the wording to better match intent, especially in tracking.
DSMatticus wrote:Kaelik gonna kaelik. Whatcha gonna do?
The U.S. isn't a democracy and if you think it is, you are a rube.

That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves.
Post Reply