“Barbarians are mighty warriors who are powered by primal forces of the multiverse that manifest as a Rage. More than a mere emotion—and not limited to anger—this Rage is an incarnation of a predator’s ferocity, a storm’s fury, and a sea’s turmoil.”
Introduction
From the woad-covered Celts, to frenzied vikings, and even characters like Conan the Barbarian, these ferocious warriors have taken many forms throughout our real-world history and beyond. If the call of battle and glory beats within your chest, and you yearn to forge a legend of your own beyond the values of a character sheet, then read on!
What makes a Barbarian?
“You can imbue yourself with a primal power called Rage, a force that grants you extraordinary might and resilience.”
Something wild and dangerous dwells within Barbarians, a primal power that erupts with the unbridled force of nature! This is Rage, and it is at the core of what makes a Barbarian who they are. However, it is important to note that despite its title, Rage is actually a state of being which could be represented by a plethora of strong emotions.
In addition to Rage there are several other aspects which define Barbarians as such: Unarmored Defence, Weapon Mastery, and Reckless Attack. Mechanically, Barbarians fight in a certain way, but there are many opportunities to exercise your creativity amongst these abilities.
Creating your Barbarian
When creating your Barbarian it is important to consider a few key things to lay the foundations of building a well-realised and interesting character: The source of your Rage, how they acquired their abilities, and why they chose to become a Barbarian (if they had any choice at all!).
Firstly, let’s talk about the source of your character’s Rage. As mentioned previously, any strong emotion can allow your Barbarian to “hulk out”. Is your barbarian fuelled by the white-hot fury of traditional anger or are they suffused with unshakeable resolve and determination when faced with adversity? Are they filled with irrepressible joy which lends them strength and vigor, or are they gripped with a zealous religious fervor? Being able to answer this question is the foundation of your character.
Second, consider how your Barbarian acquired their abilities. Do they find armor too restrictive for their preferred fighting style and eschew it entirely because of this? Is going into battle without physical protection a matter of honor for them, and is that a personal belief or a cultural one?
These questions lead to our next decision: your weapon of choice. The image of a battle-axe wielding Barbarian is a fantasy staple, and perhaps one your Barbarian embodies, but it does not have to be this way. Consider why your character fights with their chosen weapon and how they came to master its use. Did they have a mentor to guide them? Did they suffer humiliation at the hands of a rival and then train relentlessly to improve?
Here we see how mechanical choices can become fertile ground for character backstory and Non-Player Character (NPC) creation for your GM. Lastly, consider why your Barbarian chose to follow this path instead of that of a different Martial class. Are they too rebellious to join the regimented ranks of a formal military? Do they worship the gods or consider them foes to conquer? Are they following in the martial traditions of a warrior culture with narrow ideals of traditional might? It is perfectly possible for your Barbarian to worship the gods or have served in a structured military force, but these things should not define their character to the same level as your answers to the previous questions.
Next let’s discuss tropes, those well-known templates in popular culture upon which your Barbarian could draw, or subvert entirely! The most obvious is the eponymous Conan, the original muscle-bound, head-taking, rage-fuelled warrior of Robert E Howard’s Sword and Sorcery tales. If you want to create your own version of the traditional Barbarian character, you have a wealth of source material to inspire you, though it is worth giving your Barbarian a couple of unique features to really make them your own such as unusual fears, or a goal outside of conquest and glory, like becoming a brilliant chef.
Conversely you could also subvert the Conan trope entirely and create a slim, bookish Barbarian whose Rage is roused when precious historical artefacts are threatened! Subverting established tropes is an enjoyable creative exercise, but make sure that you don’t lean too hard on the novelty of creating such a character or you might become disenchanted with them over a campaign. Once you’ve created your character it’s time to choose their Path.
Your Path
“A Barbarian subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Barbarian levels, as specified in the subclass.”
Your Barbarian’s chosen Path will define them as they gain mechanical levels and increase in power. There are plenty of articles on RPGBOT discussing the mechanical nuances of such choices, but here we will focus on the roleplaying implications of such a choice instead. In the 2024 Core Rules the Barbarian has 4 Paths to choose from: Berserker, Wild Heart, World Tree, and Zealot.
The Berserker
“Barbarians who walk the Path of the Berserker direct their Rage primarily toward violence. Their path is one of untrammeled fury, and they thrill in the chaos of battle as they allow their Rage to seize and empower them.”
Named after the legendary viking warriors who would enter a battle-trance before hurling themselves at the enemy with terrifying ferocity, the Berserker Path is for characters who live for battle, glory, and bloodshed. However, it is worth considering why your Barbarian fights this way.
Are they a bloody-minded conqueror intent on making their mark on the world through legendary deeds, or do they fight so fiercely to defend their loved ones when they are threatened? By asking this important question you can understand your character’s motivations on a much deeper level…even if they are usually covered in other peoples’ blood.
The Wild Heart
“Barbarians who follow the Path of the Wild Heart view themselves as kin to animals. These Barbarians learn magical means to communicate with animals, and their Rage heightens their connection to animals as it fills them with supernatural might”.
Channelling the raw power of nature itself your Barbarian fights like a raging tempest, imbued with aspects from the animal kingdom. Wild Heart Barbarians are deeply connected to nature, particularly the animals that dwell within the ancient forests, abyssal ocean depths, and snow-dusted peaks of the world.
Why does your Barbarian have this connection? Were they blessed at birth by some cosmic event which bound their spirit with that of the wilds? Did they feel compelled to undertake a vision-quest into the wilderness to commune with ancient spirits? Perhaps they simply love animals more than anything else in the world and this has imbued them with supernatural powers. Furthermore, does this manifest in a noticeable way for your character when they access these powers, such as extended canines, or feline eyes? Get creative!
The World Tree
“Barbarians who follow the Path of the World Tree connect with the cosmic tree Yggdrasil through their Rage. This tree grows among the Outer Planes, connecting them to each other and the Material Plane. These Barbarians draw on the tree’s magic for vitality and as a means of dimensional travel.”
World Tree Barbarians have access to unrivalled vitality and nourishment from their connection to Yggdrasil, but how did your Barbarian achieve this arboreal accomplishment? Did they discover a portal to the cosmic paths by accident whilst playing in the forest as a child? Perhaps trees are sacred in their culture, Yggdrasil most of all, and they were chosen to be a conduit for the great tree by their settlement’s elders. How does this connection manifest physically? Perhaps your Barbarian’s hair is made of slender leaves, or their body is covered in branching, root-like patterns. The choice is yours!
The Zealot
“Barbarians who walk the Path of the Zealot receive boons from a god or pantheon. These Barbarians experience their Rage as an ecstatic episode of divine union that infuses them with power. They are often allies to the priests and other followers of their god or pantheon.”
Barbarians who walk the path of the Zealot are a curious folk, righteously devoted to their cause yet unbound by the strict tenets of a Paladin’s Oath or the dogma of a Cleric’s religion. Who does your Barbarian worship so fervently that it gives them such supernatural power? Perhaps they were briefly used as a conduit to communicate with a God in a ritual, granting them a unique connection to their deity, or maybe they are simply possessed of such strength of will that their unshakeable faith manifests physically. The roleplaying choices you make about your Barbarian’s Zealotry should be well considered, particularly their reasons for eschewing the restrictions of other divinely-supported classes.
Conclusion
By answering the questions presented in this article you should now have a fairly good idea of who your Barbarian is, what makes them who they are, and why they walk the Path they do. If not, don’t worry! Have a chat with your GM and ask them to help you create a Barbarian who fits into the game you all want to play, fits into the world you’re playing in, and has connections with other player characters. Happy adventuring!
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