I have suggested this before, but Barbarians as implement.. as with monks I realize it is using canon material.... are absolutely laughable from a balance standpoint. There is no scenario where a fighter or a paladin won't mop the floor with a barbarian, and that just isn't right.
I know I have suggested these edits before, but I am hoping it gets real consideration.
1) Implement new feats that barbarian can select:
Extra Rage. Extra Rage would ad a flat 4 extra uses per day.
Extend Rage: Rage would last an extra 10 rounds per use.
2) Give Barbarians access to heavy armor and tower shields. I don't see any reason whatsoever they shouldn't have access. As it stands, nearly everyone playing a barbarian does so in very small dips into the class for fast movement. Even if they do try to use a majority of levels as barbarian, fighter is practically a requirement just to get access to the better armors.
3) Rage: This is the barbarians bread an butter, and frankly, it is underwhelming. The idea of linking it to strength and constitution, means that any character, once they have a few levels in them, no longer gains much because they more than likely have access to a great deal of stats from equipment, spells, potions, or scrolls. The combat worthiness of rage quickly becomes minimal. Just a few tweaks and it becomes infinitely more useful.
Make it last 10 rounds + constitution modifier
Instead of granting strength and constitution have it grant +2 to hit and damage, +2 will saves, and -2 AC.
Greater Rage at level 15 the bonuses would become +4 to hit and damage, +4 will saves, -2 ac
increase to hit and damage by 50% if the character is using a two handed weapon (great axe, halberd, greatsword, or scythe
and for the smaller players war hammer, longsword, war axe, battle axe, and morning star).
Lastly, I know many wouldn't agree, but I would love to see a feat similar to Weapon Finesse, but would apply to two handed weapons, and allow them to use their constitution score for the attack bonus. This would allow barbarians to focus on two handed weapons...which thematically they should, and not crush them for giving up a shield.... as they would increase their hit points dramatically by concentrating on Constitution. The feat makes sense as you need strength to hold a heavier weapon, but you need to endurance to wield it for any length of time.
I think with these changes you would see many more pure or very barbarian focused builds, which would be a welcome change.
The first 3 I think are the most important, the last one I would love to see, but I can see where it would cause some consternation.
I have suggested this before, but Barbarians as implement.. as with monks I realize it is using canon material.... are absolutely laughable from a balance standpoint. There is no scenario where a fighter or a paladin won't mop the floor with a barbarian, and that just isn't right.
I know I have suggested these edits before, but I am hoping it gets real consideration.
1) Implement new feats that barbarian can select:
2) Give Barbarians access to heavy armor and tower shields. I don't see any reason whatsoever they shouldn't have access. As it stands, nearly everyone playing a barbarian does so in very small dips into the class for fast movement. Even if they do try to use a majority of levels as barbarian, fighter is practically a requirement just to get access to the better armors.
3) Rage: This is the barbarians bread an butter, and frankly, it is underwhelming. The idea of linking it to strength and constitution, means that any character, once they have a few levels in them, no longer gains much because they more than likely have access to a great deal of stats from equipment, spells, potions, or scrolls. The combat worthiness of rage quickly becomes minimal. Just a few tweaks and it becomes infinitely more useful.
Lastly, I know many wouldn't agree, but I would love to see a feat similar to Weapon Finesse, but would apply to two handed weapons, and allow them to use their constitution score for the attack bonus. This would allow barbarians to focus on two handed weapons...which thematically they should, and not crush them for giving up a shield.... as they would increase their hit points dramatically by concentrating on Constitution. The feat makes sense as you need strength to hold a heavier weapon, but you need to endurance to wield it for any length of time.
I think with these changes you would see many more pure or very barbarian focused builds, which would be a welcome change.
The first 3 I think are the most important, the last one I would love to see, but I can see where it would cause some consternation.