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A Barbarian’s rage in D&D is a powerful tool that bolsters the warrior’s attacks, but Berserkers feed on that rage until the frenzy blinds them.
A warrior’s place in Dungeons & Dragons is at the frontline, swinging their powerful weapon into enemy masses with reckless attacks designed to carry out staggering amounts of damage. Fueled by the raging fury within, there are some Barbarians who were born to feed upon the frenzy of that rage, allowing it to carry them to a whole new level of brutality.
Berserkers get so caught up in their rage, all they see is crimson. The more the blood flows, the more empowered they become, carrying out additional attacks with a reckless fury that only grows as more blood spills from their enemies. Here’s how players can channel that rage to create a powerhouse ready to take on any combat scenario.
Strength Is a Barbarian’s Most Important Stat
Barbarians rely most heavily on their Strength stat, as it dictates every aspect of their attacks. How hard they swing a weapon and how much damage they deliver on a successful hit are determined by their STR score. STR also contributes to the Barbarian’s Athletics skill, which determines how fast they run, how well they climb, how much weight they can carry or push and how well they fare in feats of opposed strength, like grappling.
Almost equally important is the Barbarian’s Constitution, which contributes to their more-than-adequate hit point pool. Barbarians tend to be one of the most HP rich classes because their hit die is a d12, and when coupled with a maxed CON modifier and certain feats, they can potentially increase their HP by 17 points per level. CON is also important when it comes to how much the Barbarian can withstand in combat.
Dexterity is important as well because the modifier dictates where they fall in the combat initiative. A higher DEX score can help them move earlier, especially since Barbarians gain advantage on initiative rolls at level seven, giving them a chance to launch into their rage early on so they can start wiping out enemies right away. DEX also contributes to Armor Class, and since Barbarian’s don’t generally wear armor, maxing out their DEX and CON modifiers will go a long way in determining how much they can withstand.
Best Races for the Berserker Barbarian
There are some racial bonuses that are perfect for carrying out specific tasks, and when it comes to blindly raging Berserkers, both Orcs and Half-Orcs are top notch. Not only do they both receive +2 STR and +1 CON bonuses, but each one has additional features that play well into the build.
Orcs have the Aggressive trait, which allows them to use a bonus action to move their speed toward an enemy they’re ready to pummel. Half-Orcs have even more suitable traits, taking advantage of their ancestry to gain advantage on Intimidation checks using Menace to terrify enemies. They have Relentless Endurance, which allows them to pop back up to one hit point when they fall to zero once per long rest. Additionally, their Savage Attacks allow for an extra dice damage roll when they land a critical attack.
The Minotaur is another excellent choice, as they also gain +2 STR and +1 CON and are born with blinding rage and fury in their blood. Their Imposing Presence feature grants them advantage on Intimidation or Persuasion rolls, and they can use their horns to make a bonus attack after making a melee attack. They can also use those horns to make a melee attack as a bonus action if they take the dash action, which promises plenty of blood and gore to keep the rage fires burning.
Best Feats for Berserkers
There are some great feat options that can make the Berserker a walking, grunting killing machine designed to stand strong with the bloodied pool of fallen enemies at their feet. Great Weapons Master is one of the best options for a Barbarian because scoring a critical hit allows them to take an additional attack as a bonus action, all but guaranteeing maximum carnage on a single attack action. They can also choose to take a -5 penalty to their attack roll and on a successful attack add +10 damage to their damage total.
Durable is another way to contribute to this character’s massive hit point pool, allowing them to increase their CON by +1 and regain even more hit points when they roll their hit die during a short rest. Savage Attacker allows them to reroll damage dice once per turn, potentially achieving even more carnage every round, while Tavern Brawler gives them +1 to STR or CON and the ability to use improvised weapons, which, when in a blind fury is perfect for the Barbarian grabbing for anything in their reach to make an impact.
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