The best races, feats and weapons for a 2014 rules barbarian, how to use Rage and Reckless Attack, two ready-made builds, and what to pick at every level from 1 to 20.
The barbarian has the biggest hit die in the game and a 
RageRageLevel 1 featureIn battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action. While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren't wearing heavy armor: You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. that halves weapon damage. It stands at the front, hits hard with a two-handed weapon and is very hard to kill. There is little to track: rage at the start of a fight, attack, and decide each turn whether to attack recklessly.
Rage is a bonus action. Spend it on your first turn, every fight, before anything else. I have watched barbarians walk into a fight, swing twice without raging and then wonder why the ogre hurt so much. It hurt because you let it.
Reckless AttackReckless AttackLevel 2 featureStarting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. gives Advantage whenever you want it
Extra AttackExtra AttackLevel 5 featureBeginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. at 5Strength, then Constitution, then Dexterity. Strength drives your attacks and damage. Constitution is hit points and part of your 
Unarmored DefenseUnarmored DefenseLevel 1 featureWhile you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.. Dexterity 14 is enough for medium armor. In the 2014 rules your race gives your ability score increases, so pick one that adds Strength. With the standard array and a Half-Orc (+2 Str, +1 Con), you start with:
Put your level 4 Ability Score Improvement into Strength 18 and Constitution 15, or take Great Weapon Master if your table uses feats. Reach 20 Strength by level 8. Wisdom 12 helps the Wisdom saves you will face against charm and fear.
Feats are optional in the 2014 rules and only one is in the free SRD, so these come from the Player's Handbook. Ask your DM before you plan around one.
The Path of the Berserker is the barbarian path in the free 2014 rules. You choose it at level 3. It turns rage into more attacks, at a real cost.
When you rage you can choose to frenzy. For that rage, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after the first. When the rage ends you gain a level of exhaustion, so save Frenzy for the fight that matters.
You can't be charmed or frightened while raging. If you already are when you rage, the effect is suspended until the rage ends.
Use your action to frighten one creature within 30 feet. It makes a Wisdom save against 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier, and you can extend the effect with your action on later turns.
When a creature within 5 feet damages you, use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against it.
Frenzy also uses your bonus action, which Great Weapon Master and Polearm Master want too. The Player's Handbook adds the Path of the Totem Warrior, and the Bear totem's resistance to almost all damage is the stronger choice if your table allows it. It is not in the free rules, so this guide does not cover it.
Your core loop is short. Rage on your first turn. Attack with Strength every turn, because a rage ends early if you go a turn without attacking a hostile creature or taking damage. Use Reckless Attack when the enemy hits weakly and your resistance can absorb the return fire, and skip it against casters or big single hitters.
A bonus action, lasting up to a minute. While raging in light, medium or no armor: Advantage on Strength checks and saves, bonus damage on Strength melee weapon attacks, and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. No spellcasting.
AC 10 + Dexterity + Constitution with no armor, and you can still use a shield. You start without armor, so this is your AC at level 1. Medium armor usually beats it until both scores are high.
Advantage on Dexterity saves against effects you can see, such as traps and spells. It stops working if you are blinded, deafened or incapacitated.
Advantage on your Strength melee weapon attacks this turn. Attacks against you have Advantage until your next turn.
Two attacks per Attack action. Your damage roughly doubles here.
+10 feet of speed while you are not in heavy armor.
Advantage on initiative. If you are surprised, you can still act on your first turn as long as you rage first.
One extra weapon damage die on melee critical hits, two at level 13 and three at 17.
At 0 hit points while raging, a DC 10 Constitution save drops you to 1 instead. The DC rises by 5 each time until you rest.
The most damage the free rules allow. Savage Attacks and Brutal Critical stack on every crit, and Frenzy adds a third attack when the fight is worth a level of exhaustion.
Build this barbarian
More hit points than anyone at the table and Advantage on saves against poison. Fast Movement at level 5 makes up for the dwarf's slow speed.
Build this barbarian| Lvl | PB | Features | Rage Damage | Rages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 |
RageRageLevel 1 featureIn battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action. While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren't wearing heavy armor: You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
Unarmored DefenseUnarmored DefenseLevel 1 featureWhile you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
|
+2 | 2 |
| 2 | +2 |
Danger SenseDanger SenseLevel 2 featureAt 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells.
Reckless AttackReckless AttackLevel 2 featureStarting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly.
|
+2 | 2 |
| 3 | +2 |
Primal PathPrimal PathLevel 3 featureAt 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes the nature of your rage. Choose the Path of the Berserker or the Path of the Totem Warrior, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
FrenzyFrenzyLevel 3 featureStarting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one.
|
+2 | 3 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. | +2 | 3 |
| 5 | +3 |
Extra AttackExtra AttackLevel 5 featureBeginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Fast MovementFast MovementLevel 5 featureStarting at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing heavy armor.
|
+2 | 3 |
| 6 | +3 |
Mindless RageMindless RageLevel 6 featureBeginning at 6th level, you can't be charmed or frightened while raging. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is suspended for the duration of the rage.
|
+2 | 4 |
| 7 | +3 |
Feral InstinctFeral InstinctLevel 7 featureBy 7th level, your instincts are so honed that you have advantage on initiative rolls.
|
+2 | 4 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. | +2 | 4 |
| 9 | +4 | Brutal CriticalBrutal CriticalLevel 9 featureBeginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level. | +3 | 4 |
| 10 | +4 |
Intimidating PresenceIntimidating PresenceLevel 10 featureBeginning at 10th level, you can use your action to frighten someone with your menacing presence. When you do so, choose one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you.
|
+3 | 4 |
| 11 | +4 |
Relentless RageRelentless RageLevel 11 featureStarting at 11th level, your rage can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If you drop to 0 hit points while you’re raging and don’t die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead.
|
+3 | 4 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. | +3 | 5 |
| 13 | +5 | Brutal CriticalBrutal CriticalLevel 9 featureBeginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level. | +3 | 5 |
| 14 | +5 |
RetaliationRetaliationLevel 14 featureStarting at 14th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
|
+3 | 5 |
| 15 | +5 |
 Persistent RagePersistent RageLevel 15 featureBeginning at 15th level, your rage is so fierce that it ends early only if you fall unconscious or if you choose to end it.
|
+3 | 5 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. | +4 | 5 |
| 17 | +6 | Brutal CriticalBrutal CriticalLevel 9 featureBeginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level. | +4 | 6 |
| 18 | +6 |
 Indomitable MightIndomitable MightLevel 18 featureBeginning at 18th level, if your total for a Strength check is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total.
|
+4 | 6 |
| 19 | +6 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. | +4 | 6 |
| 20 | +6 |
 Primal ChampionPrimal ChampionLevel 20 featureAt 20th level, you embody the power of the wilds. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.
|
+4 | Unlimited |
Rages per day go 2, 3 at level 3, 4 at 6, 5 at 12, 6 at 17 and unlimited at 20. Rage damage is +2, rising to +3 at level 9 and +4 at 16.
Under the 2014 rules, Half-Orc is the strongest free option: +2 Strength, +1 Constitution and an extra die on melee crits. From the Player's Handbook, Mountain Dwarf and the variant human are just as strong.
It deals the most damage of any 2014 path while Frenzy is running, but each Frenzy costs a level of exhaustion. Most players use it once per day. If your table allows the Player's Handbook, the Totem Warrior is the safer pick.
Yes, light or medium armor and a shield. In heavy armor you lose the benefits of Rage, and Fast Movement does not apply.
Play whichever rules your table uses. The 2024 barbarian adds Weapon Mastery and Brutal Strike, and its Berserker no longer costs exhaustion. See the 2024 barbarian guide for those rules.
Build a barbarian in a couple of minutes and start an adventure in your browser. Play solo, or send your friends a link and play together.
This guide includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. TableForge is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast. Full licenses.
