Pathfinder Guide: How to Play a Barbarian
You probably won’t like the Pathfinder Barbarian when they’re angry… Unless they’re on your team. Then I’d bet you’ll think they’re great.
Coming from the Player Core 2 sourcebook, the Pathfinder Barbarian is a class for the adventurer who wants to go from zero to sixty in absolutely no time at all. Barbarians are known for using their weapons—or even just their fists- to cut through enemy lines like they’re nothing and wreak havoc on the battlefield with glee. Some may be ready to let out their rage at a moment’s notice, while others want to keep that part of themselves at bay until it’s most beneficial to the party. But once a Barbarian is ready to let loose, their foes will barely know what hit them.
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The Pathfinder Barbarian Basics
Prioritizing their physical prowess on the battlefield, Barbarians are a strength-based class and take a boost to the attribute at Character creation. They also start with expert-level training in Perception and their Fortitude and Will saving throws. Barbarians also come out of character creation trained in Reflex, Athletics, simple weapons, martial weapons, unarmed attacks, light armor, medium armor, unarmored defense, and a number of additional skills equal to their intelligence modifier plus three.
In combat, the Barbarian has a tendency to go into a rage and rush to the frontlines of any battle. They have the belief that a strong offense is the best defense and will smash through as many enemies as possible. And they have to do this quickly, because Barbarians don’t usually have a terribly high defenses.
Out of combat, Pathfinder Barbarians are the party’s muscle. And sometimes this means being the party’s go-to intimidation bringer. Some folks may be persuaded with words and reasons… And others will need to have a chat with the Barbarian. Even when a fight isn’t imminent, they are ready to charge into one and aren’t adverse to running into risky situations.
Rage
Rage actions are one of the key defining features of the Pathfinder Barbarian. This lets them fly into a frenzy and makes them even more fearsome in battle.
Taking a rage action gives the Barbarian temporary hit points and the ability to dole out additional damage on melee strikes. But they can’t usually use actions with the concentration trait.
Barbarians also gain the Quick-Tempered free action. This lets them go into a rage at the slightest provocation. Or, as soon as they roll initiative.
Instincts
The Barbarian’s rage comes up from a deep well of instinct- either one that they learn, or that they come by naturally. This instinct gives them certain abilities, grants increased damage, resistances, and feats, and lets them avoid certain behaviors. At character creation, the player can choose which Instinct their Barbarian pulls their powers from.
Animal Instinct: This instinct is like that of a wild predator. An uncontrollable animal side may exist within this Barbarian, and it grants them ferocious unarmed attacks. The Instinct Ability they gain is the ‘Bestial Rage,’ which is increased in power at level seven. By level nine they can resist piercing and slashing damage.
Dragon Instinct: Barbarians with Dragon Instinct can summon the fury of the dragons themselves. They will choose a dragon type to become one with and while raging can increase and change their damage type to match that of their dragon’s breath. At level seven they can increase the damage this does. And they are able to resist piercing damage and the type of damage done by their dragon’s breath.
Fury Instinct: These Barbarians pull power from their own personal well of fury and rage. Their Instinct Ability increases their damage and gives them a bonus first-level Barbarian feat. At level seven, their damage increases again. And at nine, they can resist physical weapon damage.
Giant Instinct: This instinct gives the Barbarian the raw power and size of a giant. Their Instinct Ability allows them to use weapons built for larger creatures than themself. And this larger weapon will of course deal increased damage. At level seven they will deal even more damage with this special weapon. And at nine, they resist bludgeoning damage and another damage type of their choice.
Spirit Instinct: For this Barbarian, rages are almost a form of spiritual possession. Their Instinct Ability lets them gain the effects of ghost touch, which makes them more effective against incorporeal creatures. At level seven, this ability is strengthened. And at nine, they resist void damage as well as damage dealt by undead creatures.
Superstition Instinct: Finally, these Barbarians have a deep mistrust for spellcasters. It makes them excellent mage hunters, but difficult party members for magic-users. Their Instinct Ability gives them status bonuses to saves against magic as well as increased damage against those who they’ve seen cast a spell in the last hour. This power is increased at level seven. And at nine, they gain resistance to any two magical traditions of their choice.
Multiclassing a Pathfinder Barbarian
For the adventurer who has always ignored a deep well of rage inside of them… Maybe it’s time to let that rage out and gain some of the might of a Barbarian. Multiclassing as a Barbarian will give a character a little more strength and heft in battle. For some characters it will make an already fiersesome fighter into a truly terrifying one. And for others, it will give them a solid last resort after spell slots and potions have dried up.
An adventurer multiclassing as a Barbarian will gain access to the feats Barbarian Dedication, Barbarian Resiliency, Basic and Advanced Fury, Instinct Ability, and Juggernaut’s Fortitude.
How to Play a Pathfinder Barbarian
The Barbarian is one of the oldest and most established classes in any fantasy TTRPG, not just Pathfinder. They’ve been around for a long, long time. And as such they’ve become a character type that even non-players have a pretty solid concept of. I wouldn’t say that Barbarians are simple characters to play, but they also don’t have as much to keep track of as some other options.
That, mixed with the non-stop ability to lay on hits and almost always feel like your really making a difference in a fight, makes the Barbarian a very fun character to play. Especially for newer or younger players who would benefit from the instant gratification of constantly taking out enemies.
While you’re laying your enemies flat, though, don’t forget what else the Barbarian has going for them. They have feats that will help them absolutely demolish a foe. But they are also easily one of the most intimidating figures out there. Scare the pants off of an enemy and make the finishing blow easier for your companion.
Happy adventuring!
