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The Berserker has always been a conflict for me. I played the original Baldur’s Gate games with Minsc, the berserker Ranger. Back then, Berserker was apparently not a class but some ability that could be gained otherwise (I was young and didn’t pay attention to mechanics back then). I never wanted him to go berserk, haha! He’d attack his allies while berserking, causing huge problems in combat. It could be useful to send Minsc into a group of enemies that keep taking me out with mind control. The D&D 5e version of the Berserker clearly touches on some of these themes. It omits the friendly attacks while berserking, fortunately. The problem is that it fails to capture the heart of a Berserker character. This path/subclass has clunky mechanics and heavy drawbacks that outweigh its benefits. For this reason, I’ve revised it to make it more interesting to play.
I’ll explain my text formatting quickly so you can quickly discern between my homebrew suggestions, what already existed for the subclass, and my commentary on why I did or did not change something. Italicized text indicates my homebrew alterations to Berserker Barbarian features. The entire description of each feature is bolded, and my commentary is found below each feature in normal text.
Special thanks to those who have given feedback!
Level 3 – Frenzy [Reworked]
Starting at 3rd level, you can enter a Frenzy when you enter a Rage. As part of the same bonus action you use to begin raging, you can choose to enter your Frenzy. You may also choose to enter a Frenzy as a bonus action while raging if you did not choose Frenzy when you entered your Rage. On any turn that you enter your Frenzy with your bonus action, you can make a single melee attack as part of that same bonus action. When your Frenzied Rage ends, you gain one level of exhaustion.
While you are in a state of Frenzy Rage, you gain the following benefits:
- You can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns.
- You are immune to the effects of exhaustion.
- Once per turn, when you kill a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend and roll one of your Hit Dice to make a melee weapon attack against another creature before the turn ends. Add the roll + your Constitution modifier to the attack roll and damage roll of this additional attack.
Your fury propels you past the limits of your body. You can reduce your exhaustion level by two instead of one when you complete a long rest.
My first change lessens the exhaustion drawbacks following a Frenzy. Suspending exhaustion penalties during Frenzied Rages will allow the Berserker to shake off the fatigue of the flesh to express itself in pure anger. Exhaustion caused by any source will also be overcome at twice the rate of other characters.
The second change makes it easier to begin a Frenzied Rage. The PHB version of the Berserker quashes the Barbarian by requiring the first round to resolve before Frenzy can benefit the barbarian with a bonus action attack in the second round. This slow start feels like trying to start my car on a cold winter’s morning to discover the car battery lost its charge. It’s ridiculous that Frenzy is useless for the first round of combat. Additionally, Rage can end early, so the process would begin again. My change allows Frenzy’s bonus-action attack on turn one instead of turn two.
Level 6 – Mindless Rage [Reworked]
At the 6th level, your mind is fortified against many influences and psionics while you Rage. You cannot be Charmed or Frightened while Raging and you gain resistance to psychic damage. Effects that are Charming or Frightening you are temporarily negated while you Rage. If those effects’ durations have not elapsed when your Rage ends, they resume their effects as normal.
This ability was OK before, but it was circumstantial. My version makes this Barbarian increasingly unique as its mind becomes a sea of rage that reduces psychic sources’ damage. The resistance to psychic damage will give the Berserker a slight edge on the Totem Warrior Barbarian juggernaut.
Level 10 – Intimidating Presence [Reworked]
Beginning at 10th level, your devastating blows terrorize your enemies. When you land a critical hit with a melee weapon attack against an enemy while you are in a Frenzied Rage, the target of that attack becomes Frightened of you. At the end of the creature’s turns, if the creature can see or hear you, it can make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a successful save, the creature ends the Frightened effect from Intimidating Presence. The Frightened effect also ends if the creature ends its turn out of the line of sight or more than 90 feet away from you. If the creature ends the effect by succeeding on its saving throw, it cannot be affected by this feature again for 24 hours.
If a critical hit would cause a creature to be frightened by your Intimidating Presence, but that critical hit kills the target, you may choose a creature you can see within thirty feet of you to be affected by your Intimidating Presence.
You can add your Strength modifier to Intimidation skill checks. When you succeed on an Intimidation skill check, you may choose one creature you’ve successfully intimidated and expend one use of Rage to Frighten that creature with your Intimidating Presence.
This ability’s saving throw needed to be based on Strength. Charisma was not good for this class. I also made this ability passive as an attack augmentation. A Barbarian does not want to stop attacking to use Intimidating Presence. The original Intimidating Presence was not intuitive to the Frenzy feature; they didn’t work well together. My version synergizes with Frenzy instead of working against it. The sixty-foot perimeter to escape the fear is now increased to ninety feet.
Level 14 – Retaliation [Reworked]
Starting at 14th level, when you take damage from a creature within range of a melee weapon you are wielding, you may use your reaction to use the in-range melee weapon you are wielding to make a single attack against that creature. When you attack this way, you may expend and roll one of your Hit Dice and add the number rolled + your Constitution modifier to your attack roll and damage roll.
If you kill the target with this attack, and you are in a Frenzy Rage, you may use the Frenzy ability to make another attack as normal on a creature within range of your melee attack as part of the same reaction. This additional attack can benefit from the Hit Dice roll abilities of both Retaliation and Frenzy.
Retaliation was underwhelming for the Berserker’s final form! It’s no longer so dull and has more versatility for reach weapons. I like giving classes options for using their Hit Dice in unconventional ways. I considered giving a flat bonus to Retaliation’s damage, but I thought Hit Dice sounded cooler. It’s as if the Berserker is pouring its life essence into its attacks when it retaliates against any who would dare attack it.
I altered the five-foot range of Retaliation to allow reach weapons to be used at a longer range. This is a minor change, but it’ll be suitable for anyone who isn’t using a melee weapon with five feet of range. I also clarified (perhaps too much) how Frenzy and Retaliation interact.
Updates
Here are changes I’ve made to this revision since the publish date. These changes are based on the incredible feedback I’ve received in the article’s comments and the YouTube video’s comments:
- Made Frenzy better by enabling a rampage mechanic when killing a creature, gaining a bonus attack powered by Hit Dice.
- Retaliation’s Hit Die roll will apply to both attack and damage rolls.
- Removed the Frenzy’s ability to expend a Hit Die while short resting to cure one level of exhaustion. This was removed because it could be abused to make the Barbarian not need to eat/drink/sleep.
- Intimidating Presence can now affect a creature of choice within 30 ft when the target of your critical hit is killed by that hit.
- Simplified the description for Intimidating Presence.
What Do You Think?
This version of the Berserker Barbarian is infinitely more playable and enjoyable. The Barbarian is a solid class that deserves intriguing and diverse subclass paths. This feels much more like the out-of-control Berserker I envision for D&D 5e. I hope my revision of the Berserker will help someone like you to enjoy playing it more than the PHB version.
Tell me what you think of it, please! I may alter my version based on your feedback. I’d like to hear about any other revisions you’ve made or discovered to the Berserker. Do you think 5e should bring back mechanics to lose control (maybe like the Confusion spell)? Retaliate against this article in the comments section at the bottom of this page to discuss the Berserker before its Frenzy ends!
You may enjoy these other articles about Barbarians:
- Barbarian Multiclassing Guide
- Rating Barbarian Subclass Paths
- The Best Feats for Barbarians
- How to Play a Rapier-wielding Barbarian
You might enjoy my class guide for Barbarians on YouTube:
That’s definitely an improvement! I suppose lvl 14 would still use your reaction for the attack, right?
One thing: I think you meant to write “You can reduce your exhaustion level by two instead of one when you complete a long rest.”
Hi Sam,
You are exactly right on both counts. I will fix those now. 🙂
And I’m pleased that you like the improvement!
Hi! This is awesome I must say, I’ve been trying to fix the class the past few days but this is a way better solution with a lot of creative ideas that gives thr subclass a lot of identity. I showed it to my player who wants to play it but the main concern he has is basically the first level of exhaustion still making him less useful outside of combat or as he put its “even more useless” at both roleplay and exploration, not mentioning slowing the group travel in a campaign heavy dependant on exhaustion and traveling under harsh conditions.
I see it as a stronger version of the Zealot/Battlerager lvl 3 ability so there must be a penalty but as something you can’t abuse without having consequences, specially early in the day, and since he wants the bonus action to combo them with GWM , reckless attack and Brutal Critical, I think a bonus attack is actually very strong
Do you think in your experience the subclass is fine with these penalties? Comboed with these feats? It is strong? Balanced? Ehat about anything other than combat?
Thank you!
Hi Alexis,
Exhaustion is a valid concern. There are a few ways you could deal with the concern.
(1) Remove the exhaustion mechanic but only allow one or two Frenzies per long rest.
(2) Keep Frenzy as it is but say the first Frenzy after a long rest does not give exhaustion. “First one’s free!”
(3) Pick a different subclass and take a feat that can potentially result in bonus action attacks: Polearm Master, Great Weapon Master.
(4) Remove the exhaustion mechanic and replace it with something akin to the Haste spell: When your Frenzy ends, lethargy washes over you as you become stunned until the end of your next turn.
(5) Keep it as the PHB or my version have it, but allow Hit Dice to be expended as an action to remove one level of exhaustion (maybe three Hit Dice per exhaustion level).
(6) Use my version as it is and play up my mechanic for removing exhaustion better than other classes when resting.
(7) Something else that works for you!
Do any of these solutions sound good to your player?
I don’t comment often, but have been pouring through your articles for months for inspiration. I’ve never played a barbarian (Forever DM here), but the opportunities I’ve had to play, at a glance, it definitely feels like a wildly underwhelming subclass. The suggestions as presented look really cool, and I’d absolutely allow this as an alternative.
Hi Jason,
I’m thrilled to hear that our articles have been useful for you! I’m also pleased that you like this Berserker revision. 🙂
Since you’ve frequented our articles, we’d love to hear ideas for what you’d like to see in further articles. We enjoy hearing what people are looking for so we can provide it.
Sometimes I can’t convince my DM to fix badly written classes but these articles help soo much <3
Good to hear that the articles are helpful, Berkay! I’ll keep articles coming for subclasses that can benefit from revision.
Hi Flutes! Back to comment and waiting for your answer to my last comment on the assassin. The berserker was one of the classes that needed a rework. I’m mostly ok with your changes.
3. What about giving it a function like the new roving from ranger at higher level to reduce 1 lvl of exhaustion with short rest?
6. I like the resistance to psychic damage, but i think you should explain why in the description.
10. I like your change for battle purpose, but i would keep the base version too, to give the berserker a “roleplay” role while not fighting.
14. I like your changes.
In conclusion I’m mostly ok with your idea. And like the “hit dice use” for classes. What about use it even for exhaustion? As i suggested, you could lower your level with a short rest by one, but maybe only if you use your hit dice. Or maybe if you use 1 hit dice to lower your exhaustion level you can’t heal with that dice. And use this hit dice / exhaustion even out of rests (I really hate exhaustion lvl). Or maybe giving the exhaustion after frenzy with a scaling dc.
Hi Reminas! I totally missed your follow-up comment on the Assassin revision, so I responded a moment ago. Sorry for leaving you hanging!
Let’s talk Berserker.
(3)You’re a genius! I like the idea of relieving a level of exhaustion with short rests. I’m going to make that update immediately. I’ll also use your idea to make the short rest only relieve exhaustion if one hit die is expended to do so. I think I’ll keep it as simple as this for now without adding ways to further relieve exhaustion because I think this is enough. Might revisit later.
(6)I’ll add description.
(10)Interesting idea to keep the out-of-combat utility. I’m into it. I reworked it with some inspiration from you. Let me know what you think.
(14)Thanks!
I really appreciate the input. I like to get these right!
Thx! So with this new version one can use a hit dice with a short rest to heal AND lower exhaustion or only one of these?
Good addiction to the lvl10.
If i may ask, do you have something in mind for paladin? I’m currently working in reworking both divine sense and smite to make the paladin a bit more “divine less”. In 5e they made it god free and alignment free, but i don’t like that it perceive only “church” related type and the bonus d8 only apply to “evil church creatures”. I’m waiting for more of your idea, i have already reworked many classes and I’m really into these changes to the berserker to implement in mine.
Hi Reminas,
This Berserker can spend one hit die per short rest to reduce its exhaustion level, so it’s either/or.
I don’t have plans for the Paladin at this point. I think my next revision will be the Transmuter Wizard.
Hi! The transmuter is another great class which need a fix. If i got right your comment, if this berserker use an hit dice to recover from an exhaustion level he doesn’t get any health back, right?
That’s correct. I’m not married to that distinction, but I thought it seemed fine for now. I play with a lot of people who want more choices for their Hit Dice to be used, so that’s my bias. What do you think?
I like to give some options for hit dices, even if I really don’t like berserker in general, i hate exhaustion and every change that don’t remove it completely won’t satisfy me…
Exhaustion is brutal! If you remove the exhaustion stuff from this revision, I reckon you’d have a good time.
Hey dude, I’d do your immediate attack and flurry kick in on turn 2. To me frenzy is like, if you want to compare to a car or bike, turning on frenzy after rage is the switching g the the next gear. Turn 3 is a bit much but I think turn 2 makes more sense. And maybe an upgrade at a higher level that let’s them work at the same time. Your using 2 effects with 1 bonus action.
Thanks TPhillips! I can see what you’re saying about Frenzy feeling right as a gear shift from regular Rage. I’m not as concerned about how many things are being done with a single bonus action, though. My biggest concern would be whether or not it’s too strong to have a bonus action attack at level three that can add Strength and Rage damage modifiers (much stronger than usual dual wielding). Frenzy has been such a problematic ability since the PHB was released, so I’d really like to make it shine. I want subclasses to feel special as soon as they get their first subclass features; in this case, Frenzy. I might change my revised Frenzy if I get more feedback to suggest that it should be delayed to round two of a Rage.
Another point to consider is that Rages can end early. Enemies can put a Barbarian in a situation where Rage ends due to lack of action in a round. When Rage ends early, so does Frenzy. To start a new Frenzy, the character would wait for another two turns, and they’d gain another level of exhaustion. This is the biggest reason that I’d want Frenzy to immediately benefit the character when Rage begins.
Do you have any other thoughts on this? I appreciate the feedback.
Can’t you frenzy rage on turn 1 and benefit from frenzy on turn 2. Why does it take 3 turns?
Hi Walter, I was actually incorrect on that point. You have the correct idea. I thought I updated the article’s text, but I hadn’t. I believe it’s cleaned up now to properly reflect how Frenzy works in the PHB (enter Frenzy turn one, make bonus-action attacks turn two).
Hi, it’s me again. i would just like to say that this homebrew is very good. the berserker needed a change, and you made it! good job on this. it’s not too O.P., but it’s still good
Your positive feedback means a lot, Jake! I really try to get revisions right.
I absolutely love your (classfixing) content. I´ve already rewritten the Battlerager combining both your and Shard´s suggestions (wouldn´t mind sharing that) and that was some epic stuff.
Now another weak barbarian class fixed and I´m excited to present it to my players!
I was wondering about one thing though: the rampage mechanic in 3rd lvl Frenzy, isn´t it extremely OP? I feel like I´m misunderstanding the mechanics. As it´s written now you add a HD+CON mod to a regular attack and damage roll. Adding an average HD roll of 6.5+ 3 CON to attack would almost guarantee you a crit. If you then add the same 9.5 to a 2d6 +5 (rage bonus incl) attack, that´s a massive amount of dmg.
Thanks Aeondras! I’m grateful to hear that this content has inspired you 🙂
The Frenzy ability to add to the attack roll can not change a normal hit into a crit; that only happens with nat-20 rolls. This is similar to any other bonus to attack rolls. So the only crit-fishing here would be with Reckless Attack from the Barbarian class abilities. The bonus damage to a crit would be awesome, though it’s still within the reasonable parameters of damage output in D&D 5e. It basically allows you a burst damage option similar to a Paladin’s Divine Smite, but you have a different resource and I think this is more fun since it’s a subclass ability.
I remember seeing that at level 3, frenzy can reduce 1 level of exhaustion during a short, but now, seeing it again, it no longer does that. So why did you remove that feature?
I didn’t want this Barbarian to be able to negate the need to eat and drink. In other words, I didn’t want them to just long rest and get rid of the exhaustion that the game mechanics use for starvation and dehydration.