The D&D "Boring Barbarian 5e" Myth and 15 Ways to Keep Them Fun Forever!

By Riley Rath 

 

The barbarian character class is simple but well designed... just takes a little creativity to keep them interesting! 

 

Table of Contents 

 

Common 5e Barbarian Complaints

 

Martial vs Spell Casting Player Characters 

 

The Nature of the D&D Barbarian 

 

Fifth Edition's Freedom to Role-Play 

 

15 Tips for a Fun 5e Barbarian 

     1. Break the "Stupid" Stereotype 
     2. More Strategy Than You Think
     3. Elaborate Your Attacks 
     4. Become a Hoarder! 
     5. Anything Can Be a Weapon 
     6. Fight Differently 
     7. Embrace Anger 
     8. Avoid Anger 
     9. Be Stealthy 
     10. Go Deep Into Your Senses for Skill Checks 
     11. Use Your Pack and Tools 
     12. Be a Fish Out of Water 
     13. Consider Their Home Culture 
     14. Downtime! 
     15. Add Feats Instead of Stats 

 

Conclusion 

 

I'm sick of people saying "5e barbarians are so boring. You just rage and hit things." 

 

D&D barbarians aren't boring... YOU'RE BORING!!! 

 

... Sorry about that... that was a little over the top... 

 

Online debates abound on whether or not the barbarian class from Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition is a boring class to play for a long-term campaign. 

With this post, I am attempting to end that discussion once and for all by explaining the reasoning behind the class design and providing you with practical options to make it a more enjoyable role-playing experience! 
Simply put: they can be fun for the long haul! 

 

The Common 5e Barbarian Complaints 

 

Let's review the most common argument for why barbarians are boring. And don't worry, it will be fair (no strawman arguments!) 

 

The stereotypical barbarian is a hulking beast of a humanoid capable of dishing out and taking savage blows. 

 

With this in mind, a huge percentage of players go through combat encounters like this: 

      1. "My barbarian rages..." 

      2. "She runs up to the monster..." 

      3. "She attacks..." 

      4. "She chooses to 'Reckless Attack' for advantage and then she attacks again..." 

      5. (Roll Damage) 

 

And they do the same thing on their next turn... and the next encounter... and next session... and the next adventure arc... 

 

On and on and on, the repetitive action continues. 

 

This repetitive version of role-playing the 5e barbarian IS boring. 

 

Especially when compared to the infinite options handed to spell casters, who can disguise with illusions, charm away a conflict, teleport out of danger, abjure defense... 

 

But your barbarian? He runs up and hits. Every time. 

 

However, this is not the fault of the barbarian character class, but the category of class the barbarian belongs to. 

 

Martial vs Spell Casting Player Characters 

 

The barbarian belongs to a group of character classes called the "martial classes." These are classes that, in combat, rely on weapons rather than spells. 

 

And every single martial class is less complex than even the simplest spell casting class. 

 

Why? 

 

Because spells have their own unique rules AND break the basic rules. 

 

So, to be an effective spell caster, you have to know A) D&D's rules, B) your spell's rules, and C) how the spell breaks the normal rules to your benefit. 

 

It's... a lot. Fighters, rogues, and barbarians... they hit things... they are simple! And that's good too. 

 

Granted, the "boring barbarian" coalition is right about one thing: the barbarian subclasses tend not to add flavor or new abilities to the class. Many of their improvements focus on improving abilities you already have or giving you a power that happens automatically. 

 

Whether it's buffing your rage, giving you a resistance, or adding additional damage die, the end result is that playing a barbarian remains similar between levels 3 and 20. 

 

The barbarian gains mostly passive abilities or boost as they level up... but not something fresh an exciting. 

 

Admittedly, this is a unique problem for the barbarian. The fighter and rogue subclasses offer whole new flavors and abilities. 

 

HOWEVER, not only has this "problem" been blown out of proportion, but the barbarian subclasses are not that redundant or passive, and the right subclass can convert even the most dismissive of players. 

 

There is a very good reason why the barbarian's mechanics are particularly simple, even for a martial class... 

 

The Nature of the D&D Barbarian 

 

 

The lore surrounding barbarians is of a proud people full of strength, intuition, and tradition. In battle, they run straight at the enemy and place themselves smack dab in the middle of the danger where they can do the most damage. 

 

So, what did Wizards of the Coast do? They married simple mechanics to the simple tone of the class. 

 

The barbarian is the most balanced and well-designed class in fifth edition. 

 

In other words, the barbarian is simple by design. This is NOT a class where you: 

 

Think three steps ahead or outside of the box... 

 

Cleverly manage your resources, tools, and spells... 

 

Engage in complex, indirect problem solving... 

 

The barbarian is all about facing your challenges head on, conquering through your own strength, instinct, and will to overcome. 

 

The mechanic's simple form of conflict resolution mirrors the spirit of the class. 

 

They aren't "boring mechanics"... they are simple but excellent mechanics that, might I add, are even a bit poetic! 

 

And besides, since when do mechanics condemn a class to boredom in fifth edition D&D? 

 

 

Fifth Edition's Freedom to Role-Play 

 

Finally, no fifth edition player can ever claim ANY class to be objectively boring, for one simple reason: 

 

DND 5e is no longer a war game with some role-playing elements. 

 

Rather... 

 

DND 5e is a role-playing game with war gaming elements. 

 

DnD 5e is a TTRPG that emphasizes combat, exploration, and role-playing to accomplish shared storytelling. 

 

It is not Warhammer 40k... it is not Gloomhaven... it is not the Witcher III: Wild Hunt. 

 

In Dungeons and Dragons, the mechanics are important and a ton of fun, but they do not make or break an interesting, fun character. 

 

Any class, no matter how mechanically sophisticated, will eventually become boring if you, the player, lack engagement or imagination. 

 

This truth applies as much to the ferocious barbarian as it does to the grizzled fighter, wise old wizard, and lusty bard. 

 

If you are going to spend countless hours as a character, cooperating with friends to tell a story, that character needs to be interesting beyond what they can do in combat. 

 

Over a long campaign, a lack of character depth will get in the way of your enjoyment much more than a lack of cool rules you can tinker with. 

 

Granted, if the mechanics of a class are why you play the game, and rolling dice is the most exciting aspect, then the barbarian might not be for you. 

 

And that is okay! I personally do not like playing a druid and I have friends that cannot imagine they would ever play a rogue or bard. We all have our preferences! 

 

But stop saying the barbarian class is a boring class. 

 

It's not. 

 

You just personally don't like it. 

 

15 Tips for a Fun 5e Barbarian 

 

 

With all that said, time to offer practical ideas to make sure your "boring 5e barbarian" stays a thing of the past! 

 

If you are still convinced the mechanics are a snooze, there are so many other ways to make your barbarian interesting and fun to play! 

 

Here are 15 different ways to spice up your barbarian in such a way that it makes them fresh session after session after session. 

 

       1. Break the "Stupid" Stereotype! 

 

Usually, both for thematic and mechanical reasons, the dump stat of the barbarian is intelligence. But just because you have a low intelligence ability score doesn't mean you have to play a character that is as dumb as a brick. 

 

You absolutely can and you might find it fun! Bit it also might get old. Low intelligence can just mean they are uneducated or lack classical book learning. 

 

Most barbarians would probably know nature, some battle tactics, and that diplomacy is sometimes better than violence. And even if they have a simple or flawed logic ruled by emotions, a smart party member could still use that same logic to convince them otherwise. 

 

You get the point: playing a barbarian does not box you into playing a stupid, constantly violent moron. 

 

       2. More Strategy Than You Think 

 

Melee classes are simple; barbarians even more so. But barbarians still have "Rage," "Reckless Attack," and can grapple, meaning there is a lot more strategy to a barbarian in combat than you might think. 

 

Here are some examples: 

• Every time you "recklessly attack," you gain advantage... BUT your enemy also gains advantage when attacking you. So the question becomes: how badly do you need to land this hit right now? 

 

• Your "rage" ends when you do not attack an enemy on your turn. Furthermore, you can only rage a certain number of times per long rest. So, each encounter, you need to ask yourself: does this situation DEMAND that I rage? Can I afford to rage? 

 

• With your high STR score, you can reliably grapple and shove enemies, which is your version of "battlefield control." So when an angry enemy is grappled, do you want to attack them again? Or shove them into another enemy? Or throw them off a ledge? Or take their spell-casting focus or weapon out of their hands? 

 

• And, finally, you fight with others! So do you run ahead or position yourself at their flanks? Do you heal, help, distract...? 

 

Basically, "Reckless Attack," "Rage," and grapple are similar to the classic "rifle, melee, grenades" trio from Halo... they can be strategically mixed and matched for a wide variety of fun! 

 

 

       3. Elaborate Your Attacks! 

 

 

So many players describe in the most basic terms how they run up to attack and then roll. Then, the DM tells them if they hit or not and they roll the damage. But then they let the DM do the fun part: explaining why you hit/missed and what it looks/feels like. 

 

Don't let the DM take the fun part! Based on the result of your role, take the initiative to describe your combat. Describe HOW did you run up to the monster? WHERE did your attack hit? WHY did your attack miss? 

 

These questions will turn "I attack" into something new and exciting every round! 

 

       4. Become a Hoarder 

 

A lot of DnD 5e players build a martial class that is exceptional at one thing: spear and shield, two-handed fighting, etc. But while their specialty maximizes their potential in combat, it also dooms you to get bored with your character. Even a sorcerer would get bored casting fireball every turn! 

 

You see, spell casters may have a variety of spells, but melee fighters have a variety of WEAPONS. 

 

Have you forgotten that, as a barbarian, you are able to use ANY martial weapon?!?!! 

 

And yes, I mean ANY weapon (5e is ridiculously open minded about this). Are you a tough mountain clansman? Doesn't matter, pick up those nunchucks and go to town. 

 

Your character should have a dragon hoard's amount of melee weapons. The cart of home base should be stack with them, the bag of holding bursting with them. You should have multiple colors of each weapon, all from different makers and nations. 

 

       5. Or Improvise Anything and Everything as a Weapon 

 

And if you  have no weapons available... MAKE ONE. 

 

Swing the corpse of a goblin... 

 

Throw a halfling rogue companion as a weapon... 

 

Rip the horns off an elk and stab an evil druid... 

 

Pull a shark out of the water to beat another shark to death... 

 

(Taking the Tavern Brawler feat makes this particularly effective). 

 

I mean, come on... NONE of those things are boring! Very bloody... but fun! 

 

       6. Change How You Fight 

 

Just because you have d12 hit dice, huge strength, and high constitution, that doesn't mean you always have to attack the biggest baddie on the battlefield. 

 

You can choose to stock up on javelins and hurl them at a distance. 

 

You can get on a horse a joust with the best of them. 

 

You can circle around and wait for the party to get the BBEG distracted so you can hopefully land a crit.  

 

And even if the party says: "Hey! We need you to do this so we stay safe!" tell them to screw off... you aren't solving a puzzle, you are role-playing an awesome combat! 

 

       7. Dive Deep Into Anger 

 

 

The "Rage" mechanic basically defines the barbarian... they are angry people, seeing red all the time. 

 

But anger is a complex emotion. There are a LOT of different ways a person can be angry. Angry people often feel offended, resentful, bitter, aggressive, pugnacious, etc. 

 

It's a long list... google "emotions wheel" for more options! 

 

Furthermore, for humans at least, anger is a secondary emotion used to cover up deeper, more complex emotions, shame, or fear. Imagine the depth you can give into for your barbarian as they discover they have been using anger to hide deep seated shame? 

 

 

       8. Or, Pick a Different Emotion Than Anger 

 

Alternatively, you could talk to your DM about picking another emotion that dominates your barbarians personality and guides them in battle: 

 

What if they love killing so much they are filled with joy, singing their war songs as they are covered in blood? 

 

Or, even stranger, perhaps they weep with tears as they fight, knowing what pain and judgement awaits those they kill? 

 

Or maybe they maniacally laugh he more they cleave enemies in two? 

 

If I were a nasty little goblin, I would find all three as terrifying as a raging barbarian! 

 

      9. Be a Big Stealthy Boy 

 

In order to get that high unarmored defense AC, a barbarian also needs high dexterity. Which means you can choose the "stealth" skill and put it to great use! 

 

So even though you are a bad mofo with an 8ft glaive, you can still tag along with the rogue to surprise an enemy encampment. 

 

Not only that, but spell casters will usually be more than happy to let you go off into danger by buffing you even further with spells like "pass without a trace" or even "enhance ability." 

 

       10. Go Deep Into Your Senses for Skill Checks 

 

Part of the flavor for the barbarian is that they are more attuned to their senses (think their "Danger Sense" class ability). They are raised in a culture more attuned to hunting in nature and have developed other parts of their brain and practical skills. 

 

Lean into that intuitive, unexplained ability to sense things when you make skill checks. 

 

Have your insight checks be something you smell rather than something you see. When they sense magic, let it be something they feel in their bones but don't understand or notice. When they do a history check, have it be through the myths they grew up hearing rather than academic lecture. 

 

       11. Use your Pack and Tools 

 

 

Most barbarians would probably prefer to survive living off the land, but a simple explorers pack gives you access to a backpack, a bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, 50ft of rope, and a waterskin. 

 

And there is A LOT you can do with just that... not to mention the innumerable mundane items you can find in any general store. 

 

For more information, I suggest listening to this episode from the "It's a Mimic!" podcast. They spend a couple hours going through every item they can think of and the weird ways you can use them. 

 

       14. Be a Fish Out of Water! 

 

Remember science class in middle school, and looking in wonder at what the teacher could to do with a few chemicals? 

 

As a barbarian, that feeling would be experienced constantly. 

 

Every city, guild, government, industry has potential to FASCINATE your character. Everything, not just the Feywild or Wizard Tower, has a feeling of magic to it. Each experience is strange and new... which makes for fun, hilarious, and exciting role-playing opportunities! 

 

For example, I played a barbarian that couldn't believe what other cultures were able to do with food. He was so used to wild plants and grilled meats that he was dumbfounded when he came across pastries and spices. It sparked a while side quest for him (more on that later). 

 

 

       13. Consider Their Tribal Culture 

 

There are cultural differences that shaped your barbarian into a very different sort of person than a feudal knight. 

 

A shaman is different from a cleric... a chieftain is different from a king... hunting and gathering is different from raising cattle and farming crops. 

 

So ask yourself about the culture that shaped your character. 

 

What was their tribe like? What occupied their time? 

 

Who led them and who/what did they worship? 

 

And what are their ethics and moral code? How do they view property, beauty, honor, sexuality, or integrity? 

 

In the end, you could easily have a lawful good barbarian that is constantly at odds with a lawful good paladin, even though both hold themselves to an incredibly high moral standard! 

 

       14. Downtime! 

 

 

Downtime may not be a quest, but it's still tons of fun! 

 

Remember that food-fascinated barbarian I mentioned earlier? Well, in every city the party visited, his downtime activity was discovering the food and drink of that particular region. It was a creative nightmare for my DM, but the whole table certainly enjoyed discovering what cuisine he discovered next. 

 

But that's not all... eventually, his curiosity blossomed into a full-blown culinary passion. He began insisting on learning to cook from anyone willing to teach him. By the tail end of the campaign, adventuring had nearly become a means to an end of opening a tavern. 

 

Could any character class do this? Yes. Was it a liiiiittle more fun with my barbarian? I think so! 

 

       15. Add Feats Instead of Stats 

 

First of all, some tables do not allow feats, so ask your DM first. 

 

But if they are allowed, players everywhere use feats to exchange an ability improvement score and instead add some potentially game-changing abilities! 

 

It's like instead of getting better at strength or constitution, you instead get another class ability. 

 

You can choose any feat, but certain feats fit barbarians particularly well. 

 

Take sentinel. If someone enters your space, they ain't leaving without a wound. 

 

Make your hard-hitting, giant-axe hit even harder with great weapon master. 

 

Use mobile to cleave your way through the battlefield without consequence. 

 

Pin enemies with a grapple that's extra hard to break. 

 

Slay mages before they get the chance to charm you (AGAIN). 

 

Get as drunk as you want knowing you are a Tavern Brawler that won't lose a fist fight. 

 

Conclusion: Talk to Your DM 

 

 

I can't make you find the barbarian interesting, but I just led you to 15 reasons that I can promise will make it fun and exciting if you give it a try (or second try). 

 

And if all of those fail, you can always spice things up by multiclassing with another class! 

 

But before we part, one last piece of advice... and this may be the most important: 

 

TALK TO YOUR DM. 

 

They are are an enemy you need to outsmart, they are a friendly facilitator there to help everyone have fun telling a story and playing a game. 

 

So share your dreams and concerns for the barbarian class. 

 

Tell her you are afraid of every battle being in a room or on a field and you will never have a chance to throw an enemy off a cliff... 

 

Communicate your frustrations with your turns taking 1 min and the spell casters turns making 5 minutes... 

 

Tell him you want to be able to cinematically crash through a door without ALWAYS having to roll an athletics check or wasting several turns to break it down. 

 

Tell him you are worried you might lose interest as the game goes on and that you look forward to some weird and interesting magic items... 

 

When all else fails, ask your DM to help you make your character. They are there to help! 

 

Oh, and if you want to be a Berserker, then absolutely tell your DM the "Frenzy mechanic" is broken, universally reviled, and brainstorm ways to make it better! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riley Rath 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based out of San Diego, Riley is a freelance copywriter that combines his love of reading, writing, and people into something useful! He is thankful to be applying his passion for imaginative role-playing to help D&D related businesses communicate their value in the best way possible. He's kinda like a bard giving inspiration, except without the annoying pop covers! 

https://www.rileyjamescopy.com/my-best-work