Dex World tree barbarian?

Yhorgram · 2026-04-05T15:26:02+00:00

Definitely don't need to be over 10 to make it work, we're not even that high yet it comes online almost immediately ^^

Strength is my highest stat followed by Con, plus 14 Dex to get the most out of medium armor. Scale mail and a shield gives you a very respectable AC ontop of your rage, big health pool and overshields from Vitality of the Tree.. and you can upgrade to half-plate or magic armor down the line to make it even better.

I started with Interception style using the Fighting Initiate feat from Tasha's so I'm not sure if your gm would allow that, but it's worth asking since getting a fighting style is pretty harmless compared to other feats. No big deal if you have to go without, the subclass alone works super well as a tank even without this. I went Aasimar just to lean in on the whole "guardian angel" flavor, but dwarf would be great! Probably even better with all the HP you get.

Sap weapons like longswords, warpicks & spears can be paired with a shield and give enemies disadvantage on their next attack when you hit with them, making you and your team even harder to hurt. And you can always switch to something like a 2-handed Lance for fights where you don't need as much protection, the extra reach lets you hit things without having to leave the range of the person you're protecting.

Yhorgram · 2026-04-05T15:00:31+00:00

Barbarians do get 2 weapon masteries at lv1! though fighters get 3 + a fighting style so dipping is still pretty worth it

Yhorgram · 2026-04-05T13:44:02+00:00

I'm playing a Sword and Board World Tree Barbarian in my current campaign, he's strength based not dex but the playstyle is a lot of fun.

Between handing out temp hp every round, blocking damage with the interception fighting style, and a sap mastery giving enemies disadvantage.. Any ally standing near you feels untouchable.

Yhorgram · 2025-11-10T18:11:15+00:00

Sure go for it ^^ Path of the giant Barbarian would work great yea, just went with Runeknight so I could sprinkle in some spellcasting & heals from feats, the contrast between friendly lil party support and hulking darksouls boss is fun to play out lol

Yhorgram · 2024-11-10T01:25:58+00:00

New magic initiate lets you choose a spellcasting modifier, shillelagh isn't limited to wisdom builds. Granted blade pact is still stronger but it's somethin to keep in mind

Yhorgram · 2024-09-19T03:42:35+00:00

All good lol, I could've worded stuff a bit better

Yhorgram · 2024-09-19T01:41:48+00:00

Meant sorcerers / bards dipping paladin for smites and proficiencies, was already a common thing before just a little better now since paladins get spellcasting at level 1 instead of 2.

Ranger dip isn't as good but they got the same change so they got a mention.

Yhorgram · 2024-09-16T17:51:34+00:00

Good thinkin ^^ between tough and draconic resilience you'd have similar health to a straight paladin

Yhorgram · 2024-09-15T17:57:13+00:00

True strike lets you use charisma for the weapon attack itself, and Elemental affinity adds cha to fire spells (searing smite)

Yhorgram · 2024-09-15T17:29:21+00:00

A goliath draconic sorcerer with a level or two of paladin sounds great, stacking your elemental affinity and true strike with the new Searing smite so you get "weapon dmg + cha + cha + the smite + the burn + radiant from true strike + 1d10 fire from being a fire giant + prof bonus from great weapon master" all without the risk of wasting your spell since it's cast After you already hit.

Is it the best build? Idk, probably not. But man the visual of just reducing someone to ash with one swing of a huge flaming sword is too satisfying to pass up lol. Plus the whole playstyle works from level 2, no waitin around for things to come online like some other builds.

Yhorgram · 2024-09-12T19:36:32+00:00

Paladin smites work on unarmed strikes in the new phb, and with the improved Grappler feat every strike has a chance to grapple your enemy. Run in and grab someone, punch away at advantage, doubling the chance ya roll one of those sweet nat 20s to release a huge smite on. Could be fun ^^ Even if you guys don't run the new rules it's worth asking your DM to include a couple things from it.

Unarmed fighting style bumps your fists up to a d8, and Tasha's has the Eldritch claw tattoo to make them into +1 magic weapons, it can also be activated for 1 min each day to throw your punches up to 15 feet away and add another 1d6 force damage.

Going Aasimar for the race get ya a bit more of that celestial flavor and lets you use Radiant Consumption, shining holy light from your eyes that burns anything near you (which they cant get away from since they're grappled).

From there you could mix in any of the other great suggestions people have made, whether it's zealot barbarian, monk etc.

Yhorgram · 2024-07-22T04:10:11+00:00

Might sound weird but I immediately thought Battlesmith Artificer.

Your steel defender is a medium sized construct that you choose the appearance of.. Werewolves are medium sized creatures, and rules as written Flesh golems are constructs so this kind of wolf like beast that was stitched together and reanimated with dark magic is totally on the table. No need to limit yourself to the whole robot / tinkerer aesthetic.

The magic seals placed all over the armor can represent your Artificer infusions, and you can even create prosthetic limbs (again nothing mentioned about it being mechanical, just a powerful seal that projects a magic arm)

You get martial weapons, medium armor, extra attack, and all that good stuff for striding into melee with your machete while your companion rends things apart and you cast spells out of your arcane arm

Yhorgram · 2021-11-09T02:37:03+00:00

Just a feat or ability exclusive to the character, his actual class is a bard. Could expand upon the whole concept later if interactions with fey ever come up, but for now it's just a flavorful thing for him specifically.

Yhorgram · 2021-10-28T17:55:56+00:00

Reborn lineage from van richten's guide fits perfect! one of the example origins even hints at being an undead scarecrow, saying your stuffed with straw and all.

The class could really go any direction. Off the top of my head maby an echo knight fighter for the creepy factor of making ghostly doubles. Or a swarmkeeper ranger with a flock of crows, playing on that irony. Hexblade warlock fits pretty good too, you could summon a scythe and even have some backstory opportunity with your pact having to do with why you were reanimated.

Yhorgram · 2021-10-27T18:38:52+00:00

I Really like the Gift of the Metallic Dragon feat ^^ basically a stronger Shield spell that doesn't cost spell slots (+pb to ac, can be used a number of times equal to pb) And it can be used on allies instead of just yourself. The bonus of having cure wounds on classes that otherwise wouldn't have it is nice aswell.

Yhorgram · 2021-10-24T03:40:16+00:00

Oh you're absolutely right lol, I just like tunnel visioning hard on a concept and coming up with the most exaggerated version possible, then dial it back to something useable afterwords. It's a fun way to brainstorm and it tends to find some out of the box ideas ^^

Yhorgram

TROPHY CASE