D&D 5E My Barbarian Ninja

[BASHMAN]

I like seeing that the versatility to combine options so far is working well in this edition. This is not the typical build and has some advantages but also leaves a few things on the table because of the mechanics, Rage and Deflect for example. If you are okay with it than I say game on. Some people will sit and calculate this damage over that damage as in two handed weapon vs. two weapon but I think deciding on what works for the "character" is the way to go and that is usually how I make my characters. If we always just build for the toughest combination then variety quickly falls off.

Well, actually, it all has to do with "reskinning" the action. One way of describing the effect of her rage, or 'battle trance' is that she is AUTOMATICALLY deflecting all the attacks (which is why she takes half damage from them) since Deflect is just some damage reduction anyway (which uses a Reaction, which you can't do because you're raging; but you also could say you can't deflect something twice, and since she is automatically doing it, there is no need for the feat).

So you might find the feat worthwhile to use when not in Battle Trance, just be aware that when you are in battle trance, you can say you are blocking attacks; in fact, depending on the attack, you may be even better at it, since you seem to do it without concentrating on it.

 

[DnD_Dad]

The title of this made my inner AD&D scream, "heretic!" Lol

 

[artfulshrapnel]

Actually works really well with the source material: Conan. He actually "plays" more like a ninja/rogue in the stories, except that he doesn't do it with a crap strength score. (My understanding of actual ninjas is that they were pretty buff, for that matter...)

 

[BASHMAN]

Actually works really well with the source material: Conan. He actually "plays" more like a ninja/rogue in the stories, except that he doesn't do it with a crap strength score. (My understanding of actual ninjas is that they were pretty buff, for that matter...)

That's true. But a 14 Strength *IS* really buff compared to the average person -- it isn't a "crap" strength score. She is muscular and toned, but an 18 STR is like those huge hulking "Strongest man in the world competition" guys who pull a bus with their teeth. That isn't very "ninja-y".

 

[artfulshrapnel]

That's true. But a 14 Strength *IS* really buff compared to the average person -- it isn't a "crap" strength score. She is muscular and toned, but an 18 STR is like those huge hulking "Strongest man in the world competition" guys who pull a bus with their teeth. That isn't very "ninja-y".

Sorry, didn't mean to offend. I was more referring to the typical rogue/ninja build I've seen in both film and RPGs, who tend to use STR as a semi-dump stat.

 

[Dexamalion]

For weapons I took Scimitars (1d8 slashing finesse) and re-skinned them to be Ninja-To. I took a cestus for each hand, re-skinned to be Tekko. I took a longbow, re-skinned into a Daiku, and daggers, re-skinned into Shuriken.

I'm running a DDN group and one of the guys took a Barbarian with a similar set of weapons as you have here (minus the Ninja skinning). I was uncomfortable with pairing a Longbow with Rage: shooting a bow needs calm concentration which seems at odds with the description of rage in the current rules. I like your description of the trance much better, it makes much more sense with ranged attacks.

 

[BASHMAN]

I'm running a DDN group and one of the guys took a Barbarian with a similar set of weapons as you have here (minus the Ninja skinning). I was uncomfortable with pairing a Longbow with Rage: shooting a bow needs calm concentration which seems at odds with the description of rage in the current rules. I like your description of the trance much better, it makes much more sense with ranged attacks.

The good news is that the Barbarian Rage doesn't do anything to help with bow shots. The bonuses only apply to STR based attacks.

 

[Dexamalion]

The good news is that the Barbarian Rage doesn't do anything to help with bow shots. The bonuses only apply to STR based attacks.

Yep, but can a bow shot count as an attack with regard to maintaining a rage? If you enter rage, attack a lizard man, and then next round shoot a bow at another lizard man, does that count as an attack for maintaining the rage? This was what I had issue with.

 

[sr123]

But a 14 Strength *IS* really buff compared to the average person -- it isn't a "crap" strength score. She is muscular and toned, but an 18 STR is like those huge hulking "Strongest man in the world competition" guys who pull a bus with their teeth. That isn't very "ninja-y".

Whenever I try to equate stats to physical attributes in RP, I want to kill D&D with a chainsaw. A short frail female elf can be as strong as a half-orc hulk with ease -- maybe she just took a lot of judo classes and knows how to leverage weight.

Furthermore, sword damage and climbing ability are based on Str without regard to the fact that light people climb easier and swords are not wielded with strength. Same arguments for all 6 attributes.

Don't kill your roleplaying with attributes, which along with HP are the concepts most abstracted from reality in the game.

 

[BASHMAN]

Yep, but can a bow shot count as an attack with regard to maintaining a rage? If you enter rage, attack a lizard man, and then next round shoot a bow at another lizard man, does that count as an attack for maintaining the rage? This was what I had issue with.

Well with the trance re-skin it works (think River Tam with a gun; but it's a bow instead); but with frothy-mouthed rage; probably not. However, I'd allow *throwing* weapons to maintain rage.