Top Feats for Barbarians in Dungeons Dragons 5e

Choosing the right feats for your barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (DD5e) can significantly enhance your character's effectiveness in combat and overall survivability. This article will explore some of the best feats for barbarians, providing a comprehensive guide to help you make informed decisions during character creation and progression.

Great Weapon Master

Benefits: You can take a -5 penalty to your attack roll to deal an extra 10 damage. This feature is especially potent for barbarians who often have high attack bonuses and can benefit from the extra damage.

Synergy: Works well with the Reckless Attack feature, allowing you to maximize damage output.

Tough

Benefits: Increases your hit points by an amount equal to twice your level when you take this feat plus an additional 2 hit points whenever you gain a level. Boosts your survivability, which is crucial for a frontline character like a barbarian.

Shield Master

Benefits: If you use a shield, this feat grants you bonuses to your Dexterity saving throws. Allows you to add your shield's AC bonus to Dexterity saving throws against effects that target only you. Provides a bonus action to shove a creature.

Synergy: Enhances both defensive capabilities and control in combat.

Savage Attacker

Benefits: Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can reroll the damage dice and use the higher total. This is particularly useful when combining with other damage-boosting features.

Mobile

Benefits: Increases your speed by 10 feet. When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn.

Synergy: Great for hit-and-run tactics, allowing you to engage and disengage effectively.

Sentinel

Benefits: When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature. Additionally, when you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, its speed drops to 0 for the rest of the turn.

Synergy: Provides excellent control over the battlefield, making it harder for enemies to escape your reach.

Resilient Constitution

Benefits: Increases your Constitution score by 1. Example: Increases your Constitution saving throws which is useful for maintaining concentration on spells if multiclassed and resisting effects that require saves.

Synergy: Helps with survivability and maintaining your rage.

Fey Touched or Similar

Benefits: Increases your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1. Enables access to spells like Misty Step, enhancing mobility and versatility.

Synergy: While not traditional for barbarians, it can offer unique tactical options.

Lucky

Benefits: Provides you with three luck points you can use to reroll attacks, ability checks, or saving throws. Increases your overall effectiveness and survivability in critical moments.

Feat Selection Tips

Playstyle: Choose feats that align with your playstyle whether you prefer to deal damage, control the battlefield, or enhance your survivability. Team Composition: Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your party. If your team lacks frontline control, feats like Sentinel or Shield Master can be invaluable.

Selecting feats can significantly impact your barbarian's effectiveness, so think about what enhances your character's strengths and complements your party's dynamics!